Cricket Thread

[Cranky]

Really looking foward to today's play. I love it when someone takes the game up to Australia. After watching a decade of easy wins, it's great to watch how they respond to a bit of a challenge. They usually respond well.

Can't wait for Warne vs Pieterson again sometime today.

[Cranky]

England are stuffed!! 6 down for 114. This test may finish in three or four days.

[Cranky]

Wow, Panesar and Harmison are putting a really handy last wicket stand together. 9/215.
Woops, they're all out!

[Cuber001]

well its all over. I really wanted England to win just to keep the series inrteresting, but its not to happen. Flintoff was great buttoo risky and warne was great. If Cook stayed in yesterday it would of been different but oh well, next time.

[Spagoli]

Bo11ocks, the worst thing is we didn't deserve to win. Flintoffs interview praised the performances of the individuals, not sure what game he was watching but I wasn't exactly encouraged by our performance, he should stick to drinking copious amounts of booze and creating some fire with the bat

[Jebus]

Whatever way we look at this test, apart from Pieterson, Cook and Panesar, it's been rather embarrassing.

[Cranky]

This may sound silly but so far, this has been the most entertaining test series I've seen in Oz for years. England has challanged Australia at times but Australia has responded well to the challange. Usually we don't get challanged at all. If England had been better prepared, been more astute in their selections this would have been a really close series.

[Shoju]

five years ago a touring team would have about four 1st class games for preparation. On this tour England had one plus a 1 day game and 2 of their bowlers hadn't even played in a year. Winning on tour these days is much tougher than it used to be. England haven't lost at home for 6 years and Australia for about 14.

Id say Bell, Collinwood and Hoggard have also done well. Strauss has been really unlucky, he's been given out 3 times in a row when he shouldn't have been. things like that can make a huge difference.

[Cranky]

Looks like Warne is going to announce his retirement tomorrow. McGrath is also widely tipped to make this series his last.

The thought of Warne retiring is a little depressing actually. Where will I get my leg-spin fix now.

The great Australian cricket dynasty is coming to an end.....

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/

[Shoju]

If he does go McGill is a good substitute. He's possibly the 2nd best leg spinner in the world.

[VR46]

Time to find a video of his first ever ball in Ashes tests (where he bowled Gatting) on youtube, best ball we'll ever see in our lifetime.

[prinnysquad]

This is a good video

I'm sure he did another Gatting-esque ball against South Africa or someone.

Edit - yeah, the last ball on that vid! So impatient!

[Cranky]

If he does go McGill is a good substitute. He's possibly the 2nd best leg spinner in the world.

Yeah he is a good leggie but he can't bowl tight. Leggies genarally can't bowl tight. Warne is a freak.

Imagine how much you poms would have won by had Warne not played in the last ashes. Scarey thoughts for 2009.

[VR46]

As the BBC says, a new low ?

England's calamitous tour of Australia plunged to a fresh low, as they were beaten by nine wickets in Adelaide having been skittled for a feeble 110.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6297317.stm

[prinnysquad]

It's funny but every time England get beat it seems like they've hit rock bottom, then somehow they conspire to plumb further depths shortly afterwards. This tour will cause deep scars for a lot of players. Truly a humiliation.