[Closed] THE DECIDING ASHES TEST: possible spoilers within

where is the spoiler you promised?

there was a disclaimer. Don't spoil my thread you big ****mook.

😛

got my bacon and egg tie on and ready to roll! 🙂

I am off there on Saturday (well when I say "off there", I mean I am crossing the road to the ground), so hoping it goes to at least 3 days

I am about to call Sky and get sports reinstated.

i cannot believe that harmison is in the team

mental, still there is something glorious and correct about inept administration and rash decisions that I admire.

is batting the best choice do we think?

The big question is: Who will be 50 quid richer come Monday evening, myself or Lanesra? I'm feeling reasonable confident... but you never know what Flintoff will bring back to the team, it's going to be a rocking Test match this one, bring it on! 😀

is batting the best choice do we think?

With a good batting lineup it is... with the current English lineup, not so sure 😆 Fingers crossed Clarke & Hilfenhaus can throw the cat amongst the pigeons in the first session 😈

On another note... just WTF is Brett Lee still doing in England? Surely he should've been sent home and someone else brought into the squad... what a frickin lovely junket for him eh? 🙄

is batting the best choice do we think?

no I don't. If you are inlcuding strike bowlers like GBH and freddie then I think you ned to put the opposition in and get stuck in. We need a result, no good looking ahead to day 4 and 5, the game will be won or lost way before then.

its raining.

Looks like it's gonna be raining wickets 🙁

Don't despair yet 😆 I'll feel happier if we can Strauss cheaply 🙂

Well, that was a great start. Not.

Great start from MJ... Bell seriously lucky to survive those 3 balls 😆

Ticking along okay now*

*Watch the wickets come.

This from the Guardian website:

When Ian Bell gets to his usual 30, and that casual waft to gully is looming as he approaches the unknown of getting hard runs at a crucial time, should we use a Harlequins-style fake blood injury, swap him for a different batsman, and bring him back in later, thus allowing him to get his score in 20-30 run instalments?"

I'll feel happier if we can Strauss cheaply 🙂

Well that hasn't happened 🙁 Good innings from Strauss so far, he's quality 🙂

Bloody hell... it's raining 4's!

pretty good session for england after a shaky start. Johnson looks in good nick (finally). I think that with rain expected on the weekend england need to push on this afternoon and look to be around the 300 mark by stumps with some lower order wickets still to bat.

BIG session coming up.

Ball's starting to swing a little bit... and at the ~30 over mark as well, that seems to be the norm this series...

SILLY MAN

Johnson looks in good nick

eh? How many wides? What econonmy?

Hilfenhaus looks the worrying bowler to me.

mwuuhahaha, reward for Johnson... and here comes Freddy 🙂 Here's hoping the occasion gets to him 😈

fair play to Johnson after all

😉 😆 baited into a bad shot... no glorious fairytail this innings 🙂

Now that was frickin sharp work! Nice job Mr Katich 🙂

not a bad way to finish the day 😀 still, with the way this pitch is breaking up, 300+ isn't to be sneezed at... an imminently defendable total to start with, though I'd think England would've wanted more like 400+ (could still get it I guess)...

And just like the Oval, all the English supporters have already left!

Where's the commentary gone? Surely the Pom's haven't given up already? Things are definitely in the balance at the moment, 3 wickets down for the Aussies and we're still 200-odd behind...

And now we're definitely in trouble... bloody hell 🙁

4 wickets for 8 runs in 21 deliveries... not a bad effort that!

cue the return of the fickle English followers, now their team is a little on top 🙄 😆

oi oi...getting interesting

Yup I am back in now for a bit of Aussie baiting. Punter played on for 3rd time in the series. Andrew Flintwho?? Broad is clearly the man. I have said so for years 8)

(Did think my trip tomorrow might be £50 wasted, but suddenly a bit more exciting)

OMG, Broad has turned the tables. How did that happen?

hehehe, bye bye katich too....

I like cricket, but rarely get excited about it. This afternoon I am making an exception. Come on England.

so where is psychle now its going all a bit "Lords" on the Aussies? 🙂

this is outrageous. amazing stuff! i want to go to the pub 🙁

"Who are ya?" etc 😉

so where is psychle now its going all a bit "Lords" on the Aussies?

Well, I am at work today so can't comment quite as often 🙂

Things are looking a little tough for us at the moment, but it ain't over yet... though England is going to have a decent 1st innings lead it would seem 🙁

BTW, I like the complete and utter silence from you Pom's on this thread, up until the last hour or so anyway 🙄 fair weather supporters eh? 😉

ooofffffff!!! 🙂

Maybe tomorrow will be £50 wasted 😯

[img] [/img]

BTW, I like the complete and utter silence from you Pom's on this thread, up until the last hour or so anyway

you come up with something interesting to say a bout a dot ball then! 🙂

so should he go for the follow on if he gets the chance? 🙂

Stoner - Member

BTW, I like the complete and utter silence from you Pom's on this thread, up until the last hour or so anyway

you come up with something interesting to say a bout a dot ball then!

*Applauds!*

😉

Oh, they don't like it up 'em

Haddin 1, SR 11.11, 111/7

so should he go for the follow on if he gets the chance?

BTW, I like the complete and utter silence from you Pom's on this thread, up until the last hour or so anyway fair weather supporters eh?

sorry bud, been too busy watching us kick your arses. 😀

111-7 from 71-0

as for the follow on, i don't know

I apologise for my lack of crowing mr psychle - it appears my prediction from our 1st innings yesterday was a little premature. Quite a shower now, eh.

you've got to make them follow on if you have the chance, no time to regroup.

theflatboy - Member
you've got to make them follow on if you have the chance, no time to regroup.

Not at the Oval you don't.....

Get in, post a big number then watch the pitch take a nosedive on the last few sessions.

utter silence from you Pom's

eh-hem (I posted)

I agree with this [cricinfo]:

"[This pitch] is absolutely ragging. Swann's bowling hand grenades practically every single ball," is the verdict from SK Warne.

Good job we made 300+ in out first innings!

i would - get them straight back in again and have another go at them.

The pundits on TMS were with the Cap'n on the follow on - (potentially) batting last on a wicket that's already shonky could be a bad move.

I think with a score under 150 then you really do have to make them follow on - not that it's going to happen.

I would too but these Aussies are tough guys and I reckon they'll avoid it. Johnson's swinging it about ATM

word, moot point now innit.

Anyway, all of a sudden 332 looks a very good knock (the pity is we could have got so much more!)

Thank **** Warnie retired 😀

not moot just yet,,,

i've only got cricinfo updating so prob a bit behind, but they need 133 to avoid it don't they?

The Oval cuts up and with the weather as it is in that London's Famous London, batting last on that track would be a wrong 'un.

Ahem........!

😀

boing

just 2 in 2.... the follow on still on even if not the appropriate strategy 🙂

good, out of our hands now. a lead of 200 on this pitch should be conclusive

any body want to join me in a rain dance

"Clark's very unhappy".

Ahhh. Diddums. 🙂

roundwheels - Member
any body want to join me in a rain dance

No thanks. Looking forward to a nice sunny Saturday!

😀

Well... we've avoided the follow on at least... certainly sounds like the pitch is disintegrating rapidly, I wonder how much help we'll get out of it? I guess we need to somehow roll the English for 100 or less 🙄 [i]and[/i] then somehow manage to chase down 300 on a strip seemingly riddled with landmines 😆 A tough proposition from here it has to be said 🙁

but surely the famed aussie grit, determination and application will be ideally suited to that kind of run chase?

we shall see... we shall see 🙂

psychle - Member
we shall see... we shall see

We did see..... we did see....!

An epic collapse.

160... but let's see how we get on in our 2nd innings before we get a tanker of John Smith's on standby for Freddy.

so... 172 behind, not good. Sure as **** not what we'd have been expecting this at this stage (and I guarantee not one English supporter expected it either! 😆 )

Thwaites Bomber, please! Give the lad his due!

And, moreover, it's all about Broad, not Flintoff! The future is here!