Day 1 of the Ashes...

[wrxwrc]

After being excited to watch the first mornings play to see the Aussies get on top of the Poms...the opposite has happened!!
Oh dear....Come on Gilchrist save the day - once again!

(Sorry - funny topic BUT just had to get it out...)

[brchi17]

Yeah, it definitely looks like we'll have to bat twice now :eek: !!!

I must admit, judging by the bounce of the pitch I can't wait to see McGarth & Lee bowl, but I was kind of hoping that might be tomorrow rather than later today.

The good thing is it's early days yet & there is plenty of time to turn this around.

cheers. :)

[inter]

are they going to show all day play or are they going to show the tour of france?

inter

[wrxwrc]

Originally posted by inter
are they going to show all day play or are they going to show the tour of france?

inter

Yeah...i believe they are going to leave the cricket and cut to the Tour of France - could be a blessing at this rate!!

See how we go in the second session - do 'we' think it was a good morning to bat first - with the overcast conditions and all?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing i guess....

[wayno]

By the time the cycling finishes I have a funny feeling we might be having a bowl.
Really annoyed with the batting so far today. I don't think conditions are that bad. Our batsmen have to look at shot selection. Some of those dismissals are soft to say the least.
Why try and hook a guy like Harmison? With his height and pace the ball is going to be on you very quickly and you're asking for trouble.
Oh well, it's a long game. Just have to see what happens.

[Dingo]

Originally posted by wayno
Oh well, it's a long game.
Not this Test, though. 17 wickets on day 1 - I suspect an early finish...

[wayno]

As strange a day of test cricket as I've ever seen. I think too much one day cricket is to blame for some of this.

[HRT 1-2]

Very interesting days play!

Ooh Ah 5-21, what do you reckon about those figures Hoggard??

[TBVX05]

Looks like its a bowlers paradise. Australia might be in the box seat after day 1. If it wasnt for McGrath Aus would be in a lot of trouble. I hope Warnie will have a big impact too!

Who cares about the cycling! Lance (Whitnall) Armstrong is going to do a Schumacher anyway! What an idiot Robbie McCewan is for trying to headbut O'grady and saying that he didnt try anything!

[inter]

What an idiot Robbie McCewan is for trying to headbut O'grady and saying that he didnt try anything! [/B][/QUOTE]


When did this happen?
I missed it.


inter

[Andrew]

In the first week of the Tour.

Back to the cricket...
Wayne is absolutely right about the shot selection. Trying to compulsively hook was geting people into all sorts of trouble. And the bounce was proving to be variable too. Harmison was getting some steeply rising balls, while McGrath picked up two wickets with deliveries that stayed down.

This is a five day match. There doesn't have to be a thrash in the first session of the first day. It is ludicrous.

Thankyou Glenn McGrath for once again saving Australia.
I hope Lee gives Harmison et al. some short 'Bodyline' style bowling in return!

[wrxwrc]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Andrew
[B]
Wayne is absolutely right about the shot selection. Trying to compulsively hook was geting people into all sorts of trouble.

Looks like Matty Hayden just couldnt help himself...previous over before his dismisal - top edge lands safely - next over same ball, same shot - OUT! Talk about not learning from mistakes...should be interesting to see how the rest of the day pans' out!

[Hitman_Fan_1986]

The cricket is back on the TV?.....

Great, gives me a chance to catch up on sleep:D

[wayno]

This one is going to be over pretty quickly. I learnt two things this morning. Kevin Pietersen is an enourmous talent and I think Shane Warne is going to bowl well this series. He bowled well this morning and seemed to be really thinking about what he was throwing up.
Let's hope the aussies dig in and post something for England to chase. If they can bat sensibly they have got plenty of time.

[brchi17]

Originally posted by Andrew
.....This is a five day match. There doesn't have to be a thrash in the first session of the first day. It is ludicrous....

The only way this test will even make it to 5 days will be if Australia bats for 3 days in a row.

And to say the English were braging that they woudl win the series. If so, the what from I've seen there no where close to even bother us.

Looking at the performance of the pitch a lead of as little as 150 runs will be too much for them to chase.

cheers. :)

[wayno]

Wish the cycling would finish. I've got 18 holes of golf and afternoon shift tomorrow!

[brchi17]

Originally posted by wayno
Wish the cycling would finish. I've got 18 holes of golf and afternoon shift tomorrow!

I know what you mean, I've got a 9am meeting, then I have to supervise kids from my Auskick clinic as they play for Geelong at the Geelong, Bulldogs match, carn the cats :D !!!

cheers.

[wayno]

Lead of over 240. NOW we're talking. GO AUSSIES!!!!!

[brchi17]

What a wonderful suprise to see the score after le tour had run it's stage.

3/211

I think the fat lady is starting to sing :p !!!

Just when poor old England thought they had a chance, bang, Australia moves up a gear & now it will take a super-human effort for them to even be close now.

cheers. :D

[wayno]

Lead over 260 and still so long to go. I would like to see these two in until stumps and for us to bat most of tomorrow.
And the pitch seems to be scuffing up nicely for Warnie. ;)

[TBVX05]

Good to see Clarke back in form, but I'd love to see Hodge get a chance to play test cricket soon. I reckon theyll finish all out for 320 with a lead of 355 making it almost impossible for Eng to win.

[MarkHM]

Lucky you guys aren't playing Bangladesh...then you'd be worried..AGAIN!!

[TBVX05]

Im sure NZ isnt too far away from losing to them now that Dav Watmore is in charge. Look what he did for Sri Lanka!

[MarkHM]

Don't start that son..., we only lose to classy opposition!! :D

[wayno]

Originally posted by MarkHM
Don't start that son..., we only lose to classy opposition!! :D

Frequently! :p

[Goodwrench3]

What an absolutely gripping Test Match.
314 lead overnight, and it's still anybody's game I think, with the Aussies a nose in front.
Every run we score on day 3 will be crucial. Can't wait!

[TBVX05]

Australia will win easily now. The lead is over 400! This alway happens - when the match is evenly poised, Aus fight there way to a commanding position and kill off the opposition. I love it!

[brchi17]

Originally posted by TBVX05
Australia will win easily now. The lead is over 400! This alway happens - when the match is evenly poised, Aus fight there way to a commanding position and kill off the opposition. I love it!

True, I seem to think the same.

About the only thing that can save England now is if it rains.

I wonder if we'll see a declaration, later in the day so that McGrath & co have a few overs at the Pom’s before the day is over........

cheers. :)

[Kenseth17]

Katich last man out for 67. McGrath left on 20 not out. Poms need 420 to win...... only the rain can save them. :)

[brchi17]

Originally posted by Kenseth17
Katich last man out for 67. McGrath left on 20 not out. Poms need 420 to win...... only the rain can save them. :)

You forgot to add that before this, they'd put down two catches in almost as many overs, certaintly a quality opposition - NOT :D !!!

Granted, rain can only save them now.

[Kenseth17]

They are a good side while things are travelling well but are susceptable to a challenge and their heads drop too quickly.Mentally they don't have what it takes.Wicketkeeper Jones had a shocker didn't he. :)

[brchi17]

Originally posted by Kenseth17
They are a good side while things are travelling well but are susceptable to a challenge and their heads drop too quickly.Mentally they don't have what it takes.....

Typical English cricketing trait isn't it :D

Considering it's on their turf, I'm surprised that they appear to have got that loser mentality so quickly.

That said if they can make it to stumps with somewhere near 150 runs without loss of a wicket, then tomorrow we could see a different English side.

I guess this is what makes test match cricket so intriguing.

cheers.:)

[wayno]

What a great test match. Hope the skies stay clear and we can roll them before the Grand Prix starts!

[TBVX05]

LOL Dont think so, though.....

[MarkHM]

Didn't te Wallabies play well...they might almost get within 50 ponts of the All Blacks if they keep up that form...

[TBVX05]

:rolleyes: typical NZ comment!

Looking at day three highlights there were some shocking non decisions made against Warnes LBW appeals which seemed to be plum and one against Lee. Those two umpires have something against giving LBWs especially against Aus. I rem umpire Kertsen doing the same in Aus, thats why I hate it when he umpires. They should have Billy Bowden and Steve Bucknor istead of these two clowns!

Anyway I hope they have better luck and wrap things up in day four!

[brchi17]

It's still raining :rolleyes: !!!

I wonder if it's wet in Germany for the GP ???

cheers.

[wayno]

Bikes in England might be interesting. Bloody rain. I hope we get a good crack at them tomorrow. England do not deserve to draw this game. :mad:

[wayno]

Who needs tomorrow. Stupid pushies finish and the poms are nine down.
Make that 10. One nil up. Woo-Hoo!!!!!:D

[VXfan]

The usual predictable batting collapse - yawn
It's pretty sad when the 'best wicket-keeper in England' is a welshman!
Where did they get this guy?He couldn't catch a bloody cold!
They'd be better off putting a rottweiler behind the stumps.At least then they would have something that can catch a ball and would also un-nerve the batsman:D

[MarkHM]

Our guys are off to Zimbabwe today, should be good for the averages...if they make it back

[HRT 1-2]

I think this from The Bulletin on the Baggygreen website somes it up perfectly:

"Michael Vaughan's England have confronted, and passed, some massive challenges in the last two years, but now they know - if they ever doubted - that they face something in a completely different league."

[brchi17]

I think the best comment I heard was from Tony Greg, during the 1st innings.

Looking at the Australian batting line up there's not much past #6 & then we get into the part-timers, starting with Gilchrist

It had me in stiches :D !!!

I think what is even funnier was the fact that England thought they had a chace in the 1st place LOL !!!

cheers. :)

[wayno]

Lords was always going to be the easiest test of the series for us. Be interesting to see how the second and third tests go as we historically haven't gone as well at these venues.
I think the mighty aussies will be ok though! ;)

[MarkHM]

Bring on Bangladesh!!

[wayno]

They shouldn't even be playing test cricket.

[TBVX05]

Neither should NZ! :D

(or Zimbabwe for that matter)