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[artist]

Sour grapes legend .. :lol

SA in India 1-1 draw, India in SA 1-1 draw. Awesome. I reckon Smith waited too long in the second innings and should have declared or should have asked his players to go crazy after 300, get the Indian openers in and get them out (Sehwag would most likely would have bailed) and then put pressure on the next 8 .. he played it too safe IMO.

 

[Rezbit]

Very soft effort by Smith in that game.

EDIT: WTF at that t-shirt :|

 

[whatsinaname]

Very soft effort by Smith in that game.

EDIT: WTF at that t-shirt :|

Very soft effort by Dhoni even. Long-off and spread fields at 60-4?!

And I disagree with everyone talking about this last test match being boring. Caused me enough loss of sleep - waking up at 4:00 am, watching it till I got in to work, refreshing cricinfo at work. :/ Atleast I can get some sleep this weekend, now that the series is over.

 

[edbrat]

barmy army in good voice "Swann, Swann will tear you apart...again" (joy division)

doesn't quite beat their oasis classic

Slip inside Ricky Ponting's mind
He's trying to find
Some new players to play

He wants to play his older team
But that's just a dream
They're too old to play

He said he'd start a revolution in his head
But he's been through all the players A to Z
Now there's just a summertime of doom
If he loses the Ashes race
He is going to lose his place
Losing three would simply tear his heart out

So Ricky can wait
Shane Warne is too late
And there's no Glenn McGrath
Gilchrist's had his day
And don't look back to Langer
He cannot play

Where did all those old players go
Now everyone knows
You've nearly had your day

You'll have to leave the team in the hands
Of Michael Clarke and
He'll throw it all away

He said he'd start a revolution in his head
But he's been through all the players A to Z
Now there's just a summertime of doom
If he loses the Ashes race
He is going to lose his place
Losing three would simply tear his heart out

So Ricky can wait
Shane Warne is too late
And there's no Glenn McGrath
Gilchrist's had his day
And don't look back to Langer
He cannot play

So Ricky can wait
Shane Warne is too late
And there's no Glenn McGrath
Gilchrist's had his day
And don't look back to Langer
He cannot play

At least not today

 

[artist]

Very soft effort by Dhoni even. Long-off and spread fields at 60-4?!

And I disagree with everyone talking about this last test match being boring. Caused me enough loss of sleep - waking up at 4:00 am, watching it till I got in to work, refreshing cricinfo at work. :/ Atleast I can get some sleep this weekend, now that the series is over.

Thats understandable, the way Kallis is playing .. he deserved those fields from the start

 

[Zapages]

England doing really well down under right now.

 

[Juicy Bob]

 

[mclem]

And there we have it. Woo. I even get to go to bed before it's particularly late!

 

[phisheep]

Wonderful, just wonderful.

Can't wait to read Merv Hughes' next article.

 

[artist]

Third innings defeat in a series for Australia - HISTORY FUCKIN' MADE

 

[Harry_Tequila]

Good times. Richly deserved.

 

[Dead Man]

indulge me Australian cricket fans, barmy armys new t-shirt:

someone also reminded me of this article from all that time back in November:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...hy-poms-wont-win/story-e6frey50-1225955985591

That article was atrocious in November, and is woeful now.

 

[scotcheggz]

That article was atrocious in November, and is woeful now.

In retrospect it's hilarious how he was so wrong on almost every point.

Anyway, good test series for England, looking forward to the ODIs, though I doubt I'll stay up to watch them

 

[Dead Man]

In retrospect it's hilarious how he was so wrong on almost every point.

Anyway, good test series for England, looking forward to the ODIs, though I doubt I'll stay up to watch them

It is sort of satisfying in that regard. :lol

 

[Grug]

Call me oversensitive but jokes about colonisation are a bit off. A very shady period in English history involving the massacre/subjugation of many indigenous people.

 

[speedpop]

The only national side I tend to support blindly through their ups and downs is the Australian football team, and have done so since I was a kid due to basically growing up in a Newcastle Utd shirt and playing the game as soon as I could walk. I also blame my Pop for constantly taking the neutral stance due to him gambling with others in the pub against whatever home team, as well as my father for watching as many sports as possible without having an allegience to any.

That said, I'm a little disappointed that the series was not as competitive as the Ashes '05 series. There were shades of a contest in Perth, but it seemed to come down to the fact that England was so much better in every area of the game. It was great to watch Cook slice it up about the place along with every other player that got a century no matter the side, as well as Anderson and Tremlett terrorizing the Australian batters at time.

Wonder what the repercussions will be for the Australian cricketing team. Should be interesting to watch over the next few months.

 

[Papa]

As horrible as they were, the SCG test was the unluckiest I've ever seen a cricket team.

 

[AdventureRacing]

As horrible as they were, the SCG test was the unluckiest I've ever seen a cricket team.

In what way?

Also i think you must not have watched the most recent test between india and SA. The amount of chances SA had with the ball was amazing, in particular the one where Steyn hit the stumps and didn't knock the bails off.

 

[Juicy Bob]

Call me oversensitive but jokes about colonisation are a bit off. A very shady period in English history involving the massacre/subjugation of many indigenous people.

No, I'd agree with you there, actually. But you have to understand the English are pretty ignorant about that entire page in our history - I certainly didn't know anything at all about the effects of colonisation myself untill I moved here.

 

[Ashes]

England outplayed Australia in every way possible. Batting, bowling, fielding, spinning the ball, swinging the ball, outstanding catches, opening, bowling a team out, posting incredibly high scores, winning three times in a five series match by an innings, five scores over five hundred, posting highest single innings scores in Australia by an English team, leading batsmen, leading bowler, management decisions worked, injuries covered well, everyone who got in played well, eeking out draws when needed, 500-1, getting the job done before the weather played a part, oh and retaining the ashes first, then winning it in the last match, so excellent timing and all.

 

[Salazar]

Aggers was superb this morning :lol

When O'Keefe told him that the bat was autographed by the Australian players, and he just went 'Oh'.

 

[Ashes]

:lol

 

[phisheep]

Call me oversensitive but jokes about colonisation are a bit off. A very shady period in English history involving the massacre/subjugation of many indigenous people.

There's a rule you can only joke about *nice* things??

Damn. I have been doing it wrong all these years.

Not that you're oversensitive, Grug, but have you heard the one about when Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini walked into a bar and ...

 

[jambo]

I do admit, listening to all the previous English players who were consistently embarrassed by Australia (not so much Vaughn, but Hussein, Atherton, Grieg, Lloyd, et al) now living vicariously through this team is pretty funny.

This team winning isn't going to make your careers any better, chumps!

 

[Dead Man]

There's a rule you can only joke about *nice* things??

Damn. I have been doing it wrong all these years.

Not that you're oversensitive, Grug, but have you heard the one about when Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini walked into a bar and ...

The difference I believe is that one makes fun of the bad things, the other celebrates them.

 

[legend166]

:lol

Nah, not bitter tears. England clearly outplayed us. I can even handle Swann's damn sprinkler dance.

But I will NOT accept freaking Nasser Hussein trying to get digs in :lol

 

[guidop]

Congrats to England but Australia were terrible and the figures will back that up

 

[Papa]

In what way?

Also i think you must not have watched the most recent test between india and SA. The amount of chances SA had with the ball was amazing, in particular the one where Steyn hit the stumps and didn't knock the bails off.

Cook getting an extra 140 runs thanks to a no ball? Ian Bell getting an extra 50 thanks to umpiring reliance on dodgy technology? The number of times Prior edged over slips? Seriously, everything that could've gone England's way did, and vice versa for Australia. Do I think Australia should've won? Hell no. But you cannot disagree with me when I say that they couldn't catch a break.

 

[DaMan121]

Cook getting an extra 140 runs thanks to a no ball? Ian Bell getting an extra 50 thanks to umpiring reliance on dodgy technology? The number of times Prior edged over slips? Seriously, everything that could've gone England's way did, and vice versa for Australia. Do I think Australia should've won? Hell no. But you cannot disagree with me when I say that they couldn't catch a break.

600 fucking runs!

 

[Papa]

600 fucking runs!

200 of which they shouldn't have scored.

 

[phisheep]

200 of which they shouldn't have scored.

I think maybe you're overstepping the mark there, just like Michael Beer did.

That no-ball thing wasn't bad luck, it was bad bowling.

 

[Papa]

I think maybe you're overstepping the mark there, just like Michael Beer did.

That no-ball thing wasn't bad luck, it was bad bowling.

A no ball isn't bad bowling. It's not something a bowler can effectively control 100% of the time.

 

[Salazar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLOs_ceNiKw&feature=related

Young Skull.

I love his appeal. That's style.

 

[phisheep]

A no ball isn't bad bowling. It's not something a bowler can effectively control 100% of the time.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/story/495330.html

"Everyone's going to have different opinions on it," Johnson said. "I suppose it's not a bad thing, but it can be frustrating. I suppose you've just got to get your foot behind the line."

I suppose so too.

 

[Papa]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/story/495330.html



I suppose so too.

Yeah, of course this is true, but it doesn't mean a no ball is "bad bowling". It's something that happens to even the best bowlers at times and the fact that Australia got the most prized English wicket on a no ball is a prime example of them not being able to catch a break.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Cook getting an extra 140 runs thanks to a no ball? Ian Bell getting an extra 50 thanks to umpiring reliance on dodgy technology? The number of times Prior edged over slips? Seriously, everything that could've gone England's way did, and vice versa for Australia. Do I think Australia should've won? Hell no. But you cannot disagree with me when I say that they couldn't catch a break.

I can and will. The no ball to cook was not in anyway luck. Not to mention it was one incident in a 200+ run innings. Whenever someone is getting that many runs there are going to be a few close calls.

As for Prior edging over slips that happens all the time. Whenever a player is going hard at the ball like that you regluarly see it go flying over the slips.

The SA, India game was a much better example of luck. I mean Steyn literally hit the stumps with a ball going 145KPH and didn't knock the bails off. There were just countless nicks going straight through the slips or falling short.

I couldn't believe wickets weren't falling. I never felt that way in the Aus v Eng match.

Yeah, of course this is true, but it doesn't mean a no ball is "bad bowling". It's something that happens to even the best bowlers at times and the fact that Australia got the most prized English wicket on a no ball is a prime example of them not being able to catch a break.

Yeah i think this is bullshit. Maybe, MAYBE for a fast bowler but a spinner? Yeah thats bad bowling.

:lol

Nah, not bitter tears. England clearly outplayed us. I can even handle Swann's damn sprinkler dance.

But I will NOT accept freaking Nasser Hussein trying to get digs in :lol

So because he played for England in a not so succesful era he can't get a dig in?

How is that any different from someone like you or me who have acheieved nothing at all in cricket having a dig?

 

[phisheep]

Yeah, of course this is true, but it doesn't mean a no ball is "bad bowling". It's something that happens to even the best bowlers at times and the fact that Australia got the most prized English wicket on a no ball is a prime example of them not being able to catch a break.

Yeah, I suppose I went a bit far the other way. I guess the way I'd put it is that the risk of a no-ball is (or at least ought to be) a risk deliberately taken - you're trading off getting closer to the batsman, so increasing your chances of a wicket, against no-balling. It would be easy to bowl from six inches behind the line, but I suppose you bowl less well that way.

I'd still say though, that since this is a risk deliberately taken, you're scarcely in a good position to complain if it doesn't come off.

 

[Salazar]

As for Prior edging over slips that happens all the time. Whenever a player is going hard at the ball like that you regluarly see it go flying over the slips.

I remember Sri Lanka edging Australia in the last few balls of a one-dayer a few years back with deliberate scoops back over the keeper - never mind the slips. It was a glorious, glorious sight.

 

[Papa]

Yeah, I suppose I went a bit far the other way. I guess the way I'd put it is that the risk of a no-ball is (or at least ought to be) a risk deliberately taken - you're trading off getting closer to the batsman, so increasing your chances of a wicket, against no-balling. It would be easy to bowl from six inches behind the line, but I suppose you bowl less well that way.

I'd still say though, that since this is a risk deliberately taken, you're scarcely in a good position to complain if it doesn't come off.

Yeah, I agree with what you're saying here. It is a risk and at the top level you have to push the limits, which in this case involves releasing the ball from as close to the batsman as possible. As with most risk analyses, be it cricket, another sport, or something else entirely, it's generally accepted that luck plays some part, regardless of how small. I guess the Aussie bowlers just need some better risk control (training).

I can and will. The no ball to cook was not in anyway luck. Not to mention it was one incident in a 200+ run innings. Whenever someone is getting that many runs there are going to be a few close calls.

Yeah i think this is bullshit. Maybe, MAYBE for a fast bowler but a spinner? Yeah thats bad bowling.

I must have a different definition of "bad bowling" to you. I mean, he was totally in control of the ball and was able to deceive the batsman into playing a false stroke. If he hadn't overstepped, it would be deemed by everyone to be a great ball. But because he did overstep, it suddenly becomes bad bowling? Nope, I don't believe it works that way. He bowled 38 overs in the entire innings, with only one no ball. It was unfortunate that it was the ball to take a wicket.

I couldn't believe wickets weren't falling. I never felt that way in the Aus v Eng match.

And neither did I. Australia were outplayed and did not deserve to win. But that doesn't mean that they weren't unlucky.

 

[AdventureRacing]

I must have a different definition of "bad bowling" to you. I mean, he was totally in control of the ball and was able to deceive the batsman into playing a false stroke. If he hadn't overstepped, it would be deemed by everyone to be a great ball. But because he did overstep, it suddenly becomes bad bowling? Nope, I don't believe it works that way. He bowled 38 overs in the entire innings, with only one no ball. It was unfortunate that it was the ball to take a wicket.

That just makes it worse. How often do spinners do no balls? Practically never because it's such an easy thing to avoid. There is no benefit to be gained from stepping so close.

The fact that he didn't even have enough concentration to avoid such a rookie mistake makes it bad bowling.

But that doesn't mean that they weren't unlucky.

I saw nothing in this match which i considered to be any more lucky than what happens in any other normal match of test cricket.

 

[Papa]

That just makes it worse. How often do spinners do no balls? Practically never because it's such an easy thing to avoid. There is no benefit to be gained from stepping so close.

The fact that he didn't even have enough concentration to avoid such a rookie mistake makes it bad bowling.



I saw nothing in this match which i considered to be any more lucky than what happens in any other normal match of test cricket.

The amount of bias contained in your posts is starting to make this feel like an English Premier League thread.

 

[Dead Man]

That just makes it worse. How often do spinners do no balls? Practically never because it's such an easy thing to avoid. There is no benefit to be gained from stepping so close.

The fact that he didn't even have enough concentration to avoid such a rookie mistake makes it bad bowling.



I saw nothing in this match which i considered to be any more lucky than what happens in any other normal match of test cricket.

Yeah, hate to say it, but I see no reason why a spinner should ever get a no ball. It wasn't luck, it was poor form.

 

[Cerebral Assassin]

I must have a different definition of "bad bowling" to you.

You don't think bowling an illegitimate delivery is bad bowling?

In other news, even God is joining in the trolling of the Aussies:

 

[phisheep]

Yeah, I agree with what you're saying here. It is a risk and at the top level you have to push the limits, which in this case involves releasing the ball from as close to the batsman as possible. As with most risk analyses, be it cricket, another sport, or something else entirely, it's generally accepted that luck plays some part, regardless of how small. I guess the Aussie bowlers just need some better risk control (training).

I think you're right there, and that was the substance of the article I quoted from earlier, or maybe some similar ones. It seems the Australians in net practice were not paying sufficient attention to whether their bowlers were over the line. So, good practice for the bats but bad habits from the bowlers. Though in hindsight it wasn't all that good practice for the bats either.


I don't think we have any serious disagreement here, except for the fact the people might read your earlier post as meaning that Australia were merely unlucky which would be, I think, grasping at straws after three innings defeats.

 

[The Friendly Monster]

Cook getting an extra 140 runs thanks to a no ball?.

No, Cook got those 140 runs thanks to excellent batting.

There's thousands of really close calls in a test match. Every time a bowler beats the bat you can argue they are "unlucky".

 

[Papa]

I think you're right there, and that was the substance of the article I quoted from earlier, or maybe some similar ones. It seems the Australians in net practice were not paying sufficient attention to whether their bowlers were over the line. So, good practice for the bats but bad habits from the bowlers. Though in hindsight it wasn't all that good practice for the bats either.


I don't think we have any serious disagreement here, except for the fact the people might read your earlier post as meaning that Australia were merely unlucky which would be, I think, grasping at straws after three innings defeats.

You get it, phisheep.

 

[Ashes]

Woh, what's happening here? 600 runs+ are being owed to 'bad luck'. And the 'bad luck' incident being the fielding team's own fault? and 'no balls' is not bad bowling? and let's not forget that it wasn't even close. England won by a country mile. An innings no less. We made more runs in one go then you did in two. I think it's best not to speak so much when the evidence is so spectacularly against you. Then again, do so, just don't be surprised when people call you out for the wrong reasons, as you're making quite the name for yourself for no reason that I can fathom.

 

[Salazar]

The world is officially crazy. Dean Jones is speaking a bit of sense. It's like a broken radio transmission, coming through in snatches, but that's better than usual.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/shot-to-pieces-by-the-old-enemy-australia-must-go-to-waugh-20110107-19iqy.html

CRICKET Australia needs to sign Steve Waugh as the head coach of the Australian cricket team immediately.

Australian cricket is in desperate times. We need the toughest and the most honest people to guide us out of this awful mess. We need Steve Waugh to bring back some honour to the baggy green, and to start reading the riot act from state cricket through to the Test team.

Australia were in desperate trouble in the mid-1980s and Australia called on one the toughest coaches of all time in Bob Simpson. ''Simmo'' was as hard as nails and rode all of us 24/7. He took complete control over the lives of every player in the Australian team. Simmo didn't just act on our cricketing careers, he wanted to know our wives and families to find out what made us tick. He had scouts around the place to see if the boys were preparing properly for each game, and he was always there when you needed a confidence boost. He controlled everything.

Simmo trained us so hard at fielding our hands bled. Three-hour fielding sessions were the norm. Players consistently vomited on the fielding track, but he made us the best fielding team in the world. He also banned Walkmans, and made the players talk to each other. He knew his stuff.

Bob's main worry when he first started coaching Australia was the senior-player culture - or lack of it - in state cricket. He wanted to know how each of the players was coached and treated by his state before being selected to play for Australia. He was appalled at how each state went about its business of playing and their own selection policies. He wanted coaches who had played for Australia to coach each state team. He wanted coaches whom he trusted and those who understood his coaching policies. He didn't want everyone going off in their own ways. All the states looked towards providing ready and tough international cricketers.

Steve Waugh knows exactly what needs to be done, and if CA needs to pay him $1 million to get him on board then so be it. Whatever it takes, just get him. The cricket we've been watching from the Australians this summer has been appalling.

My biggest worry is that we have had some of the all-time great Australian cricketers - some of the best players the world has seen - play in the past decade, and yet where are they now when we need them? Mark Taylor, Shane Warne, Ian Healy and Michael Slater have gone to Channel 9. Allan Border, Mark Waugh and Damien Fleming work for Fox Sports. Terry Alderman and Geoff Lawson have gone to the ABC. Only David Boon, Greg Chappell and Justin Langer are helping this Australian team regularly.

So all of the brilliant cricketing minds that CA has developed over the years have been lost and not invited back into the fold to help future Australian teams. Consider, for instance, Australian cricket's most important competition, the Sheffield Shield. None of the state coaches have played at the top level and experienced the heat of international cricket, with the exception of Victorian coach Greg Shipperd (who played in the rebel matches against South Africa).

Also, this is more than mildly amusing :lol :lol

Reporter: You say you've done a good job as a selection panel, what selections were good?

Hilditch: We were outplayed. We weren't good enough to beat them. We didn't bowl, bat or field well enough.

Reporter: So then what was good about selections?

Hilditch: If we didn't play to the best of our ability we wouldn't win the Ashes, and we didn't play to the best of our ability. England played as well as a side can play. They were extraordinarily good.

Reporter: Who takes the blame for the Ashes?

Hilditch: We needed to play better, as simple as that.

Reporter: The coach, captain, anyone?

Hilditch: I don't know why you want to ask that question. The reality is we were outplayed by a better side, we have to deal with it and get better.

Reporter: What needs changing?

Hilditch: You can't get away from it, we were totally outplayed. England were fantastic, bowled, batted and fielded better than us. We just have to get back to being the best at the basic skills of the game as we possibly can be. Certainly, we have a talented squad that can do it, but we were totally outplayed.

Reporter: Will you stay on?

Hilditch: I have the same passion and enthusiasm I've always had. I've been doing the job a while and I love it. It's a very demanding time for Australian cricket, it's an obvious statement, but in the same breath it's an exciting time, I see it as a really demanding task to try and get us back to where we were in world cricket. It's a big task and I intend to follow it through.

Reporter: Do you endorse Ricky Ponting as skipper?

Hilditch: We haven't got a Test series for about seven months, at the end of the World Cup we'll sit back like we do every season and review the position going forward in a range of issues.

Hilditch backed the young brigade of Phillip Hughes, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja.

''We went from apparently being a conservative selection group who didn't make enough changes to a group who made too many changes, and that happened in a day,'' he said. ''We'll do the best for Australian cricket, it was the right time to introduce those three players, certainly moving forward we see them having ability to play for Australia.

''If there comes a time they're not ready to play international cricket, we'll move on, but certainly we're intending to support them.''

Hilditch also said it was not a time to dump the old guard, supporting the retention of Ponting and Mike Hussey for the Sri Lanka tour.

 

[speedpop]

Dean Jones brings out the hammer and aims it at the nail, smacking it into the wood faster than a male teen thrusting for the first time.

 

[artist]

:lol

So many excuses to luck and what not .. :lol All those happen in a regular test match.