2nd ASHES TEST: England v Australia at Lords, July 16-20, 2009

[JJ]

Commiserations, Australia...

indeed - as Kiwi cricket fans I think we can empathise with a performance like that

 

[HevyDevy]

Funny thing is, I still can't see us losing the series.

Not at all impressed by the Poms. I'm assuming we just got out truly awful performance out of the way.

Much is dependant on some changes to the bowling attack but if that happens I can see a series win coming.

Line-up should be:
Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
North
Haddin
Lee
Hauritz
Clark
Hilfenhaus

 

[JJ]

Funny thing is, I still can't see us losing the series.

Not at all impressed by the Poms. I'm assuming we just got out truly awful performance out of the way.

Much is dependant on some changes to the bowling attack but if that happens I can see a series win coming.

Line-up should be:
Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
North
Haddin
Lee
Hauritz
Clark
Hilfenhaus

To be honest your side isn't that impressive either - I think the sides are relatively even...

Hughes, Hussey, Lee, Hauritz, Johnson, Hilfenhaus, Clark, and Siddle are all either out of form/luck or not terribly good...

As many of us have been saying, test cricket is a lot more even now...

 

[HevyDevy]

Yes but England only have two decent players and both are playing on one leg.

Not impressed by Strauss' innings. Not that it was bad but if ever a player has been gifted a century, that was it. His biggest challenge was trying to get a bat on any of Johnson's deliveries that threatened to actually stay on the pitch.

 

[JJ]

Yes but England only have two decent players and both are playing on one leg.

Not impressed by Strauss' innings. Not that it was bad but if ever a player has been gifted a century, that was it. His biggest challenge was trying to get a bat on any of Johnson's deliveries that threatened to actually stay on the pitch.

trifle unfair... man for man they match up pretty well...

Strauss > Hughes
Cook < Katich (closer than above though)
Bopara < Ponting
Pieterson >= Clarke
Collingwood > Hussey (on form)
Flintoff > North
Prior < Haddin
Broad > Johnson (on form)
Onions = Siddle
Anderson > Hilfenhaus
Swann > Hauritz


Lee and Clark do little to change that...

 

[HevyDevy]

But you see, you're talking about 'form'.

In form, the Aussies crush them man for man.

More importantly though, Clark is one of the top quicks in the world and would make a HUGE difference.

 

[JJ]

But you see, you're talking about 'form'.

In form, the Aussies crush them man for man.

More importantly though, Clark is one of the top quicks in the world and would make a HUGE difference.

You mean if they were "in form"?

Not really - depends on what you make of the limited careers of Hughes and Bopara for instance - to me they both look very ordinary

Same with Johnson, Siddle, Lee and Hilfenhaus - none are particularly worrying - I'd sooner have Flintoff, Anderson, Onions, Broad etc... and Clark, well he's not played much - he was one of the better quicks around, but is he still?

Hussey had regressed to where perhaps we all suspected he was - a good test cricketer, not a great...

to me, a combined side would be something like

Strauss (c)
Katich
Ponting
Pieterson
Collingwood/Hussey/Clarke
Collingwood/Hussey/Clarke
Haddin
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson

Nothing yet in evidence to suggest that Clark has the form or fitness to make a difference - and any suggestion that Lee will is based on one spell in a warm up game - previously he has been out of form and injured, and his record in ENgland suggests he'll feed runs just like Johnson has been...

 

[El Diablo]

jesus

stick to watching monkeys wanking

 

[JJ]

another constructive comment eh... good to see you're consistent

 

[HevyDevy]

You mean if they were "in form"?

Not really - depends on what you make of the limited careers of Hughes and Bopara for instance - to me they both look very ordinary

Same with Johnson, Siddle, Lee and Hilfenhaus - none are particularly worrying - I'd sooner have Flintoff, Anderson, Onions, Broad etc... and Clark, well he's not played much - he was one of the better quicks around, but is he still?

Hussey had regressed to where perhaps we all suspected he was - a good test cricketer, not a great...

to me, a combined side would be something like

Strauss (c)
Katich
Ponting
Pieterson
Collingwood/Hussey/Clarke
Collingwood/Hussey/Clarke
Haddin
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson

Nothing yet in evidence to suggest that Clark has the form or fitness to make a difference - and any suggestion that Lee will is based on one spell in a warm up game - previously he has been out of form and injured, and his record in ENgland suggests he'll feed runs just like Johnson has been...

If Lee can land the ball on the pitch he will already be a step ahead of Johnson.

Clark is the man, trust me

 

[Twizzle]

I disagree that Lee is not in form, his warm up game was very good, just what we missed in the two tests.

 

[Fein]

trifle unfair... man for man they match up pretty well...

Strauss > Hughes
Cook < Katich (closer than above though)
Bopara < Ponting
Pieterson >= Clarke
Collingwood > Hussey (on form)
Flintoff > North
Prior < Haddin
Broad > Johnson (on form)
Onions = Siddle
Anderson > Hilfenhaus
Swann > Hauritz


Lee and Clark do little to change that...

Interesting perspective.

Strauss > Hughes - On current form, just. Won't last long though, Hughes will brain Strauss.
Cook < Katich (closer than above though) - Agreed.
Bopara < Ponting - Different worlds.
Pieterson >= Clarke - No chance, Clarke vastly superior.
Collingwood > Hussey (on form) Agreed.
Flintoff > North - Agreed, different planet.
Prior < Haddin - Agreed although Prior really impresses me - good cricketer and very bright future at Test level.
Broad > Johnson (on form) - Absurd. Johnson at his very worst is better.
Onions = Siddle - Please, Onions runs rings around Siddle.
Anderson > Hilfenhaus - You must be joking now.
Swann > Hauritz - Not much in it but I'm happy with Haurie.

I'd also add Lee and Clark in particular will make a huge difference.

I'm fairly sure Clark was the leading wicket taker in a recent series between Australia and England.

Good luck though old chap, great to see the series set up so well for 5. ;-)

 

[Twizzle]

Hughes average was around 100 in RSA, so unless nobody rates Steyn and Co, thats pretty good

Then he made tons in County cricket before the ashes

I'd say his form is pretty good.

 

[JB]

jesus

stick to watching monkeys wanking

Okay.

Let us know when you go at it then.

 

[JJ]

Hughes average was around 100 in RSA, so unless nobody rates Steyn and Co, thats pretty good

Then he made tons in County cricket before the ashes

I'd say his form is pretty good.

Yep - but you have to admit that a technique like his doesn't inspire confidence...

Lee - had one good performance in a warm-up, and has NEVER gone well in England

I rate Stu Clark very highly - but, he has been out a while, and didn't go exceptionally well in the warm-ups...

At the end of the day, I think the teams are reasonably evenely matched - Aust dominated one match and couldn't quite finish it, ENgland dominated the next and did finish it...

Great series on the cards

 

[El Diablo]

rain saved the poms in the first test, sheep f**ker

a whole session was lost

umps gave them victory in the second test

 

[JJ]

rain saved the poms in the first test, sheep f**ker

a whole session was lost

umps gave them victory in the second test

whatever gets you through the day chumper

 

[El Diablo]

i'm not the one who has pics stored on my pc of monkeys beating off

freak

 

[fish eel]

Yep - but you have to admit that a technique like his doesn't inspire confidence...

Lee - had one good performance in a warm-up, and has NEVER gone well in England

I rate Stu Clark very highly - but, he has been out a while, and didn't go exceptionally well in the warm-ups...

At the end of the day, I think the teams are reasonably evenely matched - Aust dominated one match and couldn't quite finish it, ENgland dominated the next and did finish it...

Great series on the cards

Neither does Chanderpaul's - but it works for him.

Hughes is a great talent but this is a real test for his mettle now, as he has had a dream run in first class and test cricket until now.

 

[JJ]

Neither does Chanderpaul's - but it works for him.

Hughes is a great talent but this is a real test for his mettle now, as he has had a dream run in first class and test cricket until now.

Nothing wrong with Chanderpaul's technique... his initial stance perhaps, but as the ball's delivered he's pretty much in the right place, and his back foot certainly doesn't head for square leg...

he's a talent - but you'd think that quality quick bowlers having seen a lot of footage of him can work out effective ways of bowling to him - and it looks like Flintoff and Harmison might have... up to Hughes to adapt now, time will tell