Cricket Thread..

[Xifio]

Sir_Didier_Drogba won't contribute here any more. He's a typical Englishmen. Only cares about cricket when they're winning.

had a hit in the nets last week with work colleagues who were all state school educated ... Sir_Didier_Drogba doesn't strike me as a state school product, but most of those guys were quietly confident that English pride will be preserved this summer ... the mood in England is generally understated though ... I'm hoping for an exciting draw in Wales before the Ashes heads here ...

 

[Mus]

How's it looked? Been at training

 

[Alex]

had a hit in the nets last week with work colleagues who were all state school educated ... Sir_Didier_Drogba doesn't strike me as a state school product, but most of those guys were quietly confident that English pride will be preserved this summer ... the mood in England is generally understated though ... I'm hoping for an exciting draw in Wales before the Ashes heads here ...

Australia start favourites, and deservedly so after the last couple of years from both sides. But I was telling my mate before the first ball last night I think England might knock us off.

Our batsmen will struggle in foreign conditions against the swinging ball. Our bowling attack is inexperienced and Johnson has been out of form for twelve months now. England are at home, pitches built to suit, with the Duke ball.

 

[Xifio]

you're not wrong about the pitches ... only caught a little of the radio coverage before tea, so I'm watching the highlights now ... shockingly lifeless pitch -- the danger element of the Aussie quicks has already been negated, which is a crying shame for the neutral ... apart from potentially getting one to dart back and stay low (if they sort out their lengths tomorrow), there isn't much there ... that England still managed to get themselves 7 down says a lot ...

in terms of the positives for Engalnd: good for Root; very important hundred, at an excellent rate ... I'm not a fan of the ironically named Ballance, but his contribution was important in preventing a collapse ... Moeen Ali can bat, and Stuart Broad needs to show once more that he can, so England should be aiming for 450 tomorrow morning, which would make for a decent first innings score ...

I'm curious to know how Clarke's captaincy shapes up ... he's going to have to be bold, and sometimes creative, if the pitches are going to blunt his main weapons ...

 

[Mus]

Australia start favourites, and deservedly so after the last couple of years from both sides. But I was telling my mate before the first ball last night I think England might knock us off.

Our batsmen will struggle in foreign conditions against the swinging ball. Our bowling attack is inexperienced and Johnson has been out of form for twelve months now. England are at home, pitches built to suit, with the Duke ball.

Out of form? Or a return to his normal level

 

[Alex]

Out of form? Or a return to his normal level

There is no normal for Mitch. He's either the world's best or an average Joe

 

[Xifio]

way to use "average Joe" when replying to SG's above average Joe ...



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not quite 450, but close enough ... Moeen Ali did well to build on his overnight score at a good rate ...

it's a pretty flat deck, so I'm expecting you guys to make 650 odd for 6 by tomorrow, and push for a result with an aggressive declaration on the 4th morning -- barring any rain, that is ... (I haven't checked the weather forecast ...)

 

[Mus]

Moeen Ali to Smith is suicide

 

[Mus]

Moeen Ali to Smith is suicide

Forgot to touch wood..

 

[Xifio]

wtf shot was he trying to play?

 

[Mus]

Surely something out of Glenn Maxwell's book

 

[Xifio]

do batsmen remember what a test match is? a century there for the taking, and Rogers forgets how to leave a ball just outside off ...

 

[Alex]

I don't mind Rogers scoring fifties every innings...would rather that than average 50 through 0, 100, 0, 100.

The others should have scored more. 3 starts, not good enough

 

[Mus]

Very disappointing, let's see what Watson can do though..

 

[Alex]

Very disappointing, let's see what Watson can do though..

It's his chance to shine. Reasonable conditions for batting. If he ever had an opportunity to prove he still belongs, this is it

 

[Xifio]

wasn't able to listen to commentary today ... tuned in to see that Oz are bowled out by lunch ... and Watto didn't even bat out an over this morning? smh ... at least this guarantees us a result ...

 

[Mus]

LBW and used a review too..

 

[Xifio]

if you bat 2 days, you win ... time for some good, old fashioned Australian grit ... losing inside 4 days would be a most unexpected spanking ...

I personally wouldn't mind an English win ... it'd make for a more festive atmosphere in town once the teams arrive ...

 

[Mus]

I agree, looks like Starc might miss the next test so a result here is double important

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

Sir_Didier_Drogba won't contribute here any more. He's a typical Englishmen. Only cares about cricket when they're winning

I don't enjoy discussing or debating cricket with you because I find you either unpleasantly bitter or unpleasantly gloating and always completely incapable of objectivity. It's like talking to merv Hughes.

Tolerating your pedantry and your refusal to even agree to disagree or to accept a word of anyone else's argunent is unpleasant enough when it's something you don't care about, but when it's something you do, I'd just rather not even go there. Like many people who enjoy debating, or in your case more like arguing, but just cannot see when they are becoming a bore, you will find ever fewer people willing to waste their time even getting started with you. I'm sure you have encountered this often before, whether or not you've noticed it.

This is a typically unfounded, pointless and spurious remark from you considering I watched and endured through gritted teeth many a depressing failure during the atherton/Hussain era.

Anyway,you can go back to your silly bombastic anglophobic spewing now. I won't disturb you.