2013 Ashes Part I

[mark_s]

I love Harris as a bowler, always at the batsmen and few loose balls. pity his body can't last a whole series. Starc and Patterson should be watching very closely.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Getting the last wicket proving difficult after a pretty good start by our Bowlers.

I know minimum at lords is 350 but given the fragility of our batting I think England is in the box seat right now at 361/9 & counting.

 

[mark_s]

Soft dismissal from Watson, playing across the line in the last over before lunch plus wasting a review. Story of watto's career, just not enough concentration

 

[AngrySeahorse]

I was giving Watson the benefit of the doubt for his reviews previously but now I'm completely on the "he is wasting reviews selfishly" bandwagon. I know the ball did not pitch in line but he's had such a crap history with these LBW calls. Made a start but yet again did not carry on....what to do.....

Come on Rogers.

 

[light]

Got to say, Shane Watson is a complete dickhead with no idea where his stumps are.

That was plumb LBW and yet again he wastes a review after getting a start. Drop him.

This is international cricket, no excuses for such selfishness.

Lunch 1/42.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Strange looking dismissal. Rogers gone. As I've stated our batting is a big worry.

 

[light]

Wouldn't have been out if he had reviewed. Evidence suggests he would have reviewed if they had 2 remaining...

Once again, I blame Watson.

Khawaja just dropped at slip.

 

[mark_s]

Once again we waste our reviews. terrible.

 

[vidiot]

all right, this is officially a joke. was that supposed to a positive hotspot? wasn't it on the bat before the ball went past?​

 

[AngrySeahorse]

all right, this is officially a joke. was that supposed to a positive hotspot? wasn't it on the bat before the ball went past?

That is what I thought. There were similar looking "spots" on the bottom of the bat on the face. How do they differentiate? The noise on the nickometer or whatever it is called could have been more the reason he was done but it was a very faint sound.

 

[vidiot]

DRS falls over when you are trying to prove that he didn't hit the ball, even when there is no evidence on DRS that he did. You might as well not review it.

 

[vidiot]

Now, thats how you get out. No DRS required. Lucky Pup isn't a selector any more. That would not have been impressive to watch from close up.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

I'm not watching it any more, lol but I'm still on here. How many runs did Clarke get?

 

[mark_s]

Clarke's still in. It was Usman who had the brain explosion

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Clarke's still in. It was Usman who had the brain explosion

Thanks for clearing that up. That sucks.

 

[mark_s]

Smith gets a corker and Bell takes a cracker at short leg. Looks like we might be following on. Need lots of runs from our last 5 wickets.

 

[mark_s]

oh, and theres something about Hussein and Atherton commentating smugly while the poms are on top that shits me. Two bunnies telling us what we should be doing. Im just in a bad mood.

 

[light]

The urn remains in England. 1 stupid session of ridiculous shots against reasonable bowling and the series is over. Just like that.

Some serious questions need to be asked of the Australian batsmen, collectively they just fail every time.

We simply do not have the cattle. Cowan was the fall guy after the 1st test and have a feeling we might have seen the end of Watson now too.

The Poms will now bat us out of the game in their second innings and watch us try chase down 500+ in our second innings on a turning pitch. IMO we just have to go for broke and play with the batting order in hopes of a miracle.

2nd innings I'd have:
1. Watson - Last chance mate. Sink or swim.
2. Hughes - He's an opener, put him back up the order and cross fingers.
3. Rogers - Solid technique and can stabilise if we lose early wicket.
4. Khawaja - Doesn't have the concentration or technique for first drop.
5. Clarke - His best position, don't move him and he will score runs.
6. Smith
7. Haddin


Australia have to roll the dice now.

 

[light]

Our touring squad:
Michael Clarke(c)
Brad Haddin(vc)
Ashton Agar
Jackson Bird
Ed Cowan
James Faulkner
Ryan Harris
Phillip Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Nathan Lyon
James Pattinson
Chris Rogers
Peter Siddle
Steve Smith
Mitchell Starc
Matthew Wade
David Warner
Shane Watson

Somewhere in there we have to find; another opener (Watson has to go), someone who can bat at 3, someone who can bat at 4 and another bowler (Pattinson hasn't threatened). Chances are Agar won't be fit either. Siddle and Harris play the same role, Harris can't handle back-to-back tests and Siddle surely can't play 3 in a row after his workload.

3rd test:
1. David Warner
2. Chris Rogers
3. Phil Hughes
4. Ed Cowan/Usman Khawaja
5. Michael Clarke (C)
6. Steve Smith
7. Brad Haddin
8. James Faulkner/Jackson Bird
9. Peter Siddle/Ryan Harris
10. Mitchell Starc
11. Ashton Agar (if fit)/ Nathan Lyon

 

[light]

Question now is whether they will enforce the follow on...

Looking ahead...

Lehmann needs to get down on his knees after this match and beg Ricky Ponting to don the baggy green once more and save his country. His average of 75 for Tasmania is still far better than anything else we have. His experience and ability to bat at 3 could prove influential.

Also would be sending an SOS to Mark Cosgrove to join the tour. Solid number 4.