1st Test: England v Australia

[pcfan123]

I doubt Ponting would have hesitated to put Mitch on and tell him to bowl yorkers , but he was all over the place when trying to bowl regular line n length. Do not think he would have been able to do so. Siddle on the other hand had tried to bounce monty a few times but never pitched it full right on middle and off. I'll bet if you bowl Monty 6 140k yorkers/full balls he will miss 1.

 

[King Pietersen]

I don't disagree with the spinner option with loads round the bat, just I'd have gone for Michael Clarke ahead of North.

 

[angryangy]

What does it matter? The allocated overs were bowled.

I think I found it more distasteful because it was such a pointless gesture. Through the ostentatiousness of it all, they lost more than they gained and when those two guys were showing so much more heart than the batsmen 1 through 4, I wonder if it was the wrong thing by them.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

TBF to Ponting he was trying to save time to get as many overs as possible in at the end, to give his spinners the chance to bowl out our final 2 on a 5th day turning pitch. They'd have probably lost an over if Siddle bowled one of North's overs, and Monty and Jimmy played him quite well anyway.

As for Monty, he did indeed look solid. Actually looked technically decent in defence, he's certainly no Chris Martin, made a few runs for Northants the other week as well, 38* or something. He'll be in for his batting soon

Colly has really improved him, hasn't he? Usually, he's all over the place, all edges and mixed up footwork, but yesterday, he hit nearly every defensive shot in the middle of the bat and some decent cut shots as well!

MasterBlaster76 added 1 Minutes and 8 Seconds later...

I think I found it more distasteful because it was such a pointless gesture. Through the ostentatiousness of it all, they lost more than they gained and when those two guys were showing so much more heart than the batsmen 1 through 4, I wonder if it was the wrong thing by them.

According to someone on SSN, the reason why they needed to bring out gloves for Anderson twice is that the first time round, they spilt drink all over them, so had to go back and get more. Who knows. Doesn't really matter either way.

 

[King Pietersen]

Yep, a tragic 'accident'. Bet they were well annoyed..........

 

[Ollie_H]

I was thinking about this today, I don't agree with the England tactics one bit but he has the worst over rate in International cricket doesn't he? He loses the overs through not going with them quick enough.

So all in all everyone's as bad as themselves

 

[SaiSrini]

What makes a series the best :

a) a rich and storied tradition dating more than 100 years
b) involving the best teams in world cricket
c) sold out venues (does anyone besides school children go to test matches in the sub continent)
d) revenue ( the Ashes grosses more money than all other Test Series
e) the fans (Barmy Army easily the most recognized, well traveled, loyal (we didnt burn effigies of our players after 06) and respected fans in the world)
f) its the Ashes

a) Just because you guys had a history, it makes the series the best ever?
b) Australia? OK (they still carry that number one tag thought they have shown that they are heavily vulnerable with their new team without the legends). England???
c) Linked with tradition. The name 'Ashes' brings about that hype. The media adds to it. The players add to it by hyping it all up (they warm up for the Ashes through World cups). In the subcontinent, give them a good series with good hype (as much as the Ashes) and give them good competition, see the stands overflow (get to Eden Gardens and you will know the atmosphere).
d) Money > competition in the middle? Australia thrashes England by 500 runs but the stands are filled up. Its more important to you?
e) A group of people burn effigies in India just to satisfy the thirst of the media channels. And even if the fans have an outburst on the team if they do poorly, next game they fill up the stands again and take that indian flag and proudly wave it despite the big disappointments (happened after the 2007 WC, happened recently after the T20 WC loss). We wont care about criticising someone if we do not care about them. We love our team, and thats why we criticise them. And next day, we are back to support them again. You will find only 10 out of a billion who give up on their team for a big loss (like WC, India-Pakistan series, etc).
f) Why did you add the last one? How is it different from some of the other points mentioned? Desperate?

 

[Skater]

a) Just because you guys had a history, it makes the series the best ever?
b) Australia? OK (they still carry that number one tag thought they have shown that they are heavily vulnerable with their new team without the legends). England???
c) Linked with tradition. The name 'Ashes' brings about that hype. The media adds to it. The players add to it by hyping it all up (they warm up for the Ashes through World cups).
d) Money > competition in the middle? Australia thrashes England by 500 runs but the stands are filled up. Its more important to you?
e) A group of people burn effigies in India just to satisfy the thirst of the media channels. And even if the fans have an outburst on the team if they do poorly, next game they fill up the stands again and take that indian flag and proudly wave it despite the big disappointments (happened after the 2007 WC, happened recently after the T20 WC loss). We wont care about criticising someone if we do not care about them. We love our team, and thats why we criticise them. And next day, we are back to support them again. You will find only 10 out of a billion who give up on their team for a big loss (like WC, India-Pakistan series, etc).

The name 'The Ashes' was first used in 1877, and you are right, it is a media invention, but blimey it has stuck!

 

[Will_NA]

What makes a series the best?

No. 1 reason - Other sets of fans trying to convince you it's not.

No. 2 reason - See No. 1

 

[pcfan123]

a)
e) A group of people burn effigies in India just to satisfy the thirst of the media channels. And even if the fans have an outburst on the team if they do poorly, next game they fill up the stands again and take that indian flag and proudly wave it despite the big disappointments (happened after the 2007 WC, happened recently after the T20 WC loss). We wont care about criticising someone if we do not care about them. We love our team, and thats why we criticise them. And next day, we are back to support them again. You will find only 10 out of a billion who give up on their team for a big loss (like WC, India-Pakistan series, etc).

lol, .

 

[Will_NA]

It's not as if we don't realise the lop-sidedness of the Ashes in the last 20 years and periods before that but it doesn't take away from the spectacle. Plus, the teams this series are more even.

 

[pcfan123]

Basically you just want us to say that the Ashes are as important to us as when we play India or Pak or SA, its just not, and never will be. No one is saying that series against other teams are not important, but every English school boy and Oz school boy grows up wanting to play in the Ashes, not the bloody Warne-Muralitharan or England vs India series.

 

[shravi]

What makes a series the best?

No. 1 reason - Other sets of fans trying to convince you it's not.

No. 2 reason - See No. 1

By that logic, India-Pakistan clashes are better seeing as you are trying to convince us that The Ashes is the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[pcfan123]

they have sliced bread now?

 

[shravi]

Basically you just want us to say that the Ashes are as important to us as when we play India or Pak or SA, its just not, and never will be. No one is saying that series against other teams are not important, but every English school boy and Oz school boy grows up wanting to play in the Ashes, not the bloody Warne-Muralitharan or England vs India series.

Thank you.

It may be big for you, and it's big even for us, but I think I'd rather watch my own team play. The Ashes is the biggest thing for England and Australia. Fine. But it's not the biggest thing universally.