Ashes 2013

[Knock-on]

Well, the Ashes are nearly upon us and it looks like the Aussies are cracking already.

Warner dropped over Root attack claim - BBC Sport (http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/22867634)

[steveaki13]

Cant wait for the Ashes.

This is one strange incident. Involving false beards?

Anyway I think Australia are a poor side (by their standards) but I would never right them off like some seem to be doing on tv and radio.

I think 2-1 or 3-1 to England, but those Ozzies are too good to be discounted.

[fizzicist]

5-0 :)

[steveaki13]

I wish

[Knock-on]

Fizzy you old ******* :D

Lets rip them a new one. Remember to stand for the anthem or Mum and Merv will be upset :laugh:

[Rollo]

England drew 0-0 in a three test series in NZ which was plagued by rain and then returned to beat them 2-0 in a two "test series" in England.

Stuart Broad's 7/44 against NZ in the first test should have been a warning sign to Australia and the second test very nearly slipped away because on day four because Cook took too long (on the advice of Flower) to make a declaration. The rain set in and it could have been a draw.

Australia are as good as screwed this year. Remember, to win the Ashes, they have to take 20 wickets in a match and that means knocking over Cook, Compton, Trott, Bell, Pietersen and Prior all cheaply. South Africa could do it (and in the process took over the No1. test ranking) but Australia has about as much chance of that as a snowflake has in surviving the daily commute on the Underground from Gehenna to Hades (on the Central line).

I'm predicting England to win 2-0 with three draws; two of those by rain.

[SGWilko]

Are the Ashes on FTA in the UK? Really got into them back in '05??? I think it was.....

I'll never forget the sorry look of that chap on the bus parade round London - knew exactly how he felt.

Can't bloody remember his name now. Grrrrrrrrrr

[SGWilko]

Are the Ashes on FTA in the UK? Really got into them back in '05??? I think it was.....

I'll never forget the sorry look of that chap on the bus parade round London - knew exactly how he felt.

Can't bloody remember his name now. Grrrrrrrrrr

Flintoff!!!!!!

[Rollo]

No Cookies | Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/australian-batsman-david-warner-in-trouble-over-alcohol-related-incident/story-fni2usfi-1226662650398)
DAVID Warner's chances of retaining his Test place appear remote after he was suspended for a month last night.
The erratic left-hander will miss the remainder of the Champions Trophy and Australia's two opening Ashes tour matches against Somerset and Worcester.

Warner was also fined $11,500 after pleading guilty to a charge of unbecoming behaviour after throwing a punch at England's Joe Root at Birmingham's Walkabout Inn early last Sunday morning after Australia's heavy Champions Trophy loss.
- Herald Sun, 14th Jun 2013.

Dang.
I was rather hoping that he'd miss some tests... pooh.

Also, I wouldn't take a lot from the ODI loss against Sri Lanka either. Sangakkara was on fire and particularly Broad and Bresnan had no answers.

[steveaki13]

England are probably out though, it seems as if our game v New zealand is guaranteed to be rained off on sunday. so thats 1 point for a tie. So if Sri Lanka beat Australia on Monday they and NZ will have 4 points to our 3. We will be screwed by the weather.

[Knock-on]

We will be screwed by our performance if that's the case. No excuses.

Anyway, I don't care what anyone says. It's all about the Ashes. One day games are all good fun but this year is all about the build up to the biggest little trophy in Cricket.

[steveaki13]

Absolutely.
Test Matches come first, but hey would be nice to win a 50 over tournament too.

West Indies have just been done by the weather and Duckworth Lewis. Unlucky.

[Knock-on]

Well, they were runners up in the truncated 50 overs final and nearly overturned a 200 target in the first 20/20 against NZ. Both occasions they had it in the palm of their hands and twice they choked at the vital time.

Good thing it's only the Aussies :D

[steveaki13]

Wow. What a first Day.

300 odd for 15 wickets.

I wonder if this has changed certain peoples views that England will win 5-0 or will p*** all over the Australians.

Any Australian Cricket teams has the determination, guts and quality to win the series.

Nicely balanced though.
Cant wait for tomorrow

[Rollo]

This is extraordinary.

Agar has made a 50 on debut.
Agar is the highest scorer thus far in the match.
Agar is the highest scorer on debut by a number 11 ever.

SWANN, JUST HIT THE STUMPS ALREADY.

[steveaki13]

Well that was amazing.

Safe to say Agar is not a number 11. 98 on Debut and highest ever score for a number 11 in test cricket. Beating Tino Bests 95 last year? or 2 years?

Both highest 11 scores against England.

Anyway wonder if Agar will Bat higher in the second innings? Its a test that has gone one way then another. Who knows what might happen.

[Rollo]

Agar-doo-doo-doo push pineapple, shake a tree...

England crawled to 157-4 at lunch and Agar just doesn't really look like a bowler at all. He's taken 1/43 thus far and even that one wicket wasn't all that convincing. Ding-Dong-Ian-Bell is on 20 and Johnny Bairstow (who is smarter than the average Bair-stow) is 12 not out.

[steveaki13]

Another swing in this game. After Bairstow and Prior went it looked as though Oz had the advantage, but now Belly and Broad have turned the game on its head and Poms look on top.

Should Broad have walked? Well we see plenty stay put these days but it the true ideals of Cricket he was wrong.

That said I hope both Bell 96* and Broad 47* can reach their individual milestones tomorrow. Plenty of time left just keep batting.

[Rollo]

WHITE SPOT OF DOOM... YES YES YES... yes... yes? YES!!! - ONE-NIL ENGLAND. Australia all out 296.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Well that was close. Good job we have Anderson.

[steveaki13]

I was out but tried keeping 1 ear on the Cricket and luckily heard the vital moment

[Rollo]

On Day One of the Second Test, England have gone from 28-3 to 80-3 at lunch. The stabilisers are out & Trott and Bell are starting to make the scoreboard tick over.

[Rollo]

Australia 128? 128?! 128?!

Not even Wunderkid Agar could save Australia on Day Two. I'm starting to think that England can win this series... then again, I had a chat to Lord Halifax who doesn't think that it's possible.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Nothing funnier than watching England batter the Aussies :p

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Australia 36-3 chasing 583. :laugh:

[Rollo]

Australia 36-3 chasing 583. :laugh:

The highest successful fourth-innings run chase is 418 by the West Indies against Australia in 2003. That included hundreds by Sarwan and Chanderpaul. I don't think that's even been and Australian test century in this series thus far; if things continue in this vein, there may very well not be either.

[steveaki13]

Fair play to Pattinson & Harris. They have really frustrated England