Football or what?

[Mr Brownstone 0]

[quote user="Herman "]I''m with Chops on this. It''s good beating the Aussies, but when they are as poor as they have been, it feels a hollow victory. England haven''t been that great but have enough quality to walk it. As a spectator, an Aussie fight back would be good for the game.[/quote]

 

Couldn''t disagree more Gents, seen far too many Ashes series with the roles reversed, thoroughly enjoying every minute of the boot being on the other foot.

[PurpleCanary 5,558]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"]

[quote user="Herman "]I''m with Chops on this. It''s good beating the Aussies, but when they are as poor as they have been, it feels a hollow victory. England haven''t been that great but have enough quality to walk it. As a spectator, an Aussie fight back would be good for the game.[/quote]

 

Couldn''t disagree more Gents, seen far too many Ashes series with the roles reversed, thoroughly enjoying every minute of the boot being on the other foot.

[/quote]

 

Absolutely, Mr Brownstone. Herman''s Corinthian attitude is fine when it comes to sports that don''t matter, such as professional football, but this is cricket, and cricket against Australia.

[Mister Chops 7]

Don''t get me wrong - if I can''t have a close, tense, tight contest between two well matched teams then I''m more than happy to watch a one-sided demolition of the old enemy.  It is however less of an engrossing spectacle.

[Herman 9,764]

Thanks Purple. I''ve been called a few things beginning with C but never Corinthian.

I understand where you are coming from, many years the words England, batting collapse and whitewash blended into one, but the reason why 2005 was so special was because it was a proper battle. We beat a very good Australian side, and deservedly so.

A bit more of a scrap is all I ask!

[crabbycanary 2]

Loved 2005 and because we won it perhaps, thought the 1st Test was great also. Having said that, it would be nice to absolutely demolish them 4 or 5-0, as we have suffered to that extent, before, and I would like to see the roles reversed

[Mr Brownstone 0]

Hoping we knock them over before tea so I don''t have to channel hop between it and the final stage of The Tour.

[PurpleCanary 5,558]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"]Hoping we knock them over before tea so I don''t have to channel hop between it and the final stage of The Tour.[/quote]

 

The Tour doesn''t finish today until around 8.45pm UK time. It is a late start.

[Lets be aving you! 0]

"I reckon you''d get one Aussie into the England team at best (I''d have Siddle over Bresnan/Finn)."

 

Agree about Siddle but (and I''m sorry to go all Geoff Boycott on you) what about Michael Clarke, who is the only world class player they''ve got.

 

He scored 1041 runs at an average of 115.67 in just seven Tests last year (3 v India, 3 in West Indies, and the Brisbane Test v South Africa).

 

Just as a comparison, in his entire career Bradman scored more than 1000 Test runs in a calendar year only once, in 1948 (scored 1025 at 113.89 in eight Tests).

 

 

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="Lets be aving you"]

"I reckon you''d get one Aussie into the England team at best (I''d have Siddle over Bresnan/Finn)."

 

Agree about Siddle but (and I''m sorry to go all Geoff Boycott on you) what about Michael Clarke, who is the only world class player they''ve got.

 

He scored 1041 runs at an average of 115.67 in just seven Tests last year (3 v India, 3 in West Indies, and the Brisbane Test v South Africa).

 

Just as a comparison, in his entire career Bradman scored more than 1000 Test runs in a calendar year only once, in 1948 (scored 1025 at 113.89 in eight Tests).

 [/quote]

I think there''s a good argument he could replace Pietersen on current form, but this isn''t really a form-based discussion (and I do loathe KP, who has used up his nine lives - not sure he''ll be back after his "injury" if the guy called up takes his chance).  Happier with him replacing Bairstow, who looks a little bit lightweight to me.I am a Shane Watson fan, but he doesn''t help himself.CookRootTrottPietersenBellClarkePriorBroadSiddleSwannAndersonYes, that''s a tidy team.

[Lets be aving you! 0]

Yes, can''t argue with that lineup. Shane Watson is an exciting cricketer and has all the ability to get in a "best of" team, but his shot selection is not great (same as KP).

 

England are a very good side, but this is probably the poorest Aussie team I''ve seen since the mid-80s. Even their wicket-keeper, a position in which they normally excel (Marsh, Healy, Gilchrist), has looked weak.

 

But, like Ipswich, it''s still nice to really hammer the old enemy occasionally!

 

 

[Mister Chops 7]

Bell must be on for 1000 test runs in 2013, with 6 innings remaining against the Aussie attack plus 8 more innings (4 tests) in the 2013-14 trip down under?

[Mr Brownstone 0]

"The Tour doesn''t finish today until around 8.45pm UK time. It is a late start."

Yes, I was aware of that. TV coverage started at 4:30pm and seeing as I''ve only managed to watch the highlights show for 15 of the stages, I was looking forward to watching this stage in it''s entirety. Hoping Cav can top off a great weekend.

[Mr Brownstone 0]

*Yes, I was aware of that thanks.

[Mr Brownstone 0]

Omega Pharma left Cav a little too much to do there, they''ll be better next year for their experiences this year, and with Renshaw on board will be much stronger. Cav will ride into Paris in Green again, will be another fascinating battle between him, Greipel, Kittel, Sagan and Goss though.

[Shack Attack 0]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"]Omega Pharma left Cav a little too much to do there, they''ll be better next year for their experiences this year, and with Renshaw on board will be much stronger. Cav will ride into Paris in Green again, will be another fascinating battle between him, Greipel, Kittel, Sagan and Goss though.[/quote]Has Renshaw definitely signed for OPQS for next year then? I''ve seen it rumoured but not confirmed (Christ it''s just like the football [;)]). They definitely need more strength in their lead out as Steegmans was left with far too much to do on most of the sprint stages. Kittel is damn fast though and will take some stopping next year. Could all be irrelevant though as Sagan will keep winning green until he gets bored IMO as he can pick up points where the other sprinter do not on the slightly hillier stages.Froome is a worthy winner and the way he has dealt with the doping allegations has seen him go up in my estimations. I still miss Wiggo though [:(]

[lake district canary 4,531]

Talking of "or what"  I sat down out of the heat a few times yesterday afternoon where the mrs. had the golf on.  The coverage is so poor, I couldn''t believe it.   Naff music, no action replays (action? Ha!), shots of  a people walking into a hut, sitting down and writing something (wow!) no indication of who was leading - presume you had to mess about with the red button for that - but what are commentators for?  Entertaining if a Brit is winning maybe, but most golfers look well out of shape and the action is oh so slow.  As for dress sense, what is it with golfers?   Now that is strange.

[Mr Brownstone 0]

[quote user="Shack Attack"][quote user="Mr Brownstone"]Omega Pharma left Cav a little too much to do there, they''ll be better next year for their experiences this year, and with Renshaw on board will be much stronger. Cav will ride into Paris in Green again, will be another fascinating battle between him, Greipel, Kittel, Sagan and Goss though.[/quote]

Has Renshaw definitely signed for OPQS for next year then? I''ve seen it rumoured but not confirmed (Christ it''s just like the football [;)]). They definitely need more strength in their lead out as Steegmans was left with far too much to do on most of the sprint stages. Kittel is damn fast though and will take some stopping next year. Could all be irrelevant though as Sagan will keep winning green until he gets bored IMO as he can pick up points where the other sprinter do not on the slightly hillier stages.

Froome is a worthy winner and the way he has dealt with the doping allegations has seen him go up in my estimations. I still miss Wiggo though [:(]
[/quote]

 

Renshaw won''t be officially announced until August 1st, but it''s widely believed that it''s already a done deal. I think Cav proved last night that he can take it to Kittel and Greipel, he made up ground despite the faltering lead out. He''ll be amongst it next year no doubt.

 

I know what you mean about Wiggo, such a character.  Froome was impressive no doubt, but it annoys me that people are saying it was a much bigger achievement than Wiggo''s, Froome had just as much (if not more) help from Porte as Wiggo had from Froome. There''s no telling how much time Froome would have lost on Stage 18 if Porte hadn''t gone back for those gels.

 

Reckon we''ll see Wiggo leading another team next year?

 

 

[Herman 9,764]

So, everyone happy with todays outcome?

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="Herman "]So, everyone happy with todays outcome?[/quote]Kind of.  We''ve retained them without ever getting out of second gear.  We''ve been outplayed in pretty much every session but one of this test and have been saved by the weather today.This series will be remembered for the umpiring more than the standard of cricket, and that p*sses me off, too.Obviously delighted we''ve retained the Ashes but I want better performances both individually and collectively to finish the series off, and to put down a marker for the return series.  Would drop Bairstow and look at someone else now it''s safe.

[FenwayFrank 2,459]

Prefer baseball personally [:)]

[Herman 9,764]

There have been some very poor umpiring decisions this series. Some quite frankly embarrassing. And some of the players need to learn how to use the review system properly.