[Closed] A Summer of Cricket - SPOILERS

Time and no team dominates for ever
Used to be the Windies before them

To turn that around then JY, what have England done to turn things around? In 2002 they were a pretty poor test playing nation, now they are vying with India for No 1 spot. Seem to be playing with real purpose.

I feel sorry for Michael Clarke. And Peter Siddle actually.

This. Clarke is a very talented batsman, and Siddle is a player who if you needed him to bowl every over, he would. The rest need to take a long hard look at them selfs in Sheffield shield and remember that they're supposed to be representing their country. For all his faults, ponting actually gave a crap, and made his players do so also. The one major problem with Clarke is his captaincy.

You have to ask who in the bogan side would get in the England team?

I think we'd happily take Clarke as an injury replacement if Pieterson is out. As you say, Siddle would probably also walk into the team as a 3rd bowler instead of Finn/Bresnan.

Luck you get the best players you are the best team
No marginal gains were involved here 😉

Trott and Anderson are amongst the best bowlers England have ever had
Broad can have his day as well

A number of batsman are world class as well and may go on to be amongst the greats

Just luck and the cycle of things

Put Warne, Mc Grath and any three of there best batters and it would be a lot closer.

I am interested to hear opinions on how Australia have become so poor. (Not wanting to to take anything away from England). It appears that perhaps an all conquering team of legends has clung on too long, stifling the next generation, whilst England really have pulled their socks up. I managed to go to one of the tests in 2002 and there was a feeling it was men against boys back then. Things have come full circle.

For a start, there's zero public interest in Sheffield Shield (first class) cricket. It's played in front of hundreds, rather than tens of thousands of supporters. You try making an atmosphere at the g with only 200 people in! I think whilst their bowlers are ok, it's their batting that's poor at this level, and a lot of that comes down to too much t20 and not enough learning to protect your wicket. I see very few names mentioned who could replace their current batters, and the fact that Hughes is still there after several years of never delivering at this level sums it up

The one major problem with Clarke is his captaincy.

Indeed - to be fair it didn't seem to have done much harm to his batting form before this series. The problem Australia have at the moment is if not him who else? Very few other players are guaranteed their place on the team - probably Siddle, but in general it's not done to have a strike bowler as captain (and FWIW I agree the Australian policy of bowler rotation is sensible given their resources in that area, so he's not guaranteed a start). About the only other certainty at the moment is Watson - for all his failings he's doing better than most of the rest and certainly not the first person you'd drop - but personally I doubt he'd do a better job than Clarke. I suppose they could go really left field and have Rogers as captain - now he does actually look a class act, and I expect England would be happy to have him as backup, but I think he'd be behind Compton in the pecking order.

I see very few names mentioned who could replace their current batters, and the fact that Hughes is still there after several years of never delivering at this level sums it up

Yep - for all the talk about bringing in fresh blood to replace those failing, who would actually do a better job. Remember 156ao vs Zimbabwe?

It is the progress of Anderson that has surprised me the most. I remember seeing him in previous Ashes tests as back up to Steve Harmison. Seeing him bowl at Trent Bridge with such confidence was a breath of fresh air.

You also have to credit the long term game England selectors have played for years now. Bell has had some rubbish form but they stuck with him when he was learning the game, similarly Anderson was around the team for years learning the game, others have been brought in early on and in general they stick with the players who they know will come good.

It is the progress of Anderson that has surprised me the most

Where have you been for the past 5 years? He was poor in 2006/2007, but one of the best in the world since 2008 or so, and one of the players of the series in the last Ashes.

You also have to credit the long term game England selectors have played for years now.

You could probably argue that they've been lucky - for every Bell there's a Bopara (he seems to have found his mojo in ODIs but I doubt he'll get another test), for every Anderson there's a Dernbach (thank god our cupboard isn't so bare that he got a test).

I admit aracer although I like cricket I have not managed to watch a lot. I don't have Sky and am Scottish so cut me some slack. 🙂
I remember Jimmy Anderson's bowling being a bit wild, feels like yesterday.

I remember Jimmy Anderson's bowling being a bit wild, feels like yesterday.

Yes, I remember the good jimmy / bad jimmy bets we use to have. But, all in the past, he's not far off becoming the best quick England have ever had, and steyn excepted, he's pretty much the best in the world on his day, and not far off it when it's not his day...

Thanks Zokes. I may be tainted by 2002. Managed to get to one of the test days in Brisbane. Australia were rampant then with a high degree of justified arrogance. Only really got to see bits of following two Ashes series. It is refreshing to see such a turnaround in fortunes without the overbearing arrogance with the exception of possibly KP.

Headline of the week:

'Australia folded like napkins once again'

I admit aracer although I like cricket I have not managed to watch a lot. I don't have Sky and am Scottish so cut me some slack.
I remember Jimmy Anderson's bowling being a bit wild, feels like yesterday.

Personally I think Anderson's rise and rise has been a pleasant surprise to all but a select few. The model is established now and make no mistake we have some absolutely amazing talent coming through in the next few years. Bell-Drummond and Kerrigan are my two tips.

Personally I think Anderson's rise and rise has been a pleasant surprise to all but a select few. The model is established now and make no mistake we have some absolutely amazing talent coming through in the next few years. Bell-Drummond and Kerrigan are my two tips.

Personally I think Anderson's rise and rise has been a pleasant surprise to all but a select few.

Except it's hardly news now. Going into the last Ashes series he had a bit of a reputation of being a greentop bully and rubbish when it wasn't swinging, but he neatly dispelled that there, and numerous times since.

Couple of quick ones - Will England declare before or after the lead catches the post count here?

Todays Sydney Morning Herald on the state of play
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/methodical-england-expose-the-gulf-in-class-with-australia-20130721-2qbz2.html

The frailty of Australia's batting means it will find it hard not only to make enough runs to win, but to bat long enough to hold out for a draw. Rain is an unlikely rescuer; already this is one of the UK's driest and hottest

The parting words on one of the TV's reviews was at least as a supporter you can leave, the team have to stay.

So for question 2, what are the odds on the team bus not showing up?

The only way we make Day 5 is if England fancy some batting practice really.

Start the car

Over by tea?

Watching at the airport. Sadly, the Australia flights have all gone, so no sledging potential!

Well this is hard to watch, as if they should be allowed to run away or call in sick.

So far both Joe Root and Ian Bell have outscored the entire Aussie batting line up so far 😯

Having watched good chunks of these last two matches in Australian pubs, most seem to agree with me that it's probably better for all concerned if Australia just get back on the plane now.

[quote=zokes ]Having watched good chunks of these last two matches in Australian pubs, most seem to agree with me that it's probably better for all concerned if Australia just get back on the plane now.

Even if they left now they would never [i]catch it[/i]....

IGMC

Bloke opposite me is on phone, talking about 29ers and single malts.....

Could he be a STWer?

Introduce yourself let us know how you get on

it's probably better for all concerned if Australia just get back on the plane now.

Don't they know they can't escape that easily as England will shortly be getting on a plane to follow them?

He's reading the Graun! Must be....!

You are not a good Observer* are you

*see what i did there

Loving your work, Junkster!

Right - finally managed to get tickets for the Adelaide test. Only day available was the 4th day. What are the bets on us actually seeing any cricket?

sydney is restricted view only or day 5, which will I see more cricket on?

Might have to hold out for some corporate bungs

I'd have thought all the restricted view tickets would get snapped up by the Aussie fans.

Genuine beer/monitor interface there aracer

😆

any other locals got the Vodaphone App?
[img] [/img]

Do they make beer-proof macbooks? I'm going to need one if you lot carry on...

Zokes put the beer down....

[url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-21/arthur-slams-cricket-australia/4833812 ]The latest Micky Arthur Gate.....[/url]

It's like getting caught out pissing on the monument in the middle of town and having no idea weather to put it away mid flow or not.
It's not dirty laundry in public, it's crapping yourself live on TV.

and in case I have been hard on the locals

Australia have now scored more than Root.

Malfoy trying to knock some sense into Pup there

They've been rooted twice now...

Absolutely rooted

2 for 3 runs OMG or the wrong way 3-2 either way not good reading

Anyone feeling sorry yet?

Sorry that I now really need to go to bed, and therefore will miss their main batsmen (numbers 7-11) pull it out of the hat.