Off Topic The Official Ashes 2013 Thread

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Eng 224-5 (Bell 97*, Bresnan 2*)

Late last night we waited for Chris Rogers' hundred, are we in for the same with Ian Bell? Lyon probes under north-eastern evening sunshine, bringing Bell forward, then pushing him back in defence. Three overs remain in the day.
 
1847:
CLOSE OF PLAY - Eng 234-5 (lead by 202)

Nathan Lyon to bowl the cheeky bonus over we've managed to sneak in, coming around the wicket in sunshine that makes a mockery of the earlier decision to go off for bad light. The batsman is crowded but plods forward, before ending the day with a single. Once again Durham rises to acclaim Ian Bell, who takes handshakes from the Australia players. England close on 234-5, 202 ahead.

Fall of wickets: 17-1 (Root 2), 42-2 (Cook 22), 49-3 (Trott 23), 155-4 (Pietersen 44), 221-5 (Bairstow 28)
 
Geoffrey Boycott, Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special.

"It was a special innings by Bell, in the context of a low-scoring game on a tricky pitch where the odd ball keeps low, the odd ball bounces and the odd one does something. It's not easy scoring, you have to work hard and graft - he came down the pitch in the first innings and got out straight after tea, but he's used his loaf here. He has such a rounded game, he looks gorgeous when he's playing his shots and there's hardly any shot he can't play. It's been a pleasure to watch him."

Praise indeed from Boycs.
 
Well rain is forecast in the afternoon but they've been wayward so far in their predictions. We look set for hot day on Tuesday. If we do get the weather and England are still batting midway through tomorrow afternoon, then I think we'll see a great finish and an England win. Anything over 250 will be challenging but looking at how the pitch is playing, 300 may be needed. Signs of spin though. Any downpour in the afternoon and then sweating under covers will see that typical Durham seam movement and Broad will be a challenge. Jimmy will have had a little confidence restored this morning and had his feet up, maybe he can get back to his usual Durham form.
 
Norma Snockers said:
Well rain is forecast in the afternoon but they've been wayward so far in their predictions. We look set for hot day on Tuesday. If we do get the weather and England are still batting midway through tomorrow afternoon, then I think we'll see a great finish and an England win. Anything over 250 will be challenging but looking at how the pitch is playing, 300 may be needed. Signs of spin though. Any downpour in the afternoon and then sweating under covers will see that typical Durham seam movement and Broad will be a challenge. Jimmy will have had a little confidence restored this morning and had his feet up, maybe he can get back to his usual Durham form.
Click to expand...

He'll be up for it and raring to go.
 
Early wickets and use of the new ball will be key. We should be defending this on that wicket really. Yorkshire did make 339-6 to win a match there this summer though. There were a few shooters and risers. I thought it looked likely to turn, but ther ehas been no real development on that front. The bounce is useful for a spinner too though.
 
A few words from the experts and Man of the Moment. (A bit long winded.)



Geoffrey Boycott, Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"What a wonderful, dramatic day of cricket. It ebbed and flowed - that's what you want. Not this crash, bang, wallop 20 or 50 overs - it's about seeing bowlers and batsmen straining. Then it boils down to that England are better at the pressure moments."2007:

Beers flowing on the England balcony now, I suspect they might be supping in there for quite some time.


England skipper Alastair Cook: "At tea we still had a lot of runs to get. I didn't expect us to be stood here at 8pm having won the Ashes.

"Stuart Broad was incredible - he bowled some jaffas out there. Before tea we didn't get it right but we regrouped and Broady led that from the front. When he clicks he's got everything - pace, movement and control. When those three click it is hard to face."


From Proud Dad, via text on 81111: My wife gave birth to twins this morning and now England have won the Ashes. Does life get any better than this?!


Australia captain Michael Clarke on TMS: "We got outplayed, Stuart Broad bowled a couple of outstanding spells and as soon as we lost Chris Rogers we found it difficult.

"We've got to play better than that - Chris and Davey (Warner) played exceptionally well but we couldn't get over the line.

"Obviously we want to perform better than we have done, we need some time to let this sink in.
"Our bowlers have done a fantastic job throughout this series, Ryan Harris was outstanding and I feel really disappointed that I've let him down."
2001:

A few stats for you to ponder. Australia have now gone eight Tests without a win, England are unbeaten in 12. In terms of overall Ashes history, it now stands at 31 series wins apiece. England are unbeaten in six Tests against the Aussies and have lost only two of the last 14.

MAN OF THE MATCH

England pace bowler Stuart Broad: "I was glad I could contribute. The wicket suited my style of bowling and I found slightly fuller length. We had to regroup today and to get nine wickets in that period after tea was a special effort."

Vic Marks, Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Stuart Broad has a few barren Test matches but he has the capacity to produce these match-winning spells when it matters."


Ben Stone: Oval X1 Boycott, Ian Beale, Peggy Mitchell, Cameron, Gower, Murs, Moyles, My Mum, Blofeld, Cowell, Rooney. It doesn't matter!!

David Q: We've just Aussied the Aussies

Gavin Harris: After the battering we took in the 90's it feels weird to think England have won 3 Ashes series on the bounce
1956:

Applause as Alastair Cook skips down the steps, emerging as a rainbow arches over the ground. We're about to hear from the skippers.

Vic Marks, Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"England, whatever their faults, whenever they see their chance they're pretty ruthless. They just bang on the pressure - and the pressure told. There were a few poor strokes but you've got to impose that pressure."


England bowler Stuart Broad on his match-winning spell: "I found a nice rhythm at the top end and I wanted to be really aggressive. We lacked intensity in the middle period and Cooky [captain Alastair Cook] threw me the ball and said 'spice it up a bit'. I got a good partnership going with Tim Bresnan, we tried to hit the deck as hard as we could and we managed to do it."
1953:

Few fans are leaving Chester-le-Street, they wait for the presentations with cameras held aloft. The sun is out again, no hint of the bad light that threatened a premature close. Fluffy white clouds surround Lumley Castle, a beautiful evening scene.


England pace bowler Stuart Broad: "It was amazing really - an interesting day's cricket. Bressie's [Tim Bresnan] runs were vital, but Australia were brilliant in the middle spell and we had to regroup at tea. There were lots of conversations about how we could get Australia on the front foot and move the ball sidewards. We executed it - and then just prayed for some sunshine."1952:

The England players are sipping beer on the balcony, all with mobile phones out, acknowledging messages of congratulations or maybe booking a VIP place in a Newcastle nightclub. Australia, on the other hand, look shell-shocked. Darren Lehmann stands next to Rod Marsh. They can't even exchange words.

Geoffrey Boycott, Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"This match was a wonderful advert for Test cricket, today in particular. Anyone who tells me Twenty20's better than this is an idiot. England were under pressure, looking in trouble, and Broad was outstanding. Bell's hundred was lovely, but I think Broad would be my man of the match. Nothing was going for them, Warner was going well, then Broad bowled Clarke an absolute peach."
 
Great finish. England were supeprb once they regrouped. Broad was immense again. To be fair to him, since he has put that injury behind him in India, the lad has looked first class. Whenever there is a lull, he just seems to be able to run in hard and make something happen. As with Freddie, he looks a bowler who will get better and better with age/experience. Always been good (as his record shows) but I think he is a lot more consistent these days. He has cut down the four balls dramatically. I thought he was a bit selfish when he had that innjury problem. England leave a lot of the injury decisions to the players themselves, and he should have just accepted he was not in any fit shape to bowl. He did himself and the team no good. As I say though since returning he has looked top class. The spell in each innings was just ridiculous, the ball to Clarke majestic. That one broke their will.

A word for Bresnan. I was one keen to see him rmeoved for Onions but he bowled well. With Jimmy again way out of sorts, we needed some pressure from the other end. Bresnan and Swann did well. The ball that got Warner was an absolute beauty and without it we looked a bit forlorn. An unassuming guy but certainly does the hard yards. He'll do well again in Austrailia as those wickets suit him. We look in good shape for that trip again even if it will be tough. With Tremmers fit again, Jimmy hopefully able to get his feet up, Broad looking fantastic, Bresnan fit and firing, the pace bowling looks bang on. We could do with Onions being fit but we do have Boyd Rankin pushing who would look well suited to Austrilian conditions. The pitches there suit Cook, Trott, KP, Bell, Prior and I also think Root will do better there.

I just hope we go and make it 4-0 at the Oval for the psychological advantage it could bring in the winter.

All in all though the lads have done well. 3-0 may seem flattering to some because there have two tight battles, but its who comes out on top in the key sessions which counts in tests. That has been England on just about every occasion. As we know only too well it can be difficult to breakthrough that psychological barrier with regards coming through those moments and regaining a winning thread. The Aussies have lost a lot of test matches over the last 12 months so we need to keep the foot on their throat.
 
The Aussies have lost a lot of test matches over the last 12 months so we need to keep the foot on their throat.

On their throat or down their throat?
 
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