Ashes 2010

[STFC_Manc]

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

VaughanCricket: This winter is looking like a good warm up for next summer when we will play the No1 team India...should tell us where we are at........

Are any other town fans heading out there?

[blinkpip]

Are you rich man?

[STFC_Manc]

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

[leefer]

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?

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.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

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

[Summerof69]

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?

[STFC_Manc]

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

Anyone use twitter on here?

[Summerof69]

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

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.

[Drakes Way]

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.

 

[STFC_Manc]

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.

[mexico red]

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

[Frigby Daser]

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.

[fittons_coaching_badge]

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?

[Jean-Francois is God]

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.

[STFC_Manc]

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

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