Pollyana

I did that during the last series using TMS on ABC radio, worked a treat

Broad Shoulders

I'm more confident in the England attack taking 20 wickets than I am the Aussie attack

Broad Shoulders

you mean Tony Grieg, I think

Amazulu

Yes, if Anderson is the best England have then Australia should be woriied if Johnson is their best........

Broad Shoulders

I think you are seriously underestimating Broad, who has come a long long way since the retirement of Freddy.

Additionally, Swann isn't the number two bowler in the world for no reason. He has taken more wickets than any other bowler this year. In fact we have two bowlers in the top 4 test bowlers at the moment (Swann (2) and Anderson (4)). Granted, Anderson relies a lot on weather conditions going his way, but when they do, he is arguably the most lethal bowler in the world.

I'm not concerned at all about our bowlers in Aussie conditions. I am more concerned with our batsmen, who have traditionally always struggled to adapt to Aussie conditions. Cook is a real liability in my eyes, he sets the tone in my view. If the Aussies get his wicket early, which I am sure they will on many occasions then they will smell blood and that has always been when they are at their most dangerous, bar the recent events against SL and India.

I'm really not bought into this whole "Aus are vulnerable" BS, they are ALWAYS dangerous at home, simple fact

Amazulu

That's why I said that Swann is the key for England. Broad is a bit inconsistent - maybe this is the tour where he really stamps his authority.

Anyway, I'm more interested in the SA v Pakistan series that is going on at the moment. If we can win this series and the coming home series against India (and I don't see why not), then hopefully we will be back at No.1 in the test rankings.

We're looking good in the 1st test anyway.

expatasia

Retired? Never - he'll keep going til he drops dead on the job, lucky feller. Nowt wrong with the French either, in my experience working amongst 'em.

It is an absolute disgrace that the cricket is not available back home on terrestrial tv - NOT EVEN HIGHLIGHTS THIS TIME! (Unless ITV come in with a late bid.....)

The BBC has consistently declined to place a bid, arguing that the £1 million price tag was too high. There was also a scheduling issue: the contract for live coverage on Sky TV stipulated that the highlights show could only be screened after 10pm, shortly before the next day’s play was due to begin.

Broad Shoulders

I really think SA have gone off the boil since they beat the Aussies in Australia a few years ago. I almost get the feeling that they are guilty of doing what England did in the aftermath of 2005, where they sat on their laurels for too long. The spanking we got from Australia in the ensuing Ashes series I think is about to happen to SA against India. India are white hot at the moment. I mean even Harbajhan is scoring consecutive centuries and SA haven't been doing too well at home in the last few years (England & Australia)

Broad Shoulders

My sincere condolences

Yeah, new season of Strictly Come Dancing

Amazulu

But India are not beating New Zealand - a drawn series looks like the most likely outcome.

India are very good at home - away is a different story.

Back tp Australia, what's with the 17 man squad? They need to make decisions and give the players some certainty. If they are going to do what they are doing then I reckon they should name all the Sheffield Shield players in the squad!

Burbage

Biggest weakness England have is Cook. He's suspect outside off stump and he's too soft. I worry that England are going to be one down for less then 50 every game if the Aussie bowlers bowl halfway decent, and this will expose a middle order that is still just a bit underdone. Bump Trott up and get Morgan in the side, that's what I say. It's a mistake to rely on English batting. With three south africans and an Irishman in the top five England can't lose. They won't do it though. The English selectors seem to love Cook for some reason.

As for Australia... Even when they're poor they're tough to beat at home. I'd still make them favourites, but their selectors may make the mistake of panicking if they go one down, that could be interesting.

Ponting is the main card for Australia. Swann the main man for England. And you need wickets to win test matches...

Broad Shoulders

I've always been very critical of the Australian selectors, even in their hay day I was critical. They never took a forward thinking approach and essentially, that is what has landed them in the mess they are today. An example of this was Australia's decision to field a normal starting XI against Zimbabwe when they came over in 2004 (I think). Hayden got a world record 380 runs in the innings. Weldone, but that game was the perfect opportunity to blood some new talent, they could have still kept the core of their team, but they decided they wanted to smash the Zimbabweans within three days, which I'm sure made for some wonderful spectatorship. Then the inevitable happened, two-thirds of their team retired within a year of each other leaving massive holes in their squad. Look at what they have done to Phil Hughes, probably the brightest young talent in international cricket and rubbed out in the first 5 matches.

Alfresco

Yip, I agree 100% with this. Not complaining though.

IvanM

My heart says England. I don't know enough about the teams though. Just no humiliations like the last trip here. Work will be intolerable if it is.

Broad Shoulders

This is your hunting season, isn't it? Lots of English backpackers doing the rounds of the country to watch the cricket


Ivan Milat is walking through the forest with a backpacker. The backpacker says to him "It's getting dark and scary in here." Milat replies "You're scared? I'm the one who's got to walk back by myself."