The Ashes 2006 (calling all Oz and limeys!)

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 02 Dec 2006 00:18

Well I have to give it to England, they played well. Unfortunately, I think the main thing helping them to play well is the pitch. I'd be surprised if Australia doesn't score at least a similar score, if not a bigger one. England did well to get out Langer, and I think Hayden will probably fall tomorrow, but I'm expecting Hussey to come in and score a 200+ partnership with Ponting. I think probably we're looking at a draw.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 02 Dec 2006 19:13

I agree with those predictions - like I said I don't think England could win based on their first innings batting performance - they needed to score faster and put us in earlier. Draw definitely looks most likely, but we can still win.

Robert wojci · Post by **Robert wojci** » 02 Dec 2006 20:16

it's gonna be a tough call, the most likely result is a draw but if england get their bowling together they definitely have a chance (why didnt we bring in panesar!?). I think we can still win it.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 04 Dec 2006 03:02

oh lol. As if England can win. We just totally have you covered, you'll never win a test in Australia this ashes.

Anyway I bet my brother 1:2 that the match would be a draw ($10 bet) - so if it isn't a draw I'll owe him $20 but if it is, he'll owe me $10. Easiest money I've made (apart from at the start of this year when I was paid $450 for footbag demos that were cancelled due to the weather).

I think it's pretty much impossible for England to win (realistically) from here, but Australia could demolish England and then still win. If that happens I'll be happy to pay up.

Robert wojci · Post by **Robert wojci** » 04 Dec 2006 14:22

haha australia win!? you think thats more realistic than england? i think its draw, england win, aussie win (most likely in order).

but yeah, if it's not a draw..i'll wear an Aussie shirt for the rest of my life

Just call me hagesy · Post by **Just call me hagesy** » 04 Dec 2006 21:42

Jezza you owe your brother 20 bucks.

Robert: If only england could play cricket my friend.

Aus 2-0 up. soon to be 5-0

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 05 Dec 2006 00:03

Wow. Bummer Rob. 7 runs off one ball... that's gotta be embaressing

20 bucks well spent Jeremy

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 05 Dec 2006 02:20

Robert wojci wrote:haha australia win!? you think thats more realistic than england?

Yes. Yes I do.

i think its draw, england win, aussie win (most likely in order).

Guess the most likely result isn't always the one that happens.

but yeah, if it's not a draw..i'll wear an Aussie shirt for the rest of my life

I expect a photo in this topic with you holding a newspaper with the date on it every day from now until you die.

What else can I say except FUCK YEAH. People who don't watch cricket totally miss out on the best sport in the world (after footbag). Shame I was at work, but amazing game anyway. That has to be the most demoralising loss that any sporting team has ever endured. If I were an England fan I probably would have cried. I am more to pay $20 when a team wins from such a position. Hussey is the man too, him and Punter are easily the best batters for Australia, and probably the world. I would say it's very hard to see England win anything this series from here.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 05 Dec 2006 02:39

Robert wojci · Post by **Robert wojci** » 05 Dec 2006 11:50

wow i cant tell you how humiliated/depressed/sad i was at school. in my life span i cant recall anything as pathetic as this loss. harmy and Giles are gone.

but seriously what a shit loss

Bright side: we haven't lost yet! only one more test to go before that happens!

basically we have to think we can win the next test, realize who we are playing, and pull together.

FUCK

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 05 Dec 2006 15:59

So have you chosen an Aussie shirt to where for the rest of your life yet? I payed up on my bet, I trust you're going to do the same thing...

Robert wojci · Post by **Robert wojci** » 05 Dec 2006 16:30

haha thats what the FUCK was about
yes yes you'll get a photo..when i actually get an aussie shirt
hmm maybe i'll get the one that says

HM Prison
Austrailia

Uranos · Post by **Uranos** » 05 Dec 2006 16:34

That Ashley Giles kid needs to retire

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 05 Dec 2006 16:52

Robert wojci wrote:haha thats what the FUCK was about
yes yes you'll get a photo..when i actually get an aussie shirt
hmm maybe i'll get the one that says

HM Prison
Austrailia

Just so long as you pick a shirt that you're happy wearing for the rest of your life.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 05 Dec 2006 18:09

HM Prison
Austrailia

As the chant goes, "I'd rather be a convict than a pom"

It's not the first time that's happened at Radelade, India did it to us a little while back, we won the toss and scored 500+ and declared, then bowled India out a handfull of runs shy of our total. Then we played for the draw and collapsed and India beat us on the last day.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 13 Dec 2006 20:39

Well England will have to be happy with that session - they started slowly but then after 30 mins or so they found a good line and length and actually managed to stick to it for more than 1 or 2 deliveries. The question is how long can they maintain it? All it will take is an hour or so of slacking off and they will give up the initiative - also if Symonds and Gilchrist bat well that could also cause them headaches, eiher one can turn a game around in a few overs. So they aren't quite on top yet, but they'd be pretty happy. Also where was Panasar in Radelade and at the Gabbatoir? That was some deilivery that got Langer, totally beat him in flight.
It must hurt to have to wear an Aussie shirt when England finally play well - by the way where's that photo?

King Monkey · Post by **King Monkey** » 14 Dec 2006 13:08

heheh i forgot the test had started but i saw the last hour or so, great wicket for McGrath, it carried so nicely, but Lee's was just awesome, straight down his throat. If the guy had had his bat held straight he probably would have played it straight back down the pitch and been ok. So cool to watch.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 14 Dec 2006 16:05

Hussey for Prime Minister.

Seriously, I've been saying over and over, he's definitely our best batsman. When I say "best" - I don't mean talent wise, or skill wise - he's just, without doubt, the most reliable batter in the world. So he hasn't played that many tests and maybe he'll lose form, who knows? But what I do know at the moment is that every time Australia needs him to bat well, he does. Can the same thing be said about Ponting or anybody else? Hussey is the man.

Good to see England playing well, and Monty is a champ. However I think we've learnt that England find it very hard to play well for 5 straight days of cricket. In the other tests they've managed to play well in parts, but just don't have the consistency that Australia has. I would probably expect them to score an ok total though.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 15 Dec 2006 16:28

Hussey is indeed the man. He is technically very, very good, I think his only weakness is that sometimes he leaves deliveries that are too close to his off stump and if there's enough swing or movement off the seam he can get bowled. But the thing that makes him better than his skill level is his concntration and patience. Look at how most of the batsmen got out in our first innings, it was rarely a fantastic delivery (Langer is perhaps the exception), but rather a poor shot. Basically England did what we usually do and bowled a tight line and length and waited for the batsmen to make mistakes trying to chase runs. Hussey just wouldn't do it, he plugged away and never really looked like getting out.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 16 Dec 2006 20:04

So good stuff from Australia yesterday. Obviously we're in the box seat and should win, but I wouldn't want to call it too early and up wearing the same shirt for the rest of my life.

I wonder if we declared too early. I guess it's probably a moot point but I would have liked to see Gilchrist keep batting for a little longer. 57 balls isn't enough to tell if somebody's back in form or not

.