The Convicts Return

[dave birch]

If you had built "Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant lands" Theno and Blue Phil would be whinging about the Israelis and the Palestinians having a go at each other

[pg]

Still, with your breeding, what can we expect?

344962[/snapback]

Yeah I know.

All those poor souls in Australia descended from Anglo-Saxon stock....

Poor short pasty ginger turnips

Thankfully I don't have an ounce of English blood in me

Edited September 7, 2005 by pg

[ABBEY]

would you like some ?

im not getting much these dasys !!

Edited September 7, 2005 by ABBEY

[pg]

Sorry Abbey, but I don't go for these back door shenanigans.

Sure I'm flattered... maybe even curious....

...but the answers no!

[adopted scouser]

Sorry Abbey, but I don't go for these back door shenanigans.

Sure I'm flattered... maybe even curious....

...but the answers no! 

345219[/snapback]

Don't worry mate. Got it on good authority that a field mouse has bigger tackle, Ste told me.

[pg]

This thread is getting derailed in very big hurry!!

Can't you feel the love

Ah.. bless cricket

Edited September 7, 2005 by pg

[Cheshireblue]

We were going to build Jerusalem here, but Colin and his lot objected to the demolition of tree, so it was built in Israel instead.

I do love waltzing matilda as an anthem. It somehow sums up Australia.

[SouthAussieRover]

We were going to build Jerusalem here, but Colin and his lot objected to the demolition of  tree, so it was built in Israel instead.

I do love waltzing matilda as an anthem. It somehow sums up Australia.

345304[/snapback]

Waltzing Matilda is good at the rugby matches which is where it should stay.

I quite like Old England is Dying by the Waterboys as a potential anthem.

[Cheshireblue]

Waltzing Matilda is good at the rugby matches which is where it should stay.

I quite like Old England is Dying by the Waterboys as a potential anthem.

345312[/snapback]

Why do the Kangaroo molesters get to have two songs at the rugby? Your national anthem, advance Australia fair, seems OK, if a little ironic given your win at all costs mentality, but then you also get to drone through waltzing matilda.

I propose that when Gods own team play the chain rattlers next, we play God Save the Queen, and then we also play "I fought the law", by the clash.

Edited September 7, 2005 by Cheshireblue

[Timmy]

BA are offering an intreasting Ashes themed offer

A ticket to Sydney costing the amount the aussies score in their 1st innings (so if they score 300 runs it will cost £300). The number of tickets avaiable will be the same as the number of runs england (so if they score 400 runs in their 1st innings there will be 400 tickets)

[Flopsy]

BA are offering an intreasting Ashes themed offer

A ticket to Sydney costing the amount the aussies score in their 1st innings (so if they score 300 runs it will cost £300). The number of tickets avaiable will be the same as the number of runs england (so if they score 400 runs in their 1st innings there will be 400 tickets)

345345[/snapback]

or if McGrath hits form - 25

What Id like to see is that IF we win the toss, we bat first and just see how big a total we can get, say we get to 450 for 5 - lets not declare lets go for 600, lets destroy the Aussie bowling, give their batsmenno chance and have lots of fun subbing all our fielders just to watch ponting explode

[Timmy]

I am getting a feeling a bit like the day before blackburns championship winning sunday..I getting stocked up on gum to chew away the nerves

[blue phil]

or if McGrath hits form - 25

give their batsmenno chance and have lots of fun subbing all our fielders just to watch ponting explode

345349[/snapback]

Not literally I hope ......? Wouldn't surprise me , though , wingeing Aussies ..

[pg]

I do love waltzing matilda as an anthem. It somehow sums up Australia.

345304[/snapback]

Yes, Watlzing matilda is a great song and should be sung at every Australian football game, as well as the cricket.

The problem with having one of the worst national anthems ever written (the dirge that is Advance Australia fair) is that you cannot sing it to create a decent atmosphere.

So...what's the weather forecast for today?

[neekoy]

The signs are right, Australia to finish off the English in four days

I don't think I have ever been more excited about a cricket match

Channel 9 must be kicking themselves silly at the moment

[pg]

Channel 9 must be kicking themselves silly at the moment

345466[/snapback]

Serves the b******'s right!!!

[Manchester Blue]

I don't think i've ever been more nervous before a cricket match. It's sheer hell and not really enjoyable. If the Aussies manage to scrape a draw then i'll be gutted for sure but still proud of how we have taken the game to them. It will go down as one of the best test series ever, and rightly so.

Weather forecast is good today, bad tomorrow and then pretty good Sat & Sun. Patchy on Monday if it's needed.

[dave birch]

MB, I'll be glad if the Poms win.

As a spectator, I have a vested interest in seeing quality games, something that has been sadly lacking in games over here for years, the odd Indian game being the exception.

An England win will do two things;

It will force change in the Australian team, something which has been nigh on impossible.

and

give impetous to other countries to lift their game.

All this will mean that the spectator gets better value out of test matches.

It will be sad to lose the Ashes, but if the end result is more competitive tests between countries, then bring it on.

[Manchester Blue]

That's a cracking post Dave and one not often made by someone on the inside. Fans of dominant sides often become so used to success that they ignore what sport is all about really. I do think a series win would have an effect on the other nations and remove some of the aura (sp?) around the Aussie team.

It really will be a shame when this series is over and it's been pleasant to see opinions from Aussies on the board which don't come across like the stereotypical arrogant Aussie we are led to believe is the norm, well apart from Neekoy of course.

Not long now.

[neekoy]

HEY!

I can still admit that we have been outplayed in all the tests except the first

Now the reason for my perceived arrogance is that no one gave a toss about the aussie cricketing plight when we were down in the early eighties and now we are expected to feel sorry for everyone else because we have been pumping them for a decade.

No way, if the English win the Ashes do you think they will let it rest at "Good series, I really enjoyed that on a sporting level, clap clap..."

Crap, they are going to give it to us for the next two years.

Sport is about winning, nothing else. If Rovers played entertaining attacking football every week but lost 5-4 and ended up being relegated we wouldn't be clapping our hands in joy for such a good sporting spectacle.

Edited September 8, 2005 by neekoy

[SouthAussieRover]

That's a cracking post Dave and one not often made by someone on the inside. 

345471[/snapback]

Now I know you lot think this is still one big penal colony.

At leat DB still has a PC in his cell

I wish there was going to be 2 or 3 three Tests because in a few days time it's all going to be over for 2 or 3 more years

Edited September 8, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[philipl]

The more I think about this Test match, the more convinced I am that the Aussies will win.

If they bat first, they will finally post a big score.

Whenever they bowl, the Aussies (particularly McGrath) will be lethal. This is going to be a finger-nail chewing bad light and rain affected "can we hang on for the draw?" game for England.

With Warne bowling and an England rearguard built for counter attack rather than blocking them out, the Ashes are going back to Australia.

[dave birch]

You're right, Neekoy, but only to a certain extent.......

When the aussies hit rock bottomand Simpson and Border took control, they formed a partnership that changed Aussie cricket. They used Lillie, Marsh and others to forge a coaching regime that absolutely blitzed other teams.

It's no fluke that England have emerged as a threat, it's taken the creation of their academy, run by Marsh, to instil something into the English team that was the sole preserve of the Australian team.

I am pleased that the game has surfaced from the dominance of one team. I just hope that the game progresses from here and things like bad, yes bad, umpiring (it has been woeful in this series, and affected both sides) is remedied. Get rid of the crooked fingers, the slow, late finger in the air. The game is for the spectators and the players.

[pg]

Dave - how can you 'improve' the umpiring?

A human beings eyes and ears are only so accurate. The umpires we have are the best in the world.

As long as players appeal for everything (even when they know it's not out) you'll have umpires giving bad decisions.

[Ozz]

Weather at the Oval this morning is superb.

England are one session from losing the Ashes still, despite what the media are saying. Imagine England win the toss, Mcgrath steams in and at lunch England are 75-6. One bad session and we are knackered. The Aussies have the nerve and bottle, not sure England do. Hope I`m wrong as I will be distraught if we dont win the urn this time.