FIRST ASHES TEST 25-29 NOV AT THE GABBA

[mal]

EG 0/104
COOK 39
STRAUSS 61

EG deserve to get out of this, they have had very little luck go there way
Im going to have to retract from my original prediction that AU will win the series
If we continue with this bowling line up we will struggle to bowl EG out cheaply enough the next 4 Tests
AU desperatley need to win this Test
Unless BOLLINGER and or HARRIS bowl with the new ball, the Poms will make too many runs the next 4 tests

[RoosterMarty]

Mitchell Johnson just dropped a fairly simple chance. This guy is mentally fragile, always seems to collapse against England. Can't take a wicket, can't make a run, can't take a ******* catch. We are letting these bastards get right back into the Test now.

[mal]

SMITHY will be ......
STRAUSS down the pitch drives one of SMITHYS favourite bowlers DOHERTY to his favourite Australian player JOHNSON and dropped
0/122 EG

[locky801]

Mitchell Johnson just dropped a fairly simple chance. This guy is mentally fragile, always seems to collapse against England. Can't take a wicket, can't make a run, can't take a ******* catch. We are letting these bastards get right back into the Test now.

Quite simply he has to go, is amazing how he has fallen by the wayside again so quickly

[mighty_tiger_79]

Mitchell Johnson just dropped a fairly simple chance. This guy is mentally fragile, always seems to collapse against England. Can't take a wicket, can't make a run, can't take a ******* catch. We are letting these bastards get right back into the Test now.

Quite simply he has to go, is amazing how he has fallen by the wayside again so quickly

sound Philip Tufnell like

[Rik E Boy]

I've been to the last two days and this England unit is not the same mentally as past Ashes outfit. There were comments about Phil Tufnells and rabble during yesterday's massive partnership but I beg to differ. Yeah there were a few misfields but they didn't drop their heads and KP in particular was really positive trying to keep the spirits up when the wickets didn't come yesterday. In this test we've had a brilliant spell by Siddle then a reasonable opening stand followed by a brilliant partnership.

To me we are looking to brilliant individual performances as too much is being left to too few. It might get us out of this game but I don't think it can win us the Ashes. I can see more than a few passengers in our team at the moment but for England perhaps only Paul Collingwood could be cast in this role as long as we can continue to get him out early. The big difference between yesterday and today when the wickets haven't been falling is the mental attitude. We've seen some pretty impatient captaincy by Ponting and Mitchell Johnson looks like he rather be up there with his hot girlfriend (can't blame him for that I suppose) than competing for Australia. If Kevin Mitchell Jnr was to bring out a shovel Mitch would start digging.

Much more fight in this England unit at the moment IMO.

regards,

REB

[mighty_tiger_79]

England were 4-200

Siddles Hatrick turned the game in the aussies favour but at the time England were cruising.

Yesterday England bowled really well, just didnt have any luck....

Id agree with you REB, England have much more fight about them, but that comes from having more self belief as a team

[mal]

I worry about which bolwer is going to stand up and take a few wickets in a brilliant spell /spells after lunch

HILFENWORKHORSEHAUS honest , but not a burst bowler
SIDDLE capable
WATSON is a batsman and must never be eXpected
DOHERTY in his first test, cant expect him to
NORTH no
KATICH no
CLARKE no
BOLLINGER yes but not playing
HARRIS yes but not playing


That leaves one person
JOHNSON he is the one that can rip thru them
One proviso
He has gotta crank up to 145km+, not this 135ish he is bowling at


THAT JOHNSON DROPPED CATCH
Please dont confuse his lacklustre bowling, loss of International batting form with his fielding
He is for a fast bowler is one of the very best fielders Ive seen play for Australia

[mighty_tiger_79]

thats the problem MAL

all Aussie players set high standards for themselves in the field and then whatever there chosen for (bat or bowl) and that drop catch on reflection looked a fairly simple chance. But he is out of confidence with bat and ball and that has possible translated through to his fielding

[RoosterMarty]

Yes he is normally an excellent catch but he should have taken them, his lack of confidence probably helped him drop that as any other day he would have gobbled that up. Looks like we will need another hattrick to save us.

[mal]

STRAUSS a sensational 100
might have been out LBW for sfa this dig, thas luck
the same luck he didnt have when he was destroyed by the umpires here in the 2005/2006 series

[Adelaide Hawk]

Id agree with you REB, England have much more fight about them, but that comes from having more self belief as a team

And the fact a certain Shane Warne is not bowling to them. He had them hoodwinked for 15 years. The two net bowlers we are calling "spinners" certainly aren't bothering them too much.

[topsywaldron]

No one got a word for our glorious leader's captaincy?

Over two hundred ahead in the first test of series Australia have to win and within an hour or so he's set a seven-two field and got the bowlers pitching wide of the stumps.

Genius.

[locky801]

No one got a word for our glorious leader's captaincy?

Over two hundred ahead in the first test of series Australia have to win and within an hour or so he's set a seven-two field and got the bowlers pitching wide of the stumps.

Genius.

Must have got that idea from that other mob we played not so long ago

[mal]

EG 1/189
STRAUSS Stumped HADDIN B NORTH 110

QUESTION
If NORTH is in the side for his bowling, why does he bat 6 in front of HADDIN

[smithy]

SMITHY will be ......
STRAUSS down the pitch drives one of SMITHYS favourite bowlers DOHERTY to his favourite Australian player JOHNSON and dropped
0/122 EG

I think most are getting fed up with the selection of Johnson now.
1 down (Hauritz) 2 to go (North, Johnson).
As for Doherty, I can't crticise his bowling yet, but I was critical in selecting a bloke with average stats over a 9year 35 game career.
Why not throw a youngster in with similar or better stats like O'Keefe.

[Jim05]

Yep sick of pumping up okeefe. I dont think he will get a look in. Think bollinger in for johnson. Like to see hughes come in for north and push katich to 3. Ponting and clarke go down a spot and i think we would look better

[locky801]

Engl now 1/261

Cook 110*

Trott 32*

[Rik E Boy]

No one got a word for our glorious leader's captaincy?

Over two hundred ahead in the first test of series Australia have to win and within an hour or so he's set a seven-two field and got the bowlers pitching wide of the stumps.

Genius.

See the other thread. NFC is quite happy with Punter however.

regards,

REB

[NFC]

No one got a word for our glorious leader's captaincy?

Over two hundred ahead in the first test of series Australia have to win and within an hour or so he's set a seven-two field and got the bowlers pitching wide of the stumps.

Genius.

See the other thread. NFC is quite happy with Punter however.

regards,

REB

You're an absolute muppet sometimes.