England five-minute wonders?

[scott]

Pakistan crushed them by an innings and 100 runs in the second Test, which means the Pakistanis won the series 2-nil against apparently the next cricketing nation to take over Australia's mantle as the "Best Cricketing Nation" in the world.

I can't wait until England come out here next summer. We'll put them back in their place - if Pakistan have not already done that.

[Jimmy]

will do silky, the aussies will crush them. england had a good series vs us and kicked us when we were down...but we will be ready and i cant ******* wait...in my mind, we still have them...

[stan]

England have a good pace attack that is very much suited to there conditions and probably Australian conditions. They really arnt suited to pakistan conditions. So its fair to say they wont win in india or pakastian until they can a good spin option. Also note that the england fast men struggled to get the swing and reverse swing that can be achieved in England.

Anyway Pakistan and India will always be tough on there own pitches and without a viable spin option, they wont be able to beat them there. But when England come here to Australia they will be quite tough, as it is more suited to there fast men.

[Rik E Boy]

Harmison is crap away from home. They have no spinners. They have no peppermints. Revenge will be ours Stanley. Much better sides that the current England unit have gone home from Australia without the chocolates.

regards,

REB

[Ian]

Harmison is crap away from home. They have no spinners. They have no peppermints. Revenge will be ours Stanley. Much better sides that the current England unit have gone home from Australia without the chocolates.

regards,

REB

I hope you're right, but personally I reckon the Poms are the real deal, and would still rate the them as the 2nd best side in the world. Even with the great sides we've had for a long time now, it still took a hell of a long time to win a series on the sub continent.

[ORDoubleBlues]

To me, the difference during the Ashes was Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff. We didn't bat very well, yet if Kasper hadn't got out (which was dicey at best) with two runs required in the 2nd test, there is no way England would have recovered from 2-nil down to win the series.

[RustyCage]

If India beat Sri Lanka in their series India will move up to second in the rankings.

[JK]

Aussies still have some concerning holes imho that have been glossed over, but will more than likely come back to bite them against a high quality side like England (who will no doubt be up for the Ashes again) ... The Seth Efricans are good at doing their homework though so this forthcoming series might provide us with an opportunity to develop countering tactis that could hold us in better stead by the time the Ashes roll around again!

[bulldogproud]

England are still the real deal, make no bones about it. The series in Pakistan came at the wrong time, England players were extremely tired and not wanting to be there. That was apparent by players who made themselves unavaiable for the tour or for individual tests whilst others left and went home early. Next year's Ashes series will still be a great battle. Barmy Army forever!!

[Rik E Boy]

England are still the real deal, make no bones about it. The series in Pakistan came at the wrong time, England players were extremely tired and not wanting to be there. That was apparent by players who made themselves unavaiable for the tour or for individual tests whilst others left and went home early. Next year's Ashes series will still be a great battle. Barmy Army forever!!

Down boy. Bad dog!! Snivelling mutt!! They didn't want to be there??? Say what?? And then you go on to say that they are the real deal. Thanks for the belly laugh poochy.

regards,

REB

[bulldogproud]

Reb,
Trust me that tours of the subcontinent are not exactly where players want to be at the best of time, especially after a gruelling series against Australia. Strauss, Trescothick, Vaughan, Jones (amongst others) either had shortened tours for one reason or another or did not even make the tour. This ended up seeing players like Liam Plunkett (who played district cricket at University last season and did not set the world on fire) playing for England. Certainly not our strongest side by a long shot.

[Punk Rooster]

Reb,
Trust me that tours of the subcontinent are not exactly where players want to be at the best of time, especially after a gruelling series against Australia. Strauss, Trescothick, Vaughan, Jones (amongst others) either had shortened tours for one reason or another or did not even make the tour. This ended up seeing players like Liam Plunkett (who played district cricket at University last season and did not set the world on fire) playing for England. Certainly not our strongest side by a long shot.

Sounds to me like a lack of discipline in the English camp then... If that's the case, the future wouldn't look to brigh, you could re-name England "St Kilda"...

[Rik E Boy]

Reb,
Trust me that tours of the subcontinent are not exactly where players want to be at the best of time, especially after a gruelling series against Australia. Strauss, Trescothick, Vaughan, Jones (amongst others) either had shortened tours for one reason or another or did not even make the tour. This ended up seeing players like Liam Plunkett (who played district cricket at University last season and did not set the world on fire) playing for England. Certainly not our strongest side by a long shot.

LMAO Muttley This post is straight out of the Mickey Stewart excuse book! Even with your strongest side in home conditions you were two runs away from losing the Ashes yet again. Enjoy this brief interlude while you can.

regards,

REB

[bulldogproud]

Yes, but Australia was one wicket away from losing 3-1. I am quite happy at the $10 000 I won on the series with England being 100/1 after the first test!! You guys gave us no hope, called us a joke and now you want to try to bring us down a peg just because you feel inferior for a change. Right, Reb??

[am Bays]

Your comment "you gave us no hope" dogwhochasesparkedcarsPROUD is the reason why we will the next series, like the rest of Australia our boys made the biggest fatal sporting mistake possible: that this was the same old England that we had played for the last 16 years i.e. we underestimated our opponents (like Glenelg in the 75GF)

Witness, M HAyden driving the second ball he faced at Edgebaston straight to short cover, D Martyn jogging at Edgebaston in the over before Lunch, half of Gilchrist's dismissals, Pontings sending in the POMS at Edgbaston, Lee trying to blast/bounce POMS out rather than pitch it up, the lack of work on fielding and the rediculous program we agreed to between test matches (two day games vs five day games are sooooo similar aren't they).

Some people say injuries to McGrath, poor team selection and umpiring decisions were to blame and possible they did have an effect but with respect to umpiring it generally evens out - the POMS got some shockers too, however the biggest reason we lost was because we were complacent

In our environment (where is doesn't swing so much) our bouncier decks so you can play cross bat shots, Hayden now respecting the bowling and building an innings ("swimming between the flags" he calls it) rather than trying to play millionaire shots 2nd ball, Michael Hussey (need say I say any more), Lee now bowling with his brain and England not being able to call on a Durham 2nd XI sub-fielder are the reasons why will win.

To paraphrase Rex "the Moose" Mossop at half time between the England Australia Wog-ball match in Sydney in 1983, "If [the POMS retain the ASHESnext year] you can **** me in Pitt St"

You might ask how do know about the Australian game plan, well I have on this laptop, the Australian team plan for the 2004 Indian Series, and if we had followed the team rules in England like we followed the team rules in India, Fletcher would be looking for a new job not a space for his OBE!!!

Medalist over and out!!!

[GWW]

Yes, but Australia was one wicket away from losing 3-1. I am quite happy at the $10 000 I won on the series with England being 100/1 after the first test!! You guys gave us no hope, called us a joke and now you want to try to bring us down a peg just because you feel inferior for a change. Right, Reb??

Theres an airport down the road, you better head for a British Airways flight, no used living in Oz and taking advantage of our hospitality if you'd rather barrack for the poms.

[bulldogproud]

Thanks, Tassie, and to think someone had the gall to call the English 'undisciplined' when you have hit the nail on the head by accepting that Australia lost because they were undisicplined and did not follow team plans.

[Rik E Boy]

Yes, but Australia was one wicket away from losing 3-1. I am quite happy at the $10 000 I won on the series with England being 100/1 after the first test!! You guys gave us no hope, called us a joke and now you want to try to bring us down a peg just because you feel inferior for a change. Right, Reb??

Congrats on your win but what is harder in cricket? Taking a wicket or scoring two runs? Only an Englishman could get this one wrong. As for feeling inferior, it was all of the that gave it away wasn't it? Perhaps it is you who are feeling inferior old chap. After all, we are merely expressing an opinion about England's ability to stay at number two in the Test rankings..how is this an attempt to 'bring us down a peg'?. That comment is most revealing. FYI, posters on an internet forum site cannot possibly bring the English cricket team down a peg and it also so uneccessary as Pakistan has already managed this and I speak for all Australians when I say thank you sir may I have another!

regards,

REB

[am Bays]

Thanks, Tassie, and to think someone had the gall to call the English 'undisciplined' when you have hit the nail on the head by accepting that Australia lost because they were undisicplined and did not follow team plans.

And that is precisely the reason why we will smite you, Solomon styles, next year as we won't make the same mistake again!!

[stan]

Yes England struggled, but the only reason why we have been sucessful over there is our the quality of our spinners. England has a good pace attack that will be quite tough in Australian and England conditions. But yes they lack a quality spinner. Giles just wont cut the mustard.

Five minute wonders they are not. looking forward to the next ashes series, should be some great cricket.