Burbage

You have to forgive them. It's a small country and they aren't very good at very much. Not being good in cricket anymore is like having their testicles removed with a spanner.

Pollyana

Oh so true! I remember when I first worked here and Aus were kings of cricket - the same blokes who have today become AFL fanatics were crowing nicely in those days Its so funny to watch how their loyalties change!

IvanM

The stereotypical public school toff who ran the old empire and still think they do got us the arrogant tag. Fancy tagging a whole nation from the antics a few. Wouldn't happen here would it?

Burbage

Bet you a dollar.

DeadVim

Yeh, pretty typical of the breed

Just reading that Strauss only declared because Cook and Trott were in danger of out-staying their Visas

Burbage

Question is, can England bowl Australia out twice at the Adelaide Oval? I think they need another bowler, and probably an accurate seamer going by the history of the ground. Boring the batsmen into mistakes seems to get most of the wickets. Has there been much rain in Adelaide? Is the pitch going to be different than usual?

DeadVim

Yeh, the taking 20 wickets thing is going to be key.

I can't see the team changing though, and to answer the question, there sure can bowl 'em out twice.

Just finished watching day 4 and 5 highlights, I can do some chores with a silly grin on my face now

>Trigger<

and to cap Brisbane off rather nicely..the Barmy Army were on the flight to Adelaide with the Aussies...Bet that pissed of Mitch Johnson

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/englandsbarmyarmy

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Jimmy Saville is wearing well.... and he looks taller.

Amazulu

I'm not so sure. I am yet to be convinced that England's attack is capable of taking 20 - and this is based on what I have seen so far.

Burbage

Oh they can take 20 wickets all right, just perhaps not in Adelaide. Guess we'll see. If cricket was predictable we wouldn't watch it.

Broad Shoulders

It sounds negative but selecting a team with the aim to win at Adelaide is dangerous. If we drop a batsman for a bowler and we suffer a silly batting collapse then the game is over. Adelaide tactics should be counter attacking. The Aussies will pick an aggressive 11 which could leave them exposed if their middle order fail again. Let them take all the risks I say and we can sit and counter punch. Getting anything more than a draw out of Adelaide is difficult enough when you have a great attack. Perth, Melbourne and Sydney will produce results and they are where the Ashes will be won. I predicted a few weeks ago that the first two tests would be drawn

expatasia

So what did he fix for Ponting? Suggestions, please.

DeadVim

Johnson bought a ticket? Seems like a waste of money.

Ah but you wouldn't have thought the Aussie attack was so toothless that they'd only take 1 English wicket in the second innings in Brisbane, but they were.

I heard the first test being described as a 'drab draw' the other day ... these people don't have a clue ...

Burbage

If you need the opposition to make mistakes you need a bowling attack that can create pressure. So bowling tight and waiting for mistakes is an aggressive tactic. After all, most wickets in cricket come from batsmen making mistakes, magic deliveries are pretty rare. I don't expect England to change the team simply because England have never done so in recent memory on the back of a win. If they feel Broad can do the all rounder job on a flat pitch, though, I'd think about dropping Colly and bringing in another bowler (ideally Panesar, which would get us a different bowling style and a load more overs in the time). Big call though, and they won't do it. It would be tough on Collingwood.


Your prediction is noted. We shall wait and see.

My prediction is that it will be a drawn series, so we are both still on the money.