Wasim Akram was a beast, the way he moved the ball through the air was stunning, and he was a genuine 160kph bowler. Risking a severe bout of bias, I'll forever be a Jeff Thompson fan. There are whispers that he may have even reached 180 kph. By the way, Aust to have a nice series win.
Here is a terrific item from the BBC Sport website about an unsung Ashes hero: David Steele At the time the Aussies had a couple of half decent bowlers: Dennis Lillee (the one with the proper 70s tash) and Jeff Thomson. I expect that the Mods will end up having to keep close attention to this thread. By the weekend it could read like a dictionary of Anglo-Saxon and Aboriginal colloquialisms. If England select Moeen Ali ahead of Adil Rashid on Wednesday morning, Ali had better get a ton to make up for all the runs that he will leak with the ball as he was rubbish against New Zealand.
Having Ryan Harris pull stumps on his career, has to be a major plus for the English. Having reduced Cook and Root to a quivering mess last time around, they'll be glad to see the back of him. As for the England spinners, it is going to a bad day at Black Rock for whoever is chosen. Australia will target the spinner, so there is a real chance that the player will almost be on a hiding to nothing. Got to feel a bit sorry for the player, because the press will go after him if he goes for a few.
I'm off work this week, I'm actually off to celebrate a family century, very cricket for this thread as it's my grans 100th birthday this Wednesday. She hasn't exactly had a nervous knock in her nineties and has flown through the past years with all the energy of a woman many a year younger than her. I wouldn't be surprised if she is still batting with us for a few more years yet... What a little trooper she is... Anyway, the first Ashes test is nearly upon us and all that excitement of the first day and opening ball, though Steve Harmison might want to retake his opening effort from a few years back...!!! I have to admit that about two months ago I thought that we would well to win one Test let alone win the Ashes back but those ODI's with NZ made me think that we might just be able to pull off a victory against the ole enemy... Heart now says we can, but my head is still saying no chance. We shall see... As for your comment on Wasim Akram Cyc, I had the pleasure, well a very nervous pleasure of standing behind the stumps at a practice session at Lancs cricket years ago and I can tell you now his bowling when at 3/4 pace was frightening. That quick arm was totally deceiving and the ball was hitting the back of the net in a blink of the eye... I am amazed at how good these top top batters are when taking on the real quicks from around the world. Serious cojones...!!!
To be honest Cyc im surprised he has lasted as long as he has what given with his injuries over his career.. As you say its a big plus for a couple of our batters but its not like your struggling to find another quick to replace him...!!!
Nice one for Gran Red, I wish the good lady all the very best on this, the hundredth celebration of her birth.
Harris' retirement will I suspect only be a minor inconvenience as the still Aussies have a very good attack. This is where the difference will tell as I don't think their batting is much if any better than ours. If Steve Smith had to face Starc and an in form Johnson I suspect he'd struggle. I'm just looking for us to compete to be honest as I can well recall the days not so long ago where the ashes were lost in just 11 days of play. Reading David Warner's pathetic attempt to unsettle Root in the weekend press gave me a little more grounds for optimism. They clearly are fretting about the young Yorkie batter. And they call us whingers
No doubt about it Chanin, Root is the danger man at the moment. Every now and then one of these Ashes Series can be a real blow out, but I'm not so sure this time around. England at home can take some beating. I love watching Mitchell Johnson bowl, so I'm hoping the tracks won't deaden his lift off the wicket. P. S. That's not a whinge about whinging is it Chanin?
I'd agree with most comments, Steve Smith is a big wicket for us as is Joe Root for them. A combined ashes 11 from everyone? I'll start Cook Warner Smith Root Clarke (c) Buttler Watson Stokes Starc Johnson Anderson Don't think either spinner is up to much so hoping the 3 quicks plus two allrounders and part timer spin of Root would be enough
Australians have been shocked at the Sophia Gardens pitch. In the lead up to the first test, Australia hard been think hard about a pitch with a reputation for spin. But after looking at the wicket, they were surprised at the amount of grass they saw. Clarke said that if the wicket remained green, the selectors might just go in with four quicks. The skipper said that if the wicket remained as it is at the moment, and he won the toss, he would have no worries about sending in England. Between now and the first over, the pitch will of course change. Clarke said that England will get the pitch they want. (As do all home teams.) Hde said that if England feared spin, they'd leave more grass on it. Australia is expected to take spinner Lyon into the test, but if the pitch remains fresh, Pete Siddle may get a run. What do you local guys expect wicket wise?
I'm not too sure to be honest Cyc, neither team has a top top spinner. Not sure England will want a wicket that spins but then again they won't want a quick bouncy wicket for the Aussie quicks. I expect that a lot of pitches will be set up like the NZ test, pretty flat so would expect a lot of runs but the pitch doing a little bit for bowlers who put it in the right areas
If the forecasted heatwav starts as predicted, all of the Southern pitches will be hard and fast no matter how much they water them as they all dry out PDQ. Will be a seem bowlers heaven. All over this double Top English bowler James Anderson @ 2/1 Top Aussie bowler Mitchell Stark @ 9/4
Anybody that took the 10/11 Australia to win the first Ashes Test at Sophia Gardens only has to hope that the weather does not defeat them. England surrendered the match before a ball was even bowled by picking Moeen Ali instead of Adil Rashid. Adam Lyth failed again opening the batting, only sticking around until the second over. Somebody see if Geoffrey Boycott’s mother is available for the second Test. Now the England captain Alistair Cook has gifted his wicket to Nathan Lyon (14 balls, no runs, one wicket); and Ian Bell has departed leg before to Mitchell Starc... and Brad Haddin has just shelled Joe Root second ball. Anybody with tickets for Saturday may have to find something else to do – the Aussies could have won by an innings by then!
Don't think it will be that easy QM, once Root settles down all will be fine. Bell has scored 56 runs in his last 9 innings
Coming into The Ashes, most of England’s top order batsmen were in dreadful form. On a tame batting track at Canterbury, the Aussies helped themselves to at least three centuries hammering Kent’s bowlers all over the county; suggesting that perhaps their batting line up was in better form than ours. The matches ought to be played on wickets that favour our bowlers but we have picked the second-best spinner that was named in the squad and Stuart Broad is likely to prove expensive for his wickets. That would be fine if the Aussies had not brought the two Mitchells with them. Still do not want a penny on England even after a hundred plus stand for the fourth wicket...
Rooooooooooooot! Ol Teflon Brad is going to have to bat well to get in credit in this test. Agree that Moeen is hardly a frontline spinner but disagree that Rashid should have been picked ahead of him. The Aussies always target a new spinner so throwing in Rashid for his test debut would have been a big risk. The real numpties were the previous management who took him to the Caribbean as drinks waiter in the Spring.
A shared day in terms of who is on top today, though had Butler stayed in at the end then I would have given the day to us, just... Sets up a good days play tomorrow where we can hopefully push past 400, though I think if we get to 380 it will be a good start... About even so far Cyc, lets see what your boys are made of when we have a go at em tom...
Nice thread Cyc . Overall nowt in it after today...great days action and the layers have England third fav's in the possible result stakes..interesting. Pietersen said to Warne in 2005 when he dropped him at first slip at a crucial time; "you have just dropped the Ashes". Did Hadden do the same?...very early days but at 43-4 England was dead and buried without Root. A wet Summer after we win this... Ballance,despite getting a few today is a walking wicket,literally only a matter of time before he stands on his own stumps if he bats any deeper...LBW afore that most likely scenario. Cook,if he can't cut behind square and clip off his pads is useless..top of off for an over or two and he's gone..too defensive a Captain as well. Lyth..really?..not even sure if thats his name..completely out of his depth..not too many can steer a leading edge from an on side drive to gully. Bell is an elegant player but hopelessly out of form and this turgid pitch will have done nothing for his confidence..second innings runs essential to save his spot,at number 3 at least..may see him and Root change places or James Taylor recalled. Root gave the low/middle order a buffer but one gets the impression that Buttler,Stokes or Ali lack the discipline to hang around and tough it out instead of lifting off like,say,a Hadden. Perfectly poised test and today belonged to Joe Root who saved England from looking at the weather forecast...great effort from the young Yorkie.
