Generali

TBH, I don't see any of the young bowlers replacing McGrath. Mitchell Johnson would have been considered the best of the young ones they had prior to this series I guess but his action means he's not going to be consistent IMO. He kinda falls away as he's delivering the ball.

Unless Aus can get a really good bowling line-up, they won't be the all-conquering side people have come to expect. As they found at Cardiff, you won't win a test match unless you can take 20 wickets*.








*Unless Hanse 'Cheating boorstaad' Cronje is captain of the other team.

Broad Shoulders

yes and no, I think. He's a fantastic economy bowler, but not really a wicket taker and I think the Aussie media are getting a little carried away here. They keep referring back to his wicket haul in the 06/07 Ashes series. But what they are forgetting is that he was bowling in partnership with McGrath then, who was the ultimate economy bowler. So the English batsmen were forced to go after Clark instead, which is why he took so many wickets. If you look at his record since McGrath retired it is certainly not one of a wicket taker. The thing Aus need more than anything right now is a wicket taker and Clark is not that. However what it may do to the line up if Clark joins is free up some of the weight on Johnson. Currently he has 9 wickets, which is still higher than all of the English bowlers bar Anderson, so he is taking wickets there, but he is supposed to be their strike bowler so should be taking more. What is killing Aus right now is the fact that they are conceding very fast runs which is more or less what killed them at Lord's. If Clark comes in to stem those runs, Johnson can focus more on getting wickets and being expensive if he needs to. Currently he is trying to take wickets AND be economical.

I think Aus will drop Siddle in this next test for Lee. If they pick Clark I think it will be at the expense of Johnson. I don't think Lee and Johnson should be in the same team, as they are more or less the same sort of player, neither are economy bowlers

Generali

From The Spin, a weekly cricket email from The Guardian in the UK:

Broad Shoulders

would absolutely love it if that happened.

Burbage

I think that's supposed to say that they haven't won at the Oval since '72. At least in 2005 the drew and I'm pretty sure England have won a fair few dead rubbers there.

Niggardly, accurate bowlers get wickets. They may not get them themselves, but they create pressure. Australia haven't been able to create any pressure. They need Clark. Particularly at Headingly.

Curtly Ambrose and Glen McGrath dd nothing other than put the ball on the same spot over after over. The batsmen always got themselves out.

Generali

Glen McGrath always used to say that he wasn't good enough to bowl anything other than the same line and length each time.

I was at The Oval for day 5 in 2005 just behind 3rd man when they were bowling from the Pavillion end, about 3 rows from the front. Warney was fielding there. We got some good banter going with him, ending in a chorus of "We only wish you were English". He got a fair bit of "My old mam's a chemist..." too.

Broad Shoulders

Greatest captain that never was

felix1

i hope oz win caus now i am in oz have to go with them

fraser

In English please next time you traitor

Siren & Brian

Burbage

Anyway, on to more important matters.

Headingly. the weather looks good but it's been raining for the last couple of days. Win the toss and bowl I reckon.

Freddie doesn't look fit though and England, if they pick him, might bat if they win the toss to give him an extra day of rest. Maybe it would be better if they left him out altogether.

Australia should be a better side with Clark back.

Headingly nearly always gets a result so in five days time England will have either won the Ashes, or will have all to play for at the Oval.

Exciting or what?

The beer's in. the comfy chair is in position. the only fly in the ointment is I'll have to listen to the TV commentary until 9.45.

Amazulu

Flintoff is out. Come on England! SA's number 1 spot beckons......

Broad Shoulders

But only if England wins. If the series is drawn Australia will remain top

fraser

I read in the Age that they have to win the series.

I haven't seen anywhere that Freddie isn't playing yet

Broad Shoulders

Latest Skysports reports say Freddy is out. Which to me isn't necessarilly a bad thing in my mind. Sidebottom should do well at Headingly and Freddy was below par at Edgbaston. I think it is best that Freddy keeps himself fit for a potential decider at The Oval