Hugh_Jazz Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 1st test at Cardiff starts on Wednesday.....predictions?I think England have a great chance this year. Definitely the weakest Aussie side for a while, but still a dangerous team as their recent series win against S. Africa proves. The Aussies also had some bad news today with Brett Lee being ruled out of the first test at least. The balance of England's side looks decent, although overall they're weaker than the 2005 team....bowling attack looks strong and the lower order could contribue some useful runs unlike in previous years.Think it's shaping up to be an awesome series. Can't wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_inthehills Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 well...it probably is our best chance to beat the Aussies, but I predict a drawn series and so the Aussies keep the ashes by default.We don't have the attack to take 20 wickerts in 5 days. Our bowlers need to be inspired and a lot of hope is being placed on the shoulders of our new spinner. Our wicket keeper is a bit of a doubt too.peteinthehills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 Nae looking good for the Nigels just now! Reckon the Aussies might run up 650-700 at this rate and stick England in on a fourth day wicket with more turn that Swanny or Monty are getting...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossP Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 I put 25 on a draw at the start, so i'm hoping Aussies bat for yonks then England refuse to attack in order to preserve wickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delboy Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 463-4 as rain is about to stop play. i can see whats going to happen, aussies will get a sizeable target, a lead of around 200 and england will bat woeful second innings (all out for under 200) and the aussies will win, same old story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Pretty much what I said Del! Just think the Aussies have got too much power when it comes to the batting side of things, and that England will struggle to make much of a 2nd innings total!We shall see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 I put 25 on a draw at the start, so i'm hoping Aussies bat for yonks then England refuse to attack in order to preserve wickets.Skin of your teeth!What a finish..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossP Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 I was biting my nails for the entire last hour! Cashback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delboy Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 credit to england for getting themselves out of jail thanks to some gritty hanging on by the tail enders! apart from collingwood the england top order batsmen should be ashamed of themselves 2nd innings. still gripping stuff listening to TMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Jazz Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 ....and that is why I love test cricket. What an ending. I was touching cloth for the last couple of hours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delboy Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 bring on the second test! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_inthehills Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 I'm not sure about bringing on the 12th man and the physio every 10 minutes towards the end. That smacks of desperation.still. At least its not going to be 5-0 whitewash. I'm now predicting a 1-0 win to the whinging poms. peteinthehills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Grevious Bodily Harmison might well be getting back in at Lord's! Would be a heck of a gamble that one..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 with all the footie gloom facing the dons.very nice to see England bowlers doing the Aussie batsmen a good doing over. now 8down at lunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodsinho Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Pretty classy from the england bowlers this morning. Excellent work from Onions and Anderson to whittle away at the Aussie line up. Hope we can put a decent total up over the next day and a bit and give them a real challenge for the second innings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 So what's everyone's verdicts so far? Any predictions for the last two tests?I'm staying with my original 2-1 England prediction. It says something that an Australian attack as ordinary as the one just now is still causing threats to England's top/middle order! Harmison should be brought back for the next test, I reckon. But I'm undecided on who should drop out - Broad or Swann? at the moment, all that's keeping Broad in the team is his batting ability, but isn't Swann an actual all-rounder? as opposed to a bowler who can bat a bit?StraussCookTrottBellCollingwoodFlintoffPriorSwannOnionsAndersonHarmisonor if Flintoff doesn't make it then:StraussCookTrottBellCollingwoodBoparaPriorSwannOnionsAndersonHarmisonI reckon. As for Australia, Watson should be straight out the team. Bring in Andrew McDonald. He took something like 4-11 off 10 overs and got two big scores against a good Northampton (?) side last week and offers something completely new, I think.Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Owl PhD Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 I'm not too sure what will happen - I can actually see the remaining two tests being draws, especially if the weather's bad. England's bowlers need swinging conditions and Australia's bowlers need England to bat badly (which they might yet do, as they did in the 1st test). Australia have more selection problems. I find it strange that they've not picked Stuart Clark yet and their side looks a bit unbalanced. I think McDonald would offer more as a bowler than Watson (it was more-or-less Northants 2nd XI he took those wickets against though!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Both teams need a heavy revamp of their bowling attack. If I was head of selectors:England: Strauss, Cook, Key (more experience than Trott, and in form), Bell, Collingwood, Bopara (he is a decent bat, but not a number 3), Prior, Sidebottom, GBH, Anderson, Onions. Save Flintoff for the Oval, and leave Swann out as Headingley is not usually a spinners wicket.Australia: Katich, Watson, Punter, Hussey, Clarke, North, Haddin/Manou, Clark, Lee (worth the risk IMO), Hilfenhaus, Johnson (probably worth one more chance). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Owl PhD Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I suppose the good thing about this morning is that Australia will be really kicking themselves that they didn't pick Stuart Clark earlier in the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkt Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Well Broad was great today, and a promising start for the England openers before it all went rong...I think Bopora has had far too many chances this series and has consistently been the worst batsman (more than Onions, Anderson and Swann) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_1903 Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 get bopara to fuck. get mark ramprakash back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkt Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Aye he's too much of a liability. For the Oval I'd pick:CookStraussKeyRamprakashPriorFlintoffBroadSwannAndersonHarmisonOnionsor possibly drop one of the seam-bowlers for Panesar (which would have to be Harmison as much as I wanted him in the squad). I know dropping Collingwood is a bit harsh but Flintoff and Broad are more than capable of filling the void of all-rounder (and Collingwood hasn#t made much impact as bowler) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Jazz Posted August 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Aye he's too much of a liability. For the Oval I'd pick:CookStraussKeyRamprakashPriorFlintoffBroadSwannAndersonHarmisonOnionsor possibly drop one of the seam-bowlers for Panesar (which would have to be Harmison as much as I wanted him in the squad). I know dropping Collingwood is a bit harsh but Flintoff and Broad are more than capable of filling the void of all-rounder (and Collingwood hasn#t made much impact as bowler)Dunno...you've got 6 front-line bowlers in that side which is a lot, plus you've dropped our best fielder and one of our more reliable middle order batsman in Collingwood.....Colly isn't in the side to be a bowler. He's there for his batting and fielding. This would be my 11:CookStraussKeyRampsCollingwoodPriorFlintoffBroadSwannAndersonOnionsI'm tipping Broad to come good at the Oval....it's usually a fast, bouncy wicket which should suit him. Harmison has just disappointed too many times for me....and once again, he failed at Headingly after a promising first couple of overs.Personally, I wouldn't bother with Panesar.....even if the Oval spins, he's been so out of form recently, I don't think the Aussies will be too worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted August 22, 2009 Report Share Posted August 22, 2009 funny old game......now Aussies being put in their place.....at long last Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkt Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 What a fantastic series, with a great ending...my only regret that I missed the end as with 5 wickets remaining at 5pm, saw no hope of it ending so soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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