England are a very good test side.

[beads6]

So maybe South Africa just ain't that good? Certainly top 3 good, but not no.1 good. I have no doubt this England side would beat India and South Africa in England and they've already drawn with SA away. I don't know they're good enough to get a series win in India, but they'd be the side most likely too.

Saffas are a little short in the bowling. Need a good spinner.

Yep fair call. Lets face over the last few years Aussies have been winning on the back of individual performances not team performances that was the case in the South Africa series. Johnson and Hughes..

 

[Hallatia]

I'll reserve my judgment till they play saffas or the Indians

We didn't really offer much resistance.

1 all against Saffas in South Africa, in a series I though Saffas should have won 3-1. I would say South Africa definitely have the better team, but I think it was the differences in captaincy which led to that result. I think Strauss is quite good at weighing up the game in his job as captain - he rotates his bowlers in an agressive fashion which gets results and his choices with declaration always have clear purpose. Smith never knows when to declare and is often a little too concerned with individual milestones.
As for India, I think India at home makes India look better than they are, there could also be a few big retirements come up in that team. England have a lot of test cricket this year and it is more than feasible that they could move to the number one spot in ICC rankings. I think had South Africa have lost last night, England could have moved to number 2 after this test

 

[shiznit]

It's a bit hard to have 3 innings losses in 2 match series. When was the last time anybody ever wanted to play 5 matches against the kiwis?

:lol: so true...

 

[alenfort]

Yes.I relay Impressed Englend Test Team Because Englend Win Ases.It's Team is Very Good and Excelent.

 

[franklin2323]

The test will be the Indian series in July. At home England should win. If Kahn is quiet the rest of the pace attack struggles. Now England won a series down here will they drop off by this time next year we will know more. Yes they beat SAF but struggled against Pak & Bangladesh since. So I will reserve judgement until about 12months time

 

[caylo]

Ponting isn't as out of form as people think he showed form in the second innings at the gabba he hit 50 off of about 40 balls. England set up Ponting and Clarke by bowling consistent line and length outside, Ponting has always struggled against such bowling early in his innings.

your 100% correct, england are good at this and Strauss was very good in his captiancy. The main thing is Ponting is normally very good at building an innings. In 2005 to 2007 when he was killing it, no matter what score he was on he was smart about his batting, never got over owed about milstones or anything. He just batted.

Now ponting looks over agressive, he loses concentration and is playing balls that he shouldnt be and getting out. I have seen ponting get hanging his bat outside off about 30 times in the last 3 years and edging it to the slips. If he isnt getting out that way he is running himself out. It shows me that he is becoming inpatient and lossing concentration which was always his greatest strength.

If he moves down to 4 or 5 and losses the captiancy maybe he would return to form. If Ponting and Clarke make 3 hundreds each in that ashes then We dont loss any test matches. Ponting is the greatest Australian batsmen since bradmen and deserves his spot (he was our best batsmen in India aswell) but clarke has not produced since moving to #4 and needs a good stint in Shield cricket to work through his issues.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

The test will be the Indian series in July. At home England should win. If Kahn is quiet the rest of the pace attack struggles. Now England won a series down here will they drop off by this time next year we will know more. Yes they beat SAF but struggled against Pak & Bangladesh since. So I will reserve judgement until about 12months time

No they didn't.

 

[anjado]

your 100% correct, england are good at this and Strauss was very good in his captiancy. The main thing is Ponting is normally very good at building an innings. In 2005 to 2007 when he was killing it, no matter what score he was on he was smart about his batting, never got over owed about milstones or anything. He just batted.

Now ponting looks over agressive, he loses concentration and is playing balls that he shouldnt be and getting out. I have seen ponting get hanging his bat outside off about 30 times in the last 3 years and edging it to the slips. If he isnt getting out that way he is running himself out. It shows me that he is becoming inpatient and lossing concentration which was always his greatest strength.

If he moves down to 4 or 5 and losses the captiancy maybe he would return to form. If Ponting and Clarke make 3 hundreds each in that ashes then We dont loss any test matches. Ponting is the greatest Australian batsmen since bradmen and deserves his spot (he was our best batsmen in India aswell) but clarke has not produced since moving to #4 and needs a good stint in Shield cricket to work through his issues.

But Ponting has always had this weakness even at his best you could always remove him early because his balance at the start of his innings is always off. Once he reached about 20-30 though the opposition was in trouble. Ponting is still a great player the only time England bowled undisciplined to him he reached 50 easily.

Ponting was never going to score 100 if the bowling remained disciplined and strangled him for runs same with Clarke. All Australian batsmen apart from Katich and Hussey lack patience and England exploited this completely.

I know Ponting and Clarke if given time will score hundreds again because other sides lack the discipline that the English bowlers had.

 

[TheDalek079]

I dont think even New Zealand has been defeated in a series by an innings 3 times.

1958 against England:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62841.html
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62842.html
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62843.html

 

[caylo]

But Ponting has always had this weakness even at his best you could always remove him early because his balance at the start of his innings is always off. Once he reached about 20-30 though the opposition was in trouble. Ponting is still a great player the only time England bowled undisciplined to him he reached 50 easily.

Ponting was never going to score 100 if the bowling remained disciplined and strangled him for runs same with Clarke. All Australian batsmen apart from Katich and Hussey lack patience and England exploited this completely.

I know Ponting and Clarke if given time will score hundreds again because other sides lack the discipline that the English bowlers had.

Ponting has been undisciplined for the last 3 years or so, before that it was near impossible get him out just bowling one line and length. He has all the shots plays all over the ground but for some reason for the last 3 years he has been over agressive. Highlighted is that in the last 2 years he has scored 7 and 8 significant scores but only 1 century in each year. In 2008 he has 4 centries and 5 fifties and in 2006 he has 7 centries and 4 fifties. So essentially he is just not converting those 50s to 100. In india he made three 70s and never looked troubled until he got himself out (run out twice).

Its almost like he is trying too hard, he just needs to relax and runs will come. Ponting could bat 3-4 more years no problem. Clarke on the other hand has always had problems when tied down. Like Martyn he will hit in the air through the cover and point region and that will be his down fall. When he plays the ball along the ground he is the most dangerous batsmen in the world with his footwork but when he tries to go over the top he just hits the ball too flat and continually gets caught.

 

[Big Pete]

England are a very good side and I hope that Cook and Anderson are acknowledged for their fantastic series down under.

With that said, I hope Australia don't use this as an excuse. England played very well but there were times when our batsmen played silly shots, ran themselves out at pivotal stages, bowlers bowled too short and our fielders dropped catches that could have change the game. The best thing Australia could do is follow the England's lead and take some of their attributes and hone them for their own.

 

[alenfort]

Yes, England is Very Good Test Side.The Team is Best Perform against Australia in Ases Test .England is Balanced Team For Test Side.