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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:01 am Post subject: The Ashes
Why is it, that whenever the Ashes come around, both us and the Aussies resort to cheap insults and allegations of cheating etc?!!
This really is pathetic and it needs to stop!
I'm all for sporting rivalry and The Ashes should be a great event and the showpiece event for the game of cricket but IMHO a lot is taken away from this by the accusations and insults flying around.
Cricket should take a leaf out of golf's book. The Ryder Cup is just as big a rivalry but is handled in a gentlemanly and sportsmanlike fashion. _________________ You're born with nothing, and better off that way,
As soon as you got something they send someone to try & take it away!
what are the allegations of cheating? I havent seen anything in the press other than the Pakistan stuff which has nothing to do with the Ashes. I think you will find that a lot of the cheap pop shots are taken out of context by journalists trying to stir things up. The last Ashes series over here was played in great spirit and both teams had a very high regard for each other with many strong personal friendships between the two teams. Andrew Flintoff's gesture putting an arm round Brett Lee and consoling him after Englands last gasp win in the Edgbaston test was just one example of the sportsmanship. Both teams have already openly said that they hope the forthcoming series will be played in the same vain.
As for the Ryder cup, yes this years event was played in the right spirit but this has not always been the case. The infamous "War on the shore" at Kiawa Island was none too friendly with Ballesteros and Azinger engaged in a blazing row on the tee at one point. The match at Brookline was even more acrimonious with the American team running all over the line of Olazabals putt thinking they had already won the cup when infact he still had a putt for a half.
The Aussies always like to wind up the opposition pre series and most of it is harmless and slightly amusing banter.Glenn McGrath ,for instance,before each series announces which of the opposition batsmen he will be specifically targetting - unfortuneately he is right a lot of the time :!: Aussie players like Warne are also"rent-a-quote" for journalists trying to sell copy and the ARB to sell tickets.
Generally no problem and I think the players get on better now than at any time in the recent or distant(bodyline!) past. _________________ Always remember you're unique,just like everyone else.
In today's Daily Mirror(a reliable source if ever there were one) Shane Warne has layed into Duncan Fletcher accusing him of being a hypocrite amongst other things.
I don't know a great deal about cricket to be fair. Just growing up with a cricket mad father you have to take at least a passing interest.
If I'm off the mark then fair enough. _________________ You're born with nothing, and better off that way,
As soon as you got something they send someone to try & take it away!
Didn't know Warne had had a go today but not surprised.
Incidentally, earlier in the week Warne said England are a better side now than when they won the Ashes and Ponting said no they were better then - so if the Aussies can't agree how can you take it seriously?!
I'm more worried about our form than what the verbose opposition is saying. _________________ Always remember you're unique,just like everyone else.
As I've mentioned before these Aussies aren't getting any younger.
This series is indeed their swansong. Most of them will ending their careers on the treatment table. They may win the first test but the key for England will be revisiting the mental scars they cemented in the Aussies minds last summer.
Langer - get this guy ducking and weaving early doors. The gnome doesn't like short pitched bowling and has only just recovered from dose of career threatening chin music from the Safa's. Harmy prescribe this man another hospital visit, the doubts will soon eat away at the coward's positive thinking rhetoric.
Hayden - flat track bully. Hoggy, inswinging yorkers, exploit lack of feet movement early, remind the man of the torture he faced last year.
Punting - class batsman, rubbish captain. Freddy, I want to see the Art of Captaincy and Don't Tell Kath by your bedside over the next 2 weeks. The big mans confidence will see Ricky cowering by the MCG, will again be outflanked on every tactical move.
Martyn - another flat track bully. One for Monty and Anderson to get stuck into.
Hussey - Ashes 05 nightmare free, Fletcher get analyzing those DVD's, find a weak spot, must be a reason why the Aussies didn't pick him for all those years. One to watch.
Watson - Aussie second rate attempt to impersonate Fred, sadly for them more of a throw back to the David Capel and Chris Lewis days of English all rounders. Get the Aussie selectors in a spin.
Gilchrist - Once a nemesis, now a clown, blow the dust of the bowling plans from last year, they'll work again.
Warney - Live with the legend, keep him bowling, make them open the bowling with him, in fact the more he bowls the sooner his shoulder will pack in. Not the only +35 year old who'll struggle to make it though 5 tests in 6 weeks.
Lee - Keep on best mate terms with him Fred, he's a different animal when wound up. Wait for the bad balls, they'll still come around.
McGrath - Who are you trying to kid Glenna? Writing cheques his body can't cash, won't play all 5 tests, I guarantee.
Tait, Gillespie, Johnson etc - Cannon fonder, get warmed up lads you'll be sure to be coming on. Get all those aging Green and Gold limbs running around fetching after this lots buffet that'll be distributed to all areas.
Good post Redeye . I agree we have a good chance of retaining the Ashes for many of the reasons you have stated above. The one thing that does concern me though at the moment is our bowling attack. Flintoff looks to be carrying it and Harmison and Hoggard have to find their form quickly otherwise we will be under pressure facing large totals. This would allow Warne to crowd the batsmen with plenty of close catchers and will be their most potent weapon by a long way. I think our batting is quite strong and provided they arn't always up against it chasing large first innings totals I fancy us to keep the Ashes.
Know what you mean about the bowling. Freddie, Hoggard and Harmison all slightly under cooked. This is why I'm not overly confident for the first test. I have faith that all 3 will come good, but not quite in time for Brisbane. Fletchers selection of both Giles and Monty is interesting. It should allow England to contain the Aussie batsman more, which if you remember last summer, was a key tactic in getting the Aussie batsman out. They don't like it when they are not scoring runs.
I think Anderson is a good back up bowler, glad to see him getting the nod ahead of Mahmood. But unfortunately we just can't play Anderson with Hoggard and Harmison as the tail will be just too long. Another key the the success last time was how the longer order all dug in. With Giles at 8 again, we should be able to do the same.
I agree they are not the force they were, and an on form England would have nothing to fear.
But lets be honest, we are anything but on form (though there are encouraging signs against New South Wales).
The wicket-keeper situation i find completely baffling. Read came in against Pakistan and batted quite well I thought (did he not get a 50?). He didnt play well in the ICC, but who did. Jones is far too error prone behind the stumps. Read is improving as a batsman and is far more reliable as a keeper, its crazy to drop him, especially as the criteria for selection should be on the last test performances - if we pick a squad based on ICC performances, none of them would be there.
The bowling is a major worry to me, with Flintoff and Giles hardly having bowled a ball in months, no Jones, Anderson seemingly lacking confidence, and Harmison horribly off form for what seems like an eternity. Panesar cant bat, so if the selectors apply the logic to the spinners that they did to the wicket keepers, i would guess they would want to play Giles ahead of Panesar, leaving us horribly short in my mind in the bowling department.
The batting should do okay, but Trescothick to me seems to be lacking in confidence. Hopefully Pietersen can keep his head, and not be tempted into anything too rash. Good to see Flintoff get a score against New South Wales.
One thing that always annoys me about these tours - why do we always go on tour with only 16 players?!?! There has to be doubts fitness wise and confidence wise over Giles, Flintoff, Harmison etc, seems to me we could do with another couple of bodies to select from, especially if there are 5 tests in 6 weeks. (i would imagine touring matches in between tests as well)
I can't really see what all the fuss is around the wicketkeeper debate.
Jones is definitely a better batsman with the potential to score more runs than Reed. Jones does have a Test 100 to his name and although Reed score a 50 in the Pakistan series there are major concerns regarding his technique. As a wicketkeeper Reed is only marginally better than Jones, therefore the selection most be Jones.
Reed's inclusion ahead of Jones for those 2 tests now looks abit of a token gesture by Fletcher.
As for the party of 16. The idea is to prevent to many players hanging around without a chance of a game. We are also sending an "Acedemy" squad out to Australia which will act as back up to the main Ashes squad. Vaughan is also going out there to build up his fitness.
You've got the wicketkeeping spot-on.They both make too many basic errors for my liking but given that Jones is the obvious choice. _________________ Always remember you're unique,just like everyone else.
Jones is a very good back foot player and I think he is more likely to get runs on the harder bouncier wickets in Australia. Having played in the last Ashes, hopefully his experience of facing the Aussie attack will stand him in good stead for this series. Although Read got a few runs against pakistan he didn't look particularly solid, he is a slightly better keeper but I think the need for the lower order to score runs will be vital so agree with the slection of Jones.
Yes Jones has to play as neither of them is a wickettaker in the way of a Knott,Taylor or Russell.
Presumably we will go into the 1st Test with 4 seamers i.e. Harmison,Hoggard,Anderson &Flintoff so it only leaves room for 1 spinner who should imho be Panesar as playing a palpably unfit Giles would be a very defensive option(even though strenghtening the batting)and would send the wrong signals from the start.
Agree? _________________ Always remember you're unique,just like everyone else.
Is Tresco's head straight and is he worth his place in the 1st Test - I think not and my top 5 would be Cook,Strauss,Bell,Pieterson &Collingwood!? _________________ Always remember you're unique,just like everyone else.
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. I agree we have a good chance of retaining the Ashes for many of the reasons you have stated above. The one thing that does concern me though at the moment is our bowling attack. Flintoff looks to be carrying it and Harmison and Hoggard have to find their form quickly otherwise we will be under pressure facing large totals. This would allow Warne to crowd the batsmen with plenty of close catchers and will be their most potent weapon by a long way. I think our batting is quite strong and provided they arn't always up against it chasing large first innings totals I fancy us to keep the Ashes.