Goblin on 19/12/2006 at 09:19
Only a stack of coals with 5-0 chalked on them. That's right.
Paz on 19/12/2006 at 15:06
It could well be 5-0, though obviously I hope not. I think that would be undeserved. When you look at some of the crap we sent over there in the 90s who still managed to come back with a 4-1 defeat, it's slightly annoying to think that this team (who are actually rather decent) might get whitewashed.
Oddly, after the disappointment of losing the Ashes again (though this was always quite likely), I'm actually fairly satisfied with the look of our side. The majority of our batsmen have made 100s against the best bowling attack going, showing that they're all capable of it. Strauss has struggled - possibly because he was miffed at having the captaincy taken off him, and also because the umpires seemingly hate him. Flintoff has also looked like a passenger, but since he's just coming back from injury and hasn't had any practise, that doesn't overly concern me. Bell, Cook, Collingwood and Pietersen have all impressed me at various points. Consistancy, as ever, is the problem - with only Pietersen really doing the business with semi-regularity.
Fletcher is taking (rightly) a lot of stick for a few selections - and whoever was in charge of preparation for this series did a shitty job, but I think with a bit of tweaking the team will look solid.
~ If Vaughan is unable to recover from injury, I think we should consider Strauss as captain. He did well in his brief spell in charge, and I think he should be given a longer stab at it. Loading Flintoff with the responsibility of being a front-line bowler, middle-order batsman AND captain makes no fucking sense at all. He also hasn't exactly covered himself in tactical glory regarding fielding positions and the like.
~ Jones out, Read in. I don't care if we have to lock Fletcher in a box and shout at him until this happens.
~ Find another top-notch fast bowler from somewhere. Even if Simon Jones is the same player when he comes back, we clearly need more cover in this area. Harmison, Jones, Hoggard and Flintoff (with Monty on spin duty) is a great hypothetical attack - but we need some competent subs too. Mahmood might make the grade, with a bit of work. Hopefully some others will step up too.
~ Bring back the bowling coach dude we had during the 2005 Ashes (I think this one might be too late, because we already pissed him off).
That's about it. We've actually had some good days on this tour - the problem is that we've also tended to have one REALLY BAD day per game, during which the Aussies (being ruthless sporting professionals) have punished us, and then stamped on our face for good measure. We've made them look quite ordinary on a couple of occasions though, which we should take heart from.
It's not all doom and gloom though; it makes a nice change to be disappointed in a potentially talented side, rather than just despairing for the state of the game in general. The future could still be bright.
Congrats to Australia for once again being brilliant though. You bastards ;)
Goblin on 20/12/2006 at 10:55
Quote Posted by Paz
~ If Vaughan is unable to recover from injury, I think we should consider Strauss as captain. He did well in his brief spell in charge, and I think he should be given a longer stab at it. Loading Flintoff with the responsibility of being a front-line bowler, middle-order batsman AND captain makes no fucking sense at all. He also hasn't exactly covered himself in tactical glory regarding fielding positions and the like.
At risk of sounding unpatriotic, I'm a bit of a fan of Flintoff. I'd hate to bat against him, every time he bowls his face reads "May this ball be your PAINFUL DEATH". But you're right, why is he captain and not Strauss?
Quote Posted by Paz
~ Find another top-notch fast bowler from somewhere. Even if Simon Jones is the same player when he comes back, we clearly need more cover in this area. Harmison, Jones, Hoggard and Flintoff (with Monty on spin duty) is a great hypothetical attack - but we need some competent subs too. Mahmood might make the grade, with a bit of work. Hopefully some others will step up too.
Get rid of Hoggard when you play Australia. Our batsmen are getting too good at predicting him, and he's only going to get more expensive against us.
Myoldnamebroke on 20/12/2006 at 11:05
Apart from Hayden ;)
Anyway, doesn't Hoggard have the same number of wickets as Harmison and Flintoff combined in this series? Don't think his time is up quite yet...
Predictability isn't the be all and and end all anyway: McGrath and Warne are predictable, Clarke is predictable. Harmison in this series has been rather unpredictable. The fact that Hoggard has still been one of our more threatening bowlers this last year, given that we've been playing in Australia and the subcontinent where the pitches really don't suit him, is testament to his quality.
Goblin on 20/12/2006 at 11:16
I didn't say he's a bad bowler, just probably not worth bringing here. Well, we'll see how he goes in the Boxing Day test, when every member of the English squad will be out to prove their worth, if nothing else.
zacharias on 20/12/2006 at 13:01
What are you on? He's been the pick of the english quicks.
Convict on 20/12/2006 at 14:14
We thought we'd give you lot a better chance next time. Warnie and McGrath are retiring.
Paz on 20/12/2006 at 14:34
We've already beaten you just fine with those chaps in the side, thanks.
There is a grain of truth to your smug pomposity however, in that Warne especially holds a psychological edge over England that extends beyond his (considerable) talents.
zacharias on 21/12/2006 at 09:10
> We've already beaten you just fine with those chaps in the side, thanks.
Paz, Paz, Paz...McGrath didn't play in either of the matches you won in 05. I referred to this way back in this very thread.
Paz on 21/12/2006 at 13:42
Cricket existed before 2005. We've won plenty of Test Matches and One Day Internationals against Australian sides featuring both McGrath and Warne.
If you want to get really specific, you can say that we didn't win any Test Matches IN A WINNING SERIES against an Australian side featuring McGrath and Warne together. But since we only won one series between '87 and '06 anyway, that's hardly a surprising stat. However, we have won an Ashes series in which both players had a significant part - which is fine by me.
I'm not trying to undermine the achievements of two utterly amazing bowlers who've evidently scared the living daylights out of England teams for a decade or so. Really, I was just having a go at Convict for being a useless prick who probably couldn't have a decent conversation about cricket if his life depended on it because he is a pathetic fairweather fan.
