Re: Ashes

Thanks for the updates thebhoy.

Quick question for you (or anyone else) - apart from the different ball being used in England than in Australia what made the phenomenon of “Irish” swing such a new factor in the last series? Surely the conditions were not unique over the 4 tests to that series. Were there innovative bowling techniques?

Regarding this match - any chane anyone can post a scoreboard because my access to ashes content is extremely limited.

First of all cricket in this country is organised on a 32 county basis so I don’t see the need for the distinction between northern and southern cricketers. I agree that Joyce’s selection breaks new ground for his demographic but I’m querying why it’s expected that his inclusion should be considered any more helpful for the game in this country than Martin McCauge’s Ashes tests 13 years ago.

I think the true effect of his defection will be seen in the world cup next year when Ireland get hammered without their best player.

Close
Australia won the toss and decided to bat
Australia 1st Innings
346 for 3 (90.0 overs)

Australia 1st Innings
Runs Balls 4s 6s
J L Langer c K P Pietersen b A Flintoff 82 98 13 0
M L Hayden c P D Collingwood b A Flintoff 21 47 2 0
R T Ponting not out 137 206 16 0
D R Martyn c P D Collingwood b A F Giles 29 62 2 0
M E K Hussey not out 63 133 5 0
Extras 6nb 3w 5lb 14
Total for 3 346 (90.0 ovs)

Bowler O M R W
S J Harmison 12.0 2 52 0
M J Hoggard 16.0 2 62 0
J M Anderson 18.0 4 88 0
A Flintoff 16.0 2 48 2
A F Giles 18.0 2 51 1
I R Bell 1.0 0 12 0
K P Pietersen 9.0 1 28 0
Fall of wicket
79 M L Hayden
141 J L Langer
198 D R Martyn

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Umpires: B F Bowden, S A Bucknor
Australia: M L Hayden, J L Langer, R T Ponting, D R Martyn, M E K Hussey, M J Clarke, A C Gilchrist, S K Warne, B Lee, S R Clark, G D McGrath
England: A J Strauss, A N Cook, I R Bell, P D Collingwood, K P Pietersen, A Flintoff, G O Jones, A F Giles, M J Hoggard, S J Harmison, J M Anderson

Thanks the bhoy.

That’s a fair bit of bowling from KP - Bell’s efforts look distinctly less successful.

Harmison’s spraying it around terribly again here. The Aussie crowd are giving him dog’s abuse and he appears to be broken mentally already. It’s time for him to grow a pair and quit all this homesick nonsense.

Reading the start of the limited coverage I can see here in work - the Guardian blog - and they were saying it was an improvement from England. So I jump ahead to see the scores and Oz got their 600 (cracking performance at the end there) and then have england at 50 odd for 3. That’s some lead to have built up already.

At least in losing the first test in the last series the E&W bowlers showed they could hurt the Aussies but this test is buidling up to be an annihilation. Only Flintoff out of the bowlers can hold his head up high and there doesn’t appear to be any more positives to take out of the game at all. It will be a very tall order now to bat for 3 more days to save the test as they’re pretty much certain to have to follow on now. The decision to drop Panesar, a potential match-winner, for Giles, a journeyman performer, along with Harmison’s terrible opening spell really set the tone and fair play to Australia they have rammed home their advantage.

England’s attack won them the last series IMO and I suppose in that context they should have kept it as threatening as possible with Monty in for Giles. But Anderson and Harmison have to take huge blame. How can Harmison not be able to bowl when he’s on tour? It’s pathetic really.

Some let down so far. If E&W continue to be this inept then the last 2 tests will be meaningless. Expecting them to bat for 2 days on a wearing pitch to save the test is too much especially given how poor they’ve been so far but they at least need to show some guts and heart out in the middle and make Australia work for their wickets. Only Flintoff with the ball and Belly with the bat have approached anything like top form.

Better from England last night but that’s two disappointing efforts with the bat from Flintoff. Bell with zero but at least he did well first innings.

Seems strange to me - with my limited knowledge - that Australia didn’t enforce the follow on. At least then they’d have been guaranteed they couldn’t lose whereas now it is an extremely remote but still a genuine possibility.

Highlights packages are brutal by the way. 30 minutes of action is appalling and the 12 minutes on skysports.com in the morning is ok for an online service but you’d really miss a proper 2 hour highlights package somewhere.

Well that was handy enough for Australia in the end. Not enforcing the follow on probably has an impact on England’s confidence now because even though they batted infinitely better in the second innnings Australia showed with their second innings cameo that they’re capable of racking up big scores.

Ponting may yet regret handing England a lifeline
Mike Selvey in Brisbane

CRICKET/Ashes First Test: The match may have been lost, and handsomely at that, but England will have travelled to Adelaide in better heart than might once have been anticipated.

Numerous are the reasons being proffered for the unwillingness of Ricky Ponting to enforce the follow-on - no captain in Test history has declined to with a bigger lead - but, whichever one or combination hits the mark, the outcome unquestionably was to allow England to revive their spirit.

He may come to regret it too, for by the time the match had finished England’s beleaguered bowlers, especially Steve Harmison, had been allowed a little further down the road to recovery and the batting had outstripped any previous effort in the fourth innings of a Brisbane Test. On a pitch that would have been granted national park status in Colorado, Ponting could have buried the series; instead he has thrust the smelling salts under England noses.

Andrew Flintoff can look forward to Adelaide knowing his side can compete strongly. There is, however, work to be done before the second Test starts on Friday.

On the batting front, Andrew Strauss needs to consider the wisdom of playing a pull shot that is ill-executed, in that his bat comes in from low to high as if delivering a haymaker or an uppercut, so that it is impossible to keep the ball on the ground. Four times in six innings on the tour he has succumbed to it, and that is not playing the percentages. If he persists in attempting it, Australia will continue to put men out and feed his compulsion.

Against that, any attempt to stifle the natural confidence of Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood ought to be resisted. It was the willingness to take risks that allowed them to make the strongest possible statement against Shane Warne. Ignore some of the tosh about Collingwood’s dismissal for 96: it was an ill-judged shot, but he had used his feet to Warne throughout his innings, knew precisely what he was trying to do and had the nerve to go for it.

Of more urgency is the need to bring some order to the bowling. The South Australia match showed the new ball can produce wickets, but thereafter the pitch goes flat and slow. It will dust but not crack, as did the Gabba surface. The bowling has to be spot on to ensure that the new ball is not wasted and that batsmen are then made to work for runs.

Of paramount importance is Harmison’s welfare. Somehow an England backroom staff that includes a sports psychologist and bowling coach managed to send their fiercest bowler out on the first day of the series technically out of sync and, by his admission, scared stiff. What is going on?

Harmison is only a fine-tune away from being on top of his game, his left arm, which should be the pointer, falling away slightly to the offside. At his best this direction finder describes an arc down the pitch and his follow-through takes him straight down. In the past a concern about encroaching on the pitch may have led him subconsciously to try to pull away a little too early. It is a fault that ought to be easily rectified and, if Kevin Shine cannot manage that, then he should not be here.

Better in fact that Harmison talks to any one of the great fast bowlers around - Michael Holding, for instance, or Dennis Lillee, who has offered his phone number - all of whom will offer the same advice.

It would be a mistake to go to the Adelaide Oval with the intention of tinkering with the essential balance of the side. James Anderson is bowling too many freebies to be seen as a banker on a flat pitch and it may be that Sajid Mahmood, with a bit more pace too, can do a better job.

The idea that two spinners should be employed is fanciful, however. Only two finger spinners - the Australian Colin Miller, who took 10 wickets against a weak West Indies six years ago, and Daniel Vettori for New Zealand two years since - have taken five wickets in an innings in Adelaide in the last decade, and Vettori’s five for 152 required 55 overs.

Warne has taken five wickets in an innings only twice there and Stuart MacGill, being touted as part of a wrist spin duet, never.

The choice of Ashley Giles or Monty Panesar depends to an extent on whether the latter has twigged that he needs to bowl slower on Australian pitches. On this trip, Giles, his action revised since his hip operation, has looked the better bowler in the nets and middle.

Panesar bowled tidily in Adelaide but, when there was some assistance on the third day, the acid test as far as Duncan Fletcher was concerned, he failed to threaten.

Paradoxically, it is Australia who would have had the bigger selectorial conundrum. If they were to have found a place for Warne and MacGill, as mooted, and also for the all-rounder Shane Watson, they would have had to omit a seamer. Would it have been their fastest bowler, Brett Lee? Or Glenn McGrath, who has never taken five in an innings in Adelaide? Or Stuart Clark, their best bowler from the first Test?

England, one suspects, would have settled for Clark sitting it out. As it transpires, Watson has not recovered from his hamstring injury. So, unless Adam Gilchrist bats at six, it is hard to see them changing their XI.


I think there’s a bit of false optimism at play above. The decision not to enforce the follow-on looks strange but I don’t think England can take too much comfort from it. Effectively all it changed was it allowed Australia to prove again that they were comfortably the better batting side - scoring 200-1 which eclipsed anything England could achieve even in their “much improved” second innings.

Havent had time to read those articles since the first test but I see McGrath is doubtful. I think hell play but I still maintain that 5 tests in 6 weeks is expecting a lot of a 36 year old. Despite being thoroughly outplayed last week I wouldnt rule E&W out of the series if they can hang in there during this test even a draw would get them back into things and increase their confidence as to retain the Ashes a tied series would be enough for them. The toss, as ever, will be crucial. I think Ponting still regrets winning the toss in Birmingham for the 2nd test in 2005 and inviting E&W to bat 400 runs later and E&W were right back in the series after losing the first test in London. I think its fair to say that whoever wins the toss will bat first if thats Australia and they rack up 450+ then E&W will be hugely demoralised after last week. However, if E&W get in and acquit themselves well then we may just have a series on our hands.

As for the earlier point re the highlights not allowing you to see the build up of pressure and the bowlers plan being put into action before a wicket is taken; Bells dismissal by Warne for a duck in the 2nd innings was a case in point. Bell batted well for 50 in the 1st innings and came out to bat for the 2nd but this time facing Warne who hed struggled with in 2005. Apparently Warne bowled him 4 or 5 hugely spinning deliveries and Bell wafted at the first couple and was lucky not to edge one behind to the keeper. So after the first few wafts Warne continues to bowl these massive spinning deliveries and Bell adjusts by leaving them alone and allowing them go straight through to the keeper. All the time Warne and Gilchrist are talking as if Bells not even there, Good area Shane, Nice Shane, He didnt pick that one Shane etc etc. With Bell expecting more of these huge leg breaks Warne then bowls the flipper out of the back of his hand; this is the delivery where the grip is similar to his normal ball but instead of spinning it goes straight on. Poor Belly expecting another big spinning delivery doesnt offer a shot and the ball goes on straight and hits him in the pad right in front and hes out lbw. I love those strategies and tactics coming into play but we dont see it in the highlights just the dismissal.

Yeah that’s exactly what we’re missing Bandage - a dismissal is rarely an isolated one-ball delivery it tends to be the culmination of tactics and pressure and we don’t get to see that.

If McGrath is out will Watson be back in? Any chance of MacGill playing alongside Warne in this series or is it always either/or?

I think the English media are expecting a huge reversal in fortunes - there’s plenty of talk about just getting Harmison back and we’ll be fine. What about James Anderson and Ashley Giles? Their problems amount to more than one man and they need to sort their batting out too. I think Australia will win this one handily too.

From the Guardian:

Ten reasons why England can win in Adelaide

It’s not all doom and gloom after that letdown in the first Test - there are grounds for England followers to be upbeat.
David HoppsNovember 30, 2006 11:00 AM

1 Adelaide has very short square boundaries, so short that Andrew Strauss’ scooped hook shot might just scrape over the boundary for six.

2 Freddie Flintoff pounded the Australian batsmen in Brisbane while he was still finding his feet again after an ankle operation. In Adelaide, he will be faster, fitter and stronger. Prepare for that extravagant England tattoo to dance to the tune of a triumphantly-flexed bicep.

3 Adelaide is known as the City of Churches, so even England are bound to have a prayer. And, for the irreligious, every time Adelaide’s founding fathers built a church, they also built a pub, so there is more than one way to get into the mood for the fight.

4 Michael Vaughan’s inspirational return to action against a Western Australian second XI will galvanise England’s batsman into action. After all, Vaughan got a seventh-ball duck and the Academy side collapsed to 12 for five, so at least the top six in Adelaide will not be playing in fear of their places.

5 The Barmy Army, tactically outplayed in Brisbane by authorities who split them up, banned their Mexican waves, objected to their songs, and ejected their trumpeter, will be plotting a terrible revenge. Already they have threatened to boycott the Christmas Tests, even though they have already paid for their flights and, er, their accommodation and, come to think of it, their tickets as well. And the Aussies don’t believe them!

6 Troy Cooley’s reputation as England’s finest-ever bowling coach is under threat. All it requires is for Kevin Shine’s secret coaching session with Steve Harmison in Adelaide to bear fruit. According to snatched pictures in the Adelaide Advertiser, Harmison’s plan is to walk to the crease in slow motion, with Shine clinging to his right arm.

7 Every Australian professor at a two-bit university has by now appeared on BBC radio to spout the hackneyed, predictable stuff about how much tougher the Aussies are at sport than the English. Surely their analysis has to be as worthless as it sounds?

8 Glenn McGrath won the first Test for Australia in the last Ashes series - and then injury struck. Is history about to repeat itself? McGrath has a “hot spot” on his heel and that is a worry for a veteran fast bowler whose career was almost ended by ankle trouble. What will it be this time: a common heel spur or something exotic such as a plantar fasciitis, a debilitating tear in the foot ligament? We are about to find out.

9 England played Shane Warne “very well” in Brisbane, according to Duncan Fletcher. England’s coach mournfully proclaimed their approach against Warne as “a big positive”. Forget the little details such as the wild second-innings dismissals of Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff. Fletcher will make sure you concentrate on the big picture.

10 Because we were 1-0 down last time - and we won the next one.

Watson is defintely out and they’ll name an unchanged side if McGrath is fit. Otherwise either Shaun Tait or Mitchell Johnson will replace him. Both are young and relatively unproven though. There’s one pitch on the Ashes rota where Australia always play 2 spinners - I can’t recall off hand which one it is but have a feeling it may be Melbourne - otherwise it’s Warne ahead of MacGill each time. I also agree about the other bowlers you mention. At the end of the day you need to take 20 wickets to win a test match and this E&W attack without Simon Jones and with a misfiring Harmison (a) doesn’t look capable of doing this quickly enough or (:slight_smile: doesn’t look capable of doing it at all. Time will tell though.

Don’t know Mitchell Johnson at all. I liked Tait in the last Ashes so I’m going to ignorantly hope he gets the nod.

Johnson is a fast left armer. They have very high hopes for him. I laughed at Tait the last time; his bowling action is ridiculous.

Much better beginning from England obviously. Collingwood scoring well again, he could turn out to be crucial on this tour - were ther doubts about his place in the side a few weeks ago? Big score for himself and KP now.

Guardian are speculating that England have finally figured Warne out - I assume they don’t fully believe that as it’s the first day and all.

I was on one of my cant get no sleep nights so I listened to a load of this on BBC 4 long wave last night. Its actually very listenable even though progress was slow at times. They have the microphones on the stumps so its funny the way you cant see the pictures but you hear a yell of anguish from a bowler (Warnes always at it I noticed) or a shout of catch it or whatever and you have to wait that second or two until the commentator confirms the dismissal (the crowd reaction lets you know too). When Bell hooked Lee straight up in the air there was a huge wait for the ball to come down out of the clouds before it was obvious the catch was taken. Then in the 2nd last ball of the day KP tries a mad hook shot and the commentator, that Mike Selvey from the Guardian, lets out a little girly shriek and then a big sigh of relief when McGrath cant get to it in time. Boycott was then going mental in the background saying, Stupid, stupid shot. Its very decent coverage with Boycott, Ian Chappell, some other Aussie guy whos good and Selvey and Martin-Jenkins and one or two more.

As for the game so far; the pitch did nothing for the seamers and its a really slow wicket too. A quicker surface gives more help to the bowlers but it also allows for much quicker run scoring as the ball comes onto the bat quicker. This explains why they were almost crawling along for much of the day even though Bell and Collingwood can be gritty and dogged enough at times anyway. When KP came it he just started milling it around anyway despite the conditions; hes fooking fantastic to watch (or listen to). The boys were making some interesting points and I agreed with them. Chappell reckons KP should bat at 4 with Colly at 5, he says Bell and Colly are very similar players as are KP and Freddie at 5 and 6. There would be a better balance to the line up if there was that mix to the batting partnerships. Last night with Bell and Colly in grinding mode it was very attritional but if KP was in at 4 it would quicken the run rate, keep the score board ticking over and give Australia something else to think about.

It was a solid first day, no more than that. If they have a couple more good partnerships and get up to 470 odd then they should at least ensure they dont lose the game. They can then try to knock 2 or 3 Aussies over cheaply after tea tomorrow to see how they react under pressure. Theres still the worry about the potency of the E&W attack though but theyll be buoyed up if the batters continue on and post a big total. As for finally figuring out Warne; well Id take that with a pinch of salt.