Obviously hasn't got a clue....

Well done lads

Congratulations on the England South Africa eleven beating Australia to retain the ashes

a few pics from some of my cricket mates who have gone out www.pitchero.com/clubs/yorkshire ... 91582.html

a few pics from some of my cricket mates who have gone out www.pitchero.com/clubs/yorkshire ... 91582.html

I wonder whether you'll get a life for 2011?

Of course it's fantastic that the team have humiliated Australia, but the truth is that this Australian side is a total embarrassment of a test team - they're absolutely shocking.



The real test comes in the Summer when the world's number one team India come these shores - then we'll see how good we really are though I'm hopeful of a series victory with a bit of luck.

I think a bit of perspective is neded here. Australia are only "shocking" by the high standards they've set for themsleves in the recent past. By "normal" standards they're an ordinary Test side and no worse than many of the England teams they've routinely humbled over the last 15-20 years. Furthermore, whilst they can no longer regain the Ashes they haven't actually lost the current series yet; they can still square the series by winning in Sydney, so England still have plenty to prove by making certain that doesn't happen.





Agreed. India are the new yardstick. They won their most recent home and away series against England, and they won their most recent home and away series against Australia. South Africa captain Graeme Smith publicly questioned their ability to win on foreign soil before the current SA v India series began, but India have just hit back to level the scores at one win apiece with one to play.



India look a powerful and well balanced unit, but three of their top batsmen (Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman) are now the wrong side of 35 and I don't think they have the strength in depth in fast bowling that England does. I'm really looking forward to this series, but we still haven't completed the job in Australia yet, and as usual our media are going into self-congratulatory overdrive at the first hint of success.

Ponting is out of the Sydney test, don't think the Aussies have another test series until late next year so that could be it for him.

Think it will take a change of coach for that to happen, as Neilsen has already said he thinks Ponting still has plenty to offer and will be back in the baggy green cap before long.

Well, considering the Aussie reaction to this Ashes result, its not out of the question that Nielsen will soon be out of a job.

Quote Prince of Denmark="Prince of Denmark"I think a bit of perspective is neded here. Australia are only "shocking" by the high standards they've set for themsleves in the recent past. By "normal" standards they're an ordinary Test side and no worse than many of the England teams they've routinely humbled over the last 15-20 years.'" Don't necessarily disagree, but don't forget that both England wins so far have been by an innings and a lot. Can't be bothered to look on cricinfo, but I suspect Australia don't suffer two innings defeats in a series very often. Perth was their first innings defeat since 1993. This Aussie newspaper article before the Brisbane test makes for fun reading. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5955985591

Quote Prince of Denmark="Prince of Denmark"I think a bit of perspective is neded here. Australia are only "shocking" by the high standards they've set for themsleves in the recent past. By "normal" standards they're an ordinary Test side and no worse than many of the England teams they've routinely humbled over the last 15-20 years.'" Don't necessarily disagree, but don't forget that both England wins so far have been by an innings and a lot. Can't be bothered to look on cricinfo, but I suspect Australia don't suffer two innings defeats in a series very often. Perth was their first innings defeat since 1993. This Aussie newspaper article before the Brisbane test makes for fun reading. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5955985591

Fantastic to retain the Ashes down under, I just hope we seal it with a series win!



Really enjoyed the India/SA test too, tough wicket to bat on.

Quote JonM="JonM"Don't necessarily disagree, but don't forget that both England wins so far have been by an innings and a lot. Can't be bothered to look on cricinfo, but I suspect Australia don't suffer two innings defeats in a series very often. Perth was their first innings defeat since 1993. This Aussie newspaper article before the Brisbane test makes for fun reading. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5955985591'" saw that elsewhere, was looking for the journo's (will swanton) email address on the site to see how he felt his analysis of the series ahead had stacked up - sadly couldn't find it.

Quote JonM="JonM"Don't necessarily disagree, but don't forget that both England wins so far have been by an innings and a lot. Can't be bothered to look on cricinfo, but I suspect Australia don't suffer two innings defeats in a series very often. Perth was their first innings defeat since 1993. This Aussie newspaper article before the Brisbane test makes for fun reading. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5955985591'" saw that elsewhere, was looking for the journo's (will swanton) email address on the site to see how he felt his analysis of the series ahead had stacked up - sadly couldn't find it.

Quote JonM="JonM"Don't necessarily disagree, but don't forget that both England wins so far have been by an innings and a lot. Can't be bothered to look on cricinfo, but I suspect Australia don't suffer two innings defeats in a series very often. Perth was their first innings defeat since 1993. This Aussie newspaper article before the Brisbane test makes for fun reading. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5955985591'" I would muster that little more energy and find cricinfo next time, Australia won in Perth!!!! Was talking to Steven Finn 2 nights ago and he was absolutely gutted not to be involved in the Melbourne test and said he was not injured or jaded, he was just dropped!! Had a cracking celebration with a few of the other boys too. 6 of the squad made it out for a beer with the fans.

Quote JonM="JonM"Don't necessarily disagree, but don't forget that both England wins so far have been by an innings and a lot. Can't be bothered to look on cricinfo, but I suspect Australia don't suffer two innings defeats in a series very often. Perth was their first innings defeat since 1993. This Aussie newspaper article before the Brisbane test makes for fun reading. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5955985591'" I would muster that little more energy and find cricinfo next time, Australia won in Perth!!!! Was talking to Steven Finn 2 nights ago and he was absolutely gutted not to be involved in the Melbourne test and said he was not injured or jaded, he was just dropped!! Had a cracking celebration with a few of the other boys too. 6 of the squad made it out for a beer with the fans.

i think it was widely interpreted as a move to just tighten things up a bit, he has a great strike rate, but was a little expensive, don't reckon he can be too down about how his international career has started, just a nice place for england to be that Tremlett and Bresnan can both step up. All gaining experience, all experiencing success, they seem like a fairly tight unit.

Really? First Test, the Aussies get a 260 odd run lead in the first innings and force us to bat for two days to save the game. We do, which is good credit to us.



Second Test great performance, innings win, comprehensive victory to us.



Third Test Aussies smashed us, twice out for less than 200. Up there with many of the other Ashes humiliations we have suffered.



Fourth Test great performance, dominant win and we smash them.



What if the Aussies smash us in the Fifth like they did the Third? They will deserve 2-2.



We need really to turn the screw and not let their 'new era' get off to a good start, like we did in 1987 when the start of the Aussie long climb to the top of the tree probably began with their final Test win over us in Sydney, soon to be followed by a win in the World Cup final.



I don't think that there has been as much of a gap as people have thought. I think if the Aussies still had one of McGrath or Warne, then it would have been a very tight series, they would have won the First test if they'd had Warne. I think if they still had both McGrath and Warne I would have fancied them to beat us. But then I also think if you had taken Warne and McGrath out of their all conquering side of the past few tours, then the Atherton/Stewart or Hussain led England sides would have recorded a few more wins against the Aussies.



It's good to beat the Aussies but we need to be careful that we don't get overexcited and start proclaiming a new era of dominance beckons for England. What we have is a side of good players, which is run very professionally by Flower and Strauss, we don't have a team of great players and I fear that we lack the penetration of a bowler like Flintoff or Gough.



Look beyond this team at the state of English cricket and it is not a happy tale. The quality of county cricketers IMO has slipped backwards since the 1980s and 1990s. The counties are full of South Africans on Kolpak rulings because there just isn't the talent available in England. I know people make jokes about Pietersen and Trott being South Africans, but its true, take them out and say how many English batsmen are there of genuine quality? The best two are not realistic Test options, Trescothick and Ramprakash, so you are left with basically Bell, Strauss, Cook and when he is in form Collingwood. They are good players but it's not as though there are loads of young guns knocking on the door. English cricket at the top end is being run very well at the moment but below that there are problems.



I know people don't like talk of RU on here but I remember hearing some doomsdayers in the press saying this after England won the World Cup in 2003, and they got drowned out as spoilsports, but once the big guns retired English RU went into a low ebb. I fear that below the surface of this, English cricket has got jack all.

what would your combined team of the series so far be then?



Batting wise



Cook

Strauss

Trott

KP

Hussey

Bell

Haddin (shading it)



though Watson deserves credit



Bowling less easy to call as there has been more chopping and changing

Anderson

Siddle has put his hand up twice

Swann - hasn't ripped it up, but showed he could on occasions tie up an end.

Johnson went from the ridiculous to the sublime and back again

Tremlett and Bresnan did themselves great credit when called upon.

Bollinger?

Broad - I am a big fan, but we didn't see enough of him in aussie conditions

Hifenhaus - steady, but nothing more

Harris - a trier, effective on his day

Smith - not ready by all accounts

Xavier - move on





I'd go

8. Bresnan

9. Swann

10. Siddle

11. Anderson

don't agree with Haddin but have been impressed with Harris - a real trier in an ordinary attack IMO

Yup - my mistake. It was Perth in 93 when they last lost by an innings, to the West Indies. And having had a quick look on cricinfo, I can't find any previous home series against anybody where Australia have had two innings defeats. It's happened four times when they've toured England, most recently in 1985 - when Richard Ellison destroyed the aussies in the last two tests, before never being heard of again.



The England batting averages make fun reading. Cook & Trott both averaging well over 100 for the series; if they'd done that against Bangladesh or ZImbabwe, people would be saying it shouldn't count.

It was all down to [url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/9329526.stmme, me, meeeeee says KP[/url.

That's right, it's never happened in a home series.



Obviously their great team of recent years ago has now broken up, but to make matters worse their best/most accomplished remaining players are the four who have been in the team longest: Ponting, Hussey, Katich, Clarke - and the first three are now all aged over 35. Of those four only Hussey has done himself justice in this series; the other three have been plagued by injuries and/or loss of form. I think that's probably the biggest single factor in the sheer margins of our two victories. With their veterans available and on form they ought to remain competitive in most matches for a little while longer.



That linked article from the Australian Daily Telegraph is absolutely hilarious. The bloke could barely have been wider of the mark if he'd tried! His email address might not be on there but you can still leave comments on the paper's website.

i just read that when i was walking the dog - i suspect the headline is a little harsh, and that he means had he not forced the issue over moores we'd not have been in the position which we are currently

Not the brightest move by KP to come out with these comments in public, but what he says is pretty much right.



He is never a captain, Moores is never an international coach, England would have suffered.

This is a worry for the Aussies and why they are in a worse position than they were in 1986/87 when we last won the Ashes down under. Back then we were pretty dominant over them until the final Test, but the Aussie team was basically a young team high on talent low on experience: it had guys like David Boon, Geoff Marsh, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh, Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid. In future years these guys were all going to have Ashes fun at England's expense. I think even at the time, the Aussies had high hopes for these guys, but I just don't see it in this current crop of Aussies once you take out the four names above, Phillip Hughes is basically a guy with a dodgy technique and a great eye, well we tried Kim Barnett back in the 1980s and top Test bowlers found him out, Phillip Hughes is running out of chances (or maybe given the state of cricket in Australia, he isn't).



The Aussie team to me now has the same sort of signs as the West Indies in the late 1990s, when they had Lara there and there were still a few guys like Adams, Ambrose and Walsh to make them a competitive unit but already they became a team you could beat even with those guys in the team, and when they went they just became easy beats.



I reckon this next decade will be the decade in which South Africa emerge as the game's leading force, and the big tussles will be them and India who will be formidable at home. I actually don't think it would be a bad thing for the game if India become the dominant Test side because if the Indian public are fixed on Test cricket then it will guarantee Test cricket a healthy future.

Surely India are set for a low period, once Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman are gone??....Coupled with the fact that their bowling is heavily dependent on Zaheer Khan and Harbahjan, then it makes India very vulnerable. They have always been reliant on home advantage, only very recently have they begun to travel well.



Our biggest mistake is that we always schedule our home series with India for late summer....Imagine if we took them on in early summer??....They wouldn't get over 200 in any of their innings!!



I agree that the South Africans will remain strong and competitive, but to be honest it looks like we are about to enter a period where there isn't one particular dominant side....We have the potential, because at last it looks like we have a little depth to our bowling, but even with that, we lack a true world-class bowler in the Holding/Marshall/Warne/McGrath mould.