The Convicts Return

[Ste B]

Of course, it's probably going to rain all day.

336729[/snapback]

No, that will be saturday because I've got a ticket. Much like last year where I had a ticket for the only rained off day of the summer.

[jim mk2]

Good weather forecast for tomorrow.

Another rubbish batting performance by England today.

The light-fingered brigade will spend dig in for two and a half days and quietly compile 600 plus, leaving England to try to survive four sessions.

Trescothick should have made a big hundred and Vaughan and Strauss should be sent to the Tower for the shots they got out to.

The only hope for England is that the soft pitch deteriorates (groundsman Steve Rouse says it is already pitted after the soaking it received last week and expects it to misbehave as the game progresses).

The good news is that McGrath is injured. Nothing trivial hopefully. Couldn't have happened to a nicer chap.

[Manchester Blue]

I think it's harsh to say it was a rubbish performance. I know you're being your usual sensational self but even still bar Jones & Bell and to an extent Vaughan I think most of the batsmen will be pleased with their efforts. All we did today is what the Aussies have done for years now. Play attacking cricket.

We can't have it always, at Lords they were at fault for being defensive and waiting for the ball. Today we took it to them and bar a few daft shots we hit them all over. Of course we have lost wickets that we shouldn't but you can bet that the confidence will have been knocked by being smacked all around Edgbaston.

Lets wait and see what happens tomorrow before we slate the boys. If anyone seriously thinks the Aussies will just dig in for two days they haven't watched them for the last few years.

[Eddie]

The first lesson I was taught about Cricket, one that I'll live and die by one, is that you can't know what a good score is until you've seen both teams bat. Just over 400 seems a bit low, but I doubt it is so low that Australia will be able to post a target that in itself would put England out of the game. At the same time, if Australia are all out for 300 or less, with them batting last they could easily find themselves in a very difficult situation.

Should we have scored more? Yes, but hell did I enjoy todays cricket. I couldn't stop watching and I was never bored, and isn't that what sport is about, entertainment? Hopefully tomorrow will skittle them out and everything will be great, it probably won't happen, but I enjoyed today. If England can entertain me then I'm happy. Let the ageing aussies have their last day out. We had a small glimpse of Australia without McGrath today, imagine them in a couple years without a few more of their 32+ players.

[1864roverite]

Jim your so wrong. That wicket will get livlier and more dodgy as the game progresses. the amount of uneven bounce is incredible even at this early stage.

I can see Harmison causing some real damage first thing, especially if there is a little cloud cover. Further to that Flintoff and Jones can ball just as well as they are both faster than you'd imagine.

England have the runs on the board and with an early breakthrough they may just find themelves in the same sort of position the aussies found themselves in game 1.

[SouthAussieRover]

At last we have a Test.

I wonder if England can reproduce todays form over the next four days?

[modes98]

I wonder if England can reproduce todays form over the next four days?

336753[/snapback]

No chance they'll have a bad day on monday! After all the celebration drinks on the sunday!

As has been said, the key to england having a good day is getting early breaks into the aussie top order, and it hasn't been too differcult in recent times.

Personally i think it'll be an even day, with england having about 50run lead going into the saturday! But if england take 2 or 3 early wickets or the aussies get away with a few it could go to either extreme!

It's going to be an interesting days cricket!

[neekoy]

Although a great day of cricket for the spectators ( I finally got to bed about 2 in the morning then up at 6) England must surely be dissapointed in not making 500+ on a wicket that you could put a baby to sleep on, getting all bowled out again, getting bowled out in 3 sessions, the continuing failure of the flat track bully Trescothick to STILL not make a 100 against Australia and Peitersons inability to settle when he needed a show a solid TEST MATCH innings. But on a positive 400 in one day is a very good batting effort, and we still got everyone without McGrath.

The funniest things I heard were from Boycott

1. how he couldn't understand how the English were playing like this, I suppose he wanted you guys to block it out for the draw and

2. Plan A (bowling across his body) wasn't working against Trescothick then two balls later he dashed outside

[Blueboy Downunder]

Good weather forecast for tomorrow.

Another rubbish batting performance by England today.

The light-fingered brigade will spend dig in for two and a half days and quietly compile 600 plus, leaving England to try to survive four sessions.

Trescothick should have made a big hundred and Vaughan and Strauss should be sent to the Tower for the shots they got out to.

The only hope for England is that the soft pitch deteriorates (groundsman Steve Rouse says it is already pitted after the soaking it received last week and expects it to misbehave as the game progresses).

The good news is that McGrath is injured. Nothing trivial hopefully. Couldn't have happened to a nicer chap.

336736[/snapback]

if you have posted something in this context to take the michael, then you have certainly done what you set out to do.....if not, then you have to be having a laugh. a brilliant start to the test match with a great opening stand. yes tresco should have gone on and scored a big hundred but the way straussy got out, are you joking....come on you have to be!!!! that delivery from warney was almost akin to that one that had gatting wondering what was going on 12 years ago. the captain showed a glimpse of what he should done more often......it was a totally cocked up shot. ian bell....well another nothing show from a bloke whom i can't recall when he last had a decent innings against a good test nation. freddy and pietersen....steadied the ship and brought us back into the test match. the tail enders showed a little bit and added some good runs.

so to say that it was another rubbish batting performance from england....is a little tunnel visioned. if the collapse had of continued when we started losing wickets......maybe, but that did not happen.

[pg]

Assuming of course that Australia's old and weatherbeaten attack manages to survive the English summer and we don't cop a hiding.

I still stand by my earlier comments.  Australia's ability to win cricket games this summer is dictated by the wobbly old joints of McGrath, Warne and Gillespie.

326734[/snapback]

Do these posts make me look very clever?

Or do they make me guilty of jinxing the Aussies

Why Ponting sent the English in to bat will be a mystery that may haunt him forever.

Suddenly McGrath's out for two tests, Lee is resembling the two-year test reject he once was and the English are pasting us all over the ground.

I'm having flashbacks to 1985!!

I think that the Aussie selectors should fly in Brad Williams and/or Nathan Bracken, just to make sure that the #4 quickie has some international experience. I wouldn't want to blood Tait in the middle of a 1-1 Ashes series.

It will be interesting viewing tonight.

[neekoy]

pg, I guess I need to remind you that it is the first day of a five day test.

Why would the decision to send England in to bat haunt Ponting? He bowled them out in three sessions. It now gives the Aussies a chance to settle over two and a half days and pump 600+ on the board then bowl the English out again with a day and a half to play and maybe have to chase a small total.

If Australia had batted first we would have put 600 on and the English would have played for a draw.

Lee has nothing to bowl on at the moment, wait until Englands second innning when they are chasing 250 on a detiorating wicket with uneven bounce.

[pg]

Australia loses its #1 fast bowler an hour before the test.

Our #3 bowler is still out of form.

Our best bowler is a spinner.

The track looked fairly benign on the morning of day one.

Based on those points, I would have thought that batting first was a lay-down misere...

...but then again I'm not captain of Australia, so what do I know!

Oh, and why everyone thinks that Australia making over 600 in their first innings is an almost certainly is beyond me.

Edited August 5, 2005 by pg

[SouthAussieRover]

Australia loses its #1 fast bowler an hour before the test.

Our #3 bowler is still out of form.

Our best bowler is a spinner.

Kasprowicz, who in my humble opinion was unlucky to be dropped in the first place,returned with 3 wickets.When he's back into Test cricket mode expect the wickets to tumble.

Edited August 5, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[pg]

Just to be sure, I was actually referring to Gillespie.

[SouthAussieRover]

Just to be sure, I was actually referring to Gillespie.

336781[/snapback]

I know pg.

I should have eloborated and said I thought it was harsh that Kaspa was dropped for Lee.

The old NSW chestnut maybe

[Flopsy]

Birmingham Weather report

Its currently Overcast - we've had a bit of rain overnight (which is a right pain in the arse as we have just noticed we've a couple of roof tiles gone awol) - and theres a bit of dampness in the air.

Is that good or bad for England?

Also I thought England were good yesterday, I managed to get freddie up to 50+ by betting a tenner that he wouldnt hit a half century and won £50 betting that England wouldnt get 450 beers sorted for tommorrow now (or getting the effing roof fixed)

[Timmy]

Birmingham Weather report

Its currently Overcast - we've had a bit of rain overnight (which is a right pain in the arse as we have just noticed we've a couple of roof tiles gone awol) - and theres a bit of dampness in the air.

Is that good or bad for England?

Also I thought England were good yesterday, I managed to get freddie up to 50+ by betting a tenner that he wouldnt hit a half century and won £50 betting that England wouldnt get 450 beers sorted for tommorrow now (or getting the effing roof fixed)

336795[/snapback]

It be good for england if their is dampness around, and the wicket being covered overnight, as it will help th eball to swing

[Flopsy]

brightening up a bit now - hint of sun through the overcast. I can see the blimp from my office

[SouthAussieRover]

Hell where are you all?.

Hayden is out.

[Roaming Rover]

Just taking things nice and slowly, we made the mistake in the last test of getting over excited by a wicket

[Flopsy]

Pontings looking good - but Harmy is looking dangerous - unlike your bowlers yesterday - Game on

[Ozz]

60 odd already though...need a couple of kwik wikets

[philipl]

The catch stuck but not backing up the run out attempt against Ponting straight afterwards was criminal. That's really costing England now.

[SouthAussieRover]

Could someone over there pop over to Edgbaston.

Whilst there remove that moaning sourpuss Yorkshireman aka Boycott from the C4 commentary box as his slagging off of everything is doing my head in

[greggyk]

HOWZZZAAAAT!

88-2

Edited August 5, 2005 by greggyk