Thetownend.com

.....What do you reckon  :?:

   Australia Ashes squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Michael Clarke, Jason Gillespie, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Justin Langer, Michael Kasprowicz, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait, Shane Warne

What no Mark Viduka or Harry Kewell?!?!

No surprises for me. The Australians are class, but here's a few things:

Michael Clarke: He's a gun and will be a star for the next 10-15 years, but at the minute he's looking a bit dodgy against express pace, having not faced much of it before. Having two, perhaps three, genuinely quick bowlers will really test him.

Jason Gillespie: Was apparently shocking in the first two Tests against New Zealand last month, although had his rhythm back for the 3rd.

Matthew Hayden: Has been on a poor run of form for a year now and hasn't scored in ton for god knows how long. If we can knock him over early a couple of times in the 1st and 2nd Tests, it will hardly inspire confidence in the rest of the Aus side

Michael Kasprowicz: Also had a relatively poor series against New Zealand and for some unknown reason the Aussie press are championing Brett Lee for his place, which will heap the pressure on Kasper.

And the fringe players you may not have heard of:

Brad Haddin: A lesser version of Gilchrist. Fast scoring bat, bit of a dodgy keeper.
Brad Hodge: Aussie domestic cricket run machine (and also for Leicestershire over here)
Shaun Tait: Young quickie who's taken their domestic cricket by storm this year. Had a shocking two game spell with Durham last season - runs per over of 9.77 due a horrific no-ball problem

OK you're Duncan Fletcher....how do you go about winning this?

Hope and pray that Steve Harmison is on form and fired up

If he turns up we're a chance, if he doesn't its all over already.

Meanwhile, I'd drop Geraint Jones for Matt Prior.

Is that it ......I think we should resort to dirty tricks.  Try and catch a few Aussies in flagrante delecto.....visiting Uncle Charlie.....or women of dubious repute.

  A bettting scandal or match fixing corruption scam would be good......

 Remember when John Crawley got battered on a night out in Cairns, I always assumed he was cruising gay bars, he was never the same afterwards , (OK he was crap before)

 No stone should be left unturned.

 :soapy tit wank:  Geraint Jones knows what it's about to bat against the Aussies.

Harmisons overrated. We need Shrek to be at his very best to try and keep the runs from flowing and try and outfield them so we can outscore them.

Not very hopeful.

come on freddy flintoff! that's the extent of my cricket knowledge.

Warnie does all the dirty tricks for you.

Last week he had the third sex text scandal of his career. He's had the match-fixing scandal and the drug scandal. You can't ask for much more than that.

Thing is, he's still awesome.


One shocking series from a well-documented homesick player and he's overrated - how fickle is that.

Name the three most important things for a seam bowler - 1) bounce 2) movement and preferably 3) at pace. Harmison's got them all, we just need him to use them.


Hoggard's main selling point is that the Australians have only seen him when he's been at his worst which may mean they'll be over-confident and play one shot too many. On the other hand, they could reduce him to ruins like last time.


re: Flintoff.Lets hope he's fit

come one teh flintoff

Hoggard is our equivalent of the Pidgeon, while Harmy is a Brett Lee.

I know who gets my vote.

 Did you ever meet Peter Roebuck.....he came from O*ford, former public school boy. Got convicted for beating young cricketers in his charge across the buttocks for being naughty?

They are about the two most useless comparisons I've ever heard:

McGrath's strengths
1) Bounce
2) Line

Lee's strengths:
1) Sheer pace

Harmison's strengths:
1) Bounce
2) Pace

Hoggard's strengths:
1) Swing
2) Length

Whose their most accurate seamer, whose ours? Which one of each side puts the shitters up a batsman, supposedly? It's a fair one.

Fucking hell Boeta, even I wouldn't mind having a pop at a Harmy low on confidence. Plenty of hittable crap at a pace that only needs a nudge.

 OK...we have to be disciplined as much as you or I may love Warne...we have to drag him down. this may be best done by leaving him out of the spotlight and concentrating on the others.

We need several players to have amazing series.

Vaughn - Great captain but runs have been lacking of late. For me I would have him at 3 and bring Kevin Pieterson in. Him at 3 but there is Butcher, personally I dont rate Key at all.

Trescothic - Not had the best of times V Australia

Strauss - Amazing last summer, just walked into test cricket.

Thorpe - Key player IMO, can did deep when the going gets tough.

Flintoff - Can damage any team with bat and ball. If he has a great series then he could well bring the ashes home to england.

Giles - Good summer. Can provide some vital runs with the tail. More of the same.

Geraint Jones - Will always be under media pressure. More runs and he can do some damage. Keeping has been ok of late.

Harmison - Been out of form but he can still rip through Australia here in English conditions.

Hoggard - Get a nice swingy pitch and some cloud cover and could be in buisness. At the same time I feel the Aussies will target him and he could give away a few runs.

Simon Jones - Good bowler and he always seems to get wickets in 2nd innings. Could provide to be very useful.

If Pieterson isn't selected I shan't even bother keeping my tickets

I would imagine he'll have to wait his turn.

Probably, no1 has ever seen him at test level, but definately better than key or Bell

i would!

 Did you attend a public school SY?

Christ no. I went to a shitty secondary comprehensive or something, I suppose this means I'm not allowed to watch cricket :0

My cricket knowledge is up there with OF, but I have to ask, why not Gerant Jones, Boeta?

 I don't think they have shitty schools in O*fordshire......most of the population pay twice over and large numbers don't bother to take  the opportunity for a state education.  Which means you tend to get a good deal.

  Having had a look at the stats I'll retract my statement.....they do have shitty schools in O*ford, despite the fact that such large niumbers opting out frees up a lot of money for the residue.

I think his technique will be found seriously wanting by the Australians. He only has one shot - the cut, although he is awesome at it, that isn't enough. Jones has never scored runs when his side are in the shit, however Prior has done this regularly for Sussex and England 'A'.

The side will be:

1) Marcus Trescothick
2) Andrew Strauss
3) Michael Vaughan
4) Graham Thorpe (although if he plays like he did in SA, I want Ian Bell in)
5) Kevin Pietersen
6) Andrew Flintoff
7) Geraint Jones (realistically he'll play)
8) Ashley Giles
9) Matthew Hoggard
10) Simon Jones
11) Steve Harmison

So you think Pietersen will get the nod over Butcher if he is fit and gets some early form?

 Not so sure myself.....Fletcher placers a great deal on loyalty and Butcher has been reliable over the last 2 or 3 years.

Butcher's been reliably average. I don't think he's scored a ton for 3 years, now that's shocking. To win the Ashes every batsmen has to be able to score tons... so KP will get the nod.

Well he scored 106 v SA in Aug 03.

dave m russell is over rated!

To be fair tho he has been injured for a long time.

I think Butcher will be involved if fit, and the Aussies at home is abouted as well suited to his batting as you can get

Hey Boeta, when's Ciren's first game in the old cricket scene?

Pre-season friendlies start a week tomorrow (16th), with an away game at Swindon CC (behind the Arkells), then the next day we have our first home friendly.

All fixtures can be found at:

http://www.cirencestercricketclub.co.uk/fixtures/2005.html

We'll 'ave them Fairford tossers :x

In summary: They are cunts.

Those Frampton gobshites are gonna get it :x

Lets not be rude now, eh.  :wink:

Meanwhile, Lara's just brought up his ton v SA, that bloke is the closest thing to a God.

Will you Ciren lot be bringing a mob to Swindon? :evil:

Without doubt. I hear we've sold out our 3,000 allocation and are appealing for more tickets, although the police are worried about segregation issues.

Your fackin muggin me off!

Lara 150*

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