Ashes 2013

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Who's he play for Matt? Div 1 or 2 side?

 

 

Apparently crack was sledging Jimmy as Jimmy said he was going to punch George Bailey in the face. The article is written by Malcolm Conn who is normally spot on with his info

 

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/michael-clarke-leapt-to-defence-of-george-bailey-after-jimmy-anderson-made-assault-threat/story-e6frf3gl-1226768120753

[Voll Blau]

Re the Jimmy and Clarke stuff, you hear much worse in club cricket. He should be able to handle that.

 

Sad about Trott, but the guy's absolutely done the right thing. Cricket's about the loneliest team sport you can play and the statistics about depression (and sadly suicide) among cricketers are shocking.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Just looked up Gary Ballance and his already played for Zimbabwe

[Guest MattP]

Yep, another cricket tourist.....

Plays in div 2.

Don't see a problem with the sledging, heard ten times worse on a school field.

[Corky]

Re the Jimmy and Clarke stuff, you hear much worse in club cricket. He should be able to handle that.

 

Sad about Trott, but the guy's absolutely done the right thing. Cricket's about the loneliest team sport you can play and the statistics about depression (and sadly suicide) among cricketers are shocking.

 

Third England player to leave a tour early, plus reports about Harmison, Thorpe, Hoggard and Flintoff struggling whilst away playing for England.

[Guest MattP]

I think any person will struggle when they have to spend months on end away from family and friends..

[Guest ttfn]

I think any person will struggle when they have to spend months on end away from family and friends..

And with Stuart Broad

[Captain...]

hahahahahahahahaaha

That is funny, they'd sack you maybe if you took too long of sick.

I'm tired of getting attacked from all angles on this thread so I;m off as none of you will ever even evaluate my point fairly let alone consider it valid.

You strive all your life to reach the pinnacle in your field of work, you get there, then you run home with mental issues.

Not for me I'm afraid, there are all sorts of ways to deal with these issues and running away is probably the worst of the lot.

Good day!

 

So a few digs and you've run off home?

[Finnegan]

And with Stuart Broad

 

[surrifox]

Who's he play for Matt? Div 1 or 2 side?

 

 

Apparently crack was sledging Jimmy as Jimmy said he was going to punch George Bailey in the face. The article is written by Malcolm Conn who is normally spot on with his info

 

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/michael-clarke-leapt-to-defence-of-george-bailey-after-jimmy-anderson-made-assault-threat/story-e6frf3gl-1226768120753

George Bailey eh- Jimmy probably wondered why he was impersonating a test cricketer.

[Guest MattP]

This series is going to get pretty nasty.

You can tell the two sides at the minute genuinely don't like each other at all.

[Alexikokopops]

It was a bad performance, I presume you have forgotten the last few years, you only appear on here afte we have lost.

Didn't hear from you over the summer and you vanished like a fart in the wind after you went ranting after the first test in India.

One bad test match, these guys deserve some faith and support considering they have came back from defeats to win India and have won the Ashes series on the trot.

 

An piece on it by Andy Bull in the Guardian

 

 

Flower and his team have endured harder matches and darker patches, and those who feel they have reached a nadir now must have forgotten both how poorly they have played at points in the past, and how well they have tended to rally and respond when they have been written off. Pakistan are the only team who have beaten them twice in a row. You'd think we would have long since learned not to over-react, that the team deserve a little more faith than their more fickle supporters show them, that even the more excitable members of the media might cut them some slack. But the long view seems to have become something of a luxury. We all rush to judge. But then sensible opinions seldom sell papers, and for fervent fans, febrile reactions are half the fun.

[Corky]

An piece on it by Andy Bull in the Guardian

 

 

Flower and his team have endured harder matches and darker patches, and those who feel they have reached a nadir now must have forgotten both how poorly they have played at points in the past, and how well they have tended to rally and respond when they have been written off. Pakistan are the only team who have beaten them twice in a row. You'd think we would have long since learned not to over-react, that the team deserve a little more faith than their more fickle supporters show them, that even the more excitable members of the media might cut them some slack. But the long view seems to have become something of a luxury. We all rush to judge. But then sensible opinions seldom sell papers, and for fervent fans, febrile reactions are half the fun.

 

Victims of their own success. A pasting by Australia, in Australia, was normally be shrugged off or the fans have a party and go all self-depricating. Now it's a complete shock.

 

We have been so dominant in scorelines in the last two Ashes series that many expected it to be the norm. They've had one bad Test and deserve some slack, not the doom-mongering, "Why are we so shit!?" nonsense.

[Guest MattP]

An piece on it by Andy Bull in the Guardian

 

 

Flower and his team have endured harder matches and darker patches, and those who feel they have reached a nadir now must have forgotten both how poorly they have played at points in the past, and how well they have tended to rally and respond when they have been written off. Pakistan are the only team who have beaten them twice in a row. You'd think we would have long since learned not to over-react, that the team deserve a little more faith than their more fickle supporters show them, that even the more excitable members of the media might cut them some slack. But the long view seems to have become something of a luxury. We all rush to judge. But then sensible opinions seldom sell papers, and for fervent fans, febrile reactions are half the fun.

 

Generally cricket fans are a bit brighter than that though. Don't generally fall for sensationalist stuff.

 

P.S What have the Guardian done to their website, looks like its been designed by and for a two year old?

[Alexikokopops]

Generally cricket fans are a bit brighter than that though. Don't generally fall for sensationalist stuff.

 

P.S What have the Guardian done to their website, looks like its been designed by and for a two year old?

 

Generally yes, although I've certainly noticed more "fickleness" recently than I have in the past. I don't know whether, as Corky says, it's because people have come to expect more. If this happened ten years ago no one would bat an eyelid!

 

As for the website, it's basically the same as the Telegraph but a different colour scheme

[Guest MattP]

Telegraph site looks far superior.

 

I think the right line has to be expectations, our test match record over the last 6-7 years is only bettered by a superb South African side. Clearly going to the heads of some of our supporters. Hopefully we can fight back and send them back under their rocks.

 

Trott is going to be a huge loss though now, it's hard to take losing a solid number three who had a few years left in his career, with the inexperience of Carberry, Root and Bairstow in the top six it's a hell of a lot of pressure on Cook, KP and Bell to score a lot of runs.

[Brainy]

My opinion on the batsman though is that none of them are ever really consistent enough. All of them (bar Root) have had a purple patch over the past few years

 

Cook 2010/11, India 2012

Trott - 2010/11, generally solid everywhere though

KP: Pretty much capable of a few good innings every year, thats it.

Bell 2013 Ashes, SA tour a few years ago aswell?????

Prior 2011/2012, absolutely terrible this year

 

 

I don't really buy into KP being our best ever batsman. I only caught onto cricket after the 2005 Ashes, before that I literally hated it, so I couldn't really begin to tell you who is if KP isn't. When he's on form he's incredible but that just seems too rare.

[Guest MattP]

My opinion on the batsman though is that none of them are ever really consistent enough. All of them (bar Root) have had a purple patch over the past few years

 

Cook 2010/11, India 2012

Trott - 2010/11, generally solid everywhere though

KP: Pretty much capable of a few good innings every year, thats it.

Bell 2013 Ashes, SA tour a few years ago aswell?????

Prior 2011/2012, absolutely terrible this year

 

 

I don't really buy into KP being our best ever batsman. I only caught onto cricket after the 2005 Ashes, before that I literally hated it, so I couldn't really begin to tell you who is if KP isn't. When he's on form he's incredible but that just seems too rare.

 

The you don't realise how lucky you are. We have gone through periods of 6-7 years without winning a series during my lifetime. Now we have lost just two in the last four years. It wasn't unusual for us to be sending out players with averages of 25 in country cricket in batting slots before that and it was painful watching bowlers like Richard Johnson and Dean Headley run in.

 

Is KP the best ever? He's certainly close, his average, strike rate and general dominance of being able to win test matches on his own stands up with most.

 

Personally I'd go Botham, but he isn't far off.

[Strokes]

The you don't realise how lucky you are. We have gone through periods of 6-7 years without winning a series during my lifetime. Now we have lost just two in the last four years. It wasn't unusual for us to be sending out players with averages of 25 in country cricket in batting slots before that and it was painful watching bowlers like Richard Johnson and Dean Headley run in.

Is KP the best ever? He's certainly close, his average, strike rate and general dominance of being able to win test matches on his own stands up with most.

Personally I'd go Botham, but he isn't far off.

Eww, you'll give me nightmares reminding me of such horrible images, but you are dead right, we had some dark times for a long time. Even gatting/gooch times werent great but atherton and hussains were appauling.

[surrifox]

Yep, another cricket tourist.....

Plays in div 2  1    (For Yorkshire - County Championship runners-up)

Don't see a problem with the sledging, heard ten times worse on a school field.

[Mack]

So a few digs and you've run off home?

 

I was not in a great place the other day, most of what I said was a load of shit sorry.

Of course he is right to step back from the tour if he is not right, I hope he finds a way to get back in better times.

[Guest MattP]

England under Andy Flower in second tests.

P18 W14 D3 L1

Going to need a bit of that next week.

[Captain...]

I was not in a great place the other day, most of what I said was a load of shit sorry.

Of course he is right to step back from the tour if he is not right, I hope he finds a way to get back in better times.

Fair play, no harm done, now back to backing the boys.

Massive test coming up, we really can't afford to lose this one, 2-0 with 3 to play is not impossible, but Australia will have all the momentum and home advantage, going to be tough.

[Bobby Hundreds]

 atherton and hussains were appauling.

 

Not sure I believe this. Athers opened to Alan Donald, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.

 

He'd fill his boots today, bar Steyn fast bowling is on its arse.

[Guest MattP]

Not sure I believe this. Athers opened to Alan Donald, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.

 

He'd fill his boots today, bar Steyn fast bowling is on its arse.

 

Atherton and Cook would be an awesome opening partnership.

 

Never forget Athers 185* in Joburg to get a draw for us in the late 90's, still probably the best innings I've ever seen from an England player. 492 balls of which more than half were from Donald or Pollock. He occupied the crease for well over ten hours.

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63701.html