England in Australia

[Sureshot]

You beat Australia in your own backyard once every 20 years and start acting as if you are the greatest team ever.

At least this will stop baloney like "Harmison is the World's No.1 Fast Bowler".

He was in 2004.

Don't think many will have called him No.1 in the world since then. When the commentators use it they use it as a marker for him to get back to.

The first comment shows your lack of understanding of how it felt to win an Ashes series after being so far behind the races for those 18 odd years. I also doubt many would've called us the greatest team ever.

Cracking delivery! Dead set brilliant for a nightwatchman.

I think Hoggard made the delivery look better than it was, a good ball but a decent batsman would've blocked it.

----

Englands day today but not really holding onto the Ashes with anything less than a few whiskers. Cook and Bell did well today (I see Bell hit two sixes off of Warne!) Cook showing tremendous fighting spirit shame about his dismissal.

With KP and Freddie at the crease we will fight and Fred will be fired up but we will lose the Ashes next year. 2009 series will be intriguing though as you'd expect McGrath, Warne and maybe Langer to retire. Warnes endless ammount of overs seem to be effecting him.

 

[puddleduck]

A lot of England fans did say it Sureshot, but it was as you said, never said with too much seriousness. More a way of filling that great pastime, riling the Aussies. Fair enough when we beat them we had beaten everyone over a 2 1/2 year period, but we all knew there was still far more to be done.

As you rightfully say with Harmison, it is often said as a benchmark, a sort of well you've done it before so the talent is there if he gets it right. When he was at the peak of his form he was a formidable prospect, nearly always in that channel outside offstump with steepling bounce, good pace, and he was very hard to get away. It is such a shame he seems to have lost that confidence and accuracy, but there is still hope he can refind his form. I hope England have learnt their lessons regarding Harmison, he needs to bowl overs and can't be hidden from the action when there is no cricket. If he gets injured then so be it, because unless he's bowling well, he's barely worth having in the team.

 

[Sureshot]

180 overs last season for England and Durham alone!

I find with Harmison his action obviously hasn't helped but he's been trying to bowl too short, he gets natural bounce and he should bowl a fuller length than he has done to make it more useful.

The realistic England fans didn't say it though but yes plenty did.

 

[puddleduck]

Is that the figure Sureshot, that's quite unbelievable, barely 5 matches worth of overs and long sessions bowling. As an example take McGrath, he looked a little out of sorts right at the start of the champions trophy, and whilst he hasn't dominated the England batsman this series, he has been on the money from ball one. Harmison on the other hand has taken 3 matches to find any kind of form. I do wish he'd wipe that glum look off his face, anyone would think he's some poor mistreated lad from Newcastle being made to work t' mines for 14 hours a day.

 

[evertonfan]

I do wish he'd wipe that glum look off his face, anyone would think he's some poor mistreated lad from Newcastle being made to work t' mines for 14 hours a day.

I'm glad i'm not the only one who's realised it. When he pulls that sulky face his bottom lip droops so much that it can tie his shoelaces.

 

[Englishandproud]

Is that the figure Sureshot, that's quite unbelievable, barely 5 matches worth of overs and long sessions bowling.

Yes Sureshot is right, it was in the new edition of TWC. They compared that to Fred Trueman who bowled 1,054 overs in the summer of 1960 for Yorkshire and England.

 

[MUFC1987]

I hate alll this negativity. 'Let's hope for rain, perhaps we can bat all day for a draw.'

No, how about we bat and try to win the match. The Ashes aren't going to come back if it rains for the next 11 days. It's pathetic wanting to draw.

 

[kodos]

If England were only 3 down before stumps yesterday than I'd say they would go for the win. But 5 down already and you got 2 aggressive batsman's with Jones who has had a poor series with the bat so far, you'd expect people not being optimistic and hope for the rain to arrive so there is a draw.

 

[symonds_sixes]

I remember the days when the vast majority of wicketkeepers batted at no.8, now they all seem to bat at no.7 (just an observation).

 

[Gunner786]

would have been interesting if freddie was bowled on that ball

i could hear him screaming

"the bird blocked my view"

I remember the days when the vast majority of wicketkeepers batted at no.8, now they all seem to bat at no.7 (just an observation).

kamran akmal bats at 8,

made a 100 from number 8 when pakistan were 36-6 vs india in karachi 2006

 

[Leicester Fox]

at least freddie and KP won't go down without a good slog. i'd rather they did that than tried to block out the day

we've lost

wups i thought kp as out come on england !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[aussie1st]

Wow nearly a bit of Mike Hussey brilliance to get rid of KP, sadly KP just got his back in.

 

[Leicester Fox]

i hate it when we get luck. It means we don't get excuses for losing.
i thought KP was well out but sky didn't

 

[irottev]

Top decision by the third umpire there. Was a tough one.

This game is getting very interesting. Great batting by Flintoff and Pieterson.

This is the last day, I rekon England have a shot at the win/draw. This will need to be about a 200 partnership though.

 

[Leicester Fox]

i really don't want 2 get my hopes up. they've been destroyed enogh this series

he has a shocking 50-100 conversion rate though