3rd Ashes Test, Perth

First topic message reminder :

Western Australia next, which means staying up even later to watch the start of the third test.

You would think Perth is one place the Aussies should win, so what do we do?

Panic, and drop Swann, but leave Monty in? Or perhaps play four or five seamers? Has Stokes done enough? He showed plenty of attitude, so yes, he probably has.

Has Prior done enough to see him promoted to six, as Stokes isn't one..............yet? Maybe not but we have to try and win, and playing him at six, would enable us to play five bowlers again, with Monty dropping out.

Who comes in? Finn, the 90mph quickie, with a strike rate around 50? Reliable Tim? Just coming back from injury but will give 100%, won't get smacked around, and can bat a bit. Or rankin? This would be the biggest gamble imo, as he has no test experience.

My team:

Cook
Carberry
Root
Pietersen
Bell
Prior
Stokes
Broad
Swann
Finn
Anderson

Duty281 wrote:If there's one thing I've learnt about cricket, from pulling out my Brisbane 2010 and 1981 DVDs, it's there is never a lost cause, and never a moment when you should surrender meekly.

And if there's one thing that marks England as a race, and a people, it's the dogged determination to never, never, never give in. Never.

Not done yet. Not while we have 10 wickets to play with.

On another note, barman, can I have another scotch? This is the worst I've seen England play for...oh must be about 7 years.

Englnad collapsed for 80odd to lose a test vs. WI at the start of Strauss / Flower era......you should probably watch that also to see how low , low can get.

England have been getting mocked on SPOTY  

Steffan wrote:England have been getting mocked on SPOTY  

It was just for you

Im happy Wales...sorry the Lions won Team of the year  

Did they!!

oh well shame the england and WALES cricket team got mugged off

1/2P Got runner up to Muzza. awwwww

mystiroakey wrote:1/2P Got runner up to Muzza. awwwww

Yeah and no Englishman in the top 3. Its a fix I tell ya...

We didn't really deserve it bud.

well actually Cavendish and froome did ok and off course rosey did ok, but then golfers never win these things.

Dontcha wish ya could be from Wales like me. Dontcha wish ya had a player like Leigh Halfpenny. Or maybe be from Scotland like Andy Murray. Dontcha

No.

Steffan is always good for an anti-England laugh... Surprised so many here put up with him.... Long may it continue, because that post made me chuckle

Gotta bring them down a peg or two init   

Especially in cricket

If England lose this test series does that mean only half of the squad will get given knighthoods and OBEs?

This made me laugh

Gerry SA wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:All this bash Anderson nonsense talk again.

You might as well bash cook and Kp as well.

All are off form..

All are world class when there are on form.

Move on jeas

World class batsmen average 50+. Cook and Pietersen don't.

World class bowlers average under 30. Anderson doesn't.

I agree with Gerry. Cook, Pietersen, Andersen, Bell and Broad are good players who can play great innings but are not world class players. Bell and Cook are the closest English players to being considered world class. World class batsmen average 50+. World class bowlers average low-mid 20's. Ponting, Tendulkar, Kallis, Steyn, McGrath, Lara, Clarke etc are world class players, Pietersen, Broad and Andersen are not. Jury is out on bell and Cook.

Why do you all waste time arguing with Gerry ?

If it weren't bad manners to do so , I would describe him as a WUM.

Steffan wrote:This made me laugh

Lol it did annoy you..

Nah Andy 'Anyone but England' Muzza was always going to win it so I expected nothing less

And my own word on Anderson :

LB is correct to point to the El NIno/La Nina factor. Conditions in Australia are generally far from ideal for him.
Australia have played him well this series. They are not taking liberties , hence he remains the most economical bowler. The fact that runs have been freely on offer the other end hasn't helped.
Tiredness ? Maybe partly , he has bowled a lot of overs for England over the last couple of years , often in trying conditions.
And perhaps he is indeed just a little off form - a minor imperfection creeping into the action can reduce a swing bowler's effectiveness dramatically. Something I am sure they'll be working on in nets , once the dust clears.

Anyone dismissing him as "just a greentop bully" is a damn fool. As msp says , he is likely far from finished anyway. No older than Johnson !

I'd also be more concerned about Swann - up until now. I reckon he will fare better in the last 2 Tests though... Sydney especially, where he will get more purchase. I also think Monty in tandem with him there will be more effective for England.

alfie wrote:Why do you all waste time arguing with Gerry ?

If it weren't bad manners to do so , I would describe him as a WUM.

So by pointing out the truth I'm a wum? Really. Best you got.

It's like the ludicrous claim that Clarke somehow became the best Test batsman after scoring two centuries against England. When Amla and ABDV have been far more prolific than Pup in home and away conditions.

Linebreaker wrote:I'd also be more concerned about Swann - up until now. I reckon he will fare better in the last 2 Tests though... Sydney especially, where he will get more purchase. I also think Monty in tandem with him there will be more effective for England.

Unless Australia drop all their right handers, Swann won't be doing anything in Melbourne or Sydney.

shhhshh Gerry... I'm trying to get his series average back up towards 100 again!  

Watson gong for it. Nearly chops it onto his stumps again. Prior misses it again and it goes for 4.

Runs coming swiftly early on for Australia - 259 for 3.

Billy Bowden is such a weirdo. How they let someone so uncoordinated near a Test arena is beyond me.

As commentators are saying and I said yesterday England cannot bat to survive. Scoring quickly Cook and Carberry looked relatively comfortable in the first innings. As tea approached they began shutting up shop, the runs dried up and the wicket came. The result is set in stone now for me so at least England should look to go down fighting, playing their shots and being positive. No team in this match so far has batted much more than 100 overs per innings and to expect England to survive playing negatively on a deteriorating pitch for 150 overs is just not on for me.

Great ton for Watson. Played some big shots. Australia's 7th century V England's big fat zero.

Australua cruising at a goodvlick of runs on 331 for 4 as they prepare themselves for the coup de grace.

Linebreaker wrote:shhhshh Gerry... I'm trying to get his series average back up towards 100 again!  

Forget about Melbourne and Sydney my friend, this could be the last time Swann's seen wearing England colours.

A comedy of errors that run out. Watson skies one and Bell drops a dolly and as Watson had given up his chances of survival and meandering to the other end he gets run out.

I can see the declaration now coming in the next half hour. England will need to bat a tricky little half hour spell before lunch.

Medium pacer James Anderson getting totally destroyed.

Couldn't happen to a more overrated bowler   

28 off the over and world record.

Congrats Anderson your famous for life.

Declaration on 369 for 6. Australia with 503crun lead. As Beefy says 'carnage'.

Gerry SA wrote:Medium pacer James Anderson getting totally destroyed.

Couldn't happen to a more overrated bowler   

28 off the over and world record.

Congrats Anderson your famous for life.

  

Ryano!!!!

Cook gone first ball duck.

On the plus side, it can't get any worse in Melbourne. Good job I'm Welsh, we always beat Austr... Ooops.

We're still better at reviewing. Get in.

Gerry SA wrote:Medium pacer James Anderson getting totally destroyed.

Couldn't happen to a more overrated bowler   

28 off the over and world record.

Congrats Anderson your famous for life.

 
Aussies aren't just winning
they aren't just mauling
they aren't just picking one by one the fading English Ashes stars and turning them to rubble...
 
but after doing all the above they are rubing salts in their wounds   
 
Anderson is gifted a world record .....OR more like carved on his forehead.....like Brad Pitt used to do in a Tarintino film

Ways this can get worse for England: Michael Clarke smashes open the Ashes to reveal mobile phone used to receive texts from KP on how to get the English batsman out. KP sacked. KP reinstated after advice turned out to be 'just bowl straight for a bit'.  

Cook goes AWOL and is discovered six months later on an Australian sheep farm answering only to the name Woody. Never plays for England again.

Piers Morgan replaces Andy Flower.

James Anderson admitted to A&E to have stomach pumped of 7Up bottle lids. Joins Cook in mental institute mumbling something about just being desperate for green tops.

As Carberry exits lbw for 31 and England 62 for 2, Beefy talking sense about the changes he says needs to be made to the side for Melbourne.

If Pietersen flops again here he may be a candidate to be 'rested'. One or two pundits suggested the same for Prior bringing in Bairstow. Beefy wants Rankin given a run in the side in place of perhaps Bresnan or Broad (if injured).

Brilliant catch from Haddin off the bowling of Johnson to dismiss Root for 19 off 88 balls.

England 76/3

Root caught behind off Johnson for 19. If another wicket falls before tea this could conceivably be done and dusted by the end of today.

You can only doff your cap to Aus this tour. Out played, outcoached, outcaptained. Tactics and composure spot on. The re-invention of Johnson after his mauling in 10//11. The morning session has typified Australia's will just to smash Eng out of the series altogether. Nightmare! lol..

Lineb, you be aboslutely loving this, especially after 3 series in a row for Eng. Talk about payback!

Same old same old.

That first ball of the innings was so special.. Cook must be thinking there is nothing he can do.

The batting looks ok again under the circumstances for the second second innings. Players are just under way to much pressure to play so go into there default plays. Root again takes a lot of balls, carbs again hits that 30-40. Cooks dismissal was just one of those 1 in 1000 balls that is unplayable.

Kp playing well though. Very natural.

At tea England are 95 for 3 so perhaps we will go into the fifth day.

I think a few things go together to explain this annihilation.

1. Australia had to re-examine things and give themselves a real kick up the backside after their Ashes defeat in England.

2. They used such a loss as motivation. I get the impression that there is a lot of pent up anger which is a great motivator. Warner's incident with Root and he maybe feels he was harshly treated and the well-documented Broad incident. I just feel they have used them to fire themselves up.

3. Australia appear the hungrier for success and more up for the fight.

4. England's batsmen have failed to deliver after conceding an average of a 200 run lead per first innings in the series.

5. Australia's key players have stepped up to the plate whilst England's have shyed away from the challenge.

6. Australia have bowled as a tight, disciplined and quicker unit than England who have looked a spent force.

Australia deserve all the get so much congratulations and for England there are a lot of questions to be asked and answered.

In the context of England's future we must fight hard today and tomorrow. The longer we can drag it out the better. Never give up like we did yesterday..

Shane Watson's doubled his century total in the last four Tests... Pity all his runs have come when A) the series is dead, or b) the match is secured under lock and key in fort Knox, with the secret service doing security. If he could use these relatively unimportant tons to push for greater things, I'd congratulate him, but you just know he's going to get a well player 24 or something next.

That encapsulates Pietersen and England this series. Losing a wicket when you think they have settled. Once more could this end today?

The fat lady is warming up.