The Ashes

[Altered Statesman]

I know some of us have been toying with the idea of starting an Ashes thread and with Symo being sent home (again), I though there is no better time to start one.

Here is the wiki page on The Ashes for those who don't know much about it.



Bring it on!

[Altered Statesman]

Full Australia Ashes Tour squad: R Ponting (c), M Clarke (vc), S Clark, B Haddin, N Hauritz, B Hilfenhaus, P Hughes, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, B Lee, G Manou, A McDonald, M North, P Siddle, S Watson.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...ia/8056925.stm

[Jay Tea]

It's a solid squad the Aussies are bringing over, and they will,as usual, start as favourites and there is no reason to dispute this - England have been largely wazz since the 2005 Ashes, whereas Australia's transitional side spanked a very good SA at home recently. I'm impressed by the likes of Johnson and Hughes, and the likes of Ponting, Clarke, Clark and Lee are always formidable.

A lot will depend on the first test - If England can nick it at Cardiff then it'll be a series to watch. Early pressure is the way to beat Australia because their composure is very easily shaken. Ponting will start pissing and crying just like he did at home to SA last year, just like he did in India before that and just like he did in the Ashes 2005. Trouble is they are the best at avoiding pressure to start with. If the Aussies take Cardiff there will be trouble.

Oh and may I be the first to say that I think Flintoff should just back down and let the current squad worry about it. A fit Flintoff is a good cricketer but he's shot his bolt, injury wise, and the Freddie worry-fest will do nothing but unsettle the fit players. England need to swing the ball, bat solidly and prepare a couple of dry pitches that will take spin - the Aussies have nothing in the spin department and will struggle to replace Warne's traditional haul and the general fear factor that he brought to the crease.

[Andrew of Ware]

As Symonds used to play for my cricket club I am sorry he has been sent home, but he was only in England for the World Twenty20 and was not part of the Ashes squad. I do find it ironic that he was sent home over alcohol issues, considering the reputation that Australian teams have had over their drinking. (I know it is a culmination of other disciplinary issues.)

I suppose there will be calls from my club to sign Symonds as our overseas player next season. However, if he is to get US$500,000 or more per six week stint in the Indian Premier League would he really want to play county cricket?

[Jay Tea]

Roy had always struck me as a pretty dim bulb, and his dismissal from the kiddies cricket squad kinda reinforces CA's decision to omit him from the Ashes Tour.

[Lambda]

Given our failure to beat the Dutch, the Aussies could be a bit tricky.

[Tarquin Farquart]

Originally Posted by Lambda

Given our failure to beat the Dutch, the Aussies could be a bit tricky.

What is it about the Dutch? They play darts too, don't they?

[Andrew of Ware]

Originally Posted by Lambda

Given our failure to beat the Dutch, the Aussies could be a bit tricky.

Nah, the Aussies are probably thinking, 'Strewth! Those Poms were only defeated by them Dutchmen off the last ball of the match. The Poms must be better than we thought.'

Actually, it is just a cunning plan by England. We're just going to lull Australia into a false sense of security.

[Dactyl]

Originally Posted by Andrew of Ware

Actually, it is just a cunning plan by England. We're just going to lull Australia into a false sense of security.

How long exactly have we been doing that now?

[Andrew of Ware]

Now that the first phase of the World Twenty20 is done and dusted England can claim a psychological advantage (despite losing to the Netherlands) in that we have qualified for the Super Eights with the Aussies crashing out. I liked this exchange between a Sky Sports interviewer and Ponting after they exited the tournament.

Sky: Some consolation is that you now have longer to prepare for the Ashes.

Ponting: No consolation. We are in Leicester for two weeks.

I am sure the people of Leicester will give him a warm welcome - but at least he pronounced the name of the city correctly.

(Oh, and on the subject of England losing to the Netherlands, I liked the tagline in The Times on Saturday after the defeat - Oranges and Lemons.)

[Jay Tea]

Only the English cricket team can claim a 'psychological advantage' having seen their rivals lose at 20/20. That would be like the football team saying they have the upper hand going into WC 2010 after watching the Spanish beach-football team lose at five a side

England need to do what they did at Lords in 2005 to gain the aforementioned advantage. Even though the Aussies cruised the test match, England let them know in no uncertain terms that they were up for the fight. They need to bowl aggressively as well as accurately, take advantage of the traditional lack of height in the Australian side, and they need to bat with confidence - after Johnson and Clark there is nothing to fear in their bowling ranks except fear itself.

[damian]

Without Kevin Pietersen (he's not even bloody English) the job just got tougher. And I actually liked him.

Now that the rubbish T20 is out of the way, we can concentrate on the real stuff.

[Jay Tea]

Originally Posted by damian

Without Kevin Pietersen (he's not even bloody English) the job just got tougher. And I actually liked him.

What's happened to KP? Something i'm missing?

Also, he's half English, which last time I checked was enough to play for your country.

[damian]

Originally Posted by Jay Tea

What's happened to KP? Something i'm missing?

There is talk that his achilles injury may force him out for the series.

Also, he's half English, which last time I checked was enough to play for your country.

But why choose England? He could have been a Protea.
BTW, are you still fuming over Andrew Symonds electing to play for Australia?

[Jay Tea]

Originally Posted by damian

There is talk that his achilles injury may force him out for the series.

He'll play. He might need a few injections and be a bit ginger turning for the fast second run but i'm sure he'll be grand. I thought from your post that he'd actually been ruled out.

But why choose England? He could have been a Protea.

The quota sysytem in SA let KP down so he chose to play in England until he was qualified. Also, at the time of his initial selection for England, SA couldn't beat their way out of a wet paper bag.

BTW, are you still fuming over Andrew Symonds electing to play for Australia?

I've honestly never heard a single England fan lament that pr*ck's choice to play for Australia. We 'have' oft lamented a few Aussies that somebody thought were good enough for England selection (McCague, Mullaly, Jones et al) but you can keep Symonds.

[damian]

You also had Tony Greig, while we got Keppler Wessels.

Anyway, with Australia in rebuild mode, it should be a lot closer than last time. And spare a thought for what happened last time we played over there. (I'm not referring to losing the Ashes).

[Jay Tea]

Originally Posted by damian

You also had Tony Greig, while we got Keppler Wessels.

Andrew Strauss, Phil Edmonds, Gladstone Small, Phil DeFreitas, Robin Smith, Graeme Hick, Allan Lamb, Andrew Caddick, Devon Malcolm, Adam and Ben Hollioake, Nassar Hussain, Chris Lewis, Min Patel - all overcame accidents of birth to play for England.

Anyway, with Australia in rebuild mode, it should be a lot closer than last time.

I expect it will be closer, but i'm still not gonna go for England unless they win in Cardiff.

And spare a thought for what happened last time we played over there. (I'm not referring to losing the Ashes).

What happened?

[Andrew of Ware]

Originally Posted by damian

Anyway, with Australia in rebuild mode, it should be a lot closer than last time. And spare a thought for what happened last time we played over there. (I'm not referring to losing the Ashes).

Originally Posted by Jay Tea

What happened?

Australia's 2005 Twenty/20 disaster.

[damian]

Originally Posted by damian

And spare a thought for what happened last time we played over there. (I'm not referring to losing the Ashes).

Originally Posted by Jay Tea

What happened?

July 7, 2005. They were getting ready for the ODI at Headingley, when a series of terrorist bombs were set of in London, killing 52 and injuring over 500.

[Andrew of Ware]

Ah, sorry Damien. I thought you were drawing comparisons to Australia's twenty/20 performances. I know there was talk at the time of Australia pulling out of the tour after the terrorist attacks, but did it really affect the Australians that much? Have the 2005 team blamed their Ashes defeat on the attacks?