Re: Cricket
 

I think someone needs to remind them that this is a Test Match not a bloody stupid 20/20 knockabout!! :(

Re: Cricket
 

The thing is whilst most of the Aussies got out to one day type attacking strokes, Englands batsmen got out playing mainly defensive shots. McGrath is just a class act.

Re: Cricket
 

personally I don't want a return to the likes of Boycott & Tavare, grinding it out at 10 runs an hour, but I agree we need to get in & settled, before trying to hit every ball out of the ground - at one point I could see England following on & it all being over tomorrow....:erm:

Re: Cricket
 

Thats just it, England didn't try to hit every ball out of the ground. I cannot think of one England batsman who got out to an attacking shot.

Re: Cricket
 

I have to hold my hands up & say I didn't see the wickets, Jim, I was thinking of the comparison with todays players approach to the game & the likes of Chris Tavare ( just looked it up & he once took over 5 hours to score 35 runs in a test match :Yikes: ), the 'modern' players do 'seem' more inclined to go for their shots, than that. I concede that what happened today was more to do with McGrath's bowling than England's poor batting. :)

Re: Cricket
 

Trescothick, Strauss, Vaughan and Flintoff all out, rooted to the spot on the back foot. Pietersen, who is supposed to have a dodgy technique took a huge lunge down the wicket whenever he could and rarely looked in trouble, even against McGrath.

Re: Cricket
 

England are very lucky to still have first innings wickets standing. Half the balls bowled were within a whisker of hitting the stumps with the batsmen just letting the ball past with no intention of trying to hit it. If the Aussie bowlers had aimed to hit the stumps they would have bowled the lot out. I was watching a discussion (forget where) on determining the winner of one day matches where the scores are tied and they were talking about determining the result in a similar way to penalties in football. No batsmen were involved, just a bowler bowling at a set of stumps. It was amazing how many top line bowlers couldn't hit the stumps when bowling at normal pace.

Re: Cricket
 

A few years ago, dear old Devon Malcolm was involved in a 'bowl out' believe it or not, he bowled a bouncer.:D

Re: Cricket
 

I'll be going to Old Trafford cricket ground, Manchester, on Friday 12th August for the test match. Lashing of ginger beer all round as usual. Hic! :beer: Great day out, been going most years. I'm not the most avid supporter of cricket although i do enjoy watching it and drinking huge quantities of Guinness (very, very expensive inside the ground) - see you there! :tu: ;)

:angel:

Re: Cricket
 

There seem's to be a different approach to test matches these day's, hopefully they will try and stay batting all day today (Friday), but I have a feeling they won't last much past lunch time.

After all the pre match hype, maybe England's PR tactic's need re-thinking, but there is a long way to go yet.

Re: Cricket
 

This was a match between Surrey and Warwickshire in the 20/20 cup and the result of the bowl off was 4-3 to Surrey, so about 13 players couldnt hit the wicket without a batsman there. :erm: Some of the balls bowled were no where near the wicket, it was very funny to watch.

Re: Cricket
 

Now that I've had the opportunity to catch up on the Test match with Australia, I must admit I'm not surprised at the rather lack lustre performance of the England (not forgetting the Welsh members) team with some exceptions. Few would deny that this is the best team for years, they have the energy the enthusiam and they are a real team.

The writing was on the wall with the last series in South Africa it was to say the least a struggle. Now facing the Australians is a real test of skills. What I have seen is more like schoolboy cricket. Strauss has been the most disappointing one wonders whether the selectors could have kept Thorpe a little longer and played him rather than Strauss, give Strauss a rest but too late now. Kevin Pieterson is a real star more than once he has made a contribution that has saved the team now if he can handle bowlers of the calibre of a McGrath and McGrath is very good, then so should the other leading batsman. Don't these guys study the form the methods are they not doing their homework!

Well let's wait and see what happens today!

Re: Cricket
 

420 to find. Can we find them?

Re: Cricket
 

If our players just get their heads down and stop playing silly strokes or taking unnecessary risks.

Re: Cricket
 

You would have thought so wouldn't you, two and a half days of batting......
If the wicket's down by the end of today is 0, I will be pleased.
The top order batsmen need to show that they can bat this innings.