England must show some fight
My blog entry from Saturday morning, headlined At last - a chance to gloat, was filed soon after Stuart Clark dropped a catch offered by Kevin Pietersen.
But at the precise moment I hit the send button on my laptop, Glenn McGrath chose to scoff at my impetuosity by trapping KP leg-before.
Today will be different. I am filing this piece before play starts to protect me from commentator’s curse.
And so, at some point this morning - whenever Ricky Ponting deigns to declare Australia’s second innings - England will begin their attempt to save the match.
Nobody expects them to do it, and realistically it might be more about forcing the match into the final day or not.
Frustratingly for England, the widening only seem to come into play when McGrath is bowling.
It might be that they affect right-handers more. Justin Langer (left-handed) was totally untroubled by the cracks in his innings on Saturday evening.
If that is the case, then England’s left-handed openers (Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss) must bat as long as possible.
What do you reckon? Can England stretch the game into Monday and at least make the Aussies sweat?
Can someone hit a century? If so, who?
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Bell and Cook might put up some resistance. Is there any chance of bad weather? We are running out of ideas here but you never know. Optimism of huge proportions is required at this stage.
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One good thing that may come of this ashes test - "SKY" may throw their hands up in discust and return the cricket coverage to it's maternal home on ´óÏó´«Ã½ TV.......although we are visually deprived there is nothing in the world to compare with the unique Blowers and Aggers coverage - makes up for any temporary weaknesses in the English line-up - thanks for making the nights so entertaining even when we are losing !!
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I would like an honest English answer for why Australia could score what will be over 800 runs on a wicket England can only get 150 on?
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I believe England have brought this grief on themselves.
Since they arrived in Australia that have constantly pronounced Glen McGrath as the lame duck of the Australian side. (how to ensure a one of the worlds most prolific wicket takers bowls well.)
Their idea of winning seemed to be "get runs off a broken down McGrath and win the series....."
Seems their whole plan went out the window with McGrath's first over and they didn't have a plan B.
England really need to find a plan B or C very quickly or this series will not be as interesting as everyone over here hopes.
Ctcooper
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I think we should get Harmison to bowl as fast and short as possible, so Australia are forced to give up this pointless innings for fear of serious injury
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Oliver your asking who can get a century for england ??? I know who can !!!!! Leonard Hutton !!!
ken from perth
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Strauss and Bell are the key men here, I think. Provided Strauss doesn't get suckered into playing daft shots again.
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valerie
It hasn't rained here properly since 2001.
Every day I look at the seven-day weather forecast I see seven yellow sun circles staring back at me.
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Well, do i believe England can pull one off? i think it all depends on Ponting's decision making, an area he was found wanting in a year or so ago.
he has to get the point of declaration right, i think there are to options, the safe or the intimerdating. Let me just explain if he goes early England must bat longer on the other hand if he delays the pitch will get worse and the scoreboard more intimerdating.
England, whatever the choice, face the biggest test their young team has ever faced there MUST be big centuries backed up by support lower down, aspartnerships is the only way they will be able to withstand the pressure of each dramatic session.
Returning to my origanal question i have to back my team even if no one else does, c'mon England you can do it, all the guys here will be glued to those screens tonight, right behind you Fred and co.
PS:fear McGrath and take clark's threat very seriosly and no stupid shots, please....
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I just feel that england should bring a great aggrassion in bowling and cool down that mean patience in batting .I really great supporte of english team i wish if they could bring lots of aggrassion in fielding that bring australian team under pressure .There is no other way to put australian in pressure
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i have a hunch Pietersen and Strauss are key men , both have points to prove after disapointing dismassals, Methinks glenn will not have such a good last two days, watch this space!!
England to win!!! wheres the optimism gone Eng fans?
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england have lost it. they made a huge slectin error in ashley giles, and we need harmison performing. since the last ashes, our batting has been non-existant. Flintoff should not be captain, strauss should be. We need strauss cook and pieterson all to get a century, possibly flintoff aswell. obviously not going to happen. they need to bat a day and a half, and i would be suprised if they make it to tea on day four. sorry, but the truth hurts.
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Why are the authorities at the GABBA cracking down so hard on the Barmy Army?
I've read newspaper articles from several Australian/English papers statting a lot of English supporters at the GABBA during the Test Match have been kicked out of the ground through 'inappropriate behaviour'.
I'ts bad enough having to suffer the utter humiliation of what's happening to England on the field of play. To hear that English families have been kicked out for apparently breaking silly rules is even more horrible. What's up with the Australian authorities? Are they so determined to win back the Ashes that they don't care how many enemies they make?
The English at the ground are after all tourists to Oz, and should be treated with respect.
The Sydney Morning Herald says that the Barmy Army should be given a 'fair go' and I applaud that. For England to be 'tonked' by Australia is bad enough for all of us. To feel that nobody in the crowd is supporting you must feel even worse. Perhaps this part of the Australian Master Plan to win back the Ashes.
By the way, my 2 year old has offered to be the new England bowling coach. Her line and length is better than Harmison's.
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After seeing Langer's sarcastic clap of KP's overthrow yesterday I wouldn't be suprised if KP scores a huge century.
I just want to see some backbone shown today after the humiliating first 3 days.
Ken, Adelaide.
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There are plenty of guys in our team who can hit a century. Strauss can do it, Collingwood could bat all day if he got stuck in, as could Pietersen; Freddie and Jones are good for fifties if they get stuck in and Giles is a big match player with the bat (don't forget he got the second top score last innings). If the team fires, we can not only survive but win.
The problem is that the team hasn't been firing, has it? Harmison has been Misfiring, the batsman have got out to silly shots and generally we've made life as hard for ourselves as possible. Whatever the cause, this team just isn't fired up; if we are we can make a game of it, but if we go on like this then it Will be a record test defeat.
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i personally think that england need someone to hold their head high and stand proud alongside flintoff. Strauss is a very good technical player but whether he has the mental toughness and determination to be england's saviour i doubt. Cook again is very talented and, with age, could improve into a fine test match batsmen but I believe it is too early for him right now. Pietersen is a fantastic player and one that could definitely hurt the aussies, but he must keep his head and not give away his wicket unnecessarily like he did sometimes against the pakistanis. Collingwood is mediocre at best - reminds of mark butcher - he seems to be making up the numbers on the grounds that he is a top class fielder. THere is no need for me to talk about Flintoff - he is quite simply the most talented, focused, gritty, determined all rounder in world cricket but the team is made up of 11 men NOT one and he'll need support from others if we are to regain the ashes. As for the bowlers, I support the selectors' decision not to throw monty in at the deep end but think that he should definitely be picked instead of Gilo for the next test. I believe with Harmison, England have to get the balance right between playing him and destroying his confidence. He has not got a particularly good technique to fall back on and when his rythms off he can be very costly. Such is England's predicament that I would suggest that they bring in the youth and fearlessness of Stuart Broad, if Harmy fails in the next test match. He can nip the ball off the pitch and I believe that in a few years he can fulfilll his potential as a Glenn Mcgrath-esque- bowler who might one day dominate the world's best batsmen. Is Jimmy ANderson read? who knows he needs to bowl like he did when he burst onto the scene. Perhaps he should be bowled in short spells, during which he should be told to bowl the way he feels right, regardless of the cost in runs. He WILL get wickets but he has to bowl how he useed to. Hoggard is a fine performer but hardly a match winner. As for the keeper i think hes Ok but very few provide good competition to Geraint Jones and I thkn we shold stick with him for the time being at least.
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i personally think that england need someone to hold their head high and stand proud alongside flintoff. Strauss is a very good technical player but whether he has the mental toughness and determination to be england's saviour i doubt. Cook again is very talented and, with age, could improve into a fine test match batsmen but I believe it is too early for him right now. Pietersen is a fantastic player and one that could definitely hurt the aussies, but he must keep his head and not give away his wicket unnecessarily like he did sometimes against the pakistanis. Collingwood is mediocre at best - reminds of mark butcher - he seems to be making up the numbers on the grounds that he is a top class fielder. THere is no need for me to talk about Flintoff - he is quite simply the most talented, focused, gritty, determined all rounder in world cricket but the team is made up of 11 men NOT one and he'll need support from others if we are to regain the ashes. As for the bowlers, I support the selectors' decision not to throw monty in at the deep end but think that he should definitely be picked instead of Gilo for the next test. I believe with Harmison, England have to get the balance right between playing him and destroying his confidence. He has not got a particularly good technique to fall back on and when his rythms off he can be very costly. Such is England's predicament that I would suggest that they bring in the youth and fearlessness of Stuart Broad, if Harmy fails in the next test match. He can nip the ball off the pitch and I believe that in a few years he can fulfilll his potential as a Glenn Mcgrath-esque- bowler who might one day dominate the world's best batsmen. Is Jimmy ANderson read? who knows he needs to bowl like he did when he burst onto the scene. Perhaps he should be bowled in short spells, during which he should be told to bowl the way he feels right, regardless of the cost in runs. He WILL get wickets but he has to bowl how he useed to. Hoggard is a fine performer but hardly a match winner. As for the keeper i think hes Ok but very few provide good competition to Geraint Jones and I thkn we shold stick with him for the time being at least.
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If England can end the day only 2 or 3 wickets down, then the pressure will be on the Australians going into the final day as they wont want to let this test slip after such a big lead.
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why why why
can Australia score runs and that shambles calling itself England cannot
it is sickening
do not understand what giles is doing the team
lets move forward
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can anyone explain why A Giles bowled 5 overs, on this 4th day, cracked up pitch
is this sending a message for the next test ?
or is this Flintoff sending a message to management, I however cannot imagine A Flintoff doing anything without D Fletchers approval
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Any side can have bad days and bad tests but what seems to be happening with England is that they haven't really built on or grown from their Ashes success of last year.
What's even more worrying is that their bowlers such as Harmison are struggling so much; where are all the coaches? What do they do? Why is it that Harmison and Mahmood- though he is not playing in this match - so regularly are inconsistent in line and length?
Moreover, not including Monty was also a sign of defensiveness; after all, he's a class bowler capable of being a match-winner!
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Rain ??? Doesn't look like it.
Well it rained in southern NSW / ACT very early this morning for about 30 minutes. www.bom.gov.au shows the following weather forecast for Brisbane :
--- Forecast for Sunday ---
Fine. Moderate NW winds tending NE, fresh at times near the bay during the
afternoon and evening.
Precis: Fine
City: Max 29
Bayside: Max 29
UV Index: 13 [Extreme]
Forecast for Monday afternoon is a storm.
But no real cloud mass anywhere near Queensland today at least.
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With an out of form Harmison england are in more need for a wicket taking bowler than ever - and it has been well publicised how little regard the Australians have for the threat (ha ha) Ashley Giles poses with the ball it makes it all the more galling that Panesar was not given a chance. oh well...lets get some coffee on the go as its going to be another loooong night (or maybe a mercifully short one)
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People People People...we must not forget that we got hammered by the Aussies in the first test last year and went on to win the series 2-1. This is just the way we do it nowadays!!
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Ooo Aussies declared!
620 runs to go... like that's gonna happen any time soon. I think this test was lost the second Monsieur Ponting hit the wicket... Now all we can do is hope to lose 300 runs behind and have some dignity.
Grrr... the second test could hope to be better =)
Be optimistic guys!
I'm certainly not.
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Any Aussies reading this, please understand something: the whole kerfuffle in sept 2005 wasn't arrogance, wasn't triumphalism, it was sheer delight that our rather flawed and limited cricket team had played out of their skins AND been very lucky and had managed to beat the worlds best side in a test series. The english viewed the 2005 ashes as the equivalent of a cup tie that pitted a pub side against the world champions; just for once the pub side held out for a fortunate and unlikely victory, and us pub side supporters were entitled to have a few scoops as a consequence!
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That shot by Strauss to give his wicket away was beyond belief.
Even if he hadn't done exactly the same thing in the first innings it would have been inexcusable.
You have to be supremely confident to play the hook shot, and it's always fraught with some risk.
What's wrong with ducking? The bowlers will soon try something else if you keep ducking successfully.
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I simply don't understand why Duncan Fletcher cannot eliminate this immature "Happy Hooking" mentality from the England team. They are a young line up and need to bat responsibly. Listen to Boycott for goodness sake.
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Why oh why can't the English fans acknowledge that the Australian side at its best is in a class of its own?
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Goodness sake, what is wrong with Strauss? He is out again on that pull/hook shot. Why on earth can't he be patient? Or was he trying to score quickly aiming for a win within four days?!
Honestly, he has let me down!
Oh well, another disaster just befell, Bell is out for nought.
Oliver, this is ruining my sleep/weekend now,I so wish two of our players score big hundreds(Lara style!).
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Ponting the hypocrite
Here the Australians have a substitute who is not their 12 th or 13 th man
fielding in replacement of ponting
he takes the catch to dismiss Strauss and yet note or special mention is made of this
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eswaran wrote:
"Ponting the hypocrite
Here the Australians have a substitute who is not their 12 th or 13 th man
fielding in replacement of ponting
he takes the catch to dismiss Strauss and yet note or special mention is made of this"
Well at least you have. And hey, don't knock the best batsman since Bradman. Almost 200 in the first innings, 60 not out in the second. I think he is pretty good anyway.
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what a mockery. The English players are disgracing their country and everything for which it stands. They are playing with no vigour or conviction, and hardly look like they want to be there. It's plainly weak. Where's the hunger? the fight? I'll be ready at the airport when they return to heckle them for putting the heritage of English cricket into disrepute. Replace the lot with players that would be proud to wear the uniform and give it some guts. Shame on England.
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There are a lot of questions in relation to England so far lacklustre performance on the picth. To be honest the 2005 Ashes win was an aberration in an otherwise Australian domination of these series for the past 20 years. Not only does England lack the batting and bowling depth required for victory, the psychology in just not there - England are too easily shaken. In addition, the lack of solid grass roots cricket structure makes these problems more systemic.
Mat.
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The English are weak as piss. You had one lucky year. The true test of a good team is consistency, and this year is testament to the fact that you are an ordinary cricketing nation. In fact, you'll never match Australia in any sport other than soccer. (for now) Forget about winning the ashes, your boys have no heart.
Alex from Australia.
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If Strauss is going to continue to play the hook shot surely he should learn to roll his wrists.
In situations like this where winning is out of the question surely the logical thing to do is duck. The Australian team must be in hysterics watching Strauss get out the same way both innings!
I just want to crawl under a rock for the next 7 weeks. I'm dreading going to work tomorrow surrounded by Aussies!!!
Ken, Adelaide
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Can anyone answer this simple question...who is the better side...Australia or England?
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Are the tactics wrong? Or the batsmen not playing a game to stay at the crease for as long as possible?
Why did Strauss play that shot that got him out.
All the batsmen have been guilty of handing things on a plate to Australia.
Winning isn't really an option. Let's get the most batting practice out of these 2 days, but string it out and frustrate them.
Do not play what you don'y need to play. You will simply risk your wicket unnecessarily.
And if things go on and on and on, then the Aussies will wonder if they should have made us follow on.
We know the target, but the priority is not to get bowled out.
Hang in there, and don't put it all on the tail again. But all hands to the pump.
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We must realize that the Australians have always been (that is for the last 70 years or so) tops in cricket . England won the ashes in 2005 when the leadership appeared to be very good. Maybe Flintoff
should be replaced and allowed to concentrate his talents on bowling and batting, he seems to be wasted in the Captains role.
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Sitting here in Television Centre for the fourth night in a row, I've got to thinking about why things seem to have gone so horribly wrong for England in this first Test of the Ashes series.
What springs to mind is an old army saying involving the five "p"s: which is "proper preparation prevents poor performance". I believe the squaddie's version includes a sixth "p" - but my ´óÏó´«Ã½ hat precludes profanities…
But as my colleague Olly Brett points out on 606, the England side looks woefully short of the preparation necessary to win Down Under.
Contrast this with Australia, who've spent 18 months working as a unit with the sole aim of beating England in this series. Yes, they're getting on a bit as a side, but the focus shown by Ricky Ponting and his men has been exemplary, while Flintoff's team have looked rusty and careless, both in technique and mental approach. It's an interesting reversal of roles from last summer, where Vaughan's team were the focussed unit of challengers, and Ponting's team were the rattled holders.
England can't really expect much from this series unless they are able to match the Australians' determination, concentration and drive. There have been glimmers of grit in England's second innings, from Cook and Collingwood particularly, but they'll need eleven men playing out of their skin to resist the Aussie onslaught on home soil.
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Colly doing his best to stem the tide, hopefully Piet will temper his natural instinct and grit it out... hopefully they'll both be there when (and if!) England hit 200.
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Are the Aussies getting desperate for a wicket? Why the hell is Hussey bowling?
Perhaps Mcgrath and co are getting a bit tired in their old age. LOL
Ken, Adelaide
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Are the Aussies getting desperate for a wicket? Why the hell is Hussey bowling?
Perhaps Mcgrath and co are getting a bit tired in their old age. LOL
Ken, Adelaide
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To answer your question Badger; Enagland are just a B-grade side. There are only 2-3 players that would make the australian side, whilst all the australian players would make the england side !!!
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Great stuff - England fighting back, and Warne ruffled. Almost makes all the misery of the last couple of days worth it.
Stick to it, KP!
Jim.
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Believe it or not, there's some talk there might be a storm tomorrow. It's not officially forecast, but some of the locals say it sometimes happens when the humidity builds up as it has today...
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Re Jim Hodges and the 'Gabbatoir authorities...fair comment from your point of view but not entirely on the mark. I have spent many a happy time in friendly rivalry with the Poms at Ashes and World cup matches including suffering at English hands when you have been winning. If you are refering to the bloke with the trumpet, he was warned before entering the ground that he should not play it. Note they did not confiscate it. Try getting a prohibited item into a German or an Argentine football match. Anyway, he played it at his peril. Notwithstanding your view of this rule, it has been in force for over a decade and is designed to minimise annoyance to other paying spectators. Trust me. I was at Manuka for the PM's Xi flogging and had to suffer some compatriot galah banging a set of bongoes in my ear for hours. I don't buy the weepy line about "families". If one of the group transgresses and the rest choose to leave then fine. And please don't give us the old line about "we are English and deserve respect". Respect you earn, not inherit. Anyway cricketwise it is good to see some grit today. I suggest you are onto a winning formula. Don't bring in Monty (no Test experience in A/a) keep Jones (great batsman) and don't bring back Vaughan (hasn't led for a while) ...This first match is fantastic and irrespective of the result is a great appetiser...good luck in Adelaide
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Fair comment, Bushman.
I'd like to make it clear that I'm not on the 'we are English and need respect' stuck record line of things. Sorry if I came accross that way.
Australia are giving us a master class in cricket at the moment, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Rather, I don't understand why the Gabba authtorities in this particular Test are being so heavy handed - even Brett Lee threw a beach ball back into the crowd - good for him!
I acknowledge your comments about being at the Gabba for previous games, where the atmosphere has been great - I sympathise with you about the bongoes!
Jim.
Seattle USA
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Having just read (!) about Freddies exit I was wondering what Fletcher might say to him on his return to the dressing room ?
"Bad luck old boy - better luck next time. " or " You silly s.... thats the end of you as captain" ?
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And Freddies reply would be....
"Don't worry boss, Gilo will save us. Good job we included him in the team".
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293-5: Well that's a slightly better morning greeting than on the previous three days.
Perhaps the policy of picking Geraint and Gilo for their batting prowess will pay off tomorrow?
We need Pietersen to aim for 200. Then 355 to win may not be crazy thinking. (100-1 at Ladbrokes is tighter than at Headingly after day three in 1981). But lasting six hours against Warney is still a massive 'ask'.
Is that storm really brewing Ollie? It's been lashing it down in Sussex. I wish we could export that...
At last I can walk into the office on Monday and hold my head slightly higher when my Aussie colleague starts to talk cricket in that inimitably aggressive way!!!
Chris
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this time england can not win this ashes series.
AUSTRALIA WILL WIN THIS SERIES FOR THIS ASHES SERIES
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...and Collingwood does it again!
And to my fellow English supporters: for heaven's sake please have some bloody faith.
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Today gives us hope for the series. We can bat against the Aussie bowlers as good as they are.
Hopefully Strauss will have learnt from his hooking problem and Collingwood should have been more circumspect. Can u imagine Ricky Ponting dancing down the wicket on 96! He can and will do better.
I thought that the English bowlers bowled well to Ponting this morning. Because he is so strong off his legs we must bowl a good length outside offstump to him and hopefully he will get frustrated. The weather could be anything in Adelaide at this time of the year - cool to very hot - but the ball rarely swings so hopefully we can win the toss and bat, get
lots of runs and Panasar will bowl us to victory on day 5!
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If ever we needed a Geoff Boycott stoic innings it was today. What are our openers doing ?Don't they realise there is no need to chase runs just stay at the crease to be hero's and demoralise the Ozzies in their own backyard.
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Chris
Here's hoping! I think this storm is a bit of a myth to be honest. In these parts they are so desperate for rain that a potential light sprinkling gets heavy billing!
All the best
OB
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Australia have made a critical error by choosing to bat again. This has given ENgland the chance to get some credit out of a match that an innings defeat would not have produced.
Pietersen and Collingwood have batted themselves into form enjoying a bat, rather than scrapping around trying to save an innings defeat or score enough to make Australia bat again.
Two changes needed for the next test - Read for Jones and Panesar for Giles and the result will be the same as in England 2-1 and the Ashes retained.
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In the interest of making the future test matches a more even contest, I believe some rule changes are in the wind.
The aussies will have to play tip & run.
The english won't be able to get out first ball
For the english the one bounce, one handed catch rule will come into play.
For the Aussies if you hit a six your out
& to lift the english batting standard, Macgrath will be offered to play as opening batsman for them.
Any more rule changes in mind ??????
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Ricky Ponting - Cricketer or Accountant?
Er Ricky, before you decide to force the follow on, have you any idea how much the 5th day refunds will be if we play to win as soon as possible ?
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For Seattle Jim and other interested parties, the media here are reporting this morning that the SCG authorities will allow musical insruments, beach balls and backpacks into the Sydney Test. Should be a lively one! Not sure about the rules at the other venues. The Gabba ban on backpacks was ridiculous. How else can a real fan carry his binoculars, sunscreen, stubby cooler, water bottle, spare hat, flyspray, heart pills, HP sauce, mini radio, copy of the laws, camera, phone and soggy sandwiches? Two hours to go and the clouds are building up in Brisbane. Bring back six day tests I say! (and eight ball overs for that matter.....) cheers
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Thanks for the update, Bushman. Sounds like the atmosphere at future tests will be even more charged!
Jim,
Seattle USA
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