The Ashes

[Gagger]

Fantastic to watch Johnson and Hilfie's partnership. Got the poms to crack.

I disagree on the top end batting too conservatively. I reckon we should have been doing that earlier in the series - most notably in Melbourne- rather than batting like complete c*nts.

We need to realise we don't have the batsmen we did to go for the fast starts in tests like we did. Nor do we have the bowlers to dig us out when it goes wrong.
Time to bat like it's a test match

Geez we bowled some shit again though

 

[Scotty]

Terrible shot by Hughes to get out on the stroke of lunch, after batting pretty well to see off the new ball. But jeez Khawaja has looked good early, very technically correct. Watson just starting to get moving as well.

It looks like Haddin will bat at 6 as well, which is a good move. His innings in the second dig in Melbourne was a cracker, he is starting to look more and more like Gilchrist, except with a more correct technique.

Bad shot by Hughes, but he looked a lot more solid than he has so far this series. The technique change has seen him a lot less jumpy, and getting behind the ball better. I think the future is getting clearer for him and the Australian team. Just Hussey to open up the batting with him and he will improve even more. Watson to move to 5 or 6.

 

[Ash]

Just to show how you can't trust the Australian cricket press (or at least, the Sydney one), they were all praises for Henriques for his good (but I didn't think it was great as that leap he did was actually unnecessary) catch in the outfield to dismiss Pollard in the NSW v SA T20 big bash game last night. Yet not one of those reports mentions that Henriques, in the previous over, went for TWENTY-NINE freaking runs, and single handedly turned NSW from a comfortable (and easy) winning position into nearly a losing position.

One of the worst overs of bowling you will ever see from a "pro". Example: Henriques gives away a free hit. Next ball is a very wide delivery down leg side, for a wide. Still free hit. So instead of a wide ball, he bowls a long hop on a free hit, which deservedly went for six. What do these guys think - bowling a slow long hop on a free hit? Really?

 

[mark_s]

The last session has eliminated any chance of Aus winning this test. ITs now only a question of whether we will be able to hold on for a draw.

 

[Scotty]

This ability of umpires to review a no ball has to go. It is ridiculous that technology is required for what is probably the least critical area of the game. If the umpire doesn't call it the first time, then just let it go. This is one area (again) where the implementation of technology is favouring batsmen. The DRS also does this IMO (batsmen should know if they are out most times, so are likely to get more reviews correct than fielding teams are). The batting team should only have 1 DRS to the bowling team's 2.

 

[DPK]

The no ball review is as important as the run out review IMO.

 

[jason]

Mark S and Brown Hornet, fair play guys. Like I said I'm in the UK so I must have misjudged the crowds. Still, I know everyone's been wanging on about this, but I'd just love to see a bit more passion from Aussie fans in all sports.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

No worries, we're still there cheering for the boys, as hard as it might be right now!

Now, onto the game at hand. We're sunk, obviously, but there you go. The thing I wanted to talk about was Phil Hughes non catch. That, dear readers, is why nobody should feel obliged to walk. Cook could have taken the fielders word and been absolutely dudded. Better for him to stand his ground and let the umpires and/or review system do the job. Good on him for that.

So is Hughes a cheat? Discuss.

 

[mark_s]

Cook is saying that hughes said he wasn't sure if he caught it at the time. Clarke is saying the same thing, but it was close enough that they referred it.

In the old days, the polayers had an unwritten code of trying to help the umpires, walking being the most obvious example but claiming (or not claiming) catches is another.

In these days of technology, everyone appeals for everything and waits to see what the replay shows. Technology has changed the sportmanship aspect of the game altogether. On Day 1, England would have appealed for 15 LBW's each of which was turned down and the Poms weren't confident enough to refer any of them. Are they cheats because they appealed so often but didn't really think any of them were out? I don't think so, its just the way the game is played these days.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The final indignities are about to be dished out. Three innings losses in one series, has it ever happened to us before?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Cook is saying that hughes said he wasn't sure if he caught it at the time. Clarke is saying the same thing, but it was close enough that they referred it.

In the old days, the polayers had an unwritten code of trying to help the umpires, walking being the most obvious example but claiming (or not claiming) catches is another.

In these days of technology, everyone appeals for everything and waits to see what the replay shows. Technology has changed the sportmanship aspect of the game altogether. On Day 1, England would have appealed for 15 LBW's each of which was turned down and the Poms weren't confident enough to refer any of them. Are they cheats because they appealed so often but didn't really think any of them were out? I don't think so, its just the way the game is played these days.

The way Hughes went up would suggest that he thought he took it. It looked that way, anyway.

 

[mark_s]

Hopefully today is the day that we reach rock bottom because I am not sure I can handle the team getting worse from here

 

[I like to watch]

The final indignities are about to be dished out. Three innings losses in one series, has it ever happened to us before?

Sadly, I think that flatters us, how did we ever win one?
They bat better, bowl better & field better than us.
At the least the $$ is strong against the pound ATM, that's all we currently have over them.
Hate to say it but a well deserved series win.

 

[Scotty]

The no ball review is as important as the run out review IMO.

Why? Care to elaborate?

To me they are completely different things, and I bet that if you went through every wicket of this test series you would find at least a few no balls in there. Should we automatically get every single one reviewed on the off chance the bowler is 10mm over the line? IMO it does not affect the game. If it is going to be used, then it needs to be used for every dismissal (umpires have been known to miss no balls on many occasions), but we don't want that hold up on every dismissal, so I think it should not be used for any. If the umpire thinks it is a no ball then bloody well call it, if not then don't. End of story.

The use of the review system for a run out is entirely different. One of the hardest decisions for a umpire to make, and an area of the game that is now completely in agreement with almost all concerned. This does make a difference to a dismissal, whereas the no ball one is not likely to make any difference what-so-ever!

If the umpires can start reviewing such minor areas as no balls, then why can't they use it to review crucial things. Like every time they think a batsmen has nicked it? Doesn't make any sense, and it is a waste of time.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Hopefully today is the day that we reach rock bottom because I am not sure I can handle the team getting worse from here

Yep, agree with that. From the ruins of this campaign will hopefully come a proper assessment of where we are at and who can take us forward. I am actually pretty optimistic, but there will be some dark days ahead, just like with the Wallabies. We'll be back though.

 

[mark_s]

Well is buckting down rain now with more forecast for tomorrow. We obviously don't deserve to escape.

 

[RugbyReg]

First to go? Hilditch and Cox.

2nd to go? Nielson and Langer.

Then start afresh. Oz 20/20 team to be a solely developmental team. Youngsters. No test players allowed. Once you make the test team, no more 2020.

ODI can go and get fooked.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

First to go? Hilditch and Cox.

2nd to go? Nielson and Langer

ODI can go and get fooked.

Sounds fair to me. We have been getting saved by good individual performances for far too long, which has prolonged the rot. Time for rebuilding.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[kambah mick]

I agree with Scotty that no ball decisions are a different kettle of fish to runouts etc. It is not just dismissals that would need to be checked if justice was really to be served. What about in games where the scores areclose and a noball is or is not called. That situation could be just as important as a dismissal in determining the result of a game. Unfortunately, Australia are unlikely to feature in close test matches unless we are due to take on Bangladesh or Zimbabwe over thenextcouple of years.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Mick,
We were supposed to play Bangladesh but I think that got pushed aside for the World Cup. So that rules out the return of Gillespie.....

I just hope that the older blokes in our team don't think they can keep going on because Kallis and Tendulkar are playing well at the moment and try and emulate their feats.....