Discussion- Ashes Test One

[Shane]

yes,but hes still learning. Strauss had some difficulty with the short ball too.even Pietersen looked edgy early on.Bopara was foxed by a slower delivery two times,obviously he was having difficulty picking it.atleast he didn't throw away his wicket like KP. my post was in response to him being called 'undeserving batsman' in Test cricket.i think that was harsh.IMO he has lots to offer in Test Cricket.but thats only my opinion

'Undeserving' - lolz On what Basis? In a team filled to the brim with class acts, he looks to be one of the standouts and scoring three centuries in consecutive Test Matches is no mean feat, however it remains to be seen, how well does he perform against various oppositions in alien conditions.

[observer1]

bopara is england's yuvraj singh. will be a good one-day biffer, and will be an average test batsman

[Shane]

bopara is england's yuvraj singh. will be a good one-day biffer, and will be an average test batsman

I have watched Bopara play in Four Test Matches this year (This being the Fourth) and i havent had the slightest inkling about his incompetance to handle Test Cricket (albeit, the previous three were against an Inferior Test Opponent).

[Chandan]

@CHANDAN Well...16 test tons in just 50 odd tests is makings of a great player. How many n the history of test cricket have this conversion rate ? Not even 5.

Conversion rate in just 50 odd matches will make someone great? He might have a potential to be a great, but how he transforms it into performance will actually make him great. Sachin was not a great after 50 tests, even when the tests were not played against weak teams like BD those days. Till then can we keep him in the category of potential great only? By this rate he should have 48 test hundreds after he plays 150 tests. But will he play 150 tests? will he have those many hundreds? will his form be intacts after say 5-10 years? All these questions need to be answred concretely before declaring someone a great!

[MUMBAISKIPPER]

England scored the runs but Australia got wickets.So day one was 50-50 for both England and Australia.

[Gambit]

If Australia lose this test, Ponting should be sent to the gallows for choosing Horror ahead of Clark. This has to be the most retarded selection since that woman selecting Kambli as her life partner.

[Mr. Wicket]

The blame cannot be only Ponting's, Gambit. It's clear from the way Hauritz bowled that a spinner (or two) is required on this surface. Ponting's playing with whatever cards he's been dealt, and in this case I think the selection panel of Hildick, Hughes and friends deserve to be lined up with legs apart so every Australian fan can take aim and kick them in the groin with a steel-capped boot. They have treated Jason Krezja horribly, dropping him after an 8 wicket haul on debut, not giving him any consistent chances or support, had a revolving door approach to spinners (White! Next game; Krezja! Next game; Hauritz! Now we'll try McGain!) that would embarrass even a Pakistani selector. Krezja just took a bunch of wickets vs. Pakistan A in a first class match last week. But he's not been picked for the tour thanks to those idiots. At the end of it Ponting's been given one 'spinner' and a few part-timers. If he went into this test with four quicks and part-time tweakers (while England are picking Panesar and Swann), he'd be crucified in the media if Australia lost. If he goes in with Hauritz, he'll still cop flak. The selectors deserve to face the firing squad here. Not that Ponting's absolved of blame; he's also clueless (as I've stated long before on posts on the VTCB going back a few years) when it comes to captaining under pressure, and doesn't know how to handle a spinner with an attacking mindset. A better captain than him would have realized what's at stake this series, backed a player like McGain or Krezja more when they had played and pushed for an attacking spinner who could do more than bowl 15 overs to bring up the over rate.

[Chandan]

The blame cannot be only Ponting's, Gambit. It's clear from the way Hauritz bowled that a spinner (or two) is required on this surface. Ponting's playing with whatever cards he's been dealt, and in this case I think the selection panel of Hildick, Hughes and friends deserve to be lined up with legs apart so every Australian fan can take aim and kick them in the groin with a steel-capped boot. They have treated Jason Krezja horribly, dropping him after an 8 wicket haul on debut, not giving him any consistent chances or support, had a revolving door approach to spinners (White! Next game; Krezja! Next game; Hauritz! Now we'll try McGain!) that would embarrass even a Pakistani selector. Krezja just took a bunch of wickets vs. Pakistan A in a first class match last week. But he's not been picked for the tour thanks to those idiots. At the end of it Ponting's been given one 'spinner' and a few part-timers. If he went into this test with four quicks and part-time tweakers (while England are picking Panesar and Swann), he'd be crucified in the media if Australia lost. If he goes in with Hauritz, he'll still cop flak. The selectors deserve to face the firing squad here. Not that Ponting's absolved of blame; he's also clueless (as I've stated long before on posts on the VTCB going back a few years) when it comes to captaining under pressure, and doesn't know how to handle a spinner with an attacking mindset. A better captain than him would have realized what's at stake this series, backed a player like McGain or Krezja more when they had played and pushed for an attacking spinner who could do more than bowl 15 overs to bring up the over rate.

This is true. Krezja would take few wickets but he'll also go for a lots of runs. Still a strike bowler in spinner would have been much better than a wannabe 'container' bowler who neither contains nor takes wickets. I think that England is on top here, especially since Australia will bat last and they have at least one decent spinner. Secondly, it swung throughout the day, yesterday and English seamers can inflict irreparable damage! Today's game should be even more interesting. I'd love to see how Hughes goes! The only thing is that there is no atmosphere in the ground and it starts getting boring after sometime, if nothing is happening.

[Fontaine]

I think England benefitted from a weak bowling attack apart from Siddle/Hilfenhaus. Johnson was erratic, although he did bowl a few very good deliveries, overall he was disapointing, Hauritz and the other part time spinners created zero pressure and England were just coasting along with the two big partnerships. But England are never far away from a batting collapse and giving away their wickets in bunches and that along with some good bowling by Siddle and Hilfenhaus has kept Australia in the game. If Australia are to have any chance in this game they need a 400+ plus score in their first innings because there's no way they are going to survive long on the 5th day against two spinners on this pitch although Monty sucks and Flintoff could get hurt at any time.

[Gambit]

The blame cannot be only Ponting's, Gambit. It's clear from the way Hauritz bowled that a spinner (or two) is required on this surface. Ponting's playing with whatever cards he's been dealt, and in this case I think the selection panel of Hildick, Hughes and friends deserve to be lined up with legs apart so every Australian fan can take aim and kick them in the groin with a steel-capped boot. They have treated Jason Krezja horribly, dropping him after an 8 wicket haul on debut, not giving him any consistent chances or support, had a revolving door approach to spinners (White! Next game; Krezja! Next game; Hauritz! Now we'll try McGain!) that would embarrass even a Pakistani selector. Krezja just took a bunch of wickets vs. Pakistan A in a first class match last week. But he's not been picked for the tour thanks to those idiots. At the end of it Ponting's been given one 'spinner' and a few part-timers. If he went into this test with four quicks and part-time tweakers (while England are picking Panesar and Swann), he'd be crucified in the media if Australia lost. If he goes in with Hauritz, he'll still cop flak. The selectors deserve to face the firing squad here. Not that Ponting's absolved of blame; he's also clueless (as I've stated long before on posts on the VTCB going back a few years) when it comes to captaining under pressure, and doesn't know how to handle a spinner with an attacking mindset. A better captain than him would have realized what's at stake this series, backed a player like McGain or Krezja more when they had played and pushed for an attacking spinner who could do more than bowl 15 overs to bring up the over rate.

Granted the selectors gave Ponting a tripe spinner and the surface seems to be wearing but that doesn't mean Ponting has to pick rubbish just for the sake of it. Clarke can easily outbowl Horror(heck so can SLA Katich) and Clark is a master on uneven surfaces.He would have definitely bowled much better than Horror and Australia might have begun their first innings yesterday. Australia have always prided themselves on picking the best XI and then choosing a captain/opener etc. Yesterday, their best injury free XI simply did not play. Horror as a horses for courses selection might have made sense if he'd been like Raju in India, Tuffey in NZ or Wayward(initially) in RSA but Horror is so bad that this selection is not a horse for a course but a donkey.

[Chandan]

Granted the selectors gave Ponting a tripe spinner and the surface seems to be wearing but that doesn't mean Ponting has to pick rubbish just for the sake of it. Clarke can easily outbowl Horror(heck so can SLA Katich) and Clark is a master on uneven surfaces.He would have definitely bowled much better than Horror and Australia might have begun their first innings yesterday. Australia have always prided themselves on picking the best XI and then choosing a captain/opener etc. Yesterday, their best injury free XI simply did not play. Horror as a horses for courses selection might have made sense if he'd been like Raju in India, Tuffey in NZ or Wayward(initially) in RSA but Horror is so bad that this selection is not a horse for a course but a donkey.

Pitch hasn't become uneven as yet. Horrors was getting big turn yesterday. If his batters bat well in the 1st innings, as they have uptill now, and take a sizeable lead, he could do some dame in the third inning. I hope this match doesn't turn into a draw. Australia should remember that it was the same attack against whom India had scored 387 runs and the pitch at Cardiff won't deteriorare more than it had done at Chepauk in the 4th inning.

[Mr. Wicket]

Two beautiful deliveries from Johnson to get Strauss and Bopara. No comment from Hussain on English batsmen's weakness against short pitched stuff? The one that got Strauss was a rip snorter. Siddle needs to learn how to direct it right up the batsmman's nose. His half trackers looked harmless on the slow pitch. The Bopara delivery was a beautiful slower one. Foxed England's great hope. Totally undeserving batsman. Doesn't Hilfenhaus remind you of Steve Waugh. the same unfussy run up, leaning back at the point of delivery and round arm action. Good swing, but needs a slightly more helpful pitch, although I timed one delivery at 88.6 mph. Turn and bounce from Hauritz, of all people, on day one. This pitch will take big turn from the left handers' footholds in the 4th innings. I reckon Australia won't save this one, unless Michael Clarke pulls out a magnum opus.

Interesting to see those thoughts and think back to Day 1 now that we're a little past the halfway point of the match. Did Australia make the pitch look easier than it is when batting, or have their batsmen just been that focused, hungry and thorough in their strokeplay? Swann and Panesar have gotten tons of turn. They're better bowlers than Hauritz by far, but they've been milked carefully for more runs. No wickets gifted, no quarter given. Right now Australia are in the lead and only 4 down. Pietersen got carried away, his ego and desire to dominate clouding common sense. Bopara was again too reckless in trying to be 'positive', Cook and Collingwood simply indecisive. We've not seen anything like that from Australia this past day since Hughes fell. Ponting and Katich made England sweat and bleed for their wickets. Hussey got out to some good bowling, and now North and Clarke are making England fight for their wickets. Clarke is a changed man. Remember in 05 when he'd throw his wickets away? Chips down the ground, loose casual drives dragging it back on, unnecessary flicks across the line? Here he's played with a much more measured approach. Still attacked, but with a more airtight and mature defense here. Re. the comparisons - great comparison between Hilfenhaus and Waugh in terms of actions. Is Siddle McDermott II, btw? He's certainly got the energy, fire and the pace. Just needs to learn how to direct a bloody bouncer!

[Dhondy]

Australia's hunger is frightening, Thal. Hayden gone, Gilly gone. No problem, we'll just grind the opposition into ground. Attritional cricket, not usually seen from Australia- remember when they scored over 400 in a day's play against us at Adelaide and went on to lose the match? This is a different side, but boy, are they up for this series!

[Mr. Wicket]

Yup, the hunger from some of these guys is amazing. It's clear how much the Ashes means to these players, and how much they value success in England. Look at Katich, whose career seemed more or less over after the 05 Ashes and his debacles with Simon Jones and Flintoff's reverse swing - comes back in his mid 30s and a converted opener, grinds out a hundred straight away - and you could see from his celebration just what it meant to him. Some of these guys clearly still feel the pain from the 05 defeat and want to avenge it, just beating England 5-0 at home obviously wasn't enough. At the end of it I think we're talking about two fairly evenly matched sides here with a good mix of experience and youth in both squads - but I think the fact that Australia seem to want this win so much may be the big difference maker this series.

[observer1]

I have watched Bopara play in Four Test Matches this year (This being the Fourth) and i havent had the slightest inkling about his incompetance to handle Test Cricket (albeit' date=' the previous three were against an Inferior Test Opponent).[/quote'] hmmm. covering all bases eh? i would be pleasantly surprised if he continues to be a regular in the test team in 2010. he is definitely not a test #3 he will slide to #6 soon

[Shane]

hmmm. covering all bases eh? i would be pleasantly surprised if he continues to be a regular in the test team in 2010. he is definitely not a test #3 he will slide to #6 soon

Only time would tell, better than having a "Class Act - Pretender" at that position, but as of now, he would get his chances on the back of his string of good performaces.

[Chandan]

Yup, the hunger from some of these guys is amazing. It's clear how much the Ashes means to these players, and how much they value success in England. Look at Katich, whose career seemed more or less over after the 05 Ashes and his debacles with Simon Jones and Flintoff's reverse swing - comes back in his mid 30s and a converted opener, grinds out a hundred straight away - and you could see from his celebration just what it meant to him. Some of these guys clearly still feel the pain from the 05 defeat and want to avenge it, just beating England 5-0 at home obviously wasn't enough. At the end of it I think we're talking about two fairly evenly matched sides here with a good mix of experience and youth in both squads - but I think the fact that Australia seem to want this win so much may be the big difference maker this series.

I don't think these two teams are evenly matches. Australia is certainly far far better in batting there and bowlers, though not much proven apart from Flintoff are similar but Australians have more fighting power. We thought that England is certainly better at least in the spin department but Swann is yet to prove in the series that he is better than Hauritz. He has bowled too flat and full for my liking. And you say that Australians want to win the Ashes more than England? You must be kidding. Ashes is the only series that matters to England and all the other series are merely warm up to that. They would be dying to win this. But they just aren't capable enough. The way Australia had overpowered SA in SA tells me that they are a very capable side. Clarke is a much better batsman and doesn't play like a millionaire any more. North looks okay. He might not be perfect technique wise but is quite effective. And then they have Haddin as well. I do not see how this England team is better or even equal to the Australian team.

[Chandan]

How many times has there been 4 tons in a single inning of a team? Come on you stats gurus! Please give us some knowledge!

[graphic23]

India had one in 2007 against Bangladesh where the first four batsmen scored centuries.

[Anakin]

Nah, the English team was quite good imo, but as expected the OZs played like absolutely pros in this match.