Ashes Final Test

[Ed Seeley]

Well as I'm typing this we've survived the first over so my heart beat has settled down a little!

If you're not a cricket fan then I know this is probably a bit hard to understand but there's nothing like cricket to build and sustain the tension of a sporting event. All of you football fans, you know the knot in your stomach you feel before, and sometimes during, a tight football match? Well imagine that for 5 days; 6 hours play each day! When you get into it each ball is a crescendo of tension and action. Everything can happen each ball - a crushing disappointment (if it's your team!) of a wicket; the anti-climax of a testing dot-ball (where something has actually happened - usually a good piece of judgement by the batsmen to leave a ball moving at 90mph past him and his wicket) or the joy of a beautifully struck 4 to the boundary. And that's only 3 options - lots more can happen with each ball.

Once you get hooked by cricket it's addictive, you just need to learn enough to get into it! If you want to try and get addicted then simply have the BBC's Test Match Special playing on your computer while you're online (if you're allowed!) and you might get hooked!

 

[Superman]

have the BBC's Test Match Special playing on your computer while you're online (if you're allowed!)

Shh!!!
Don't give the game away, hopefully the firewall will remain open here at work.

 

[Ed Seeley]

have the BBC's Test Match Special playing on your computer while you're online (if you're allowed!)

Shh!!!
Don't give the game away, hopefully the firewall will remain open here at work.

Ooops! Sorry!!

 

[Nick16]

england have lots a wicket. ooops

12-1

 

[Ed Seeley]

Yeah not the best start! I hate it when we bat first - I've no confidence in our batting line up today. Would have looked a lot better with Key batting #3 and Bell at 4, if anywhere. Bell's having a very torrid time with the short balls at the moment and that's just silly - you can just let them sail by as they're no danger to your wicket.

 

[aaronnorth]

lets hope Trott can step up and hit some, its a big game, cant be much worse than Bopara though
I dont see why Strauss didnt play Bell right from day 1 in place of Bopara, like he said himself, Bell is a proven performer.

And as i typed this we nearly lost another to 2nd slip :silent:

 

[samc]

i dont watch it as much now but still play for a team.

i went to see england win them at trent bridge 2 years ago. what a match!

 

[Superman]

To be honest, I'd watch it but I don't have sky.
Therefore, the only sport I get to watch is on the beeb.

Main points of cricket...
1) It gives me something to do at work
2) I like any sport that we beat the convicts at - don't get much chance in my main sport (Rugby League!)

 

[aaronnorth]

just been reading some cricket insults, some of them had me in tears, not really suitable for a forum but there is alink on the MSN UK homepage
http://uk.msn.com/

 

[Ed Seeley]

I rate Bell. I think he's really talented but he could be just like Ramps - all the skills but not the right mental approach. Not seen Trott bat so can't really comment but not the best situation to play your first test. Or maybe it's the test a true class batsman will relish?? Personally I'd have like to have seen Key picked instead.

IMO Cook needs runs or dropping, as does Bell and Collingwood. I just cannot understand what on Earth Collingwood has done to earn his place! He hasn't got the ability for truly top class cricket. He has the right attitude and gritty resolve in spades but just not the talent.

Problem is we don't have the talent coming through to replace them with better players I suppose.

And I'm a bowler so don't even get me started on that....

 

[aaronnorth]

I'm a bowler too hehe.

We have good batsmen, but they arent consistent, that is something Pieterson has, you can usually guarantee at least 30 runs from him, the others barely get into double figures

I like Prior, i think he's good

 

[Ed Seeley]

I agree, Prior has worked hard on his batting and his keeping and is now class. I'd have him batting higher up the order at the moment he's that good.

I think Straus is very good and our best batsmen at the moment, but world class? The rest of them are not really up to it. They either lack talent or the right mental approach. However best of a bad job I'd have picked these as my best England 11 for today;

Strauss
Cook
Key
Bell
Trott
Prior
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Onions

Pietersen's injury came at just the right time. He could be world class but getting 30s is no good. He should be getting 150+s. None of our batsmen do that, whereas the Aussies... Until he gets his head sorted and makes big scores he was just disrupting the changing room. You'd have to pick him at 4 if he was fit though as he is so talented.

When Freddie retires we will have to pick another bowler and it shouldn't be Harmison. He's an awesome bowler in form on the right wicket but he's just not good enough at this level in his head.

 

[aaronnorth]

not looking as strong currently with just under 200-4, Trott is looking confident though
I dont know who Key is? whats his first name?


I would bring Sidebottom in place of Freddy, only trouble is trying to find someone who can bat too, he will be a big loss, its a shame he got injured.

I am not sure who is going to win yet though.

 

[John Starkey]

I've been watching this bunch of muppets all afternoon,second rate cricketers all of them,
nuff said john.

 

[Ed Seeley]

not looking as strong currently with just under 200-4, Trott is looking confident though
I dont know who Key is? whats his first name?

Robert Key. Plays for Kent and is class. Played a few tests for England and got some big scores followed by a few very low ones and then got dropped. Obviosuly his face didn't fit as Collingwood can score nothing for years and still get picked!

Trott looked good and it was bad luck to get run out like that. Hopefully he'll get a ton in the 2nd innings as we're not going to get enough to mean we don't bat again.

I would bring Sidebottom in place of Freddy, only trouble is trying to find someone who can bat too, he will be a big loss, its a shame he got injured.

Siders is good over here but he's not good enough on a flat wicket where it doesn't swing. He will be useless if he's picked for the tour this winter. The big problem is that we rely on number 6,7a nd 8 far too much when numbers 1-5 shoudl be getting our runs.

I am not sure who is going to win yet though.

Well I don't think we will from today's performance. A draw is most likely now I think and that's not good enough.

 

[aaronnorth]

yeah, after the quick wickets it soon put us back into a poor-ish position again,
A shame Swann was out on the last ball, i think if they get up to 350 tommorrow then they are in a pretty decent position, at least we have a spinner

 

[Ed Seeley]

yeah, after the quick wickets it soon put us back into a poor-ish position again,
A shame Swann was out on the last ball, i think if they get up to 350 tommorrow then they are in a pretty decent position, at least we have a spinner

I would take 350 at our current postion but reckon 400 is the score we needed to have a chance of winning. Can't see the last few making that.

I just think that it has draw all over it. Our bowlers have to step it up a few gears and bowl in the right places if we are to have a chance. Our batting simply isn't good enough and we need to have a few major changes. Pietersen's injury has exposed the weaknesses in the rest of our batting line up.

 

[aaronnorth]

Come on England!!!

I think we have found a replacement for Freddy too

 

[Themuleous]

Not bad so far!

Sam

EDIT - they avoided the follow on which is a shame, that would have been useful.

 

[altaaffe]

This batters paradise of a strip isn't looking quite so hot now and hard to imagine that there is only one specialist spinner in the whole 22 players selected.