Off Topic The Ashes.

[Walsh.i.am]

HaveIGotNewsForYou ‏@haveigotnews 1m1 minute ago
RSPCA sends thanks to Australian cricket team for helping boost the UK duck population. [HASHTAG]#Ashes2015[/HASHTAG]

 

[THURNBY YELLOW]

What a day!!! LOved the comment from some wag that the Aussie extras guy should be promoed up the order.
Say what you like but you can't knock their humour!

 

[zogean_king]

Well.... living in Australia.... this is fun

Anyway I don't like celebrating before it is all over, but it is certainly an excellent start.....I did send a 2 min coaching manual on how to play out-swing to an aussie mate

 

[Bath-Canary]

Well.... living in Australia.... this is fun

Anyway I don't like celebrating before it is all over, but it is certainly an excellent start.....I did send a 2 min coaching manual on how to play out-swing to an aussie mate

Your saying that a 200+ lead at the end of the first day with 6 wickets in hand and clear forecasts for the rest of the test isn't over? It really is starting to feel like it.

 

[goldeneadie]

Root is proving different class again. The smiling assassin. This is the first time since 1896, the same as I mentioned earlier, that one batsman has finished the first day with more than twice the opponents total for the first innings.

 

[wellyblue]

Your saying that a 200+ lead at the end of the first day with 6 wickets in hand and clear forecasts for the rest of the test isn't over? It really is starting to feel like it.

I agree, there's no pressure on our batting now and I'd like to see us bat for the whole of tomorrow, careful and controlled batting, and there's no reason why we couldn't be at 450- 500 runs ahead by the end of day two, the Aussie bowlers will be under pressure to find 'instant wickets' which so often doesn't work.

I'd like to see us hit that magical and psychological 500 mark, though in this Test probably 450 would do before they bat again, as an English cricket fan I want us to absolutely humiliate the Aussies in this Test (as we win back The Ashes), and we are in such a position to do so.

I want the 'shackle draggers',(as one of you lot called them ) to be having ****ing nightmares forever over that first innings yesterday.

 

[Norfolkbhoy]

Tend to agree with Welly as psychologically the Aussies spending most of the day in the field watching the deficit go up at a similar pace to the Greek debt will be wearing plus I'd like to see their bowlers have to toil a bit to hopefully give them the odd niggle for the final test because once our innings ends other than pad up and nick off they won't be doing much work for the rest of the match that's for certain. It would also be nice for the guys who bought tickets for Saturday to be able to watch the coup de grace.

 

[Bath-Canary]

Johnson bowing long spells yesterday was bad for him he and Stark are impact bowlers. It dragged his pace down to mid 80s, which is never going to do anything as he has no movement.
The danger point today will be that new ball, it's no doubt what the Aussies are focusing on. Root should cope fine with it, I'm just hoping the other end holds up so we can get after them. Put them in with a 300/400 deficit, remember declarations are pretty painful from a psychological perspective too. I'd like to see the Aussies batting by the end of the day.

 

[Walsh.i.am]

Splendid decision of theirs to go in with just 4 front line bowlers
Where's Siddle when Johnson and Starc need to be able to bowl in short bursts to be at their most effective - as Bath said in the post above?
Even Watson offers more to the bowling attack than David Warner
Total ****ing pig's ear, they've made of this so far - long may it continue...

 

[Hairy Mary Quite Canary]

Nothing in the way of excuses here in Aus. Its been more like morbid fascination watching it unfold. Even the commentators sound like they're rubber-necking. Naturally the pitch was to blame at first but that's died down following Eng digging in.

 

[Bath-Canary]

I'm sort of disappointed it's not been more of a contest. The ashes should be hard fought this is just pathetic. They need to retired half of the team and probably drop most of the other half.
Then Chris Rodgers needs to become their batting coach for the next tour here.

 

[Walsh.i.am]

I'm sort of disappointed it's not been more of a contest.
The ashes should be hard fought this is just pathetic.

As, to be completely fair, were England in that dismal second innings at Lords. So far in the whole series, only one team at a time has bothered turning up to the party? All three results so far have been by a massive margin - dare I say I don't see this one bucking that trend

 

[Bath-Canary]

As, to be completely fair, were England in that dismal second innings at Lords. So far in the whole series, only one team at a time has bothered turning up to the party? All three results so far have been by a massive margin - dare I say I don't see this one bucking that trend

That's true but at least England felt like they were working hard all the time.
England have the advantage of being at the beginning of a development cycle. There are few players in that team who won't still be playing for the next 5 years. Only Bell and Anderson will probably retire in that period. Australia have far too many players in their 30s

 

[KIO]

England 2nd Innings 324-7, You know what it wouldn't surprise me at all if England snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here, not in the slightest

 

[Walsh.i.am]

Well, KIO, we've contrived to lose 3 - make that 4 wickets for a little over 50 runs this morning
Normal service resumed after yesterday's heroics

 

[Bath-Canary]

England 2nd Innings 324-7, You know what it wouldn't surprise me at all if England snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here, not in the slightest

No chance. Will still have a lead of 300, if Starc and hazelwood are getting movement, think how much damage our bowlers can do.
Them clearing us up here is just making it more likely to be done tonight.

 

[Hairy Mary Quite Canary]

Very easily Eng may not even need to bat again

 

[KIO]

335-8 !

 

[Walsh.i.am]

So the old ball was zipping around like the proverbial banana, they take the new ball and in the second over with it, England smash 20 runs!!
Gotta love test match cricket

 

[Norfolkbhoy]

KIO even if we lose the last two wickets for next to nothing we have enough on the board to roll them over comfortably. I know if you have lived through the humiliation of the 80's and 90' it is hard to accept but we will beat them and probably by lunch tomorrow.