northernbird

I can't wait for the Perth test. We are so excited to be going. Legends 20/20 match next Tuesday should be a good one too.

wafc

Gutted!

I'm still seething over the decision to not play Monty Python!!

OzTennis

No, I didn't read your original post and I am quite used to England's excuses in all sports, every time they lose eg we would have won the WC but for the 'hand of god', cynical Argie getting Becks sent off, Tim mightn't win Wimbers but he's such a nice boy compared to that brash Hewitt ............. it was an experimental side etc.

The best thing about watching and listening to the coverage on Sky Sports was to see and hear the likes of Gower, Atherton, Hussein and Botham squirming after 4 days of how brilliant England were, Warne and co are over the hill, we will go to Perth 1-1 etc.

And let's not forget that the reigning RWC champions have lost 8 of their last 9 matches.

OzTennis

mr mover

Its a code,we could tell you, but...........then you would know what we have to do .................. mm

rossifumi

Warnie always has a Ham & Pineapple pizza the night before a test.
The hooker usually brings it with her.

Wendy

Well that explains the Ham and Pineapple. Wonder what they do with the pidgeon?

Amazulu

Sounds a bit like Australia then.
Mcgrath, Hayden & Langer are over the hill.

OzTennis

They take the 'd' out of pigeon, that's what they do.

OzTennis

Wendy

I know

OzTennis

Langer made 87 and 100 not out last week

McGrath got a big bag of wickets last week

Hayden has made more than Strauss and Cook combined

However, they will gradually be replaced now that the series is virtually over. Tait, Johnson, Jacques, Hodge etc wait in the wings. Hussey could not even get into the team until he was 30 and my hasn't he taken his chance - 2nd highest test average by a mile after Bradman.

OzTennis

mr mover

Back in yer box chocolate, you Van Der Merwes no nothing about cricket...... mm

Amazulu

England were so terrible in that 1st test that they made Mcgrath look good. In this test he was shite & he was shite last year. Langer & Hayden both played poorly on this test. Langer still has a little to offer buy Hayden is finished. Martyn too. The thing is these players are so entrenched in the Aussie team that they will not be dropped.
The series is not nearly over. If England win in Perth it's back on.

OzTennis

May I remind you that Glenn McGrath stood on a ball before the 2nd test last series and most pundits would concede that the series swung then after Australia were 1-0 up and he couldn't play in the 2nd, 3rd and from memory 4th tests. He didn't play much in the series, he got wickets in the first test, was out of the team or recovering after that. I also think his form in the last year or two might have been a bit affected by his wife's struggles. The pitch made most bowlers look ordinary in Adelaide (apart from Hoggard and Warnie on the last day). McGrath is past his best and will retire soon. A fast bowler can't cheat father time but he will go down as one of the best bowlers of all time.

I agree, Martyn and Hayden are past it and should gradually be replaced. Phil Jaques has made 3 centuries in his last three hands against England. Interestingly, although born in Wollongong it was to British parents and he holds a British passport. I'd be surprised if England haven't asked Phil the question (like they did with Pietersen).

Only time will tell after Perth. I have heard that the wicket is much slower than it always used to be and it is a batsman's paradise. Whether England can get Australia out twice remains to be seen. I personally hope England do get a win or a draw to put some interest into the Melbourne Test match. There could well be over 90,000 at the 'mecca' on Day 1.

OzTennis

jon and alex

Oh sh*t! I just did a long old reply and lost it.
Right, well, the WACA will be quicker and livelier than Adelaide but its not what it once was. It'll take spin later I expect.
Fletcher has to go at the end of this series. We need a good old brash and aggressive Aussie in to teach the lads how to finish matches.
Remember the last series? England almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on several occasions then too. This time their luck ran out.
Some team changes are needed to make it more aggressive. Ditch Giles for Monty, ditch Anderson for Mahmood, move Pieterson up to 4 and Colly to 5.
I'd then send Saj and Harmy out with instructions to bowl as fast and aggressively as the can and to hell with the runs. Shake the geriatrics up a bit. We all know that the Aussies are a bit old and I dont think they'll be able to handle real pace.
Lets at least go down fighting if we are gonna lose!

Vash the Stampede

The following message was posted on the BBC 606 forums yesterday:
You can view this amusing little fantasy here - along with the subsequent derision from fellow forum members.

Having said that, there is absolutely no reason why England could not have won the 2nd series, and I remain utterly dumbfounded by their spectacular collapse. They had responded powerfully to Australia's first innings, established a solid lead, nearly forced us into a follow-on, and declared confidently with a very respectable score.

Then they just threw it all away, with some of the most pathetic cricket that Adelaide Oval has seen for decades.

The question is: why?