Undertaker wrote:
Only Watson, Hussey and Siddle can say they have performed. Maybe the wicket keeper as well.
Agreed. Siddle looks like he's improved from two years ago in England and he could well go on to be another great Aussie bowler.
Watson is so frustrating. He's obviously a class batsman, but the way he gets to 50 and then gets out is ridiculous!
Well, England wins the match and retains the ashes.
Congratulations to England and their supporters.
They certainly were by far the better team and deserved winners.
Talk is that Ponting will be out with injury for Sydney.
Trouble is, I am not sure Clark s ready to take over.
Heard a suggestion that Haddin may be captain.
"Remember Bender, if you do it right, no one is sure you have done anything at all". -God. In Godfellas.
gregf wrote:Well, England wins the match and retains the ashes.
Congratulations to England and their supporters.
They certainly were by far the better team and deserved winners.
Talk is that Ponting will be out with injury for Sydney.
Trouble is, I am not sure Clark s ready to take over.
Heard a suggestion that Haddin may be captain.
It would be a strange call because Clarke is Vice captain. There are far more problems than the captaincy. Pontings leadership has been made to look worse because they have been totally outplayed but can you keep someone in the team for their captaincy alone?
Personally, i think they have a decent batting line up. Not as good as England's but it's not bad. They could do with a proper opener and a number 6. The bowling attack is missing at least one top bowler. Only Siddle is consistent. I doubt the Aussies will be as outplayed in 2012.
I hope the guys that haven't played for England this series get a game in Sydney.
England should play Panesar, the wicket keeper and Morgan at least. If it's 2-2, sobeit. The main objective has been done. Pointless taking a squad of 16 or so and not trying to give everyone a game.
I disagree. They have to field their strongest side. 3-1 would be what they deserve but 2-2 is a drawn series, whether they retain the little urn or not. It's not a dead rubber.
I can't see how the Aussies will get motivated enough, unless they make changes and bring in fresh faces. Ponting is adamant he will carry on. I think they might well sack him. The main objective has been met. I'd be impressed if the last Test is played as competitively as the others. It will probably rain for 5 days now.
I think the Aussies will be well up for it. There's a huge difference between drawing the series and losing it 3-1. Katich could be back to open, Khawaja should make his debut, and they've got to pick a full-time spinner.
As good as England's bowling has been, the difference has definitely been the batting as Boycott opined last night. England have been posting huge scores, and Aussie struggling to get above 250. Not really surprising with a dodgy opener, numbers three and four about as out of form as you can be, and no consistent number six. I've been genuinely shocked at how poor their batting has got in the last couple of years. It's almost Bangladesh-like.
News tonight.
Ponting out with broken finger.
Clark to captain, Haddin vice.
Kawaja in, Bollinger in.
Beer will carry the beers.
Bollinger and beer seems appropriate for an aussie new years eve.
I sense a bit of ... optimism..keeness.. returning with these changes.
But Sydney has had lots of rain and may loose play time.
El Nino (drought) is gone and La Nina (rain) is in.
It seems to cause the same weather pattern here and California.
We are supposed to get 10 years La Nina and 1 or 2 years El Nino.
But this pattern has reversed. Sure its GW.
"Remember Bender, if you do it right, no one is sure you have done anything at all". -God. In Godfellas.
Apart from David Gower, who i cannot stand, the Sky coverage and commentary team is brilliant. Especially David 'Bumble' Lloyd, Shane Warne and Michael Holding. Botham and Hussain are interesting as well. Atherton is a bit boring, though.
Also, Bob Willis, who does the analysis programs, is a legend. His comment regarding Xabier Doherty, were along these lines ;- '' Australia have picked nine spinners since Shane Warne retired but this guy is by far the worst. Utter tripe. Where on earth did they get him from?''
Aussie batters looked good on day 1 but England's bowlers were consistently accurate again. Why were some booing Michael Clarke when he came out to bat?
