Thetownend.com

The England team arrived for a tough couple of months in Australia on sunday morning. The first warm up game is on Thursday night/ Friday morning against a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra.

Actually the Prime Minister XI Game is live on SS1 Thursday night at 10.55pm

a defeat for us i reckon. we traditionally lose the first Aussie Tour game

Thanks for that information  :roll:

It's just started, Freddie's opening the bowling with Jimmy and has already taken a wicket \o/

28-1

Jones has dropped a sitter. That's Read in for the first test then

The King of Spain strikes in his first over for England in a year 8)

I see were doing well  :shock:  :|

Saj went for nearly 11 an over :doh:

You were absolutely correct Richy, a dismal 166 run defeat. Needless to say, an absolutely crap performance and the worst possible start to the tour. Reminds me of the Aussies getting beat by Bangladesh at the start of Summer '05.

The only positives to take were the return to bowling action of Flintoff (who looked decent) and Gilo (not so great) and Strauss looking in good touch with the blade. Tait's looking a tad dangerous, must be a shoe-in for a start in the first test after that display

 :(

when oh when will we stop persisting with Sajid Mahmood .. Jon Lewis is a MILLION times better

I thought Collingwood batted well. On the Shaun Tait for the first test it would be between him and left are seamer Mitchell Johnson.

Don't think he has the passion to play for England, maybe he should have played for another country.

Day 2 of 3 tour Match
New South Wales 355-9 dec v England 256-4

Kp 80* Flintoff 48*

All out for 297 tomorrow then.  :-))(

hahaha

is that why you don't play football, rugby, cricket for england and run the 100m for great britain? because you don't have the passion?

saj is very talented, but very raw. let the lad develop

fletcher has said jones is back as keeper, anderson will be the third seamer and they'll play 2 spinners in 2-3 of the tests

come back well today then it sounds. 4 wickets for 30 runs and then KP and Freddie chipping in with the bat.

I'd be pleased to see Jimmy in the side,think he has more control than Mahmood.Bit pissed at Jones coming back though :-))(

Jones is more equipped technically to bat at 7 with 5 bowlers and Giles at 8 add more balance than Sajid Mahmood batting at 8. Plus Larwood how was rome.

But is he Ultra......Is HE??????? :wink:  :( I'm yet to be convinced of Jones's ability with the gloves let alone his ability with the bat.I hope he'll prove me wrong though!I agree with not playing Mahmood,just hope Freddy can hold an end up.

Rome was ace,didn't get to the game though :( Went to the ground at least,very impressive. And we saw some fresh Fiorentina graffiti 8)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6145646.stm

A draw is a ok result for us,considering we usually lose these warm up matches and the fact that it was a strong NSW side.Good to see KP in the runs and Jimmmy in the wickets too.

agreed. good to see anderson get some wickets. i'd like to see him in instead of mahmood, but i'd also prefer panesar to giles, which would give us the longest tail in cricket.

So far my starting line up would be

Cook, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Flintoff, G Jones, Giles , Hoggard, Harmison, Anderson.

12th Man - Monty - save him for the mega spinning wickets later in the series

Sad to see Giles in there, but I'd probably agree. Think Panesar could be a real match winner, and I'm not even sure that Giles is capable of containment any more, let alone actually getting the odd wicket.

Jones needs some early runs or he'll be under real pressure.

For once i actually agree with Fatbury with that team.

Giles is in for his batting !  :shock:

NMH

yeah, i know that. but i'd take panesar getting 3 wickets over giles getting 20 runs every time.

Now tres has gone home on a stress releated illness. Get well soon Tres. The two Ideal replacements could be Robert Key or Ed Joyce.

Call up Ramprakash .. that would bugger up Stictly Come Dancing  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

That isnt funny.

Not Rob Key floghorse Ed Joyce is a good shout though.

only because Joyce plays for Middlesex  :roll:

True.

best of luck to tres

shah has to be pretty close to joining the squad after his runs in india last winter

id call up joycey though cos hes a legend

 :soapy tit wank:
I do think he's a good little batsman,inspite of playing for Middlesex :wink:

he is good. can't argue with that.

Got to be Ed Joyce. He is the future. Short, stocky, punchy little batsman. Mentally very tough.

Failing that Owais Shah. Then about 10 others before Rob Key!

Joyce it is then. thought he was younger than 28 though  :|

why the fuck does it matter if he's 28 you utter twat?

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  :wanker: just thought he was younger thats all. throwing a pissy  :soapy tit wank: oh dear.......

3 day match against South Australia starts tonight. I think whatever team is out tonight will start on Wednesday night/Thursday morning for the 1st test match in Brisbane.

Tour match, Adelaide, day one of three (close):
South Australia 247-7 dec v England 24-1.

Darren Lehman was run out for 99. Matthew Hoggard took 3 wickets, Jimmy Anderson, Monty Pasenar and Andrew Flintoff took the other 3 wickets. Andrew Strauss was dismissed for a 2nd ball duck LBW to Shaun Tait. Steve Harmison was rested after feeling some stifness in his side muscle.

good first day. we seem to be bowling quite well at present which is good. the batting is always a worry though

Belly's gonna get ya! Hit 132 today, Colly got 80! Finally, some of our batsmen beginning to show form 8)

Good batting display by Bell and Collingwood today with a stand of 178. Lets hope Flintoff and Jones get some quick runs tomorrow.

good stuff again today against an attack that includes Tait and Gillespie. im starting to look forward to the series a bit now  :D

Fucking eh, we need a moral boost going into the first test.

Kudos Bell and Collingwood.

Ashes Preview show tonight on BBC 2 at 11.25.

so who is going to be nocturnal for the next month or so?

I've deliberately not got SkySports because of the fact of the Ashes coverage this winter... I've got a dissertation to write... I can't/won't let the pending thumping by the Aussies get to me!

There's decent highlight coverage on bbc2 and interactive on freeview Rich if you aint got sky and are not nocturnal.

And theres plenty of radio coverage as well on bbc/digital.

Cheers,

Millom

Me, but then again, i am anyway

Going to try,probably listen to the wireless at night [got to get my Kerry o'Keeffe fix :D ]and then get up at 5am or so to see that blue sky and sunny sunshine.Depends on how we do as well,tbh i probably won't bother too much if we're getting stuffed :( Fucking convicts :x

Im going to have to listen to it on the radio at work!  :evil:

Shane Watson is out of the first test at the gabba for the OZ with a Hamstring Injury. You can get podcasts of the day play on bbc sport's xtra website30 mins after the days play. Also on the beeb website you can catch a 10 minute highlight clip of the days play at 8.30am.

my mate's just got sky sports just for the ashes - bonus! i can see a lot of late nights coming up...