Cricket: More Than a Game

Bit sad that Botham was reduced to playing 'Spot the Aussie' in the crowd, as England were only 80-odd ahead at the start of the day, and a result could have been on if they'd collapsed.

Just loved the look on Punter's face, like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle.

I think it was a fair result for the first Test.
Nevermind that the Aussies walked through a hail of fire unscathed in the first session on Saturday (Friday? I'm not sure anymore.), they more than balanced out their luck with a listless last couple of days with England batting.

Good to see the top order get some runs and give the bowlers a rest. They must have been hanging after watching Hussey & Haddin take them apart.

Sad to see Punter attempting to make something out of this crappy team - still captaincy is a different matter when you have to come up with something other than 'Plan A, throw ball to McGrath' or 'Plan B, throw ball to Warney'.

Just seen the carnage, aka Day 3's highlights. 551-4, Petersen double century, quick fire 42 from Collingwood and a classy 41 no from Bell. Aussie bowlers look all at sea, at one point Punter has all but 2 fielders on the off side, so Bollinger bowls down the leg side and Petersen fills his boots. Punter just stood there for 10 seconds like he couldn't believe what he'd just seen.

Feel sorry for the young spinner, Doherty. He might be good enough at some point, but clearly isn't now and it was a shame to see him get a proper carting.

All depends on the weather now, third session off and prospects for day 5 looking iffy. Lead is 300 or so now, might be time to chuck them in and try to get them out in a day.

Just when you start to think about dropping The Ego, he goes and reminds you about why people talk about him in hushed tones. Played some magnificent shots in that double, and only really struggled against Doug the Rug's short stuff.

Yeah, I'm not sure why they didn't go with Hauritz or Smith, particularly as Adelaide has a reputation as a spinner's track on the fourth and fifth days. Hauritz at least has been tested at this level and would be mentally prepared for getting the sh*t kicked out of him.

I think you're right. Can't afford much more time at the crease if we want to take 20 wickets, though it would be a shame to bring Pietersen's knock to a premature end. Hope the rain doesn't stand in the way of what should be a good win.

Well done, lads.

Who replaces Broad? Tremlett? Bresnan? Shazad?

Nice on England. I promised I would support them for this series, it's nice to see them get a win in Australia.

But seriously, WTF has happened to Australia? These are the guys who invented the Academy system, but they don't seem to have any talented youngsters knocking on the door. The last was Johnson and he's shot his wad.

Another fine showing by the die-hard Aussie cricket fans...not. Now they know what England fans had to put up with during the 80s and early 90s. The Aussie selecters seem to be using England's guidance from that era as well.

1. Pick completely unsuitable player.
2. Watch him struggle in first test.
3. Watch him look completely out of his depth in second test.
4. Bin him.

And can someone tell me how you can have a bowling 'attack' which has gone for 1100 runs in 2 innings and then have a tail that commences at number 7 ?

I expect Johnson to come back in the third test, as much to shore up the batting as to parade his mighty bowling skills.

Amusing Barmy Army song of the day...to the tune of the Joy Division classic.

"Swann, Swann will tear you apart...again"

Just been reading on the excellent AGB cricket blog (http://aftergrogblog.blogs.com/cricket/) about a potential ruckus between two extremely tiresome individuals - Ian Chappell and Sir Ian Botham.

Oh, if only they'd shown that on the telly....oh, if only Ian Chappell had beaten Piggy unconscious and he had to be sent home...

Rumours that Nasser Hussain had been texting insults to Chappell and signing them 'your mate SIR Ian Botham' are only that.

Now there's a coincidence. I'm a long time AGB reader and commenter.

We've been pessimistic about this Ashes series for 18 months.

I've thought about dropping some comments on there, but I'd feel like the new boy wandering into a pub full of regulars, so I merely observe

I have a feeling if Australia doesn't win this match Ponting might find himself in a rather bad position. Lets look at his runs so far in the series. 10,51,0,9,12,1. Thats 83 runs in 6 innings for a number 3 batsman and captain! and if we take away his 2nd innings we have 32 in 5!

Punter wins my Allan Border Award for Weaselly Australian Captains I Really Can't Stand.

In other news: Game On.

In still futher news: Liz Hurley. Just short of a length?

While the cricketing world focuses on the battle for third place down under, South Africa is being really inhumane to India right now.

India scored 136 all out, we're on 366/2 at stumps on the second day. Kallis and Amla both on quickish centuries.

South Africa's 2nd XI are being pretty inhumane to Australia as well

It looks like Johnson learned something in his week off to put in his best effort for two years.

Still plenty of time in this test though, and that really only makes 2 days of the 12 played so far that Australia could claim to have won.

A bit of pace and bounce in the pitches in play right now both at the WACA and Centurian. There should be more of as far as I'm concerned.

Just goes to show how dangerous Johnson can be when he shows up. I wonder what suddenly light a fire under him.

Very surreal morning, here.

Sitting wrapped up in my chair with the snow falling outside, and the sunshine of the Waca on the television.

Oh, Pietersen, you div.

Game on =)

Sachin Tendulkar, what a player. 50 centuries.

Although I would have liked us to wind up the game earlier, what an honour to see him play to this land mark. 11 ahead of Ponting, 12 ahead of Kallis and he still has a few years in him.

So, 98 all out and England 156-0.

(c*cks ear to listen out for Peter Siddle....nope, nothing).

sitting at Kingsmead waiting for the umpires to do pitch inspection and hoping the rain holds off.

Just love the way the Aussie crowd had all buggered off home well before the end. Typical of their behaviour...all big bully boys and 'ooo-ah Glenn Mcgrath' when it's going well and they're giving it out, not the appreciation or love for the game itself when they are getting a pasting. I've been to Ashes games where England were rubbish (ie most of them), and the place would still be packed at the end.

Go on lads, absolutely grind them into the dirt. I want them to suffer.

I can't remember a more humiliating performance than today.

Mitch Johnson back to his pieman worst. I knew he didn't have two matches in a row in him.

The last three years has seen a nearly endless stream of batting collapses and I am bloody well sick of it.

I would like the see the following heads on spikes:
Andrew Hilditch
Troy Cooley
Mitchell Johnson
Michael Clarke
Ricky Ponting

There was a chance to blood young players last summer and instead we let blokes on their last legs fill their boots against even worse sides than us and England - and now we reap the rewards.

How could I forget Tim Neilson!

Under his expert coaching we have dropped from 1st to 5th and they signed him up for another 3 years.

WHY!?

davet010 wrote:

Go on lads, absolutely grind them into the dirt. I want them to suffer.

They're already suffering. I'm just glad we stepped on their throat in the way we didn't at Perth. Let's just hope we can carry it through for the next three or four days.

Also, I'm glad Sky Sports has a player on-line. Saved my Christmas holiday at the in-laws, who are Sky-less.

nah, I don't mean just this crappy game - I was thinking more along these lines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PQ63...

davet010 wrote:

nah, I don't mean just this crappy game - I was thinking more along these lines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PQ63...

I stand corrected, Dave. Conan will brook no argument.

'Drift and swing come from the sky. From the gods of the sky, but Crom is your god. He is in the pitch.'

And I forgot Haddin too in my rage. He is a backstop at best and wouldn't know a rearguard action if it gave him a haircut.

Oh, and Punter. You are a disgrace. End of.

IMAGE(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/27/article-0-0C960554000005DC-428_468x376.jpg)