The Ashes Test Series

Ponting is definitely spitting blood after losing a tooth. 

It was a great performance today by England.  Trott and Swann battered excellently (as did Strauss).  Good stuff!

I just hope we can make early inroads before lunch tomorrow.

Yey!

Hussey finally got out too.

Matthew T wrote: Well its over there ain't no more and Congratulations to England.  You all did not seem to optimistic at the begining of the series but thanks to Collingwood in the first test things improved for the English team.   (OR maybe the innings by MONTY??)   One comment is concerning Michael Hussey,I thought it was too little ,too late. He has been out of form for 2 years. Granted it was pure grit he displayed but I think it might have been a bit better to have a flash of form earlier in the series.

In my last post of a number of days ago and prior to the start of the test , I commented that another first innings display ' like a couple of tests ago would just about see England home ' . I , of course , was not really expecting these words to be prophetic . 'Runs on the board' and 'occupation of the crease' were my other comments . We did neither satisfactorily and England managed to do both and they deserved to win.

The surprise of the series was young Broad . With his bowling, he started off modestly but showed real talent and smarts by best adapting to the variable conditions . This showed maturity beyond his years . With his batting, he stands upright and is very correct with an excellent defence . His batting took the Aussies by surprise and he deserves all the congratulations and accolades he is sure to receive . He'll be a great cricketer for England and his intelligence and discretion displayed during media interviews could even see him as future leadership material imo. Very impressive .

Congratulations also to Swann for his batting as well as his canny bowling and to Trott, who proved to be the difference in the second innings. Great selections by the England ' powers that be '.

Very disappointed but we were just too inconsistent in just about all departments of the game . We were outplayed at all the crucial times . What more can we say but congrats to all you proud English folk out there.

mrgd wrote: In my last post of a number of days ago and prior to the start of the test , I commented that another first innings display ' like a couple of tests ago would just about see England home ' . I , of course , was not really expecting these words to be prophetic . 'Runs on the board' and 'occupation of the crease' were my other comments . We did neither satisfactorily and England managed to do both and they deserved to win. The surprise of the series was young Broad . With his bowling, he started off modestly but showed real talent and smarts by best adapting to the variable conditions . This showed maturity beyond his years . With his batting, he stands upright and is very correct with an excellent defence . His batting took the Aussies by surprise and he deserves all the congratulations and accolades he is sure to receive . He'll be a great cricketer for England and his intelligence and discretion displayed during media interviews could even see him as future leadership material imo. Very impressive . Congratulations also to Swann for his batting as well as his canny bowling and to Trott, who proved to be the difference in the second innings. Great selections by the England ' powers that be '. Very disappointed but we were just too inconsistent in just about all departments of the game . We were outplayed at all the crucial times . What more can we say but congrats to all you proud English folk out there.

  Broad was very good unfortunately

Matthew T wrote: We are spittin' blood down here ( aka Ponting) not only are we being thrashed in the cricket the bloody Kiwis with that All Blacks team knocked us over again in the rugby. I don't blame them wanting to beat us Aussies. It was the Chapell  brothers who bowled that wretched underarm grubber. Relations between the 2 countries has never been the same since but you can't blame us all over here

The knives are out down here, we are number 4 now in the world ratings and there was mention that no captain had lost 2 Ashes series in something like 80 years They are even after the Selectors blood. I think there will be changes with them.

James wrote: ...Someone on Test Match Special even said he was England's most natural stroke maker.

Who on earth said that.Was it Chris Broad?

That honour goes to Strauss in the current squad with Cook not far behind.

Edited by Man Erg - August 24 2009 at 23:28

Man Erg wrote: James wrote: ...Someone on Test Match Special even said he was England's most natural stroke maker. Who on earth said that.Was it Chris Broad? That honour goes to Strauss in the current squad with Cook not far behind.

I forget... it was one of the commentators.  Possibly CMJ.

It certainly wasn't Tuffers.

Which calls for a nice cake baked by a friendly listener to end a thread on