Thetownend.com

Is anyone looking forward to the ashes this winter? 

I am heading out there for all 5 tests, its going to be better than the last series out there (unlucky Spencerwhite)

I have just started to use Twitter and Micheal Vaughan is giving some great banter


Are any other town fans heading out there?

Are you rich man?

No just saved up for a while! No commitments makes it a lot easier as well :P

I envy you............would love to be going.

It is my lifetimes ambition to see an Ashes test match in Australia....the boxing day test.
Good luck to you..........my wife is Australian but even that dont help me get out there...enjoy it.

Fair play mate. Should be a cracking series. Think this is the best chance we have to win down under since the 80s.

I'd echo that.

We've got the settled side, whilst the Aussies don't know whose going to be fit from their bowlers, where we've got the edge on, with Swanny.

And how much grief will Punter get if they lose...again?

Yeah the Australians are a lot weaker than they have been for a while!

Anyone use twitter on here?

And that's what happens when they lose players like Warne and McGrath, and they've got no-one in their class to replace them. Shaun Tait would be the only bowler I would be scared of if I was England, as proved by the one day series a few months ago, but he cannot last 5 days, so won't play in the Test series.

The Aussies strength is the batting, but you can get at them, and Punter still gets run out on a regular basis, having been run out twice in the last series in India.

Losing the last Ashes series in England was hard enough for the Aussies to take but losing on home soil would be unforgivable. That said, at 35, you have to wonder whether this will be Ponting's last Ashes series anyway.

As pointed out by Summerof69, the Aussies definitely haven't overcome the loss of Warne and McGrath but I think Gilchrist's retirement has also had as much of a major effect.

For us to win the Ashes we must avoid defeat in Brisbane in the first test. Failure of Australia to win on one of the two traditionally two hard, bouncy pitches will give England a distinct psycological edge.

 

Hope we don't start with a wide to second slip this time, not a good way to start the series.

buy a big stfc flag! christ i would love to go, very very jealous.

The media are overplaying the difference between the sides. We're not as solid as is being made out (take a look at the collapse at the oval), and they are a very good side in transition - once it clicks for them, they will be very difficult to beat.

They've got a bowling unit that's a spinner short - hilfenhaus, siddle, Johnson and bollinger have more variety than our tall quicks. On batting tracks, that could count for something.

Their batting is more brittle than ours, but ours isn't that strong. There are question marks over every batsman except Strauss.

It'll be a really tight series, and I fancy whoever wins in Brisbane will come out on top.

It's going to be really tight!

Two average teams if your honest! Both batting line ups have serious questions!

For England, Strauss is a key as the Aussies will look to mail him!  Cook needs to get off to a decent start.  Trott is a bit dull at 3 but I think his ability to bat long is a huge bonus!  Which KP will turn up? Collingwood seems to have not made nay runs in a while!  I do like the Bell/Prior at 6/7.  Both have batted well with the tail.

For the Aussies, I have been forever saying that Watson isnt a opener but he seems to make runs. Punter is the best player but on his way down fast, so he will have the series of his life!  For Hussey this will be the last Ashes series and he is under pressure.  I reckon there is an outside chance Callum Ferguson may force his way into the side at some point but not at Brisbane!

I am looking forward to the Prior v Haddin clash!  Evenly matched in the keeping!  Could come down to what runs they make!

England have a much better spinner, the quicks are pretty even really.  Wont be much swing so Anderson will have to bowl like a god with new ball.  The Aussie will look to attack Finn as the young pup!

Not sure what quicks the Aussie will go with.  Johnson is a much better bowler in Aus that we have seen here! Siddle looks to be making his way from injury.  Bollinger is injured but if he is fit, I expect him top play!

Also England do have the two spinner option maybe for Adelaide and Sydney?

I went down there for the Melbourne and Sydney for the 2006/07 series and had a blast.  Both Melbourne and Sydney are great places to visit especially at that time of year.

Although by the time we got out there the series had been lost and we were 3-0 down it was still brilliant to go to the MCG on Boxing Day and watch the likes of Hayden, Ponting & Gilchrist bat along with McGrath and Warne bowling too.  Sydney at New Year was class and also managed to meet a few Town fans out there along with other supporters of lower league football teams which was a good laugh.

You will have a cracking time, they love the pommie accent so use it wisely.  England to win 2-1.

trying to sort that out now. any one know where to get big flags from?

Would love to be going - I had the chance of tickets, but unfortunately the small matter of the cost of the flights had to be taken into consideration.  ;D

The Aussies aren't only suffering on the field at present.It seems that socially, young teenagers
aren't showing the same interest in cricket.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/01/ashes-australia-interest-waning

The depth they have enjoyed for the last 20 years has been incredible, and it had to come to an end.

Australian fans are notorious for turning off and switching over to another sport if the national team are losing. But in the background they will have plenty of players knuckling down to net sessions. England had the better of Ashes clashes in the 80's and that inspired an unbelievable generation of players.

Cricket Australia are right to worry about their revenue streams. They dont get the crowds, if you cant fill the grounds then you can ramp up the prices, as the ECB have done over here.

The prices are high mostly due to the ECB now auctioning Tests and ODI's to the highest bidders, as proved by when Cardiff getting an Ashes test, and the venues then have to charge to try to make a profit on them.

I also see that the Aussie press are reverting to the same old lines...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/we-are-all-100-per-cent-english-says-skipper/story-e6frg7mf-1225945868421

It is pretty silly charging people too much but they still seem to fill the grounds.

I dont know if you have the tickets or not or what kind of atmosphere you are looking to get from the crowds but try and find the right spot of the stadium if you are looking for a laugh as well as watching the cricket.

As the fans are mixed together at cricket (they were when i watched it) the banter is brilliant. As the day goes on and the beer flows it gets better and better.

I forget the name of the sections/bays in each stadium but its worth finding out. If thats what you want, of course.

You will love it whatever you do anyway.

Yeah have all my tickets, general admin where ever possible! So hopefully be in with the barmyarmy at some point. 

another great result for the australian's... ha ha.

I see Glenn McGrath has predicted another 5-0...

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/former-test-star-glenn-mcgrath-again-tips-australia-to-win-ashes-series-5-0/story-e6frf3gl-1225947023301

He does it every time now. At least he sees the funny side of it.

We'll fucking stuff em, I'm well confident.

They've got the better opening bowlers and the only genuine all rounder in Watson, but we piss all over them in every other department.

The Australians have forgotten how to win, well thats the headline anyway..

http://www.cricinfo.com/australia-v-sri-lanka-2010/content/current/story/485282.html

i fucking hate watson's stupid cunting face, i hope he forgets how to play

Dave! Welcome back!

Stayed out of this thread so far.

We have a real chance, so for that reason alone I'm nervous.

we'll win 3-1

I recon that Xavier Doherty is goin to turn out to be there version of Swanny...

We should still win though. 2-0

I think 2-1 we will win!

in one-dayers probably yeah because he is an excellent one-day bowler - but so is hauritz. but like hauritz he's always struggled with the red ball and I don't see that magically changing

I see the Aussies have lost again.

They probably wanted a nice confidence booster by winning this one-day series before the Ashes, especially having never lost a one-day series to Sri Lanka at home.

It hasn't quite worked out that way...

For all you Shane Watson 'fans', some class fielding from today :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeaeCy_h32w

Isn't that more Michael Clarke being a chump and not just whipping the bails off?

2-1 Australia, yeah they're on a bad run but they played Tests against India in India and no one cares about one day games anymore.

Hauritz is a much better bowler than people/media are making out - even if his stats don't say so. It will be a tight series but you have to back the home side. I fail to believe the hype, especially being drawn in by town's pre-season already this year!

I think it will be close, but England have a very good chance to win it.  They are on a bad run, but I am sure the ashes will make them up there game! 

There is one Aussie paper who thinks their side are in a bit of a mess :

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad-application/trouble-brewing-on-our-selection/story-fn6bn647-1225948432242

Personally, it's going to be tight but it's either going to be 1-1 or 2-1 to England, as England have got the better bowlers, and in Andy Flower we've got the most astute coach in the game.

Warm up game not going tremendously, but something growing faster than the hype is Kevin Pietersen's Movember tash. This is going to be magnificent by the time we get to the First Test!

[url width=466 height=260]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49827000/jpg/_49827963_pietersen466260getty.jpg[/url]

I luv cricket especially beating the Aussies. Looked into going to Adelaide but the costs were just tooo much. We got a real chance of kicking butt this time. It could be a good distraction from things at County Ground.

I used to work for a printing company that printed Iron Bottom`s first book, when it had sold 250k copies the man took everyone out for a ruby murray...in the days before he became a Lord / Sir whatever he is now.....shook his immense hands ( like a shovel )...happy days :)

Well they won the first one and in a good position for the second.  Got a flag sorted now, will post up a pic before I go, so you can watch out for it!!  (look for the guy with the red face as well...)

Our bowlers are looking good. Big concern for me is the batting as ever.

Yeah but I think if Cook gets a few more runs and sorts his footwork out we will be fine.

Looks like even the second string bowlers have hit the ground running down under!  This is almost starting to get worrying!

You know things are looking good, when Monty Panesar take a diving one handed blinder!

Shahzad looked good last night.

It looks like it's the opposite to 4 years ago. 4 years ago we didn't know our best 11 due to injuries and form, and the Aussies had the settled side...this time it's the other way round. England know their team for the 1st Test, barring a sudden injury, but the Aussies don't know even which spinner they'll play. Ponting has been sent to play his first Sheffield Shield games for 2 years, along with a number of batsmen...and they keep on failing.

It's amazing that the Aussies are still mentioning about the Kookaburra ball. Well just about every time England go away, they have to play with that ball so they are used to it, as most of the Test playing nations use it.

Anyway, after watching some of it last night, isn't it pathetic hearing Mark Nicholas trying to sound more 'Aussie' on commentating.

And if you haven't seen Monty's catch...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfnvzz_monty-s-catch_sport

We're certainly playing well at the moment in the warm ups. At the moment we're looking like the side who are favourites and are more settled and confident. The Aussies' doubts remind me of the England days of the 90s and early noughties when the Aussies used to come here in confident and bullish mood whilst we shat ourselves and wondered what team we would play. Seems the power may have shifted now.

Another good day today. Bell and Collingwood look good and we've got a nice lead building up.

I'm tremendously excited about this Ashes series.Which worries me.

I don't recall going into a series against the convicts when we appear to be the stronger,more confident and settled side.It feels unnerving to be honest.

Still got my jar of coffee ready to go for the early mornings,hope i have a reason to be getting up!

I will be fucked by Chritmas.

Swanny's video diary on ecb.co.uk is very funny. good insight into life on tour!

Excellent! Remind us when the next installment arrives.

The was funny, especially when Swanny said Mushtaq's beard was sponsored by adidas !!

But Monty, you cannot change your football team you gloryhunter !!!

From a work point of view i have to deal with the open prison on a daily basis they have been on about the Ashes for weeks can't wait for us to beat them

were gona win five nil.

Well I like that Idea, you seen the flag on my facebook?  I will get round to posting it in here at some point!

Another day of watching the cricket down the pub I feel!

Forgot to mention, I will be doing a blog, not decided how often yet, but thinking min once a week.

http://keithontour.blogspot.com/

Will be posting pics etc so have a look..

I'm going to miss the start of the series thanks to a work conference, cunts...

Have a great time.

A conference from 11pm to 7am Sonic ?  thats a bit harsh

Tonight's the night. Hopefully this can rouse me from football-related hate of sport. Cricinfo think they have the teams, England is obvious but Oz more interesting

England 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.


Australia 1 Simon Katich, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Xavier Doherty, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.


Picking a bowler especially to combat Pietersen seems a little odd, and I for one am delighted to see the name of North, Marcus in that side- test average of 37.40 from 19 games is way below Aussie standard, and I don't even feel I'm tempting fate he's so average.

Come on England. Nice first session (and ball!) please

Ive got to drive from Wolverhampton to Leed tonight and then Leeds to 'nam tomorrow at around 11.30pm.  So Im delighted that the ashes is on and Ill be following TMS all the way.

The amount of optimism is a huge worry to me though, its just not right!  BBC sport has the headline 'England on high for ashes opener'.  I cant stand this tempting of fate!

But what can you do when even the Aussie press are having a dig at THEIR side. Normally, within 48 hours of landing, the Aussie press say that the English team is the worst ever, but they're keeping quiet. England's preperation couldn't have gone any better, whilst the Aussie's have had to send their batsmen to play state cricket for the first time in three years as their form have been patchy at best.

They keep on about the Kookaburra ball, but it's not just in Oz they play with the ball. Quite a few test nations play with it, so the English team hae used it a few times before.

Under 12 hours to go...and looking forward to it.

Less than 6 hours before we play the open prison

Play starting at midnight is annoying...every night there's going to be the decision: do I stay up for this?  And then: may be a couple more overs?  Except for the Perth test when the time difference is different and it would mean staying up until 2.30am...and there's no way I'll be doing that.

I am so looking forward to this. 

I can see watching of extended highlights before each day's play, then watching into early hours, then getting up early to watch end of play, then watching extended highlights etc etc

Can't wait.....get on Petterson for top run score in the series.
 

Have people checked out Swanny's Ashes Diary?

Good bit of viewing.

haha, 4:30am start tomorrow so at least I'll catch the end of play...

yup football worries can take a back seat now, UNTILL FRI :eek:

Sleeping pattern altered. Three hours before the start and then should be able to stay up for the first session at the very least. Stupid job.

Got me cuppa tea. Ready for the toss!

We've won it and are batting. It'll move a bit early so first hour could be fun.

Crowd looks a bit sparse.

This sounds a lot like the GoCompare man singing God Save the Queen.

is there a feed anywhere?

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK

Oh dear.

FFS! Three balls!

Oh fuck, looks like it might be time for bed

Blimey, that was shit

Are we going to score any runs?

Yes. Trott off the edge!

And another, this time he meant it

Oh heck, review against Trott...

That was close

Think thats enough for me.Will catch up when we are 250-1 in the morning.

I love Strauss

Trott bowled by Shane cocking Watson.

Time for bed, might stick it on the radio to fall asleep to....good luck to all those sticking it out for the whole night

Cook and Pietersen bring up their 50 and shortly after they bring up England's 100.  Looking pretty comfortable so long may it continue!

Less comfortable now 125/4

KP and Colly both edge to slips off Siddle - England chucking away a great chance.

174/4 at tea. Watson getting some swing and Doherty looking fairly tidy but Cook and Bell pretty solid.

No-one else fancied pulling an all nighter for this?

I'm still going, startin to feel the Buds now though.

7am, Macs brekky, bed, wonderful

Fuck a cunt

Yeah that wasn't ideal. Completely out of the blue.

Might have to stop the beers myself soon before work at 9 if I'm going to last the day.

Bollocks 260 all out.

Highlight has to be a Jimmy Anderson reverse sweep for 4 late on. Bell also looked class.

We need at least one breakthrough before the close.

260's plenty, Swanny 7-for tomorrow, positive positive positive

Let's hope so!

1 before end of play would be lovely! I'd let swann have one

Well that told me.... Broad last over

Or maybe not

Heh heh, Swanny getting pumped all over the place :D

For 1 you twats- Not all out!

Hmm. That's not good- I went to sleep when Pietersen went, weren't in that bad a position then but a Peter Siddle hatrick? Fucks sake, he's not exactly Malcolm Marshall is he.

Bit of a meh day really.Could and probably should have been much better.Still KP looked good and he didn't get out to the spinner.Cook and Bell also played well,but we needed one of them to make a big score,sadly didn't happen and the best player by far was Siddle.

At least we batted first and the conivcts weren't able to make the usual 400 for none on the first day.

Well that was a fun day in the sun for me.... We started badly with Strauss getting out and then looked ok for 195 or so for 4, then Siddle got a hattrick... The noise at the Gabba was immense for the third wicket!!

Well plenty more cricket to be played, little plug for my blog...

http://keithontour.blogspot.com/

Opened up the comments section, so any comments welcome.  I will be adding pics when I find a comp that actually allows me to plug a SD card in!!

just woke up, stayed up and watched it live, thought we were lucky to get to 260, england looked really nervous,
siddle was superb and is going to be a handfull me thinks, petersons tash :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:, i think its for charity so fair play :hitler:

Same old England, different series sadly. Knew our batting would be suspect and it's already been proved on day 1. Confidence and momentum has already switched to the convicts. Great start....

You've changed your tune pretty quick IOB. Not suprising though given you're probably the most negative cunt on here.

One bad day and everyone starts writing us off... it's fucking sad. If you actually watched it, we weren't even that bad. Just the Aussies bowled bloody well and the ball/pitch is doing a bit.

We'll still win the series.

It's not a disastrous total, bit below par but far from a lost cause if we bowl well- it depends how the pitch comes up today- if Siddle could swing it, Anderson is going to have a whale of a time unless it's gone dead overnight, which a few people have mentioned it might.

Overall, a bit behind the curve but not time to sound the panic alarms.

Australia have got to bat last which is usually a bit of death slot at Brisbane. I can still see it being a very close match if Swann gets wickets. Hes going to bowl a huge amount of overs tommorow.

Just seen ITV News labeling Englands performance as awful? Bizarre. Good job the team wont see that sort of shit.

The commentators also said that the pitch should quicken up which will help the bowlers even more.

Don't panic it's only day one. The Aussies have had their fair share of collapses in the last couple of years.

I remember at the Oval last year when we made around 350 on the first day, and the press were saying that we fucked it up. We then bowled them out for less than 200...and we all know what happened next.

This will be a great Test Match....could go either way still.

Wonder whether our bowlers will continue to bang the ball into the middle of the pitch or will learn from Siddle and pitch it up a bit?

I want to see the sprinkler tonight.

I'm no cricket expert. But I do wonder why they don't try bowling at the stumps a bit more often.

Generally because it's much easier for most batsman to score on the leg side, so if you aim right into their legs a Test Class batsman will tuck it away for one most times. If you bowl outside off, you make them play away from themselves and bring the slips into play.

That said, if the ball is swinging a bit then it's a very valid strategy and should be used a lot more against the lower end batsmen.

Five hours sleep last night and aiming for even less tonight as I have no work tomorrow.

The performance better be worth it.

Only gonna get the first session in tonight i think, still tired despite an evening nap.

Sometimes you can't be sure what a good score is until both teams have had a bat. However on the basis that the Aussies are 55-0 it might suggest that 260 is nowhere near enough

Katich given out lbw, reviewed and it's not out. Argh!

Bollocks - that's a killer. We've not had any luck so far today.

Caught at slip! Thank fuck for that. Review that!

Yussssssssssssssssss

Right bed time! I want to see us in bat when i wake up!

Booooommmm Ponting out 2nd ball after lunch!

Caught down the leg side - beautiful.

Bring on the aussie collapse!!!!

Katich gone and Hussey edges first ball just short of slips - different match now

143/5 now. Clarke put out of his misery by Finn and North edges Swann for 1.

Hussey looks good though.

Get Huss and we're in

Yep, good day for England, still a touch behind overall but quick wickets tomorrow and a small lead for Oz and we'll be in a very decent position.

I was up with a cough/cold for an hour or so in the night so got to listen to both the Ponting and Katich wickets.  All seemed to be swinging in our favour at 100-3, but Hussey pulled it around again later on.  As Nemo says, they still have the advantage...but if we can get a couple of quick wickets tonight then it's wide open again.  The commentators on TMS this morning were saying they expect this to swing one way and then the next for the whole series.  It's going to be close.

Swann owns North.

Haddin will play his shots, important to bag him before Hussey imo.

My random selection is 142nd best in the whole of the world in that Cricinfo fantasy malarkey.

Hussey given out but reviewing, has Anderson broken through early?

Not out FUCKSTICKS.

Oh 'eck, now Prior's hurt his finger.

Anyone got a live stream for this? I have one with shite foreign commentary

Hussey plum lbw and he doesn't give it, England have no reviews left. Argh.

Anderson has bowled enough beauties to clean up a whole team so far this morning - no luck at all.

Time to call it a night methinks. Aussies are going to have a 100+ lead methinks

Hussey gets to his 100. Good innings, but he was plumb lbw an hour ago.

That'll be 1-0 then.

Words fail me on this. The positive is, that for at least the first session I watched, we bowled fantastically but had no luck at all, Anderson bowled one of the best spells of bowling I've seen, went over the stumps two or three times, tons of played and missed and lbw appeals. Nice confidence boost for Finn to get 6 but we're going to need a couple of tons from our top 6 to avoid going down here.

I have to agree, Anderson bowled a fantastic spell in the first hour and it seemed as it was only a matter of time before we got either Hussey or Haddin out.  But that is what cricket is all about, they rode their luck and cashed in.  England had no luck what so ever but will be good for the confidence ahead of the next Test in Adelaide.

What we need to do now is to stick in and fight, the top order need to get big runs, we are capable of it, we just have to deliver.  The Aussies have shown that you can get runs on the pitch so now we need to be patient and bat very very well.

another very very hot day at the gabba today. missed the first 45 mins, late night and forgot to get up for the town game. it was tough watching the oz's pile on the run's a few chances went down but we bowled well today.. nice last hour without loss.

We have to bat for another day and a half at least now. Sounds like we were unlucky in the first session but the game has drifted away now. We have to just bat and bat bat something that traditionally we're very poor at. I'm going for an Aussie win here unless it rains.

KP ton is due....should be a great two days.

Strauss and Cook survive the first hour pretty comfortably - 83/0

Really hope I'm not jinxing them.

So do I!

I have just invested £40 in the first test ending in a draw at evens!

100 up for Strauss, it's all going quite swimmingly so far today...

200/1 now. Batsmen untroubled despite Strauss's rush of blood.

Just got up.  Wasn't expecting that!  Cracking 4th day.  This time yesterday I was thinking we would need to stretch our final innings out to last 5 of the remaining 6 sessions...and didn't fancy our chances.  I think I do now.

Brilliant stuff, I slept with the radio on and got woken up when Strauss was out. Was in a bit of a grump until they said it  was 188/1. When I woke up this morning, even better.

The Empire strikes back.

I think a draw is a good result in the first match.

Would like to see us get in a position to make them bat after tea and then give them everything in an attempt to get a few wickets and finish with a 'winning' draw.

Would be good if we kept it safe and sensible in the morning session, then went in to 20/20 mode after lunch to put up an unbeatable target and give our bowlers as many overs as possible to win it in. Not going to happen though as we always play it safe.

I am fucked.....watched nearly every ball.
Well done England.....a tiring but enjoyable night......Cook is back with a vengeance.

I have taken to reading Australian match reports.  And the press comment after the 4th day is astonishing.  Get this from The Australian...

Andrew Strauss Ton gives England a Shot at Winning First Ashes Test (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/andrew-strauss-ton-gives-england-a-shot-at-winning-first-ashes-test/story-e6frg7rx-1225962285023)

and the Sydney Morning Herald...

Ponting's Hopes of Reclaiming Ashes are Fading (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/pontings-hopes-of-reclaiming-ashes-are-fading-20101128-18ccz.html)

respectively discussing possibility of a Test and Series win for us.  I'm really surprised they're as downbeat as this so early on.

I turned on the TV this morning, was pleasantly surprised, watched on over...then they went off with bad light.

If we can get at least a draw (1-16 on) now, this will psychologically damage the Aussies. They came on bigging this game up saying they were unbeaten here in 22 years, and this was the Aussie fortress.

I would like for KP to have a bit of a bat tomorrow. I'm in two minds whether we declare tomorrow or not. Part of me would like to declare and give our bowlers around 15-20 overs to see what damage we could do, or just bat and bat, knackering out their bowlers, with a view of hopefully winning the toss again and batting, so they'll be bowling again a few days after bowling to two long hot days.

No different to the British media really.

Their confidence in their bowlers is wafer thin.

No way we will win this test now as it's too late in terms of time but a great turnaround and the top 3 batsmen have proved me wrong. Maybe we can get a lead of 200 plus and think about declaring? I think it will be a safer bet if we just play out the draw. We don't have to win the series, we can draw it and still retain the urn. So knocking one test off and making it in effect a 4 match series suits me fine.

Getting a draw will seem like a win.....still need another 200 runs yet though to be safe.

Hour gone and no real threat from the aussies. Can't believe Ponting hasn't used a spinner yet on a day 5 pitch where the seamers are doing nothing.

Nearly seen enough to get some sleep and be confident of no surprises in the morning.

What a cunt. Even Monty would have caught that one.

Are the Aussies losing it a bit?

Hahaha Clarke drops a sitter at slip off Trott and the barmy army love it!

Draw is 1.03 on betfair so it must now be safe to catch up on sleep.

Sod that. A quick 100 or so after lunch and we've still got time to knock 'em over.

Match drawn then in a flood of records. May I be the first to say I never doubted Cook, ever. Honest.

517-1 :clap: :clap:

what a great performance from Cook and Trott today!!

The barmy army was in full voice, with some great songs!!  I will post some pics and vids from the final day hopefully tomorrow, for any one that is interested!!

New blog update.. again pics etc to follow.

http://keithontour.blogspot.com/

your blogs are ace, keep it up and have a beer for me tonight.

Just read your blog, good stuff. You could make a few peope very jelous on a bitter cold Monday morning with stuff lie that. :)

STFC_Manc, how do you know Rich? I used to go to school with him.

cheers. i so how managed to get burnt today. even though i was in the shade for most of it...

There was seemingly more from the Barmy Army than Aussies.

I did like it at the start of play when Botham was playing 'Spot the Aussie !!!'.

Who got Man of the Match in this one?

Think it was Cook

I don't think Mitchell Johnson got it.

Oh dear.Was always likely to happen with your skin though sadly.

Enjoying the blog.Must be really,really nice to be able to laugh at the aussies  :D

Are the Aussies really that bad? I mean 517-1......seriously?????? Hahaha. Shame we only got 1 wicket in reply as I reckon another 2 or 3 and they may have even collapsed and lost the game.

Cricket - yawn.  :zzz:

Bit like your posts


ZING

Bravo.  ;)

Unfortunately, whilst we made 517-1 in this innings, there was an innings before it in which we were less than impressive ourselves! That said, if we can play properly in the 2nd test you've got to fancy our chances now!

I know fuck all about cricket. I don't mind watching a bit but how can we only draw at 517-1?

England 260 all out and 517-1 (declared)
Australia 481 all out and 107-1

We needed to get Australia all out for less than 296 to win, but only got one man out, hence a draw

But England's 2 scores add up to more?

But the game ran out of time, so it's a draw, and we more onto the next match.

You need to bowl the other side out twice (ie take 20 wickets) to win a game of cricket.  It's as fundamental as the rule that says to win a game of football you have to score more goals than the other side.

Except it's not, as you could win a test match without taking any wickets, or even take 19 less and still win....

Ah see, I figured scoring more runs was even more fundamentaler.

Nope. Otherwise there would potentially be very little incentive for the side who bats first to do anything other than defend for 5 days, especially on a good batting wicket.

Have i missed something blatantly obvious? AS this doesn't make sense

I guess if the other team decalred a score in the first innings without loss, your team registers a score (all out) and then the other team beats that without losing a wicket.

It does make sense sort of -  if the winning team were the 4th innings chasers and previosuly in the game the losing team had declared twice whilst setting a score/making a game off it.

Oh. Never happens though does it. Cronje's been dead for ages

All very true. Shame we were awful in the first innings. That said if it wasn't for Haddin and Hussey partnership i'd hazard a guess that maybe we could have won this game. At least we have got the momentum back now though. I've never seen an Aussie side drop so many easy catches as they did on the last day.

Awful's a bit harsh.

Only Strauss and Prior got out to shit shots imo.

The next test is tomorrow!  The weather is good here and predicted to get hotter... not good news for me!!

Went down to the next session this morning, bloody Aussies were there... But I did see the one and only Mitch Johnson... bowl a nice little bouncer to Ponting, was good to see him move that quickly!

I have a good feeling for this game, come on England!!!

Sleep now, TMS later. Happy as a fly in shit me.

I see the Aussies have dropped Johnson. Haha. He was wank in the first test though to be fair. Think we'll go with the same side tbh.

Strong suggestions that they've dropped Hilfenhaus as well. Ryan Harris is a terrific bowler, but that seems incredibly harsh on Hilfenhaus, and would mean that three of their supposedly first choice four have been dropped before the second test. If I was Siddle I'd be shitting it.
 
No team news for England yet- comes down to Finn's fitness I think, obviously can't gauge that from here but wouldn't mind seeing Tremlett or Shahzad.

Just about to and watch some of it now - assuming I can keep awake that is!

England unchanged, Aussies batting on a flat track with two bowling changes.

Bad toss to lose I suspect.

Going to watch the first hour or so then off to bed.

Gone!

Jonathan Trott's ran out Katich without facing third ball! fuck yes!

Good stuff.

I have a very good feeling about this. Aussie collapse coming up.

Yes! Fuck off Ponting!

I posted that before the 2nd wicket.

Punter gone 1st ball. Aus 0 for 2 !!!

GOLDEN FUCKING DUCK. STICK THAT IN YOUR SMUG FACE. HA.

Great catch from Swann.

Boo runs.

What a start!

CLARKE GONE AS WELL/

Easy!

Three down. 2 for 3 !!!

Apologies for my illiteracy and capital use, but I'm having to be utterly silent as everyone in the house is asleep and I'm going loopy.

Everyone's asleep in my house but I fear I've just woken them all up.

At the rate it is going, I might just stay up a bit longer...

Im gonna cream my pants! what a start by England

What a fucking start! Thought staying up tonight could be a tough one but not a problem now.

Ooooh Jimmy unlucky

I'm in fucking dreamland, get Huss and good god it's on

25/3 letting ourselves down now!

Apparently, when we had the Aussies, 2-3, it was their worst start in a Test match for 60 years...

Watson picks out KP at gully straight after lunch!! We're back on top with a long tail to come.

Great stuff.

The only concern of the tour so far is the biggest one though. They've completely sussed Swanny. Hussey in particular is all over him.

Cant believe I didnt stay up for the start! At least I'm up to see 2 wickets in 2 balls from Swann!

Hahaha, I almost feel sorry for Ryan Harris. The replays show he hit it and he's given out anyway!

Another comedy run out accounts for doherty. They're trying their best to turn into the England of old.

226/8

245 all out. What a day we've had - incredible. It's an absolute road as well so as long as we survive a couple of overs tonight we need to cash in over the next 2 days.

Fantastic. Got em by the nuts now, I honestly think if we kick on and press this game home and the series is ours, they're awful and we're bloody good.

245 all out. Didn't know we were playing 50 over games between tests.

245. At the risk of counting Chickens a little early...hahahahahahahahaha.

What a great day of cricket!! The Aussies all out for 245 and Ponting got a golden duck :)

Did anyone see my flag today?! Big one with STFC in the corners!

I did see one with STFC on it, unless there was another I assume it was yours

I saw it!

Great day for us but before we get too excited this does ring similar bells to Brisbane but the other way around. This game is far from over. We really do have the Aussies rattled though.

I agree.  The First Test ebbed & flowed...that was what made it so compelling.  And there's nothing to say the Second Test will not do the same.  We need to bat now for 5 sessions and build a lead of 200+.  Then we can pile on the pressure in Australia's 2nd innings.  But we're not there yet.

I think it does also help that we've had a warm up match on this ground only a few weeks ago.

what was pontings problem at the end, missed it had to work

He thinks we were time wasting to reduce the overs

 :baby:

Like he wouldn't do exactly the same thing at the end of the day...

Dunno if i'm right or not. I am a cricket newbie.

Ponting moans about anything when Australia are shit.

Waiting for ITV News, will they claim weve won the test already?

Although Ive got some sympathy for Ryan Harris, I dont think any of the replays actually proved he wasnt out. The hotspot on the bat was tiny, and only visible once the bat had stopped moving. You couldnt see a mark as the ball went passed.

Warne seemed to be making out it had taken a massive deflection, it was the smallest of feathers, hes almost completely missed the ball, its a shit shot, thats whats done for him.

Apparently it was nothing to do with over rates, it was because we were being mean to Brad Haddin. You just can't make that kind of hypocrisy up!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/dec/03/england-jimmy-anderson-brad-haddin

When it comes to sledging the Aussies make up the rules as they go along.

Do you think Ponting complained when Warne and McGrath were doing all the sledging back in the days?

sledging is essentially on field bullying, and thats why the Aussies are so good at it.

Classic bully tactics, give it out, then totally overreact at a response. Fuck em.

The next instalment of Swanny's video diary is now up :

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/england/england-in-australia-2010-11/swannys-ashes-video-diary/

Short memories...Strauss got a shocking decision in Adelaide last series...the match we threw away,he was playing well at the time.

The thing with the Ryan Harris decision is that the 3rd umpire has to have a very good reason to over turn the decision of the on pitch umpire. Even if he did see the hotspot, it was so small there wasn't enough for him to reverse the decision and the same applies to the minor deviation in the path of the ball. The same is true with LBW decisions - the ball has to be on a path to fully hit the stumps to overturn a decision of not out - just clipping them doesn't count.

It was really weird watching it live last night - a complete role reversal compared to the last Ashes in Australia. They looked scared, lacking confidence and generally shit whilst England looked full of confidence and unbeatable. Obviously I'm biased, the same as everyone, but it really is looking like they're going to get their arses kicked over the 5 tests and we'll win easily.

These referal things are a joke. The commentators, no matter who is batting/bowling or commentating, always seems to say the umpire has done well and made the correct decision. I don't think it's happened in this match but when they come to show the hawk-eye crap for LBW's if the ball is clipping the stumps and the onfield umpire gives not out the commentators go crazy saying it's a good decision.

It fucking isnt, the ball would clip the stumps, the bails will come off. It's supposed to be out. I know they use the clipping of the stumps as a way to get around the errors in the procedure, but to effectively remove half the ball/the outside half of off and leg stumps means you might as well play with two stumps. I'm probably the only person who thinks this so call me stupid. I prefer the mistakes, they cause controversy, which makes for a more entertaining game.

On the Harris dismissal, i saw the spot on the bat. Jonny makes a point that the spot was too small to destincitvely say 'not out' - fuck me if the point of hotspot is to show the faint edges to make better decision here's some sort of proof that it's failed.  Warne was probably on drugs when he saw a deflection.

Not stupid, just a retard.

Everyone knows you'd be playing with 4 stumps if you were correct.

Anyone got a working stream for this?

WTF was that by Strauss

http://www.fatbrummie.com/

Legend.  Thanks mate.

What are you on about? He feathered it? He ALMOST missed it? That still means he hit it, which means it's not out. I'll try that one during the season then... sorry ump, I only feathered it behind so I'll stay put cos a smallnick doesn't count?

Knob!

Think that'll do me for tonight. Hopefully England will kick on from here.

This is almost becoming abit boring! 269/2 and we look in no trouble whatsoever.

317/2 at the close

Cook 136*
KP 85*

Men against boys

Cook is playing like god, if KP really starts firing as well we really could bury them in the next couple of games.

Kick on tomorrow, bat for 50 overs and get runs a decent clip and then tear into em before tea.

All the replays and TV technology didnt prove the Umpire was wrong.

I can't fully comprehend how brilliant this is.

Also, may I state just how tasty this Alistair Cook-branded Humble Pie tastes? Yummy- averaging 150 in the Series so far, just obscene.

Other than the front on replay and hot spot which show he was?

What a great time for Alistair Cook to hit the form of his career so far - I saw the last hour and a half of play and have to say we never really looked threatened. Even dealt with the new ball well right at the end - mind you their bowlers looked absolutely knackered - shame!!  :D

His average is actually over 400 he's only been out once.

Cook's knocks so far remind me of that epic series Vaughan had down under in 2002/03 when he was scoring a century in pretty much every innings. Shame the rest of them were shit that year though. This time Cook is being well supported and we're actually coasting with the bat. I have to say I didn't expect this at all. Their bowling doesn't look as good as ours either. We just have to press home the advantage now.

To be fair their fielding isn't remotely as good as ours either. All they keep doing is chopping and changing, while we, Cook and Anderson particularly, are being very consistent.

Plenty of dropped catches for them thus far. How very English of them *snigger*.

I love waking up to headlines such as 'Cook ton puts England in command', this is the sort of thing mobile phones were invented for!

Dreamland.

i hate that bollinger  :cunty: :cunty:

Yeah, which is why he was given out by the TV umpire.

I love a drop of champagne.

Will this work again tonight?

Right then, let's see out these first few overs please.

has worked every night in the series so far but not tonight for some reason, showing MMA instead. struggling for a similar standard stream, the best I've got at the moment is http://www.tvbr.net/

I'm using the fatsports link and it works fine

Good morning session. KP and Colly both going well. Think I should get some sleep now!

KP's flicks through midwicket give me a lob on

551-4. Rubbish. Throwing cheap wickets away. Every player in this squad should be scoring centuries. Wilson out.

Maybe I'm getting greedy, but I expected us to have another 50 or 60 on the board, seems to have been quite slow scoring. Hope that doesn't cost us.

exellent cricket from england, aussies look wacked :D, only worry is the weather, as shane warne said its still 0.0 :hmmm:

It's true though. They still have an batsman that are capable of frustrating our bowlers. Hussey and Haddin proved this is so far... They just need their opening batsmen to get going.

This could still easily result in a draw although I expect England to win this one.

Bollinger's long run up looked to be really hurting him. Looking very laboured. Fair play to Harris, looks tough mentally. Would feel sorry for Doherty, but Ive heard too many Australian jokes about English spinners.

Last session was a washout because of rain. We'd be well in excess of 350 ahead if we had played the last session.

The pitch is offering turn to the off spinners. I'd imagine it's Swann's turn to take some wickets on Day 4. Certainly looks as if there will be more there than in Brisbane. I think we need another 50 runs and then we can declare and go for the outright innings win.

Swann'll clean up. Even North was getting turn out of the rough.

Raining in Adelaide....looks like the Aussies may get lucky in this one.

Raining?!

http://plixi.com/p/61217105

Brilliant......Sky just showed pics of covers on the pitch..strange.

Could have been replays from yesterday.

Maybe Onion...hope so.....all those years of being crushed...late nights of sheer despair of being hammered may be a distant bad memory.

I want us to destroy them.

Me to. On many occasions it was the rain that saved us down under. I sure hope it doesn't reverse itself on this occasion.

Evening all. This is all going rather well, but we haven't declared overnight, which I think is a bit unambitious. We'll see how things go though, Pietersen might go into T20 mode.

KP and co will hopefully be told to smash it around and get us the next ton before lunch ready for the bowlers to get stuck in.

anyone need a stream, this one's pretty fine http://veetle.com/index.php/channel/view#4cfb7ec2613ef

KP straight after Doherty :D

And out.

And straight out. Come on, lets have a crack at 'em.

And gone.

Fucksticks.

KP Gone, fuck!

That left arm spin weakness apparent again :D

Straight six from Bell, lovely.

Here we go..

Hah, successful review. Is this a cunning plan to lose a few quick wickets to plant doubt in the Aussie minds?

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay  :clap:

620/5 and they're walking off. Nice juicy lead.

I want to wake up and see 6 or 7 wickets gone.

You gonna be disappointed!

Looking like a draw, these pitches are a bit of a joke.

Oh Kevin

He apparently went into the dressing room shouting "I'm an all-rounder, I'm an all-rounder!!"  :D

We need the rain to hold off tomorrow, and a couple of wickets before lunch.  Must admit, I don't understand why we didn't declare right away.  If we had put them in for a whole day, we could be down to their tail enders by now.

and we would only be 50 runs ahead, 70 runs in 9 0vers was perfect, do you not recall what happened here 4 years ago?

and the fact that they will make up the lost overs by close of play tomorrow anyway, so nothing lost.  I'd almost have stayed on for a further 30 runs or so, push it so they simply couldn't make us bat again.  If you get them thinking it defeat avoidance you'll get wickets.

New ball available too which is a bonus!  Though with 2 left handers in I think they will hold off and give Swann first crack!

Get a couple early and get into that tail!

Come on England!

Corals still have the draw as 8/11!  With England 13/10!

This forecast is not looking good.

Adelaide Weather - Tuesday (http://www.weather.com.au/sa/adelaide/detailed)

(Love the way 26C is classed as 'mild'.)

I think we needed more than 4 wickets before the close. Can't see us winning it now unless we bowl really well tonight.

I'm pretty confident. If we get two full sessions, we'll win in my opinion.

Pessimist. Couple more wickets and were down to their long tail.

A couple of wickets is easier said than done when their 2 best batsmen so far have yet to get out.

Looking good for the morning session...

http://plixi.com/p/61402745

You tend to get a bit of wind chill off the sea in Adelaide. I was there this time of year, and it always felt several degrees cooler than what the thermometer stated.

big day coming up now. As said before weather Is good here, how long it stays, who knows. swanny to tear them apart again!

Or KP !!!

Ah yes, but that doesn't really work to the tune of Joy Division, does it?

The Barmy Army do have all the good songs.

I see the Aussies are relying on desperate tactics :

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/join-our-rain-dance-to-halt-poms-in-second-ashes-test/story-e6frey50-1225966033128

Channel 9's forecast:

Tuesday A morning shower, increasing to showers and a thunderstorm during the afternoon and evening. Warm to hot with moderate NE/N winds and a light to moderate SW afternoon sea breeze.

Bollocks. We need at least a session and a half I reckon. 

Rumours on TMS that Broad is out of not just this game but the tour. Bugger.

Confirmed now.

stream for tonight http://www.sports-first.co.cc/p/channel-1_01.html

Very close review against North but not out...new ball due but giving Swann a shot at North seems wise.

Hussey caught Anderson! That's the big one!

Get in

Get in 8)

Another one bites the dust

I love you Jimmy.

Get in.

And another one bites the dust

Ha, appealing it

Michael Vaughan just came on TMS, he's going mad.

Brilliant stuff.

North gone to a review as well, this is bloody brilliant. Lbw b Swann.

The Aussies will be in MELTDOWN tomorrow and I'm going to have the biggest grin in the world.

And another

Gone

Is Jimmy going to get a chance for his hat trick?

the aussies are crumbling. Superb!

Im not a cricket but this is quality

I love the Barmy Army's Graeme Swann song.

Hah, and now the ball hits Siddle's stumps and not knocked the bails off!

Anderson's hatrick ball...

What a session this has been for England. Fucking awesome!

What's the Swan song?

Swann, Swann will tear you apart to the tune of Joy Division's Love will tear us apart.

Simple and sounds great echoing round Adelaide :D

Why are they singing "your old mans a cunt", when Darren Ferguson is not there?  :)

I'm bored now - a whole over with no wicket...

Wilson Out!

Cant believe the aussies just scored a four ;)

Was Wondering, cheers

Bowled Doherty, one to go...Can I avoid waking up the whole house?

Can I fuck.

Woo!

Quite right, they need to pull their fingers out, I need to go to bed

And there it is, one to go

And Radio Four are off to the Shipping Forecast, brilliant.

Come on England, finish them off

Hurry up i want to go to bed

That was very nearly the funniest wickets ever!!

Katich out for the Series as well, might see Phil Hughes again.

Done

Game Over, Swann gets five.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHSSSS

Game over :)

England win BY AN INNINGS.

Stick that in your pipe Ponting :)

England win by an innings and 71 runs.

I'll just say that again

England win by an innings and 71 runs.

I love life.

Well that was rather easier than I expected.

Well - am I pissed off - get up at 3 to watch what I think will be the end of the match, to find a replay of the 2009 Ashes. Assume it is raining and go and make myself a cup of tea and on returning to TV discover from SSN that I've missed it all!! Great stuff, but gutted I missed it.
Hope we won't miss Broad too much.

Likewise.  Our youngest started crying at 5am so I selflessly volunteered to get up.  Trooped downstairs to PC, carrying snotty child.  Missed it by hours.


I think we will.  Got to feel sorry for Stuart Broad as well...although he never really hit his stride in the first two tests.

Broad bowled bloody well in this test!

Fairly tight...but just one wicket for 71 runs.  I don't think he's been at the top of his game during the last few weeks.

Avoid losing the next two matches and we retain the ashes.

Even better -  win next week and we keep the urn.  :clap: Yaaaaaaaay.

A truely great performance from England right the way through the 5 days of play.  I went over to Australia 4 years ago to watch a few Test Matches and have to admit being very jealous of all those people sat in the sun in Adelaide last night.

One thing that strikes me about this series is that England are a TEAM.  You saw the likes of Bresnan, Morgan and Panesar who have been on the sidelines join in and enjoy the success of the playing XI after the final wicket, all giving hugs and high fives.  It was a joy to see.

Who replaces Broad at Perth then? What do you reckon?

Whoever looks the most impressive in the warmup game, but I'd like to see Tremlett. I don't think we can really pick Bresnan in a 4 man attack.

Will be Tremlett.

Should be: Tremlett
Will be: Bresnan

Hopefully Tremlett. He looks like hes got that extra bit of class to take the wickets.

Bresnan would get in Australia's team though. Hee haw.

Just a shame there's a break before Perth as the momentum is well and truly with us.  I'm hoping Tremlett comes in for Broad.

Tremlett,Bresnan and Shazad are all expected to play in the 3 day warm-up game, against Victoria
in Melbourne.

A great chance for one of them to replace the unfortunate Stuart Broad.

Is the Victoria match on the box?

Doesn't look like it is.

I see the Aussies have gone from Bollinger to Beer...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/9274782.stm

What a quality squad... for us. 2-0.

I don't think chopping and changing for the Aussies will do them many favours. That Smith guy at number 6? That's a big gamble especially when they have to play a forced gamble of Hughes at number 2 as well. That said their bowling attack will be a lot better with Johnson and Hilfenhaus in again.

Johnson's been bowling shite for 6 months, Bollinger's probably been their best bowler in the last year despite Adelaide - there's absolutely no way they're better off with MJ.

I'd imagine Hilfenhaus will miss out if they pick this left armer.

The other thing I did think was how unbelievably harsh it is on Hauritz, I mean, the guy just got a hundred and 5-for last time out!

Beer has played 6 games of professional cricket. This is a selection that makes our choice of Daren Pattinson look positively well considered. Who knows, he may be brilliant, but I have strong doubts. What this has to show is that Ponting REALLY doesn't trust Hauritz.

This made me smile today....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIJ28bMi6pw&NR=1

I think the Aussies just called up Beer as he got 5 England wickets in the warm up game in Perth. But I don't think the England boys will be losing too much sleep over him or Smith, who Ian Bell smacked all over Hobart against Australia A.

Thanks arch, that made me wee like jfw.

Now theres a lovely image.....

I did giggle when my wife said - is this real? (the advert, not you weeing like Jamies Future Wife)

England just need to make sure that they dont believe their own hype. They need to get out there, concentrate and beat whoever is put in front of them.

The Aussies were so good for year at walking the walk when they talked the talk. We need to make sure that we have something to be arrogant about!

New blog, still not updated with pics... but I have broken my camera!

http://keithontour.blogspot.com/

It was a great morning and all thanks to KP with his final over wicket on the night before!!

Third Test starts tonight. Tremlett is favourite to replace Broad, whilst the Aussies are reportedly not going to turn to Beer but rely on Smith for some leg spin, who Ian Bell smacked all over Hobart.

Could be a very historical 5 days.

2:30 AM? Fucking time zones.

Brilliant..means i can listen to the last few hours early in the morning..driving to Wales.

Contemplating waking up at 7 to catch the last session. hmmmmm

Not staying up tonight, will catch the last session before work tomorrow.

I have Friday off though so will be pulling an all nighter to watch day 2.

I have a bad feeling that we're going to come crashing down to earth in this one. Think the break may hinder rather than help us.

It's now been confirmed that Tremlett will play. Don't feel physically able to stay up tonight but an early start sounds like a good plan

You bunch of lightweight cunts! Not missed a ball yet...

I'll stay up, i'm writing an essay on the First Crusade so it'll keep me awake. Still missing Sky, but TMS is better than nowt i guess

Pissed off with this 2.30 nonsense.  Just had a 2 hour drive back from London and was looking forward to TMS.  Now ill just have it on as i go to sleep and keep waking up through the night!

England choose to bowl first - and Ponting would have done the same. Very green deck by all accounts.

If that's the right decision the first hour is going to very lively!

Fuck me!! Colly takes an unbelievable catch at 3rd slip to get Ricky.

17/2 What a catch!

47/4 now and Anderson bowling poorly. Imagine what it could be!

Get Hussey out and this could be humiliating for the aussies. Smith's very nervous coming in at 6.

168/6 now. Australia seem to have dug themselves out of it a little, but you'd still rather be in our position now

7 down, Haddin should be the last major resistance. Bloody brilliant way to wake up!

8 down

Johnson out. *Shouldn't* be too long now

The Australian middle order & tail have done well.  Not a great total (assuming we take the last wicket soon), but not the car crash you would have predicted earlier either.  I just hope the reports about the pitch (ie that it looks great for batting on) are going to prove true.

Poorly bowled this session, should be even more humiliating for the convicts really

All out for 268. As long as cook and strauss are both at the crease tomorrow morning, we should be able to take decent enough advantage of this

thank fuck for that, hope that last session dont come back to haunt us ::)

Jimmy giving it the big one to Johnson when he bowled Harris was fucking quality!

Also, how many decisions got overturned? The umpiring has been fucking piss weak, Doctrove was even giving 4's as 6's ffs!

Doctrove is generally pretty poor to be honest. At least with the referral system it gives us a chance to overturn his decisions even if its far from ideal.

Australia all out for less than 300 on the opening day of a Aussie based Test match and we're worried about ruing a session!?!

We've come a long, long way baby.

I love the fact we bowled pretty badly, shelled a catch or 2 and still knocked them over for under 300... we're class

I've just had a call from my niece in Perth letting me know she had just been raped by an Aussie batsman. She didn't know which one it was though as he wasn't in long enough.

And catching him out..

Another good day for us. Just need to bat really well again.

 Premature triumphalism.....WAGS etc...bet Ray Illingworth's 70/71 side had none of that shit.

Two quick wickets - Hughes and Ponting - and we're back in it.  This game is not going to end in a draw!

clarke gone, need to stop hussy and we'll be ok

The wheels on the Bus are falling off.

I think we were far too quick to write off the Aussies after the last test.

It was also a big disappointment to let them off the hook in the first innings (from 69-5 we should have bowled them out for less than the 187 we scored).

Still, it's now game on again, just now the Aussies will be a bit more confident.

well not the best day i have seen. some good bowling from Johnson, but we still have a chance of winning this.  also my New blog is out, http://keithontour.blogspot.com

Were you wearing last season's Town home shirt by any chance today?

Game can still go either way but if you're chasing 300 plus in any test match it's going to be difficult. We do have time on our side though. As said this won't be a draw. Both sides have underperformed so far with the bat.

When is Bell gonna finally bat above Colly?????????????????????????????????????

               no. but i did see the guy you saw. so far a town fan at every test.

Tremlett ggets his 5th wicket and we've bowled them out for 309.

Run chase of 391 starting now! We're less than 3/1 on betfair which is a lot shorter than Tranmere this afternoon so not sure if that bodes well for England or badly for Town.

Cook gone LBW - Bugger ! 23-1

strauss gone as well...eeep

Bye-bye Strauss! 37-2. Game over soon methinks!

Fuck a duck

What a shit shot. Miracle needed now.

Gawd petiersen really does look shit sometimes the way he gets out

Bowlers have got 20 wickets. Top 4 batsmen have lost this test.

Why is Trott at number 3 anyway? Flat track bully. Leaving Bell to carve another 50 out of the tail.

Cricket.

Ferk's sakes. Still, it doesn't change much- we still need to win any one of the last three to retain the Ashes. A series win would be excellent, and I'm still fairly confident despite the last few days- Hussey and Johnson have performed in this Test, but Aussies still have the same worries over everyone in the top 6 bar Hussey- Watson can't convert, Hughes can't play a short ball and Clarke and Ponting can't buy a run.

Actually, Trott was making things look easy until he got out. Furthermore, Bell performs better at 6 than higher up the order.

What a load of shite. Knew we'd fuck this one up after being so good in the first few matches. It's got to their heads again I think. They think they'll just walk it and it's played into the Aussies hands. Hopefully it wakes them back up like the defeat at Headingley did in 2009. At least it's still 1-1. That means we'll still retain the urn with 2 draws in the last 2 games.

True, but it'd be nice to win rather than draw the series

Its all the wives fault.

Cricket on Christmas day.....night.

91,000 tickets sold for Melbourne :eek:

Should be tops.

So, will there be a negative team selection for England? Bresnan in to replace Finn to strengthen the batting? Also, Bell to 5, Collingwood to 6 to appease the commentary team?

4th Test gets underway at half 11. Bresnan in for Finn (gulp!) and we've won the toss and decided to bowl.

I've not been keeping completetly in the loop with the england cricket scene over the past year or so, but bresnan appears to be little more than a modern day anthony mcgrath. A decent county bowler and handy with the bat, but not test quality with either

It just worries me that we've replaced our leading fast bowling wicket taker with someone of this ilk. Finn may have been expensive so far but he's been taking wickets and leaving him out (especially with Broad missing as well) is a big risk IMO.

In saying all that above the Aussies haven't picked an out and out spinner. Strange. Reckon it will turn a little here. Swann could be the key man for us.

To be fair think they're just resting him. We can't lose the ashes here so if they don't think Finn can make it through the whole series I can understand the thinking behind leaving him out of this match.

Don't agree with the decision to bowl first though...

Pietersen has dropped one

That's 2 dropped already then. Butterfingers England are back. Great.

On the plus side, Anderson looks up for it.

Caught that one :)

KP makes amends. I'll let him off.

I don't think he's capable, Rich.

I'm thinking happy thoughts!

Very happy right now!

58-4. Brilliant! Wasn't expecting this at all.

...and now it's raining. Typical!

Hahahahahahahaha

What a thoughtful belated present from the Australians. How did they know we wanted an Australian collapse for Christmas?!

Happiness.

Go on IOB, write something hopeful :)

The very real prospect of each of our openers scoring as many runs as the entire Aussie team. Lovely.

what a great days play, the convicts were leaving after tea!!! :)

New blog for anyone that is interest, http://keithontour.blogspot.com/ now posted pics on the older blogs.

Hahahahahahahaha! What a night!

Absolutely no reason not to bat for the next 2 days, put 700 on the board and still have 2 full days to knock them over.

Oh, and someone ban IOB from this part of the forum, the kid ain't got a clue!

There's still 4 days to go....plenty of time for the England ISOB's more familiar with to show up. Let's just wait and see...

Very true and I never said we'd get stuffed just that we took a big risk so dont see why everyone is getting on their high horse again. I find it quite ammusing.

Still the Aussies have obviously been taking batting lessons from our performance in Perth. Bless them.

Yeah like the Aussies would wait and see what happens if they skittled us out for less than 100 on the opening day. Sure, they're more used to such occasions but that makes it that much more enjoyable.

So with that in mind I choose to enjoy it thank you very much ;)

That's what makes them Aussies....not English.  You'll be whooping at golf next and shouting get in the hole...

Yes, I've never seen an Englishman over celebrate anything before it's conclusion.

Behave yourself Reg, I've not said we'll win the test. If we lose this test I can at least say I enjoyed the good times while it lated! Whitewash last time we were in Oz, remember?

One of their worst innings. I shall enjoy this days play.

Brilliant captaincy last night...the end changes.....i like the fact the back up bowlers know they have to perform to get a sniff.
Cook is going to become a legend if he stays fit for the next ten years.

Well done England.

Shut up Reginald, if we don't win comprehensively from here I'll suck you off.

You have seen the scoreboard?

I am just hoping that DMR isn't forced to eat his words :eek:

If I was him I'd be more worried about having other things in my mouth than words.

What a famtastic scorecard to wake up to! I was happy enough with 150 odd for none before I realised we'd bowled them out as well! Freaking wondeful!

Quote of the day though :


Aussies 98 all out, their lowest EVER score at the MCG in their first innings.

Looking back at Perth, the difference was Hussey as most of the batsmen struggled, and Johnson actually bowled like he can do, but he reverted back to type today, and bowled shite.

I think Mike Atherton said after Adelaide that the Aussie bowling attack needs assistance with the wicket to bowl sides out, and that is why they liked the pace and bounce at Perth, as either side of the Perth test the Aussie bowlers have taken 6 wickets for the cost of nearly 1300 runs (517-1d, 620-5d and 157-0 so far).

I would now bat for as long as possible, preferably to around tea on the third day with a big lead, subject to the weather, and let Swanny and co. do the business.

Surely quote of the day goes to Geoff Boycott who said after Watson's second drop that England would "never win this game, and I know what I'm talking about" or something similar. I notice some cheeky producer has left that whole conversation on the highlights package on the BBC site, wonderful.

I remember him saying something about 'they'll be 100 for nothing at lunch if we keep serving up tripe like that' during Tremletts first over!

Just noticed these quotes on the BBC site :

Twitter   England's world number one golfer Lee Westwood: "Will somebody please pinch me! I must wake up soon! I knew I shouldn't have eaten all that cheese! 98 all out? Have there been any calls for a Shane Warne comeback yet? It's about that time!"

BBC Radio 5 live's Mark Pougatch   On Twitter: "Very surprised the Barmy Army haven't started singing, 'Is this your fire drill?' at the departing Australian fans. MCG emptying fast - actually emptying faster than every Englishman's wallet over here given the exchange rate."

HALT!

This enjoyment is simply not English, so we must stop proceedings post haste until a result is in so we can all shake each others hands and say "Splendid, very good."

[url width=400 height=594]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bVtGlUaW-tA/S_1oB-AK_tI/AAAAAAAAGDk/y2kfSyr_4Mw/s640/pp_uk_06.jpg[/url]

The only ones absent tomorrow for the second day (at least) are going to be the Aussie crowd, if the end of day one is anything to go by. It could be a lonely place at the MCG for the Barmy Army.

The Aussie press have already gone to town :

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/the-ashes/th-test-running-story/story-fn67w6pa-1225976281661

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/england-dominates-opening-day-of-fourth-ashes-test-at-mcg/story-e6frg7rx-1225976425463

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/cricket/8565423/aussies-ashes-hopes-in-tatters/

Only 67000 there today. Lead of 346 at the end of the days play.
Pontin has restored my fatih in him and is still a complete twat!

Yeah, I guess that's why I'm not an international cricket captain.

Strange in this series that both sides seem unable to play good cricket at the same time. We battered the aussies in adelaide, then we look terrible and Mitchell Johnson runs riot in Perth, now the Australians look like a minor county side again.

Did hugely enjoy Ponting throwing a massive wobbly over that Pietersen decision last night though!

Who didn't? Punter's could be about to become the first Aussie captain to lose three Ashes series for over one hundred years, and now he's losing the plot. All he needs now to top it off, is a run out, which he did in 2005 and 2009.

At least he's been fined for his twattish behaviour

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/9322256.stm

Wonder if he can disgrace himself anymore tonight?

So I guess the Australian cricket team won't be getting a telegram from the Queen for reaching a hundred.

Wouldn't put it past him. I'll be expecting him to be batting sometime tomorrow, and I'm sure the Barmy Army will give him a nice rendition of 'You're going to get sacked in the morning' on his way out.

Can't wait to comppund his misery tonight.

Get the boys to get the long spikes on, run down the track every ball on a "Swann length" for a session then have a bowl... simples

Not far off the start again, in the luxurious position of not having work tomorrow so I'm here until I fall asleep...if we could finish this tonight it'd be nice!

I'd really like to see live the moment when we win and retain the ashes - but not sure if I should go to be now and get up early or try and last the whole night.
Of course it may not even happen today, but I really want to savour the look on Ponting's face.

Anybody got a link?

"I understand I overstepped the mark. I realise it didn’t look good but the umpires vouched for me. I didn’t show any malice or aggression, it's just the discussions went on longer than they should have done. I accepted the 40% fine straight away. I guess that one flaw in the system is that replays are shown on the big screen, we could see an obvious Hotspot mark and I wanted to clarify how the third umpire got to making the decision he made. But I got caught in the heat of the moment and it went on too long."

you're still a cunt ponting

Harris has hurt himself, never a good thing to see that as he's very much injury prone.

Gotta love Pieterson for telling him that he nicked it as well :)

Result. Just got in from the pub and found the cricket has started. Bit disappointed about the loss of wickets....

Are we waiting for Trott to score a double ton before we declare?

There are three days left and with no bad weather forecast we may as well take the piss a bit.

True. I'd appreciate them, at least having ago at skittling the Aussies today/tonight though.

England all out for 513, lunch and 415 ahead. Trott last man standing at 168*, looking like he would go on the whole five days if he could.

Great knock from Trott and all these n.o.'s must be doing his average the world of good! Shame the tail couldn't have helped him towards 200 but we're miles ahead, and there's still the best part of 3 days to go. I'll be happy if we can take even 4 or 5 wickets in the remaining two sessions, as there'll be plenty of time to clear up tomorrow!

How the fuck Tremlett didn't get 2 or 3 wickets in the half hour before tea is astonishing, nicks dropping short, in gaps, LBWs just missing... if we can pick up 2 or 3 in this last session and they'll be buried by lunch tomorrow, especially if one of those is Watson/Huss.

Well happy we got Smith out before the end of play.

Haha I didn't see that he'd said that
What a legend

Total domination and 4 wickets away from retaining the Ashes. Sweet.

Now that it proper sledging! Its not about 'Mind the windows Tino' its all about winding the other chap up! Good stuff!

Wonderful stuff this, even Tiny Tim is looking every bit the Test Match bowler against this shower.

Technically 3...Harris won't bat as he's having an op on his foot tomorrow.

We should wrap this up early in the morning for one of the biggest ever wins in Oz.

When we won on Adelaide in was our first win by an inns in Oz dor over 30 years, and now we're now having 2 in a month !!!

Punter still think KP hit the ball, by not even admitting he was wrong, despite all the evidence.

The Aussies didn't help themselves. Phillip Hughes gets going and then is undone by a silly/risky quick run call. They were looking on course to frustrate had that not happened.

...and then Shane Watson stupidly decides to not play a shot on 54 when he was also looking good. Clear LBW, see you later.

BRILLIANT.

If Clarke had been getting a few runs I would have expected Ponting to be replaced for the final Test. As it is, I suspect that he will get a final humiliation at Sydney - hopefully!

MJ gone, 2 to go.

Let's wrap this up early so i can get to bed, because I'm fucking wasted and struggling to stay awake.

I'm sat here knackered. If I go to bed the wickets will fall, you can count on it.

Seconded, although fucking wasted is more "tired and tipsy"

Job.  Done.  :beers:

Yippee! Early night. Woohoo!

Eas-ay, eas-ay, eas-ay!

With apologies to Oasis...

Slip inside Ricky Ponting's mind
He's trying to find
Some new players to play

He wants to play his older team
But that's just a dream
They're too old to play 

He said he'd start a revolution in his head
But he's been through all the players A to Z
Now there's just a summertime of doom
If he loses the Ashes race
He is going to lose his place
Losing three would simply tear his heart out 

....So Ricky can wait
Shane Warne is too late
And there's no Glenn McGrath
Gilchrist's had his day
...And don't look back to Langer
He cannot play

I love Cricket.

Now we've just got to make it 3-1 in Sydney...

England's biggest win in Australia for 98 years, and Punter on the verge of being the first Aussie captain to lose three Ashes series for over 100 years.

Bollocks... no cock sucking for me...I'd have been interested to see if ex public schoolboys have a superior technique.

I love this. Not quite sure why. Well I am actually. I bloody hate Ponting.

Obviously I'd love us to win the final Test but the fact that urn has been retained is more than good enough as far as I'm concerned.

I dont think it is. England are a far better side than Australia, and if the Aussies can win at the SCG, then England still wont have won in Australia since 1987.

Australia will be back, probably with a vengence. I never thought Id see them such a shambles. If we dont seal the series then England might not get a better chance for another 20 years.

I agree but let us be honest, you only have to listen to the comments coming from the players and what their press and fans are saying... They have lost as far as they're concerned and that's why it's good enough for me.

I'd rather England finished the job... As long as they don't follow this up like they did earlier in the series with a poor batting display.

We've got no pressure on us and that can hopefully work in our favour.

Ultimately, I'm elated.

If England let a series win slip out of their grasp then they will have only done half the job.

A lot of the team were saying how dissapointed they were to have followed up the massive Adelaide win with a massive defeat, and its not the first time its happened to this team.

Hopefully both teams will come out and play to their potential and we will see a really hard fought test match. So far this series has missed a cliff hanger that will make it live long in the memory.

I think the England team will say that as well. They want to win 3-1 with victory in Sydney.

The Aussies are in a mess, a big mess, and even their press know it. Sydney normally spins, which should suit a certain Graeme Swann down to the ground. Even KP has taken more wickets than their 'spinner' Steve Smith.

I'm not sure that Sydney is still a spinners pitch....4 years ago, Monty got 2 wickets in the match, so did Warne.  Shame if it isn't I like the idea of varied pitches....it would be good to see Monty and Swann in tandem.  2 spinners just seems to be a thing of the past though.

Sounds like Ponting wants to stay as captain but one of the selectors is saying that it's time for a change :

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/the-ashes/ian-chappell-says-ricky-ponting-not-the-man-to-lead-australian-rebirth/story-fn67x4c9-1225978237981

And Swanny's new Ashes diary is up :

http://www.ecbtv.co.uk/video/20101229/swannys-ashes-diary-no6_2276252_2253295

it was a great win again a lot more English in there, but you would expect that.  on the victory lap the players all did the sprinkler was a great sight.

Nick likes this ^

Shame - injured pride rather than finger?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/other_international/australia/9327039.stm

It's great that Australia have actually managed to weaken their team for the 5th test - must be a chance Beer gets a game too with the history of the Sydney pitch.

Can't believe Hughes is still there!

Ponting's injury seems a little covenient, doesn't it? But gingernuggets is right, they've picked an even weaker team, which is quite the feat.

Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Michael Clarke (captain), Mike Hussey, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Beer.

Haddin needs to bat ahead of Smith to even give that the facade of a reasonable batting order. I guess they must be trying to do a generational change thing, but what on earth to Cameron White and David Hussey have to do to get in this team?

They have to move to New South Wales, or they won't get a look in...

You'd have thought Beer would play, as little point in having Bollinger and Johnson.

It's great that the Convicts talent supply has dried up, like an outback billabong. Wasn't so long ago they could put 2 teams out that would have beaten us....guys like Stewart Law getting perhaps a couple of tests.   Don't know what's happened with Phil Jacques and Chris Rogers both of whom have looked decent in recent years.

Whisper it very quietly, but there is quite a bit of young talent kicking around the Counties at the moment, mostly batters, but some promising spinners.

The summer series v Sri Lanka and India could be classic.

India next summer will be a great series if we keep this sort of side/form going. They are currently the best team in the world and it will be a big test for them coming here where conditions don't suit them much.

As for the 5th test well I have to snigger at the Cons squad. If we don't make this 3-1 then we only have ourselves to blame really.

STFC_Manc, are you in this video?! (Near the end)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RgctwVqzcI&feature=related

Nice bra STFC_Manc

Come on England let's win the series emphatically in Sydney!

Apparently, a lot of Aussies would like to see Brad Haddin as the next captain,rather than
Michael Clarke.

soapy tit wank @ Strauss trying to do the sprinkler.

And no, that's not STFC_Manc in the Swindon shirt.

When Brad Hodge couldnt get into the side I started to think their superb batting line up would last forever.

Phil Jacques was a Kolpak player for Yorkshire, Sean Tait ruled himself out of tests because he was too lazy for it.

Not suprised most Aussies dont want Clarke as captain. How can you have a captain nicknamed 'pup'. Besides, aparently Katich had him by the throat at Adelaide, so he's not exactly popular in the team either. I wondered if they would go with Watson?

I was brought up to believe that Australia picked an XI then made the best player captain...in which case Mr Cricket should be tossing the coin.

The Sydney test is important....we need to win the series....takes me back to 72 when we retained the Ashes, but lost the last test so drawing the series 2-2, the fact that the Chappells got a ton apiece and Lillee got some wickets gave them some impetus to regain them in 74/75.

Not quite Reg, they'd normally pick their captain from their best 11, rather than the best player.

The Katich/Clarke thing was a good 2 years ago, not this series.

Where is the best place to get a link to watch this online

Not ignoring you DRS, but have no idea as I'm a TMS man...

Final test tonight, lets wrap this up and really rub some Aussie noses in the dirt, that'd be wonderful.

What time does it start tonight?

11:30 I think.

I'd like a link too if possible!

fatbrummie had the last one I think

Cheers bud.

Haven't got any links I'm afraid. Will get TMS on the go I think!

defo worth trying again too no doubt

http://fatbrummie.com/

Annoying fucking click from the chat though.

http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=100092&part=sports

cheers Div

Good session.......bowled well....could have had three wickets....beat the edge about 20 times.


Get in!!

Hughes gone just before lunch to Bresnan, brilliantly timed breakthrough, Collingwood takes the catch. 55/1

Edit: Tremlett, not Bresnan.

Finally a wicket, just before lunch!

New kiddy for them looks class.

134/4 at the close with plenty of rain breaks...a good start, glad to get Khawaja out as he looks streets ahead of the other "new" Aussies (Hughes, Smith)

You can't really judge new batsmen until the bowlers have had a bit of a look....Hughes for example scored 75 on debut, then a century in each innings in his second test, as the Aussies won a series in SA 09.  Shit since....

 It's incumbent on the Aussies to win, so losing time to rain is to our advantage...

Draw I reckon in this one.

Well, after a thumping Swindon win, and a 9 dart finish in the final of the darts, now hoping for a good day in the cricket. A couple of early wickets and we can roll over the Aussies for around 200.

Come on England, knock them over before lunch & then rack up 400+

Haddin's gone early when promoted to six, Smith and the tail now. Come on England!

Hussey bowled Collingwood, now that is embarassing! 171/6

Went to bed at 190-8. Thought they'd be all out for 200!

Hopefully the extra 90 for the last couple of wickets wont come back to haunt England.

Nicely balanced match this still, Cook's still there and Collywobbles is due 200. T20 mode Strauss earlier on was a little odd, 60 off 58 balls.

Lets hopefully bat the Aussies out of the game by batting all day.

By the way Swanny's latest video diary is up...and Swindon gets a mention :

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/england/england-in-australia-2010-11/swannys-ashes-video-diary/

Think M,Johnson showed how to bat on this pitch.....Strauss did the same,not a pitch to fook about on...though Cook could prove me wrong.

Holdings bandana is class

Oh christ, Cook caught on 99 but referring...not sure whether it was actually given but both sides would refer...

Oh it's another low catch fiasco, looks like a bounced ball! Get in! I bet Ponting's broken a few more fingers punching a wall.

Doesn't carry. Not by a long way.

Good sportsmanship from the Aussies as usual. Well done Cook for staying put.

Haha, thought he'd gone just short of a century then!

Haddin knew it bounced as well.

100 up for Cook!

Another ton for the Chef. I think I and many others have proved why we're not selectors by spending most of the last year calling for him to go.

Stupid shot. last test for colly?

the aussies lack of applause is really quite silly

Thats the match won then

I like Collingwood and have always been a fan of his but over the past year his batting does seem to be in some decline.  The selectors will probably start the Sri Lanka Test series in May with giving Eoin Morgan a chance at number 5.

I also have to mention that I actually enjoyed listening to Ian Botham last night on Sky, mainly because he was slagging the Aussies off for anything and everything.

Hopefully bat for another session in the morning with Prior, Bresnan and Swann getting quick runs and then get bowling and stuck into them.

Another great day for England and the Aussies seem to be really losing it mentally now, with the not applauding Cook thing when he was given not out twice correctly, once having only been given out as the Aussies were cheating, and then again with the Bell thing later on which was touch and go, probably should have stayed with the Umpire's decision but it was hardly a howler.

It'd be fair to say that they're not taking this well.

Too easy for us now. On a seperate note I really would like to praise Cook. He's proved a lot of people wrong in this series and shown that he can bat at this level and make big scores. He's had an incredible series it has to be said. Didn't realise he's got over 5,000 test runs now as well. He's still got a fair few years ahead of him. Kudos to Ian Bell as well, again many have doubting him in the past but he's shown what he can do in this series as well.

Can some one tell me....Cook scored 189...does this count in his stats as only a ton.....or does it go down in the book as a ton...and a fifty?

Just a ton....

Cheers Reg.

Collingwood announces test retirement. Inevitable really. If i were him i'd refuse to bowl second innings, and have the memory of bowling hussey with his last test delivery

Good on Colly. From Michael Vaughan on TMS :

On Paul Collingwood's Test retirement: "He's still going to play one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket for England, but after the Perth Test we were talking and he said this should be my last Test series. He felt he had taken his game as far as he could and saw Eoin Morgan in the nets and thought it was his turn."

Anyway, we're ony a few runs short of scoring 500 again, for the 4th time in this series. That cannot of happened much against the Aussies.

Nice. Third ton of the innings.

what another great performance. fav song is. he bowls to the left. he bowls to the righhhtt. that Mitchel Johnson's bowling is shite!!

Sounds like England are taking the piss a bit on the last wicket. Superb.

Having been a bit disappointed with this too, the Aussies must be distraught :)

161-5, a good way to soften the blow of going back to work  :)

213-7 at close of play - having asked for an extra half an hour to wrap it all up today when Tremlett was on a hat-trick, but unfortunately it didn't happen.
I can't see it lasting to long into the next session, and in spite of the fact that I have to get up at 6 tomorrow, am very tempted to stay up and see the completion.  :zzz:

The Australian press are not taking it too well  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:


http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/summer-of-our-ultimate-humiliation-20110106-19hjy.html (http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/summer-of-our-ultimate-humiliation-20110106-19hjy.html)

I've got a semi just reading that.

Pure domination with bat and ball again. The Aussies really have been totally outclassed in this series with the exception of Perth.

The only place we didn't score 500.

I wonder how many Aussies will turn up tomorrow. I think Botham will be playing 'Spot the Aussie in the crowd' game again !!!

About 1 minute and ten in is a Town shirt... Is this our man down under?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVUCiWDLavY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Nope.

No, he's the one in the bikini it was established

Swanny's new diary is out for anybody that hasn't seen it..

http://www.ecbtv.co.uk/video/20110102/swannys-ashes-diary-no7_2276252_2256515

Nice mention of Swindon, bit weird with Austin doing the sprinkler after the blog was uploaded.

No work tomorrow so i'm actually going to manage to watch the end of the game for a change...shouldn't take an hour.

[url width=640 height=478]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs009.snc4/33802_1523095720698_1333755622_31082769_697025_n.jpg[/url]

Chortle.

I love life.

Ha ha ha ha ha!!
Off to watch the end now.

Same request.. Any decent links i can only find the fucking New Zealand match

It's ok i got one.

Any chance of the link?

Cheers

Here you are bud

http://fatbrummie.com/

You're a star

x

TMS very much enjoying the jokes Vaughan has found on Twitter...

Q: What do you call an Aussie centurion?
A: A Bowler

Q: What do you call an Aussie holding a bottle of Champagne?
A: A Waiter

Q: What do you call a World Class Australian Cricketer
A: Retired

Smugness is wonderful fun isn't it!
 
OH NO RAIN IT'S A DISASTER!

Boo, fuck off rain.

cheating bastard weather

Australia's lower order batsmen are better than their top 6. Crazy.

Siddle c Anderson b Swann 43

Two to go.

Fucked if im going to bed til this is over

Hilfenhaus c Prior b Anderson 7

One to go.

Beer b Tremlett 2

YEEESSSSS

During the Shipping Forecast obviously, that's the most TMS thing possible.

Ever wondered what an old man in a pink shirt looks like doing the sprinkler? Well wonder no more

http://www.twitvid.com/BZGWO

Enjoy it, fellas.  Gets no better than this.

On a serious note, I've been quite impressed with the way the Aussies have handled the fall out.  They know they've been well beaten.  Think they've been good losers on the whole.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport

Golden moment, it needs Vic Marks commentating on it dubbed over the top mind.

Ah, and one with the benefit of hindsight:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/reasons-why-poms-wont-win/story-e6frey50-1225955985591

My favourite being:

7 No depth

I liked this one


Why not play them then?!

Every truly great attack has someone like Mitchell Johnson

You couldn't make this shit up.

Hahahaha that is gold!

The same bloke after perth published this one

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/the-ashes/reasons-why-australia-will-win-ashes/story-fn67wv6z-1225974669778

I think that tops it!

A good example of why you should never believe anything you read in The Telegraph.

Funny as fuck !!

I've lost count of how many records we've broken this series.

Even KP has taken more wickets than their leg spinner Steve Smith this series.

Did like the Barmy Army singing 'You're going to get sacked in the morning', when Clarke was about to get interviewed after the game.

How deluded is he? He must really hate England - ah well, never mind  :D

great video of the barmy army singing the Johnson anthem!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150361346495214&comments

not sure if you need to be friends of mine or not... looks like you do or friends of friends. Changed it to everyone, but you still need to be logged in!

This is my favourite bit of any of those articles:


Colly's last ball in Test cricket says it all :)

Whoops!

[url width=350 height=498]http://estb.msn.com/i/29/F1268CABC73629108D5A3952038F8.jpg[/url]

Took me a while to work out, but that is class.

What a legend!

One T20 game now, nobody particularly cares but if we win it's a new World Record for consecutive games won.

Ian Bell has been dropped twice off Tait, but is otherwise slapping them around a bit as we chase 158.

How strong is our batting line-up?!

Incredibly so, Woakes is down to bat #11 and has two first class hundreds at an average 27!

Edit: Mind the windows Eoin.

Looks like Morgan is starting to tee off a bit, smacking Brett Lee for a massive 6 according to cricinfo.com.  England 99-3 needing 59 from 50 balls.  We should do this quite comfortably....

Oh dear, Morgan gone.

No problem with required rate, but another wicket or two and it could get a bit hairy.

Shit.

Oh jesus, Yardy first ball. What on earth is going on here!

To borrow a phrase from Tennis, COME ON TIM

Woakes wallops Tait for six on debut, ace :D

Does anyone else think that I spoke too soon and thus take all responsibility if England go onto lose this T20?

Enter the Swann, who will not be happy at being #10 in the order, he opens for Notts!

Don't really care about this game of rounders.  We won the Ashes.  Big boys' cricket!

We're just making it interesting...!

4 to win, 5 balls, 1 wicket. Oh christ.

Scores level with one ball to go, possible Super Over? It's nowhere near as good as Test Cricket but boy is this fun.

Winner!

Easy.

Woops

Woakes is ace

#IOB moment# Ace... Shame he was piss weak with the ball, should never be opening instead of Bres #IOB moment#

On another note, I hope Nick Knight is badly injured between now and the MCG, the worst commentator I think I've ever had to endure.

Always nice to beat the Aussies in anything, but to beat them to set a record...even better !!

Yes, it's not the Tests but at the end of the day, we are the current world champs in this form of the game...which you wouldn't have thought so via the IPL auction a few days ago, and we are using this as a warm up towards the 50 over World Cup, which starts in around 6 weeks time.

Another record is broken. It might not be as good as the test match cricket it but we're the best in the world at the T20 stuff at the moment. I don't think anyone can deny that. New world record of 8 straight T20 wins. That's impressive. And it was great to see Brett Lee practically looking depressed at the end of it all as well.

Saw the highlights on Sky last night and even caught some of the Women's match that was on before the men's, which theEngland women's team also won. There was a reverse/switch hit played by England's Greenway, which she caught perfectly and went for four. A few of the mens top order would've been proud playing that shot.

Second and final T20, Aussies have posted 145 in an odd little innings, this new lad Finch looks a player, just hit a 50 to give them some respectability. Spinner's pitch which is interesting as they have Smith, O'Keeffe and D. Hussey, all of whom I'd fancy myself to hit let alone our batsmen. Could be an interesting chase.

13 needed off three balls and Woakes smacks it half way to New Zealand, what a man.

101 metres is quite a feat

Should have tried taking the 2nd run of the penultimate ball - a 4 would have got a super over then.

One Day Series underway

Shane Watson 1-0 England

161 not out is a decent enough knock I suppose.

Bresnan didnt bowl very well towards the end.

Those wides in what I think was Bresnan's penaultimate over helped lose the match for us

 Strauss out. Flower out. Back to Back defeats is unacceptable.

Bring in Wilson!  He'll be free soon.

Blame Pericard

Well when I started watching this morning Australia were 142-8 - thought it would be all over by now - but we are struggling on 98-5.  >:(

game made for yardy, just you watch.

This last over they've got after Hauritz. He clearly doesn't fancy it and has popped his shoulder out.
Fucking pussy, keep bowling rubbish so we can smash it around!

As you say - after his last over went for 12, that's one way of getting out of another one like that!!

147 - 7 now - this match was ours for the taking 4 hours ago.

70 off 64 needed. i don't fancy us

That's it now with Bresnan gone. We can't even cash in on the Aussie bowlers dropping like flies.

As soon as the world cup squad gets picked, half of those picked decide not to show up.
How embarrassing that was.

Can someone talk me through how Ally Cook is adjudged not to be aggressive enough for this form of the game and yet Jonathan Trott is in the side? Seems a strange one to send Cook home, and I'm still not sure I like this "open with the Wicketkeeper" idea: I know it worked for Gilchrist, but he was one the best of all time.

Trott when he was first picked by England was considered a 20/20 man....we've got the 50 over stuff in a mess for a while now....of course it will now be said we don't have 50 over domestic cricket.

Think it was always going to be hard for the players to get up for this after The Ashes..

Plus Aus are much better at 2 innings cricket than they are at the 3 innings variety they played for most of the English winter.

Aren't the Aussies ranked 1 in 50 over cricket? So in some ways it's not be that surprising they are playing well here. I still don't think we can get our 50 over side right. As Nemo said people like Ally Cook should maybe get a look in. It isn't T20 which we do have right and maybe we should look at players who can do a bit more than just slog. I remember back in the day the Aussies used to field the same team for both tests and ODIs. Why not?

Ha ha ha ha - I like it!!

Englands attitude to 50 over cricket reminds me of Swindons attitude to cup competitions.

At the rate the players are going down injured, some of the Barmy Army might get a game.

It's ridiculous that the players get 3 days back in the UK before flying off to India to start the 7 week World Cup, which will probably be as tedious as the last one.

The T20 World Cup is more entertaining as it's all over inside three weeks.

It probably doesn't help that nearly all our bowlers are injured now. Trott looking very decent though, still a little concerned about the pace of his batting on the sub continent but his actual stats are looking very impressive at the moment.

Trott's been quality, just need KP/Bell/Morgan to stop batting like fucking girls and get some around him.

Morgan could be out of the World Cup...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/9388533.stm

Playing pretty shit again this morning (quelle surprise).

At least the Sussex boys are giving it a good go. Oh wait, as I type that Prior's just gone.

Fucksticks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Bailey

Sad news....died at home in a fire.
Always thought for an older pundit he was good on TMS....great career as well.

And the league by the looks of it.

The ODI's were a bit of a let down, went to the Hobart one (such a shit place!), although we did see Trott and Finn in the pub.  The bowling attack for most of them were our 2nd string, but it was the batting that let us down!

I only have a couple of days left in NZ then hopefully the weather will warm up back home!

Nearly broke the 1000 barrier on my blog, so thought I would put a link here again to break the 1000!

http://keithontour.blogspot.com/