Yesterday, as plain as day we were shown why Michael Clarke should never be the captain of Australia. Not only did he let the team down by declaring himself fit to play in the most important test for a long time, he let himself down. Watching him bat on the replays showed me just how selfish a player he is. What sort of captain is he going to make when he will be expected to sacrifice his own game for the team when he can't do it now. It's not like he was carrying a soft tissue injury, the man looked almost like a pensioner trying to play at some of the balls. He must have know he was not right yet put his hand up anyway.
Disappointing Michael, the country expected so much more from you. You better not put your hand up next test.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Friday, 26 November 2010
Tea for (day) 2
anyone want odds on whether somebody will go into 3 figures this test?
Tea, day 2 and this is shapping up as a very interesting Test- and one that exemplifies everything that is great about Test cricket.
i missed North's dismissal (must have been only just as he was in when i went to school pick up; if he isn't R's before Adelaide i will boo him (but preferably anyone from CA) loudly- although if you are picked, you're obviously going to play! So what filth does he have on Hilditch?
Huss just hit his 50, looking very determined to remove the doubt over his name.
Tea, day 2 and this is shapping up as a very interesting Test- and one that exemplifies everything that is great about Test cricket.
i missed North's dismissal (must have been only just as he was in when i went to school pick up; if he isn't R's before Adelaide i will boo him (but preferably anyone from CA) loudly- although if you are picked, you're obviously going to play! So what filth does he have on Hilditch?
Huss just hit his 50, looking very determined to remove the doubt over his name.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Hey Diddle Diddle!
How good is Siddle!
An enthralling day of cricket that both sides fought for ascendancy at the end of the day. Egland looked the better at lunch and at tea looked to be in the drivers seat....although without their belt on!
Enter The Woodchopper from Benalla! Siddle was the best bowler all day pitching it up to the batsmen inviting them to play shot all day....but he was far too good for them. I was in the car for the hattrick and had worried motorists all around me as I was leaning on the horn as he took the 2nd and 3rd wicket for his hattrick.
Doherty was fantastic, bowling efficiently and getting some reward at the end of the day.
Hilf did his job. Johnson was Johnson and would be hoping that that is enough for the second test.
Ponting's only mishap for the day was losing the toss, his bowling changes were exemplary and his fields supported well.
Bring on day 2 and a 400 run 1st innings for the Aussies!
An enthralling day of cricket that both sides fought for ascendancy at the end of the day. Egland looked the better at lunch and at tea looked to be in the drivers seat....although without their belt on!
Enter The Woodchopper from Benalla! Siddle was the best bowler all day pitching it up to the batsmen inviting them to play shot all day....but he was far too good for them. I was in the car for the hattrick and had worried motorists all around me as I was leaning on the horn as he took the 2nd and 3rd wicket for his hattrick.
Doherty was fantastic, bowling efficiently and getting some reward at the end of the day.
Hilf did his job. Johnson was Johnson and would be hoping that that is enough for the second test.
Ponting's only mishap for the day was losing the toss, his bowling changes were exemplary and his fields supported well.
Bring on day 2 and a 400 run 1st innings for the Aussies!
Wooooooohoooooooooo
It's ON, like Donkey Kong.
Go you Aussies!!! Flog the bejeesus out of those no tub, whinging, shirt lifting, pillow biting, tea drinking, yellow bellied soft as shite Poms!
Go you Aussies!!! Flog the bejeesus out of those no tub, whinging, shirt lifting, pillow biting, tea drinking, yellow bellied soft as shite Poms!
as Gough said, "It's time."
the Ashes series has started (well, in 2 hours after this posting), but the war of words and tabloid BS is in full swing in Blighty and well, here too.
The centre for "quality" journalism is going flat chat tearing strips off Ponting, with headlines and copy such as: You're once, twice, three times a loser (and we love you for that, Ricky!). Bring on those saggy greens. Strauss invoked the jaw-jutting spirit of Douglas Jardine on the eve of the Ashes battle and welcomed Mitchell Johnson's threat of a bouncer war".
Under the headline "Sick Rick", The Sun said that Ponting heads into the opening Test "looking like a man about to be publicly executed".
"Out of form, ageing and with an unforgiving Australian public loading their bullets, Ponting knows he has a huge target strapped to his chest".
The Mirror was keen to keep the focus largely on the game, expecting the walls of Australia's Gabba fortress to "come crumbling down within a week".
anyway, who cares what they think- for opinion that really counts, here is mine - polemic or otherwise, but totally correct; because i am stoph verismo!
the toss of the coin is exactly that- a toss. so there is no point banging on about ifs and buts; it will be humid on a green top- win the toss BOWL! and get out for a bat in after tea.
Doherty- i don't know. He is there for KP and Trott, apart from that, he better be able to "shut down" runs. i agree with Rod Hogg and think the Rug as opener with Hilf was the way to go as Jono MUST NOT open bowl; he prefers not to, as does his record.
also while on Rodd Hogg- he and Jon Anderson gave Hilditch an honest spray in their column "Chin Music". They were good value last summer, and i predict they will be the biggest hit of the Ashes.
While mentioning Jono, i've got to say, his threats of a bouncer barrage -particularly against African Andy #2- seem pointless to me unless he can find a MUCH better line... and if ALL the quicks learn to bowl a sandshoe-crusher!
Anyway, this is the only ground i'm prepared to give Strauss after he hauled out the standard English shit stirrer response to the actual Ashes not coming here should we win, "It is too fragile and is at the home of cricket for a reason." Sorry AA, what was that reason? the home of TEST CRICKET is the MCG, and the Ashes represents Test cricket between Australia and England, not cricket on the whole! i know you are only saying this to get a rise out of us Andy, but it only makes a fool of you when you are getting the relevance wrong. Learn your history...son!
and to finish up:
my vote for the 2 best bits of media today: we've all heard of the Gabba referred to as Fortress Gabba- but Will Swanton's label of the "Gabbattoir" is the best i've heard in a while.
and as a leggie, i like Robert Craddock's: "In this country, leg spinners are the stars while offies are the road crew, harassed from all quarters, and seen as tradesman of last resort."
this has been brought to you by Stoph Verismo
down the wicket
ps. another ton to Hodge...hmmmmm
The centre for "quality" journalism is going flat chat tearing strips off Ponting, with headlines and copy such as: You're once, twice, three times a loser (and we love you for that, Ricky!). Bring on those saggy greens. Strauss invoked the jaw-jutting spirit of Douglas Jardine on the eve of the Ashes battle and welcomed Mitchell Johnson's threat of a bouncer war".
Under the headline "Sick Rick", The Sun said that Ponting heads into the opening Test "looking like a man about to be publicly executed".
"Out of form, ageing and with an unforgiving Australian public loading their bullets, Ponting knows he has a huge target strapped to his chest".
The Mirror was keen to keep the focus largely on the game, expecting the walls of Australia's Gabba fortress to "come crumbling down within a week".
anyway, who cares what they think- for opinion that really counts, here is mine - polemic or otherwise, but totally correct; because i am stoph verismo!
the toss of the coin is exactly that- a toss. so there is no point banging on about ifs and buts; it will be humid on a green top- win the toss BOWL! and get out for a bat in after tea.
Doherty- i don't know. He is there for KP and Trott, apart from that, he better be able to "shut down" runs. i agree with Rod Hogg and think the Rug as opener with Hilf was the way to go as Jono MUST NOT open bowl; he prefers not to, as does his record.
also while on Rodd Hogg- he and Jon Anderson gave Hilditch an honest spray in their column "Chin Music". They were good value last summer, and i predict they will be the biggest hit of the Ashes.
While mentioning Jono, i've got to say, his threats of a bouncer barrage -particularly against African Andy #2- seem pointless to me unless he can find a MUCH better line... and if ALL the quicks learn to bowl a sandshoe-crusher!
Anyway, this is the only ground i'm prepared to give Strauss after he hauled out the standard English shit stirrer response to the actual Ashes not coming here should we win, "It is too fragile and is at the home of cricket for a reason." Sorry AA, what was that reason? the home of TEST CRICKET is the MCG, and the Ashes represents Test cricket between Australia and England, not cricket on the whole! i know you are only saying this to get a rise out of us Andy, but it only makes a fool of you when you are getting the relevance wrong. Learn your history...son!
and to finish up:
my vote for the 2 best bits of media today: we've all heard of the Gabba referred to as Fortress Gabba- but Will Swanton's label of the "Gabbattoir" is the best i've heard in a while.
and as a leggie, i like Robert Craddock's: "In this country, leg spinners are the stars while offies are the road crew, harassed from all quarters, and seen as tradesman of last resort."
this has been brought to you by Stoph Verismo
down the wicket
ps. another ton to Hodge...hmmmmm
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Tickets please
Should we be thinking of buying tickets for Day 2 & 3 in Adelaide?
I heard it could be sold out?
Lefty??
I heard it could be sold out?
Lefty??
Predictions...
Ok, after all the media guff and speculation it's time to put on record how we think this Series will pan out.
Categories:
1st Test result
Series result
Most runs
Most wickets
Man of the series
Best dressed fans
Here's mine.
1st Test: Australia wins by 5 wickets
Series result: Australia win 3-1
Most runs: Ponting
Most wickets: Johnson
Man of the Series: Ponting
Time is running out to get your team into the fantasy cricket comp. go to: http://cricketdreamteam.sportal.com.au/?p=team
League code: 259481
Categories:
1st Test result
Series result
Most runs
Most wickets
Man of the series
Best dressed fans
Here's mine.
1st Test: Australia wins by 5 wickets
Series result: Australia win 3-1
Most runs: Ponting
Most wickets: Johnson
Man of the Series: Ponting
Time is running out to get your team into the fantasy cricket comp. go to: http://cricketdreamteam.sportal.com.au/?p=team
League code: 259481
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