Burbage

When they had Warne and McGrath they didn't have to think about it. Ricky has just realised that you can make as many runs as you want, it won't win you a test match. As England rather neatly proved in the 1st test.

expatasia

Duncan Fletcher's take on Swanny:

Graeme Swann also struggled a bit. I think this was because the Kookaburra ball does not drift in the air as much as the Duke, which Swann uses in England. That drift is a vital part of Swann's armoury. He uses it to confuse batsmen into putting their foot down the wrong line. To a right-handed batsman the drift will open up his gate, and to a left-hander it makes him vulnerable to the lbw because his pad gets in the way of his bat as he tries to play the ball. The encouraging thing for Swann was that, even though he was getting hit for boundaries, he never tried to fire the ball in flat. He kept giving it flight and trying to beat the batsman. It was a brave way to bowl and it showed how much confidence he has.

Broad Shoulders

A picture paints a thousand wides...sorry words

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/conte...ge/490038.html

Broad Shoulders

Just read this on Jonathan Agnew's twitter feed:
"Evening with the Boycotts rowing over who has the most points in their family golf tournament. Pleased to announce Mrs leads. Sir G bottom!!"

I responded with:
"Are you saying Sir G's wife is beating him?"

Pollyana

Rain puts result in doubt for Adelaide Ashes Test

Alfresco

No shortage of Eng supporters according to the poll results so far. 2nd test may tell.

DeadVim

Drift ... in the air ... ball?!

Look, I'm sorry but having played a bit of cricket I can say that Duke vs Kookaburra vs Rock would have had no effect on the 'drift in the air'

This is just smokescreen ... A better explanation would be 'the pitch suited ALL batsmen after day 3, let's see in Adelaide'

I agree giving it some flight instead of flattening is a good sign. Attack is the best form of defence and all that

expatasia

No drift.....hence Doug's rug stays on



CATV just sent me an email entitled Q&A with Bollinger and Harris. So Hilf is out tomorrow too then?

DeadVim

Yeh, I get them too, should really set up a rule to auto-delete them

Can't see Harris playing meself but who knows what madness is afoot?!

I read that Punter has been over-ruled on the Johnson decision so there must be friction amongst the natives

I picked a fine time to be between jobs and a house-husband I know that!

expatasia

They just posted a vid on Fb in which Johnson talks in press conf about 'taking the positives out of it' - er...of being dropped?

I cocked up job wise - going to miss first two seshes of Day One & Day Four - am only a part-time house husband, must work on that...

DeadVim

Yeh, typical sportsman-speak, dull scripted stuff ... good luck with that work/life balance

expatasia

Oh I've always found the balance, married my boss from the office and I work freelance while she does full-time Japanese workweek. Hope you're left to watch the Ashes in peace at home. The new job can wait. Crimbo's coming up anyway.

EvannTel

Can't quite believe how few think a drawn series is the most likely outcome.
Me thinks more voting with heart than head (which is fine).

Burbage

I'm one of those six. England winning is too hard. Australia winning is too hard. What's left?

DeadVim

Precisely, I'll be off until the end of January at least, school holidays are coming up

So, the money seems to be on a draw in Adelaide ... I dunno ...