The Ashes - Page 4

HTCURRY · 24-08-2009, 10:26 AM

I think Shane Watson did did a pretty good job as an opener. Only played 3 out of 5 tests, batted 5 times and still scored 240 odd runs at an average of 48.

What killed us was, Michael Hussey, or the guy impersonating as him...terrible run of form, and this century on the last day did nothing to hide his short comings in this series. His lack of runs hurt really hurt the middle order.

We dont have a world class spinner, but the one we do have, didnt get a look in, in this test, questions need to be asked, why? North a part timer took wickets, and Swann played a key role for England, why was our guy carrying the drinks with Brett Lee?

**FTE217** · 24-08-2009, 10:37 AM

Thanks HTCURRY nothing like "stats" to see how the story unfolds.
Its a bitter pill to swallow losing to a average pommy squad !!
Done and "dusted" so to speak like the pitch's !

prydey · 24-08-2009, 02:48 PM

why is it that when aussies are winning, everyone's happy but when they lose everyone starts sticking the boots in?

i don't think we played too bad. we lost the series in the first innings at lords and the first innings at the oval. apart from that we dominated, so to start saying the aussies are useless and will struggle to win, is a little premature.

the umpiring wasn't the best all series and in the early part of the series the aussies were getting the short end of the stick from rudi. it could easily have gone our way on a different day so many times.

we had our chances, plain and simple. it pains me to say it but i think england wanted it more. i think some of our guys thought they could just turn up and it would all just happen for them.

and greg matthews - its 'got' not 'gut'!!

blueoval · 24-08-2009, 02:56 PM

Disappointed with the outcome also this series.

I just hope this fires up the Aussies to do better come next Ashes. A repeat of 2007 Ashes tour would be very nice indeed. But its all the more sweeter to win on away turf and rub their noses in it. Sadly will have to wait another 2 seasons for our chances again.

Do you reckon Punter's captaincy will come onto question when he gets home?

vztrt · 24-08-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

we had our chances, plain and simple. it pains me to say it but i think england wanted it more. i think some of our guys thought they could just turn up and it would all just happen for them.

That was made clear when they didn't bring Hauriz in to the side. Aussies went in wanting a draw, not a smart move.

prydey · 24-08-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

That was made clear when they didn't bring Hauriz in to the side. Aussies went in wanting a draw, not a smart move.

i don't think they went in playing for a draw. i think they are guilty of not taking it more serious though. the ease at which they knocked over the poms at headingly with 4 quicks would've been at the forefront of the selectors minds. they didn't want to change the side. who would you leave out. in hindsight clark didn't do a whole lot but after the performance at headingly by all of them it was a tough decision.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueoval

Do you reckon Punter's captaincy will come onto question when he gets home?

ponting has never really been rated too highly as a captain. he seems to have an issue with katich which often gets denied. katich is an underrated spinner and yet how often does ponting use him. it was the same against RSA.
i don't think he should be stripped of it just yet though. its natural for people to be wanting a scapegoat but i don't think the series was as bad as it seems. losing is bad, yes but you couldn't seriously point the finger at pontings captaincy.

hussey will go before ponting. the media was all over hayden after a string of poor performances but even during that time his average for each calendar year never dipped below 30. hussey on the other hand has somehow managed to avoid the spotlight even though his past 20 matches have ave less than 30. too little too late at the oval.

vztrt · 24-08-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

i don't think they went in playing for a draw. i think they are guilty of not taking it more serious though. the ease at which they knocked over the poms at headingly with 4 quicks would've been at the forefront of the selectors minds. they didn't want to change the side.

You have your thoughts, I have mine.

prydey · 24-08-2009, 03:25 PM

i don't think they lost due to not playing a specialist spinner. no team goes into a match playing for a draw.

blueoval · 24-08-2009, 03:25 PM

Do you think it would have made a difference to put 'Bing' in the bowling line up and say sit out Hilf?

I too was wondering what the selectors were smoking not putting in a full time spinner.

vztrt · 24-08-2009, 03:28 PM

Warne was not happy about them not playing a spinner.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/...001845571.html

Ponting admits they should have played a spinner.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...001841474.html

Windsor220 · 24-08-2009, 07:26 PM

The best part of the test was when Ponting was attacked by the wasp.

prydey · 24-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

Warne was not happy about them not playing a spinner.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/...001845571.html

Ponting admits they should have played a spinner.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...001841474.html

they lost the game by getting rolled for 160 in the first innings. maybe hauritz would've helped prevent england reaching 330 but its all 'if's buts and maybe's'. i'm not denying they should've had a spinner. i'm just not convinced it would've changed the result.

either way, whats done is done. losing the ashes is never a good feeling but there were some positives. m.north looks the goods. clarke is improving as a batsman. he's not quite capable of a 'captains knock' yet in my opinion though. if you were 3 down for not many when s.waugh walked out, you could breathe a sigh of relief. clarke still looks like he's about to get out at any tick of the clock. hauritz showed that he is capable of taking wickets on the big stage. wicketkeeping is still in good hands when haddin goes, with manou.

it was always going to be a tough ask to win over there. if KP and freddie were fit for all tests i'm not sure it wouldn't have been over before the 5th test.

i think international cricket should at least use the same ball world wide too.