Really really looking forward to this one, series balanced at 1-1, everything to play for, 90-100 thousand fans on Boxing Day at the MCG... does it get any better than that? 8)
[url= http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/a-test-for-players-and-pundits-alike-20101225-197il.html ]Good warm up article for you here, courtesy of The Age[/url], sets the tone well, impartial too 🙂
does it get any better than that?
Yes, it does. If we can stuff the whining Aussies, that is! 😉
Not at the MCG Monsieur... though, tbh, I reckon it's a 50/50 call... fancy a punt Captain? 😉
any good live streams out there?
England's series to lose.
Vital first session coming up.
Australia's series to win.
Vital first session coming up.
Agreed 😀
Nervous anticipation here! Good article you posted there psychle, sums up an Ashes test perfectly. Think a lot depends if you Aussies take the form from the last Test into this one and also which England team turns up!
Real shame we don't have Broad there as his batting ability comes in handy though we do have Swanny who can win a game when he's on form... Too close to call for me.... Here's to a good one 🙂
There is no sport like cricket to make a man look a fool, be he player or pundit.
The nature of cricket - played over days, but often won and lost in split seconds - means that in no other field of human endeavour does hope spring so repeatedly and eternally
Love it 🙂
This morning, there is a frisson in Melbourne
My favourite place in the world, Melbourne on the day of a huge sporting contest... nothing like it, the anticipation of joining the throng at the 'G, awesome to be a part of! 8) Wish I was there... 🙁
A lot has to hinge on which MJ turns up - though it's unlikely he'll be as dangerous as at Perth whatever. Seems likely Bresnan will play instead of Finn, which will also help lengthen the batting.
Grrr... one of these days Punter might just win a blingin toss... Australia to bat, going to be a fun first hour!
Finn out for Bresnan, tough on the lad, though he didn't bowl that well on a seamers pitch in Perth I guess... maybe a bit of rest will do him good. What's Bresnan like?
Seems I was right about Bresnan and we're having first go at throwing the ball. How many runs will Australia manage for the first 3 wickets?
Finn's almost certainly still ahead of Bresnan in the overall pecking order, but seems like he needs a bit of a rest.
How many runs will Australia manage for the first 3 wickets?
Not going to even hazard a guess... would love to see Hughes and Ponting hit form though... Clarkey, well... not a huge fan of him for some reason, I think it's the stupid tattoo sleave 🙄
If catches win matches, we're in big trouble already - would have been really handy to get Watson early.
indeed, couple of reasonably easy chances there...
gone! Watson fails unfortunately 🙁 that was an easier one for Peiterson!
Isn't it funny how quickly Geoffery Boycott changes his opinion 🙂
Lots of movement so far, bounce to... tricky tricky time to bat!
Sir Geoffrey of Boycott is pretty forthright with his opinions isn't he! Love/hate character, makes for good commentary though. The reasoned tones of Vic Marks now with CMJ
what are you guys watching/listening to? obviously not Sky? 'tis Warnie and Bumble for me at the moment...
Test Match Special on BBC Radio here. Ideal combination for me would be Sky plus the TMS commentary!
TMS - available on Radio 5live SX, Radio 4 LW or iPlayer (and right now also vanilla 5live).
Bye bye Phil. Now what was the expected /3?
Bring back Katich ASAP! Hughes just does not look Test match quality, SHIT shot...
The answer to my question is 37 😀
38 for 3... GET IN!
GODDAMN it...! Punter needs to drop down the order, really has to... bad bad toss to lose with our top order... at least that's all your reviews gone!
Have gone all statto - Australia currently averaging 78.7/3 (that includes 107 not out in the second innings at the Gabba).
Can't believe we've already thrown away both reviews though 🙁
two very wasteful reviews by Strauss.
TMS all the way!
Indeed Aracer, our top order is ****in scheizer...
indeed Warton poor reviews indeed... let's hope if costs him eh? 8)
The big one!
At this tempo by the time my wife finishes her quick shower it'll be all done and dusted.
Get in!
58 for 4
That last one was a big wicket
**** it... I'm off to bed... gotta fly to Morocco in 9hrs... so if I don't reply it's because I'm overseas, not sulking 😉
Have a good one psychle.... Sure you'll be able to pick up the cricket over there.... If you don't post then I understand 😉
What a difference 4 years makes eh? wonder if we'll make 159 in our first innings? WAARNIE.. WAARNIE... WAARNIE... God we.miss him!
Yeah if only you had another Warnie in the wings... Or McGrath or a Brett Lee or.... hmmm Some top, top players there.... God I miss Warnie 😀
This partnership of Hayden and Symonds they're showing on Sky... one of the greatest, best mates batting at the 'G, brilliant stuff (for us Aussies 🙂 )
a shot or two of 'Sink the Bismarck' and I'm out of here... shall see what the score is when I wake up...
crikey###
😯 bloody hell! didn't expect that so soon.
Ha ha ha!!!
Merry Christmas
I'm knackered and need my bed wish I could stay up 🙁 got to get the pony mucked in the morning and best go to bed now. Mrs White don't know I'm down here with TMS as she's well away after bottle of chardonnay, ironically some of South East Aus's best
Bill The Trumpet playing The Final Countdown at the end there 😀
Just got up and can't quite believe it...
Hang on I seem to have missed the entire Australian first innings 🙂 that must have silenced a lot of the 91,000.
Lol! Presumed it was rain delayed and we had made a solid start. Then saw we had skittled them too!
Woke to hear Cook get his 50 and England take the lead, thought I was still dreaming.
Michael Vaughan was in fine form on TMS 🙂
woeful, shocking, demoralising, pathetic and appalling day for Australian cricket... time to write our obituary and cremate a set of bails of our own methinks 🙁
psychle, if England are all out by 300 and you score 600 in your second innings... Sorry, Santa's done for this year!
With a cloudy start we easily could 🙁
maxray - Member
Lol! Presumed it was rain delayed and we had made a solid start. Then saw we had skittled them too!
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST
Precisely what I thought this morning. 🙂 stunned!
Excellent display from the non Aussies
🙂 and more 🙂
So how long till [i]bring Warne back[/i]?
CaptainFlashheart - Memberand more
Thought you were an English hating Welshman?... 😉
But it's the England and [b]Wales[/b] cricket team.
I don't know many Welsh folk that hate the English. We do on the whole hate the English rugby team tho. Happy to cheer 'em on in cricket (although yes I know it's technically Wales too) and in football.
molgrips, would you really? In a game deciding the WC qualification? I'd love to believe but am struggling.
where on line can I listen to the commentary outside of the UK?
Can you not get it on Radio 4 long-wave?
see if anything here works
http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=cricket
palmer77, not in my flat sadly
Stoner, thanks, will see in a mo.
psychle, cheer up:
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Use a proxy to give you a UK IP address for TMS on iPlayer?
Bah - I'm going to bed. Wickets keep falling whilst I'm following this game, and we only have a 72 run lead.
🙂 was thinking similar aracer, was doing far better when I was sleeping!
Siddle bowling well. Come on Kevin get your eye in!
Off to bed, Aussies are rubbish when I'm not watching.
🙂 was actually going to bed and the realised I am not bruce almighty so it doesn't really matter. Just got a text off my boss to say she forgot to say we had a 250 quid bonus so going to watch a few more overs with a wine or maybe a short . 🙂
Not that it has anything to do with it other than I have the impetus to stay up;)
Sounds like a dull night's cricket 🙂
Sounds like Ricky really lost the plot. Another hour of positive batting tomorrow morning and then let's get torn into them again.
Do we have to play the fifth test if we retain the Ashes after four 🙂
A big LOL @ Punter 🙂
Do we have to play the fifth test if we retain the Ashes after four?
It would be nice to [b]win[/b] the Ashes series, not just retain them.
Also, I've got a couple of mates currently on their way out there for the 5th who may have something to say about a cancellation.
He was giving it loads, prob knows he will have been sacked by the 5th test! 😀
molgrips, would you really? In a game deciding the WC qualification? I'd love to believe but am struggling.
If it were ever the case that England and Wales were playing each other for the same spot in some WC finals then I'd have to have a bit of a think. But let's face it, that's pretty much never going to happen, because Wales are rubbish at football. I know people complain about England also being rubbish but seriously they are in a different league! Wales would most likely get thumped in the group stages anyway so there'd be less home football to watch that way.
But then I am half English 🙂
Evening/morning everyone.... especially to psychle 🙂 Don't worry mate I'm sure Oz can rebuild... Waited 20+ yrs for this. Declaration anyone?
punter's just been replayed on TMS from his ABC interview trying to justify being an arse 😉