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ffs...mcgrath and lee have today both been bowling in the nets  :(  no signs of injury. bloody aussies!

I think Lee will play but i cant see them rushing Mcgrath back for tomorrow.

I think they are playing mind games. Doing well at it too.

I don't mind if both of them play tomorrow. I seriously doubt either would be fully fit. It could be a plus if neither of them are bowling to their full potential and McGrath could risk aggravating his injury seriously.
Plus if we were to get something out of this Ashes series I don't want it to be because key Aussie players missed tests.

Australia back to their strongest team today then. Both bowlers fit to play.  :x

When does it kick off?

Morning Dave, good morning everyone, 13-0 with out loss at Old Trafford.

about 10:30ish dave

 :soapy tit wank: are you benaud in disguise? are you benaud in disguise?

Lee is causing the most problems at the moment...mcgrath hasn't caused too many problems

Trescothick sounded a bit lucky to still be there, should Gilchrist have caught him???

yes, he should of, and he edged it again to gilchrist...but was a no ball!

richie benaud has just said 'mcgrath has conceded 20 runs off 4 overs...and it is the best i have seen him bowl considering the pitch' so i just agree with that cause richie benaud said it!  :)

lee just got strauss on the helmet and all the aussies ran up to ask how he was...awwwww! hit him right on the grill at the front of the helmet. ouch!

dam...strauss bowled by lee. slower ball yorker. 26-1

Sounds like they're causing a few problems Johno, what's the early general feelings of Mssrs Benaud, Boycott and others?

boycott hasn't been on yet  :(

atherton and slater are going on about vaughans batting techinque...yawn. we all know theres something wrong.

benuad i think, thinks aussies are on top at the moment.they are at the moment really, lots of edges dropping short, lee went for about 6 runs i think off 6 overs..

gillespie has just come on and been hit for four by vaughan..outside edge though.

I don't care how we manage to get something out of the ashes. The fact is that the only way we are going to get anything out of this series is if mcgrath and/or warne get injured.

wheres geoffrey boycott!? im getting worried  :(

93-1 at lunch.Going along quite well,so vaughan will probably get out straight after lunch :) .I wonder what the odds are on warnes 600 being k.p?,hopefully its hoggy. :)

vaughan is finally looking in good touch, going at a stirke rate of about 80...tresco is going slower than usual, but i think he is just there to partner vaughan now. just need someone to stay there as longer as possible.

Going well this morning, look forward to this afternoon's cricket  :beers:

another dropped catch by gilchrist!!  :beers:

mcgrath bowled vaughan











no wait its a no ball!!!!  :beers:

The sun is blazing the Crickets on, what more could you want!?.

The Aussies to keep dropping catches :D

to not be at work...  :(

Tresco has gone to Warnie.........600 test wickets. Well done you Aussie bastard

Warne has tres,600th wicket for the blonde ,genius bastard.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  id be in two minds whether to stand up and applaud him taking 600 Test wickets.

I applauded his Strauss delivery last week, you got to give credit where it's due - the man is a cricketing maestro!!!

I recognise the immense talent, skill and aura of the man, but he is still an Aussie bastard.

Anyway, come on Ian Bell, time to silence the critics.....

Oh yeah the best bowler ever in my opinion but he's still a smarmy cunt!

Warne will be the "Bell End" er by the end of the day.

Im not.....I'm bloody Ill though... :x

oh yeah, i need you to test out that McAfee TAR file... get back in here!!

Rather be ill than at work though :D

I'll do it tomorrow.....

Did you change your shirt today :wink:

I'd like some draught Guinness  :?

Shit ive just ran out of Guinness.....sorry. :?

Vaughn's got a century! Top bloke, must admit I've been doubting his ability lately but hopefully this will get his confidence back and he'll go from strength to strength.

Mcgrath just missed a chance to c & b Bell.

My prayers have been answered, they're still dropping 'em :soapy tit wank:

Prediction......Bell will be out in the next 17 minutes

Well, that pissed on my cornflakes, he's still there :) Still looks dodgy though

Vaughan spraying Gillespie all over the park :beers:

I'm not that up on my cricket, can someone explain why Bell is in the team, what does he offer to the team??  His batting seems to be poor and he doesn't bowl does he?

His record was fantastic before the Ashes, he averaged over 100 with the bat in his first half-dozen tests!

He hasn't been as good this series, has become an easy target for the Aussie attack

" His record was fantastic before the Ashes, he averaged over 100 with the bat in his first half-dozen tests! "

Aaaah, that'll be why then, I was thinking there must be more to this lad than he's shown so far this summer.  "Rabbit caught in headlights" is what he's looked like so far in this series.

150 up for Vaughany :beers:  :king:

This vaughan bloke is class, can't believe anyone doubted him.

He has been shite so far though, but fair play to el capitan

Vaughn out :(

Vaughan out for 166, here comes KP

Cracking innings. Well played son!

I hope KP doesn't get out before close of play...

Yeah get him out, useless vaughan, always said he was crap.

I hope Bell does to a certain extent, Freddy, Freddy, Freddy :beers:

So what is a good score on this ground, do we need well over 500 to have an advantage or are we doing alright at the moment?

We have had a fantastic start BWB!!!

I think 500+ would be a good target, any more than that would be a bonus, any less would be a bit of a waste of a good pitch

300 up! WoooHoooo

Excellent, Bell has done pretty well to be fair.

Bell's a midget.

A magic midget 8)

Did anyone just see that little kid give an Aussie player the 'V's'?.  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Pieterson gone :cry:

I fucking hate the whole Night watchman idea.

In typical fashion, Hoggy out last ball of the day :roll:

Still, a good day all round, would have taken that scoreline at the start of the day, Fred still to come. My £5 looking safe :D

No further questions your honour. :|

i watched some of this cricket lark today, it was surprisingly interesting.

i'll be tuning in tomorrow to see super freddy bash them all over the park.

Totally.  You are saying "Oooh, come in and play a few forward defensives and just stay in" or whatever the jargon is.  But by definition, tail enders (and that is who you are asking this of) cannot do this.  That is why they are tail enders.

It is fucked up.

It is not rocket science.

We are not splitting the atom.

It is fucked up.

It is a dumb, stupid idea.

Just as dumb as a short corner for example.

not such a bad days play me thinks!

shame about pietersen and hoggard going at the end, but oh well. vaughan showed that he can hit a ball!  :D

Rain.  :x

Obviously an opinion of an ignorant cricketer. If you knew and watched lots of England cricket you would know that Hoggard is a very good defensive batsmen. Hoggard can hang around for a good couple of hours. The ball that got him out was awesome and was good enough to get the Laras and Tendulkars out.

i think a nightwatchmen is very important if there are 10 overs or so left in the days play, because then if hoggard can see out as much as possible, it'll let flintoof, jones or who ever is in next the chance to bat the next day fresh and not stupidly lose his wicket at the end of the days play and put england in a bad situation.

todays play hasn't been too bad, but can't believe jesus (gillespie) has got jones out, he was looking crap, was a good ball though.

Langer gone, great catch by Bell.

Aussie's are 115-4, Gilchrist's in and Clarke's still not fit  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

What a shame...... :beers:

Woo hoo, Martyn bowled by Gilo. :D

fuck off you aussies!

we're creaming off all over their dirty aussie faces.

Quality.  twats aren't even going to get the follow on target!  :mrgreen:

ho ho...

Go on, King of Spain...  8)

182-6, Gilchrist out!

Clarke's probably in next, can't see him lasting long - he looked as if he could barely walk earlier.

fucking ace!!!!

Eat it!

We need to 'bodyline' Clarke. :mrgreen:

he went for 7... the score at the end of days play was 0-7. come on england!!

Here we go. Day 3 Australia 210-7 needing 35 to avoid the follow on. Who reckons we will get them and enforce the follow on.

well to be honest, im thinking we can get them to follow on but they won't be starting till gone 11.30 i think

its peeing it down at old trafford.

Oh I didnt see that they are showing highlights at the moment.

Aussies all out for 302 then, a nice, manageable 142 run lead to take into the 2nd innings. Good to see Simon Jones get a good return, he has looked very impressive so far this series.

Has been a good start by Tresco and Strauss as well, 26 without loss. Could really do with a big score from Strauss, he has struggled for runs so far this series......

128-2, going well, expect fireworks in the final session when Freddie and KP come to the crease :P

Shane Warne's flares are custom-made :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  :fag:

would have been better if england could have had a bowl this evening and all of tomorrow. now we are going to have to declare over night to have any chance!

Yeah the blokes a cock!. :twak:

i'd have that cock in our team any day

So would i but he's still a prick.

yeh! langer gone first ball off hoggards 1st over...that was a good delivery. problem is, is that the aussies only need 1 partnership and we could run slowly out of time!

how lucky are the aussies at the moment!  :evil:

What's going on young Johno, please update the working population of Swindon Supporters.  I know I can look it up on the beeb site but would rather hear a summary from our Calne resident.

Good morning, didn't see the Langer wicket fall, but Hayden kept edging thru' the slips (at least thrice) until he wasd bowled leg stump by Freddie. :D

Ponting looks quite settled, Martyn should have been out though, he edged to slip, but no-one appealed, so not out :x

All-in-all though, a good morning

well, play has just began followiung the lunch break and the aussies have moved onto 122-2. i appealed for martyn's wicket and wondered why no one else had! i knew i heard something. surprised bowden didn't hear me!

England really do need to get some wickets in this part of the days play. pick up 3/4 wickets will set us up nicely for the tailenders this evening.

another lbw decision turned down, think one of these will go our way at some point today, hopefully not too late!

Gotta say I am worried. Think we defo have to get them 6/7 down by tea. Bit worried with Warne and Lee coming in so late.

New score 129-2, couple of streaky 4s from Ponting.

Ponting on 46no.

Lbw turned down off of jones, and again.

i had respect for bowden, loads of it, but everything we appeal for, he is straight away going 'not out!' most cases he is right, but come on billy! be bias!  :D

Harmy just got martyn,lbw.

YES! FINALLY! thankyou billy bucknor!  :beers:

COME ON ENGLAND! COME ON ENGLAND!

Harmison LBW Martyn. 130-3. Huge inside edge but who cares.

He should have been out anyway after nicking a delivery earlier on. :D

exactly!

England need to do something and quick....this is getting closer and closer to a draw!

I'm more concerned that the aussies are going to win!

Its Steve Bucknor Johno. The bloke is completely clueless! Thank God! :D

Got to agrree with Johno. Ponting is well settled now. Gunna be hard to get him out. Need another 2/3 before tea at least

Score now 165-3. Giles getting a bit slaughtered to be honest.

Katitch gone. Bowled Flintoff caught Giles at gully.
165-4.

165-4 freddie just got someone not sure who ,come on tms.

I hope we bloody sort this lot out, I couldn't bare it if we fail to win this game.

Cheers nils,the crowd was so loud i couldn't hear who'd gone on the radio.Gilchrist has got to do something surely,he needs to make up for his various uncharacteristic mistakes.

gilchrist gone to freddie,we can do this.

Flintoff gets Gilchrist caught at gully.

182-5.

Come on lads!  This is quality stuff!

we're gonna beat the aussies
we're gonna beat the aussies
we're gonna beat the aussies
we're gonna beat the aussies

Hurrah for Sky+, came upstairs and missed the wicket, praise to the rewind button. :D

Clarke the one with the bad back has come out without a runner and to be honest is looking a bit dodgy. I think that Giles is looking a bit flat. I would bring back Hoggard personally. Vaughn has now brought himself on to bowl. 183-5.

I don't see why Michael Vaughn doesn't bowl a bit more often, I mean he's not good enough to be part of the attack, let alone an all-rounder but it offers us something a bit different.

although I don't really know much about cricket :D

Calm down,sonic.The thing with the aussies is,when you think you've got them down they come back at you ,the bastards.I'm sure we aren't going to lose now though. :)

how is the cricket going i saw it up to last night that was the last time i have seen it i eint had time to turn the tv on to watch it today ....

210-5

Latest

Hoggard brought back on to bowl now. Replacing Vaughn. Clarke looking settled. Ponting on 86 Clarke on about 20.

Score 211-5

How many does that put them behind us now ?

England could have done with getting clarke or ponting before tea, but that looks unlikely.

even so, get either of them out quickly after tea and get the tailenders in!

Target is 423 so they need 212. Harmison back on now but he isn't looking very veminous.

Still 211-5

They need another 212, we should bowl Yorkers to Clarke as his back is still dodgy.

cool cheers people  :D

At tea:

Boycott telling Tony Greig he is cross eyed and told him that he would be an awful umpire. Was very funny.  :D  

216-5

Ponting -90
Clarke-20

Update.

Ponting reaches his century. Giles drops  catchable catch off of his own bowling.

242-5.

10 overs til the new ball.

Im extremely nervous at the moment. :(  :?

Same here....we need to break this partnership....Clarke is scoring too quickly for my liking

Only 171 to win with 31 overs left. Aussies scoring at a fast rate at the moment, over 6 an over.

I reckon that we might mess this up again if we dont get rid of this partnership soon :x

Fucking yes! Clarke bowled by Jones. :beers:

Jones takes Clarkes off stump cartwheeling out of the ground.

CMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!

263-6 by the way.

Bit of a change Gillespie comes out to bat instead of Warne.

I've started to ignore it,can't take the tension,thank the lord for the welsh wizard though!.But the aussies are playing it like a odi and with warne coming in they can still do it.I think there is going to be a winner,hope to fuck its us.

I have turned my scoreboard off my desk top too, I am starting to thing we are gonna throw this away, c'mon lads sort it out!!

Hoggard gets Gillespie LBW

Have faith Birdy!

ok I have turned it back on now, they were listening to me  8)

Update:

Hoggard completes his over with a standing ovation.

265-7 with 31 overs left.

Warne finding it a little hard to resist the temptation to try and smash the ball.

Both Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard are swinging the ball a bloody country mile!

thank god for your updates nils, nothing happens quickly on these stupid scoreboard things

271-7

Theres a problem behind the bowlers arm.

The batsmen are time-wasting, trying to put the bowlers off their stride. Dirty Aussies will try anything :x

New ball has arrived

c'mon lets get fat boy spin out

Soapy Tit Wank

can't believe I said that,  :shock: I am his biggest fan, but my country comes first

Why are you his biggest fan?.

:oops: I think he is a great player and character and I wouldn't say no.

Nor would he..... :mrgreen:

I know, I am his stalker  :soapy tit wank:

Update:

Let Hoggard have 4 balls with the new ball and Jones an over. No swing with the new ball so Harmison brought back on. Wouldn't be surprised to see Flintoff on on the other end.

286-7

Flintoff back on. Causing a couple of problems for Warne. Warne hit a 4 off an attempted yorker. Some inifferent bunce coming int play. Some of Harmisons balls hae trickled through to Jones. Warne has edged to the slips but didn't carry by a good 2 or 3 metres.

things looking shaky then, they need another wicket and fast :(

Turn off your scorecard again Birdy

Still got 23 overs to go. We are bowling really well. Couple of huge LBW shouts off of Flintoff's last over.

296-7

Come on Freddie, one more wicket and that'll be as good as done.

I'm worried... can we still lose this?

I am turning it off for a mo hang on

Brett Lee is a half decent batsmen tho. Once McGrath is in it will be practically done and dusted.

Flintoff bowls a beauty to Warne and hits the splice of the bat Warne didn't see where it went and it just fell safe.

297-7

:twisted:  get him out grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Hold me Birdy, I'm scared  :cry:

have a big breast wobbly hug youth

Giles being brought on to replace Harmison. Lots of players around the bat.

298-7

oooo errrr  :shock:

If we get fucked over by light like we did in SA I'm going to cry.

please don't cry, you will start me off.

i think we should all shut our eyes and ears and pray for 5 minutes, that might work.

No we got fucked over by that cunt Smith continually complaining about the light to the umpires in SA.

I just saw Jesus in the crowd  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

i can't cope with this!

sorry sonic I am off home, lets hope there is another wicket down by the time I get outside to my car!!

Let us pray

Pietersen you fucking prick! :evil:

Simon JOnes back on now. 313-7. ONly 16 overs to go. Peiterson drops a catchable catch, quite hard though. Was Warne he dropped.

what did he do, drop one??  :twisted:

Yes :evil:

Thats 5 dropped by him in the series, we should put the sub on for him when we field.

90 balls to win it then. Come on England!!!!

I feel sorry for the man. He is actually quite a good pair of hands but they just aint sticking ata the moment and we all know the phrase "catches win matches".

Pieterson the fat cunt slid to save a boundry and destroyed a toyota hoarding. Didnt save the boundry but it was quite funny. :soapy tit wank:

Very worried now. Aussies are having a very good patch and they are only 89 runs off of 74 balls from winning.

Warne gone. Flintoff. Dodgy edge strauss dropped it in the slips and Jones dived and caughgt the rebound.

27 balls left and Ponting is possibly facing the next 3.

WOOOO HOOOOOO PONTING HAS GONE!  :beers:  :beers:

How many balls left ?  20 or so ?

Cricket never used to be this exciting

Get in, and ive never been into cricket before!

20 balls left, weve got to get at Mcgrath, york the fucker.

harmison to bowl at mcgrath. 18 balls left. comoooooooooon

he's on strike now for Harmison...

Bastard stopped the Yorker!

12 left. Anyone drops it and I will personally hunt them and kill them.

doh !!!   give an lbw for once !!

c'mon freddy - one ball left !!...

Last over!!!! get in, im loviong this and am into cricket! dont understand why

comedy then - they had to leave the ball to roll over the boundary to give McGrath the strike !

cwamaaaan england!

2 balls left!  :evil:

:(

:x

bah !   aussies have never wanted a draw so much !

Fucking Aussie cunts!, what happened to the 5-0 then Mcgrath!?. :twisted:

:old:  Old man McGrath survives. Fucking hell!!

Although Harmison wasted 3 balls at him by not making him play.

If you all hate the Aussies clap your hands!

fucking gutted!

*clap* *clap*  :evil:

oh yeah i remember that! what a twat. he thought it would be 5-0 to them or 3-0 if there was rain. i think the aussies have only just realised that we are not the England team of old. i think we have the potential to be the next world dominators for the next 10 years. the aussies are on the down and their players are passed it!

Leaves it nicely poised though for the remaining two tests.  If England can win the next test that'll make the 5th test unbearable!!!!  

Ooooh, I could crush a grape!

england should have won that. Harmisons last over was all wrong, and just wasn't really troubling mcgrath or lee enough, not that, that should be hard!

The trouble is now is if the aussies win the next test they retain the ashes :( .To be honest though in spite of yesterdays dissappointment, i've been so impressed with the way we've competed with the aussies,it was all i wanted us to do,to give the fuckers a real test for the first time in ages.It feels great,the whole country behind the boys,even people who think cricket is shit are taking notice.Its just a shame that the ecb have sold out to sky,all the interest thats been generated and next summer there won't be any cricket live on free t.v.Money grabbing sell outs. :x

i agree with you mate, even though i have sky i reckon certain things should be on terrestial tv.

Sorry but Sky's coverage is way better than Channel 4, the ad breaks every 5 minutes on C4  are beyond annoying. :evil:

I have sky too but think Cricket should be retained by C4, as for the ad breaks - who cares? You're missing nothing other than preperations for the coming over.

Me!

It gets on my tits as well, on Sky they use the over breaks to show stats etc and I find it interesting whereas C4 use every possible opportunity for adverts. Even after a bloody wicket! No chance of seeing a replay, you get adverts straight away then the next batsman is at the crease.

sky soon will have everything...decent that is.

Cricket on sky isn't alot better. I reckon it is better with lloyd, botham and colville. on channel 4 you have grieg, atherton who can get annoying, and boycott who does go on sometimes!

commentators make so much difference when it comes to cricket coverage.

Couldnt have said it better.

i just reckon everyone should have the chance to see something like the ashes, its something the whole country should be able to watch.

I blame the beeb, they should never have let go of the cricket coverage, or at least they should have fought to bring it back to the advertless channel.  To be honest though their coverage used to be pretty poor.

yeah but the Beeb had the ultimate cricket music! That tune just screams summer days and cricket to me.

i can't remember cricket on the beeb...how long ago was that?

This is why something like the Ashes should be kept on terrestrial television. Cricket was in a downward spiral before the introduction of 20/20 and the resurgence of the England team in World cricket. This Ashes series is doing massive things for cricket in this country and interest is being renewed because anyone can turn on their TV and get involved, this is the way it should stay as far as I’m concerned.. regardless of a few annoying adverts.

Before channel four got it, about 6 years ago maybe?!?  Reg?  Anyone?

To be fair they hadn't updated their coverage for years, no graphics, nothing, just Benaud talking us through Phil Edmonds spinning technique.

This is true!

Was that the tune that was introduced for a West Indies tour, the one that got released as a dance track in the mid nineties.  Starts with a tapping like "Da da da da da da da, da da da da da da", na na na na na, do do do do do do do do do......

I think it was featured on the album "On a dance tip"

Booker T The MGs - Soul Limbo
http://www.emusic.com/m3u/song/10603248/11161107.m3u

nope, i don't recall cricket on the beeb....how sad.  :cry:

Der der der der der da der der!


Quality.

Its true,  I have been dipping in and out and I thought I couldn't stand cricket.

should come and watch somerset some day yeovil.... 20/20 matches are quality!

Bloody Glenn Mcgrath!, go downstairs this afternoon and pick up the daily paper to see Mcgrath gloating about how we couldnt finish them off at Old Trafford!, what happened to the 5-0 Glenn?< ive said it before but weve still got no answers.