The Ashes

[Ardiles]

I'm surprised they have scheduled a game that far north so late in the summer.  We were up in Argyll two weeks ago (OK, further north, I know), and found ourselves sat in front of a log fire one evening.  August is barely a summer month up there.  Late September in NE England...doubt it's going to be cricket weather.  I'd save my cash.

[alanmayes]

Lets not forget Montys stand with Anderson in the first test...10 overs that was to hold out and going 1 down that early couldve buggered us....great all round team work all the series.

Well done boys and as Leefer correctly says the last wicket stand at Cardiff,has proven to be a
crucial moment in the series.Great team effort from everyone,especially considering the loss of
Pieterson and injuries to Freddie.

As for games in the far north,i see that Scotland were playing Ireland in a 1 Day cricket series  in Aberdeen!

[Summerof69]

This win is great, but 2005 was much better, with the two best sides in the world going head-to-head, and the cricket was unbelieveable, probably never to be matched again. This series was evenly matched, by two average sides, (the Aussies are probably still no.1 in the world in the world test rankings, but not for much longer) but probably decided in our favour by the fact that our tail batted better than the Aussies, and when was the last time we could say that.

Don't forget we won this series despite being without our best batsmen in Pietersen for the last three tests, but we've got to start planning for 18 months time to try and retain them in Oz. Obviously Flintoff has quit tests and I wouldn't be surprised if Harmy joined him. We can start by bringing Rashid into the test squad for SA, and we need a batsmen in the Graham Thorpe mode, and maybe Trott can be that person. We desperately need a number 3 batsmen, and maybe someone like Joe Denly could do that role, but we've got to blood these newbies sooner rather than later, otherwise we could see another debacle like '06-07.

Regarding the Aussies, I can see Ponting not being captain for much longer, with Clarke as the new captain, but he'll be around for the next series in Oz as like McGrath and Warne, as he'll want to quit with them holding the Ashes. The Aussies will also have to realise that they no longer have the firepower and variation to bowl sides out with only four bowlers (as they did with Warne and McGrath), and will have to play a fifth bowler, which will automatically weaken the batting department.

There is going to be a few changes in both sides by the time they meet in Oz, and it'll be interesting to see how they develop.

[DiV]

Well done boys and as Leefer correctly says the last wicket stand at Cardiff,has proven to be a
crucial moment in the series.

Lets not forget the rain as well...

[ronnie21]

Lets not forget the rain as well...

Yeah, but it saved the aussies at Edgbaston Rodney.  I think we would have won that in a full five days.

[santasdead]

the Aussies are probably still no.1 in the world in the world test rankings, but not for much longer

S'africa are #1...aussies #4, with us 5. we have a good series in SA and we go fourth.

I think harmison has proved he can still cut it,with broad (hopefully)filling freddies boots as the all rounder,and swann having higher capabilities with the bat,id love to see anderson and harmison at 10/11 for south africa.

For me,we need a new number 2 and number 3 batsman.


The rest of this summer - i predict australia to kill us in the ODI's. No pietersen or flintoff will probably affect the team. although the lack of 'fire power' will probably make the rest realise they have to perform and not rely on those two. With ponting aparently missing the first 4 matches it will be fun to see how the aussies play under whoever is captain (clarke) + brett lee bowling will be fun.

[Talk Talk]

I would like to give a big up to Matt Prior for this series. Now there is a bloody good wickie.

I think Broad has almost come of age now (see other threads yadda yadda yadda), he just needs to tighten up both his batting and bowling and he will be awesome for the next ten years as long as he doesn't overdo it like Freddie has.

Trott was a bloody good selection. Awesome. It follows the Aussie mode of selecting maturity and I think that is a good balance in the team.

Harmison? Dunno. I think he has to make way now.

As for Bell and Collingwood. Groan. We should have better.

Anyway. Well done England, I have raised many a glass to your performances (apart from Headingly) tonight. I'm not really that fussed about ODI's and Twenty 20. They really are sideshows to what cricket is really about. Five day tests. And I note that Lily Allen, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy feel the same - a younger generation that have been illuminating and interesting on TMS this match. Well done - and well done Aggers. The most intelligent and thoughtful man on the radio anywhere.

[Foggy]

The Aussies will get 600. No chance the Ashes are coming back to England.

Really?

[jimmy_onions]

"....and well done Aggers. The most intelligent and thoughtful man on the radio anywhere."

Absolutely agree. Very humble and a pleasure to listen to.

And I can't help thinking that the Aussie commentators, Maxwell et al are all slightly biased (and quite frankly a little bit of a pain) whilst aggers and co always manage to strike an excellent neutral balance.

Tuffers on the other hand is just a nutcase -  in a good way.

[The Artist Billy Paynter]

Really pleased for Strauss and Fred, especially.

[url width=460 height=288]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01467/strauss-swann_1467492c.jpg[/url]

[reeves4england]

Tuffers on the other hand is just a nutcase -  in a good way.

I agree! Great to listen to!

[westcountry]

 

[michael]

As well as being delighted that we won, I too am very pleased for Andrew Strauss.

He is one of the good guys.

Also well done to Jimmy A for effectively winning the Ashes for us with that awesome batting display in Cardiff.

[Talk Talk]

"....and well done Aggers. The most intelligent and thoughtful man on the radio anywhere."

Absolutely agree. Very humble and a pleasure to listen to.

And I can't help thinking that the Aussie commentators, Maxwell et al are all slightly biased (and quite frankly a little bit of a pain) whilst aggers and co always manage to strike an excellent neutral balance.

Tuffers on the other hand is just a nutcase -  in a good way.

Tuffers is brill. I love his analysis. Yup, deffo nutcase.

[donkey]

Tuffers is brill. I love his analysis. Yup, deffo nutcase.

His autobiography's a good read too.