English Cricket/ *The Ashes*!

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

[quote author=RMA link=topic=41229.msg1192746#msg1192746 date=1286815236]

A bit gutted about Pujara though, poor guy didnt get any game time - with the way this match is heading (save for an aussie declaration) its unlikely he will get any quality time in the middle.

[/quote]

Yep..He waited nearly the whole day to bat, and got to face just two balls before he got that unplayable skidder. I don't think he could have done anything about that.

Shit happens. He will survive. For what it's worth, it was an exquisite cover drive on the second ball. The boy can play based on past evidence, and he is probably the biggest talent coming through in Indian Cricket right now. He is the long-term successor for Rahul Dravid. He has come through at the right time too, as it seems the lights are fading out of Dravid's career.

India has some good batting talent to work with - Pujara, Vijay (he needs to work on his footwork against fast bowlers. On today's evidence he will struggle when there is a lot of swing/seam movement on offer, but he did do well in SA in 20-20 cricket), Raina, Rohit Sharma, Koli, Mukund, Rayudu etc..

I would say Pujara, Vijay, Mukund, and Raina are a cut above the rest. Vijay and Raina have some weaknesses that they need to work on. Raina (apart from his weakness against bouncers) also needs to work on his temperament. He needs to be more patient in test cricket. He threw his wicket away today, again. He can't try to play like Sehwag, when we already have Sehwag in the team. I would also like to see Mukund play ahead of Vijay as an opener,as Mukund is a left hander.

I hear great things being said about Rahane. But he has only played one (very very good) season in domestic cricket. The next time i'm in Mumbai i'll try to catch a game, if i'm lucky.

Although there are some very good youngsters coming through, there is no replacement for Sachin Tendulkar. It will be a major loss when he hangs up the boot.

I also like how these new guys are all very good fielders. It's a rare thing in Indian Cricket.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

If you guys missed the last test, you should be tuning in to watch the last day of this second and sadly final test match of this series.

Aus - 478
Ind - 495 (Ya they were 478 for 5 at one point, but when Sachin got out, every one else followed him...somethings never change.)

A paltry 19 run lead for India in the first innings.

Australia or 202 for 7 at the end of day 4. There is reverse swing, uneven bounce and plenty of turn - so there is help for all kinds of bowlers.

It will be a tough chase for India, but there will be a result in this game one way or another. India missed the chance of posting a 50 to 75 run lead, that would have been absolutely telling. Sachin, as every one predicted, gifted his wicket to the new boy Peter George, but not before he scored 214 runs.

I expect Australia to set India a target of 225 to 250 runs - because India will struggle to get the tail dismissed tomorrow. Dhoni has been poor - in terms of captaincy. Had he brought on Zaheer a bit sooner with the ball reversing, the target would have been much smaller. Early in the morning tomorrow - the ball won't reverse. The spinners will have to get the wickets, and they will go for some runs as the Australian tail tries to slog some runs out of this.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

Ah...guys..sorry. It didn't turn out to be as exciting as last test.

In the end India cantered to a victory. But it was very close till Lunch on the final day.

Pujara and Tendulkar took the game away from Australia.

Pujara is going to be a phenomenal batsman for India. He is the long term successor for Dravid, and he really stood up and delivered in this game. The 23 year old has been performing and scoring at an average of 60 in domestic first class cricket for the last 5 years. He has all the strokes, and can also pull and hook very well, unlike most Indian youngsters (aye in terms of Cricket). He will be a star!

I'll make a detailed report card for Australia, when i find the time.

In short - there will be some changes made to the Australian batting order. Some tough decisions needs to be made by the CA selectors. Their bowling has done remarkably well, with the exception Hauritz. But he just ran in to a team lead by the best player of spin bowling ever. Also, they don't have any replacement for him other than Smith. So they will probably stick with Hauritz for a while.

 

[peekay]

Re: English Cricket

[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=41229.msg1194019#msg1194019 date=1286963728]
Ah...guys..sorry. It didn't turn out to be as exciting as last test.

In the end India cantered to a victory. But it was very close till Lunch on the final day.

Pujara and Tendulkar took the game away from Australia.

Pujara is going to be a phenomenal batsman for India. He is the long term successor for Dravid, and he really stood up and delivered in this game. The 23 year old has been performing and scoring at an average of 60 in domestic first class cricket for the last 5 years. He has all the strokes, and can also pull and hook very well, unlike most Indian youngsters (aye in terms of Cricket). He will be a star!

I'll make a detailed report card for Australia, when i find the time.

In short - there will be some changes made to the Australian batting order. Some tough decisions needs to be made by the CA selectors. Their bowling has done remarkably well, with the exception Hauritz. But he just ran in to a team lead by the best player of spin bowling ever. Also, they don't have any replacement for him other than Smith. So they will probably stick with Hauritz for a while.
[/quote]

I hope he keeps his foot on the ground and not get carried away by the hype. He is a phenomenal talent for sure.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar..what a player. He is pulling away from Ricky Ponting at a rapid pace in terms of record. Currently he has 95 international centuries and > 30,000 runs. He is 37 years old and still having the best year of his career. He may not be the monster who used to decimate bowling attacks with his stroke play but he still can play.

I grew up in India worshipping Sachin. When he retires in the next few years, is going to be the few times where sports is going to make me cry. Cricket will seem incomplete without him.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

Going by the way he is playing, it is silly to talk about retirement.

It was said that his 13,000th test run to 14,000 th was the fastest 1000 runs he ever scored.

He reached 14,000 runs at the start of this match, and by the end of it he has already completed 1/4th of the next 1000 runs....he has been something else lately.

For the last two years his average has been a bit Bradmanesque.

*LEGEND*

 

[RMA]

Re: English Cricket

Excellent match - who says test cricket is dead? 1200+ runs scored 400 odd overs bowled, and it took till lunch on day 5 to have a clear winner.

India have played well not really moved out of second gear in this series, and have still won a test series 2-0 against the depleted aussies (who slip to 5th place)

Sachin is a phenomenal player - holds just about all the batting records in the game and still has an appetite for runs and matches.

Pujara is a special player - very pleased for him, hope he does get a proper chance against new zealand, i think he hasnt been selected for the odi series though?

Ponting wasnt great today in terms of his field placements or use of bowlers at all.

Kingjulian thanks very much for the updates!

 

[LarryHagman]

Re: English Cricket

In a corporate box for day 2 of the Ashes test at the WACA.

 

[Portly]

Re: English Cricket

Day 2 is a good day to go, because you usually get to see the end of one innings and the start of another.

I have mixed experiences of watching cricket in corporate boxes. A lot depends on who else is in the box with you. But the food is usually good.

Perth is usually a bouncy wicket, isn't it? England have deliberately taken a couple of tall bowlers so it could be carnage for batsmen on both sides. ;D

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

WACA wicket has lost a lot of its pace.

Australian wickets are pretty flat these days. It has some bounce and carry for the bowlers, but the bounce remains pretty true right through the 5 days of cricket.

I'm fully expecting a batathon.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

This is Australia's batting performance from the two test series.

I have gut feeling that Hussey will get the axe. Usman Khawaja will be brought into the squad. But they will probably give Hughes a go before Khawaja gets to actually play. Clarke has had some real trouble picking up the length of the bowlers Especially Harbhajan and Ojha's loop and flight in general. It's surprising, as he is known as Australia's spin player. But i think he well get back to form sooner than latter. It will be an interesting battle between Swann and the brittle Aussie middle order.

I also don't think they will drop North after he scored that century but this is his hit&miss career so far 117, 5, 38, 0, 125, 0, 6, 12, 96, 110, 8, 10, 79, 16, 2, 68, 1, 8, 10, 2, 21, 112, 9, 90, 0, 20, 16, 0, 0, 10, 128, 3. In a middle order that is susceptible to frequent collapse, they can't afford to have a player who is so inconsistent....but i doubt he will get the drop

Hauritz took a proper mauling. Some of the worst figures i have ever seen from a touring bowler in India. But i think he will still hang on to his place, and he actually bowls better in Australia.

Hilfenhaus, Johnson, and Bollinger are bowling very well as a unit. Especially Hilfenhaus who bowled beautifully without getting much reward for it.

It will probably be...

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Katich
North
Paine/Haddin
Hauritz
Johnson
Holfenhaus
Bollinger

They might also stick with Twatto and Katich opening. In which case, they'll probably play Usman Khawaja instead of Hussey/Hughes.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

James Anderson has broken his ribs while boxing in the boot camp.

http://www.cricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/current/story/481971.html


Any body else think the "boot camp" is a but unnecessary?? It's just a bilateral tournament at the end of the day, they shouldn't be treating it like the world-cup or something. Australia don't have a boot camp...they just get on with things. Why is it that English players need to be pampered like this?

England's football team training in Switzerland for the world cup was another thing, that made me go really? Whats wrong with England or even going early to South Africa where the damned tournament is actually held?

 

[Jürgen4PM]

Re: English Cricket

The aussies had one before they pumped us 5-0 didn't they mate? (not that im saying for one moment thats why they won so easily)

I read yesterday that he got the injury whilst doing some boxing training, i wonder who gave him the dig?

Hopefully they'll use this as an excuse to call up Shahzad.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=41229.msg1198108#msg1198108 date=1287223777]
The aussies had one before they pumped us 5-0 didn't they mate? (not that im saying for one moment thats why they won so easily)

I read yesterday that he got the injury whilst doing some boxing training, i wonder who gave him the dig?

Hopefully they'll use this as an excuse to call up Shahzad.
[/quote]

Ya they had a bootcamp in Queensland. It was more like a training camp to kick off the new season, with a couple of days of camping in the outback. English players could have had a training camp somewhere in England? Why all this pampering in Switzerland? Which is nothing like Australia...What was there in Switzerland that was not there in England, and why did they choose to waste tax payers money like that?

I guess this is more a case of me having a prejudice that English players are a pampered lot with no back-bone to go with their undoubted talent.

If they can get the results it will all be justified, but if they don't....lots of people are going to come back to this point and have a special dig at them, crushing what little confidence they would have had.

Shahzad would be better than Anderson in any case. He is a bit of an unknown. Anderson in Australia is a proven average bowler. So i'd rather go with Shahzad. He will be hungry for success too.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

So...how do we feel guys?

The warm up games are starting soon.

England have talked the talk, and i'm looking forward to see if they can deliver.

There is a whole lot of drama surrounding Pietersen, i think he will do well in this series though.

 

[Portly]

Re: English Cricket

Hmm - if England have been talking the talk, the Aussies have hardly been reticent either.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/australia-posts-dont-forget-to-bring-the-urn-message-on-big-ben/story-e6frep5o-1225944657922

I think England will do better than they did on their last tour, on the basis that they could hardly do any worse. I agree that Pietersen will probably recover his form after the indignity of being dropped against Pakistan. A lot will depend on Graeme Swann's form - he could be the key factor for England.

My problem is how I am going to watch the matches. They don't start until around midnight GMT and last time I couldn't help sitting up until ridiculous hours watching the drama unfold. After several weeks of this I was pretty fucked.

I think I will go to bed at a civilised time, and watch the recorded match on Sky during the day. It would be better if I could avoid hearing the score though.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

Haha....I liked that bigben message!

But in general, they have been less arrogant than usual. Usually, by now, they'd be telling us how many runs (i.e not much) each English batsmen will be making in the series.

I'll not post the score or any spoilers here!

 

[Portly]

Re: English Cricket

[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=41229.msg1210194#msg1210194 date=1288708500]
I'll not post the score or any spoilers here!
[/quote]
That's a kind thought, but don't worry about it - please post away as much as you like. I will know to avoid this forum! 🙂

 

[Ryan]

Re: English Cricket

Should the Ashes have it's own thread?

Anyway, I'm going to the Melbourne test. StevieM - I've got extra tickets if you want to come. Gimme a ring mate.

Anyone see the 1-dayer Australia contrived to lose last night against Sri Lanka. Chasing 240, Sri Lanks were 107-8, and they still won.

Australia's problem last night, which was their probelem two years ago in Wales when they couldn't get Monty fucking Panesar out, which will be their problem this summer - Is that they can't beat teams. They'll get into good positions, and then don't have that killer mentality of being able to finish teams off. Not having a specialist spin bowler is the main cuase of that I suppose.

Anyway, balls on the line time: England to win.

Can't believe I'm saying that, but there you go.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

The results back your opinion Ryan.

Mohali test is one other. They couldn't get a crippled batsman and a number 9 out for 100 runs.

It's in a way sad to see them lose that aggressive edge...but i don't think this is a permanent problem.

My balls on the line calls
1. Michael Hussey or North will get dropped from the test squad during the series.
2. Johnson/Hilfenhaus will trouble English top order, and they will be surprised if they expect the Johnson that toured England to turn up.
3. Hilfenhaus will emerge as a permanent test bowler in this tournament.
4. Pietersen will do well.
5. Predictably Swann will do well. Clarke especially is having trouble reading the length of spin bowlers and Swann can explout that.
6. Ponting will kick some serious ass. He is in ominous form, although he didn't have a big innings against India.

Battle of the tournament

Ponting vs Swann.

I think Ponting will come on top.

overall, very closely fought series. England to take the lead early, and Australia to come through and fight back.

I can't wait.

I have given the Ind-NZ snore fest a miss to save time for this.

 

[Ryan]

Re: English Cricket

[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=41229.msg1211140#msg1211140 date=1288851087]
The results back your opinion Ryan.

Mohali test is one other. They couldn't get a crippled batsman and a number 9 out for 100 runs.

It's in a way sad to see them lose that aggressive edge...but i don't think this is a permanent problem.

My balls on the line calls
1. Michael Hussey or North will get dropped from the test squad during the series. Maybe, North was being heralded as a possible captain in today's papers. Fucking ridiculous, he was on the verge of being dropped a month or two back.
2. Johnson/Hilfenhaus will trouble English top order, and they will be surprised if they expect the Johnson that toured England to turn up. Johnson was dreadful last night, but then he always is after a short layoff. He needs to be bowling conistently to get his top form back.
3. Hilfenhaus will emerge as a permanent test bowler in this tournament. He already is one, but yes agreed - he's an outstanding bowler.
4. Pietersen will do well. Not sure.
5. Predictably Swann will do well. Clarke especially is having trouble reading the length of spin bowlers and Swann can explout that. Swann could win it for England. Horribe horrible saying, but he is their X Factor. Australia's left handed bowlers will cut up enough dirt on the wicket for him to pitch into come Day 5 of most tests.
6. Ponting will kick some serious ass. He is in ominous form, although he didn't have a big innings against India. Really doubt it. The English have figured out ways to get him out, mainly on the pull shot.

Battle of the tournament

Ponting vs Swann.

I think Ponting will come on top. I don't.
overall, very closely fought series. England to take the lead early, and Australia to come through and fight back.

I can't wait.

I have given the Ind-NZ snore fest a miss to save time for this.
[/quote]

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

Aussies have had plenty of practice against good spin bowling.

(in order they played against)
Harbhajan,
Ojha,
Murali,
Randiv..


All very good bowlers who have more variations than Swann. Swann on current form is better than the above on current form, but it is marginal, and i just think that the Aussies are better equipped to deal with him. He won't have it all his way, but he is in a very rich vein of form, so he will have some success, but will certainly need support from other bowlers if England are to make anything out of that.

Valid point on Doughey and Johnson digging up dirt for Swann. It will be hard to face him in the last innings. If it comes to that.

 

[LarryHagman]

Re: English Cricket

Aussies are in turmoil. There are calls for North to replace Clarke as Captain-elect. Clarke has been severely undermined. The Aussies have lost 7 games (in all forms) on the run.
For me, I'm not sure North should even be in the team, let alone Captain material. There is that Brearley/Hussain factor I suppose where a bloke is worth his place on Captain-ship alone. North is not in their league for me tho.
The Ashes are England's to lose.

I've said before, the weather, the pitches and the sledging are the Aussie weapons. England are the better team.

It's down to bottle.

 

[Ryan]

Re: English Cricket

[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=41229.msg1211358#msg1211358 date=1288879232]

I've said before, the weather, the pitches and the sledging are the Aussie weapons. England are the better team.


[/quote]

Yup, spot on.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

I'm not that convinced of England being the better team.

They have had a good run of form, but the top & middle order is still mostly the same players who were 4th or 5th best batting unit 3 years back. There has been no new talent who has come in and taken it a notch or two above.

England's success of late has been because of some gritty batting and very good bowling. Swann has been a weapon, and in England as always the Swing/seam bowlers do very well for England. But England do have some very good prospects who can bowl at a good pace in Finn and Board, but i don't think they are at the level of a Steyn or someone that batsman would fear to face them.

All this great feeling for England comes from a good summer at home and a successful tour to SA and WI. WI are shite now, beyond imagination. South Africa has always struggled when they came across a good spin bowler.

So when i factor all that in, i find it hard to see how England will win this Ashes. It will be a big and very good achievement if they did, and if the lose it will not be because 'they underperformed under pressure', they would have just been defeated by a talented team playing in their home conditions.

They are just about the same as a fielding unit.
When i see England's batting order i don't think i'd be surprised if i saw a collapse.
Alternatively, i don't see a bowler who can run through a tough batting order in unfamiliar conditions either.

Watson, Ponting, Katich and Clarke (I know he is in poor form etc..) all are batsmen who would walk into that English team.
Hussey has also been suffering for nearly two years now from bad form, but i would still have him ahead of the likes of Bell and Collingwood.

Swann would walk in to that Australian team.
I can't separate Prior/Haddin/Paine apart, but i think Paine is the better test match batsman of the lot.
Finn/Broad/Anderson vs Johnson/Hilfy and Doughey is a tough call. I don't know which way this would go. We will find out at the end of this series. So far the scorecard is in favour of the English trio.



As we are speaking Broad is ripping through Western Australia line-up. He has just had North for breakfast. I really really don't rate North. He doesn't have the temperament to be a test batsman at this level. His spin bowling is worse than average.

 

[doctor_mac]

Re: English Cricket

I had a dream that England were getting stuffed in the first test.

 

[Ryan]

Re: English Cricket

Ponting out trying to play the pull shot.

Ha, told ya.

 

[kingjulian]

Re: English Cricket

For a very long time, he has been one of the better players of the pull shot. His sudden lack of conviction in playing that shot since the England/West Indies tour is a big big mystery.

But in the India tour, he looked assured and timed the ball very well. He looked like he was about to go on another form run. I wouldn't pay too much attention to the one day international form.

He had three options with the pull shot...
1. Do a waugh (Just leave em and never play em....it's not worth you losing your wicket strategy)
2. Do a Tendulkar (Judiciously bring it out to cart the bowler around only when short and directed balls are being implemented as a strategy and force them to bowl a different line and length and leave the odd short and at you ball out)
3. Play the shot at every given opportunity because you were one of the best at it, and it is just a minor technique problem that is currently getting you out.

He has gone for the last....let's see how this works out. He says he has put in a lot of practice to work it out.

 

[LarryHagman]

Re: English Cricket

kingjulian you're a legend.

 

[TheFasterBlade]

Re: English Cricket

Comical missed run out by the Aussies last night.

All Haddin has to do is throw the ball to Watson - OUT

When the ball sails over Watson's head, all Clarke has to do is amble in and whip the the bails off - OUT

Comedy of errors

Australia in disarray - Clarke misses run out, hits Watson

 

[doctor_mac]

Re: English Cricket

Nice to see some top quality cricket knowledge on here.

My two cents is pretty much in accordance with much of what has been said. Swann is crucial for England, but I just can't see the English seamers taking enough wickets to back him up. Finn is probably best suited to Aussie pitches, but he's young and completely inexperienced in this stage. How he copes with facing up to the likes of Punter in front of huge Aussie crowds will be very interesting. England would also require a coming of age series from Broad. He has a fiery temperament, though I don't think that's such a bad thing against the Aussies. They give it out, but they take it too; I can see him earning their respect. It is whether he can bowl good lines and be a bit wiser in his bowling. He's not quick enough to chuck down so many short balls. He also needs to make runs more consistently. I've written off Anderson for this series, as I agree he's excellent in English conditions, but prone to shipping runs when the ball doesn't swing. I'd like to be surprised. All in all I think the Aussies are the likely winners, but I'd love to be wrong.