Cricket

It seems to me a lot of our batsmen from a few years ago got by on technique or instinct alone - Strauss, Vaughan, Trescothick.

Now we've got a lot of batsmen who rely on being in form and like RPM says, Gooch and the rest of the coaches have done a shocking job of getting them ready for this series. Cook shouldn't be getting out trying to flick a straight one through midwicket in the first over.

The economy rate means nothing when the pressure is being relived the other end by Swan and monty, What England have relied on is Swan holding an end and Anderson and Broad holding an end, building pressure to create wickets, the way the Oz have set up with right handers to go after swan means that no pressure has been built. no pressure no wickets

5:0

It won't be 5-0. That's an absolute drubbing and the difference between the teams isn't big enough.

it is at the moment!
Carberry and Root to dig in see through the next session but if there is another collapse then I cant see how England will fight back, it will be very had esp with the Gabba test round the corner

I think we've had the Gabba test

Yep - presumably mean the WACA?

It won't be 5-0. That's an absolute drubbing and the difference between the teams isn't big enough.

The 06/07 was 5:0 yet the teams were supposedly more evenly matched then. We even won a test convincingly apart from the small matter of losing it at the last minute.

To go 2:0 down and stage a fight back to 2:3 would be unbelievable, in that I don't believe it would happen.

Yep - presumably mean the WACA?

yes, getting mixed up

why Root?

why kp?

no point staying up tonight...
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Unless you're Australian. Johnson looked unplayable today. 7 wickets and only conceding 40 runs is quite something.

hahaha England. I last checked when we lost 2 wickets for 2 runs...we've now lost 6 wickets for around 20 runs or so. Oh how we cry

Embarrassing at best.

He bowls to the left, he bowls to the right...

He bowls to the left, he bowls to the right...

Let's hope Monty's response to the racist jokes is of a similar magnitude. And Broad's to the personal abuse he's received

Though we can't mention any of this because it makes us 'poor losers'. Luckily I'm not the one that's losing, if they'd picked me for the side I reckon I could at least take more than 1 wicket in two fucking whole days.

5:0

Unless:

1. Johnson treads on a ball and turns his ankle during warm up tomorrow and is out for the rest of the series.
   
2. Clarke's back gives in again and he struggles to bat in every innings.
   
   

Both of those things need to happen otherwise it's 5:0, even if those things happen England still need to;

1. Get Bresnan back in
   
2. Move Bell to 3
   
3. Drop Swann and keep Monty
   
4. Hate to say this but drop my mate Matty and bring in Bairstow
   
5. Sack Flower, Gooch and Saker.
   

Let's hope Monty's response to the racist jokes is of a similar magnitude. And Broad's to the personal abuse he's received

Though we can't mention any of this because it makes us 'poor losers'.

Again, both as bad as each other. Calling someone a graceless twat when you lose makes you a bad loser and calling someone a bad loser when you win makes you a graceless twat. (Round and round we go?!?) It's all bullshit and I can't be arsed with it.

Broad came out and stuck two fingers up at the stupid aus press/public in the best possible way and I was pleased he did. As for the racist crap towards MP, there is no excuse for it. I can't believe there are people at CA that thought that tweet was a good idea.

Still don't think it will be 5-0.

I haven't called anyone a graceless twat.

Apart from Hippy, he has the grace of an elephant with dysentery and smells just as bad.

Sorry, I know I replied to your post, but that wasn't aimed at you in particular, Rob. I am must a bit bored with it all getting in the way of interesting discussion (and piss-taking) with people who actually enjoy the game. See my mate's comment about 'poms being sore losers' on face twat.

Hippy does stink.

The shit has really overshadowed a lot of what could have been interesting analyses.
It's a one sided competiton at the moment, so not the greatest entertainment. But it is interesting to look at what Aus have done to set themselves up this series, and what Eng have done to come out so very poorly.

It's not quite as obvious as the boot camp Vs pedalo piss-up preparation, but there are definite parallels. The England coaching team haven't been questioned yet, there's been a lot of criticism of the players, but good players don't suddenly become awful unless there's also management incompetence. David Saker has systematically destroyed our bowling unit, and Gooch's technique analysis ability is that of a toddler.
This is a far deeper seated and more worrying situation for England than a simple dip in form of key players.

I wonder if it may be that some of these guys are actually past their best. Sure they are all hugely experienced test cricketers who have won nearly everything in the game but they are all now the wrong side of 30 (with a few exceptions) and other than players like Root and Stokes, theres noone there with much to prove anymore.

This series needs to be consigned to the dustbin as there is no way we are winning either this or Perth where Johnson and Harris will do some serious damage and we should start building a new team for the future. Prior out im afraid. World class when he was at his best but that hasnt been for a while now. Build a new side around Cook, Bell, KP, Bresnan,Anderson and Swann and let everyone know that their places are up for grabs

Eng-err-laaaand

Can we get back to the prem please.

Sorry thought this was the footie thread. Same vybz, innit.

Tons from Priory and Broady and we'll get the total.
What's the problem?

Ha, well the 2nd innings is a pretty standard 4th/5th day 2nd innings really. You cannot expect miracles then criticise the players when it doesn't happen. The criticism has to be aimed at the abysmal 1st innings and the crappy bowling.

I'm sure with all this practice, England will be back to their best around the 4th test so maybe will win the last one like they've done before, a ton from Stewart at the Oval, where it should turn so Tuffers can get some wickets. You know, a consolation test.