Ashes 2013/14

Salmon · Tennis legend

RE: Ashes 2013/14

indiana · Tennis legend

Hmm, I do think "hatred" is far too strong a word, nae actually simply the wrong word, for the general goading that goes on between English and Aussie players and supporters, not just in cricket but in other sports too, and such as our media's enjoyment at the Aussie Olympic underachievement last year.

While marks may occasionally be overstepped, it is much more just goading on a quite high level, though often of a pantomine type. To call it "hatred" is to misunderstand the British ( more particularly English / Australian relationship.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Fair enough. But no one deserves a workplace like that, honestly.

Salmon · Tennis legend

So England are doomed?

Australia are going to get 500+ here.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Grim

paulisi · Tennis legend

Another collapse. Middle order is terrible, we cannot even get past 200.

KP, Prior out of form. stokes not ready yet.

it was just quick and straight.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, people were talking before the series about the ongoing problem of England not being able to post 400 for ages. Now they can't get 200.

With less experience and poor form, the current :

Cook, Carberry, Root, Pietersen, Bell, Stokes, Prior...

...batting line up gives nothing like the confidence of the overall much more experienced and in form previous Ashes touring line up.

Cook, Strauss, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Prior.

Of course no 6 has been an issue ever since Collingwood retired, but now with Trott out for now, Prior in wretched form with the bat, Cook just not getting consistent runs, Root going through a tough time and KP outdoing his normal KP carelessness, today sadly came as no huge surprise. Many talented batsmen there, but as a group their confidence seems shot just now.

Ian Bell is in consistently great form, but one rather than four or five consistent performers is to put it mildly a bit of an issue !

Hopefully Bresnan is fit enough to take his place in a 4 man attack ( if no Stokes ) with Anderson, Swann ( both of whom seem rather below their general excellent standard ) and Broad, and Ballance is preparing himself for his possible turn at no 6 ( though let's see how Stokes gets on 2nd innings ( because his bowling has real potential and could be an asset ), and there must also be a question of whether Bairstow should be getting prepared to take over from Prior.

Great not that England picked so many big fast bowlers for fast bouncy pitches such as particularly Perth in Finn, Tremlett and Rankin, and now have limited confidence in any of them, and the consistently in form Onions was left at home.

Let's say my confidence is not quite what it was a few weeks ago !

indiana · Tennis legend

England smash through the 200 barrier and now on the final day only need another 284 runs to win with still 4 wickets left.

indiana · Tennis legend

Shucks, England miss out by 219 runs.

korriban · Challenger level

indiana wrote:
Shucks, England miss out by 219 runs.

I tuned in for the first 20 minutes at around midnight with a tiny part of me hoping that Broad and Prior would do the only thing that made sense - simply dig in for 15-20 overs then start to score more freely (their natural games) once the new ball had softened and the lesser bowlers took over. First over Broad hits a 6, then holes out next ball trying to repeat the shot. Beggars belief on all possible levels.

So Cook out for 3 hooking in the air in the opening 10 minutes. Carberry out hooking in the air shortly thereafter. Bell out to a rank full toss which he scooped to mid on. That's 3 of our top 5 getting themselves out for no good reason (i.e. no bowler involvement apart from tempting them with bad balls) in a form of cricket which demands control and caution above risk-taking.

As radio's arch comedy villain, Adrian Durham, would say - "Their heads have gone!"

paulisi · Tennis legend

There seems to be a lot of focus on the batsman and that's fair enough, but you have to remember that Australia have got past 500 in both tests, so there is a problem with our bowling.

If the openers don't get wickets, then we struggle. Swann is way off form and we have no decent back up seamers.

As for the fielding....

philwrig · Hall of fame

We're second best everywhere.
In sport when you have two equally talented teams the deciding factor, is the mental side. Intensity, focus, concentration, fight, is what you need in bucket loads, and we are sadly lacking by a landslide in those areas. Cook sadly is really struggling to motivate his team, and there doesn't seem anyway out at the moment.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, Phil most of which England thought they had before and Australia lacked. Some turnaround.

That does seem to have been quite ridiculous by Broad. He's not a no 10 or 11 inept batsman, and he has batted long very controlled defensive innings at important times before.

I guess he might say that he was sending a message for the day, well he certainly sent that !

Salmon · Tennis legend

Salmon wrote:
I'm going for a 3-1 to England.

Nice one, Salmon. cry

Salmon · Tennis legend

England are preparing well for the next WC, I see - a top 3 of Cook, Bell and Root.