23 Feb 13
New Zealand will win a few sessions here and there because they've got a few genuine international level stars who can perform, but not enough of them to turn a whole test their way. England will boss New Zealand in New Zealand and then boss them again in England, before then going on to beat Australia [more narrowly] in England in the summer.
27 Feb 13
Originally posted by FMFYou had better be right, as I have just applied for tickets for the Ashes.
New Zealand will win a few sessions here and there because they've got a few genuine international level stars who can perform, but not enough of them to turn a whole test their way. England will boss New Zealand in New Zealand and then boss them again in England, before then going on to beat Australia [more narrowly] in England in the summer.
£110 each. It had better be a good day.
Last time I spent that much on an Ashes match, I watched Glenn McGrath rip our top order apart with one of the finest displays of bowling I have seen.
Now, of course, I should acknowledge my good fortune at having seen one of the true greats giving a masterclass in fast bowling, and admire it in a dispassionate and objective way.
But it wasn't that warm that day, and if you are sitting undercover at Lords it creates a wind-tunnel effect dropping the temperature by another 5 degrees. And I was sitting near a group of Aussies.
So cold, miserable, and down £200 to listen to a bunch of drunk Aussies repeatedly calling McGrath an 'allrounder' by English standards.
Not happy.
09 Mar 13
Originally posted by FMFThe English attack is looking pretty tame.
New Zealand will win a few sessions here and there because they've got a few genuine international level stars who can perform, but not enough of them to turn a whole test their way. England will boss New Zealand in New Zealand and then boss them again in England, before then going on to beat Australia [more narrowly] in England in the summer.
11 Mar 13
1 edit
Originally posted by CrowleyThe Aussie selectors are pathetic. I really think they are watching these games on their i-phones between shots on the golf course...
The Aussies? Naah.
Are you seeing what India is doing to them?
Some of the selection choices are truly bizzare. They didn't bring the best spinner (the N.S.W. captain-forget his name) in the domestic Shield comp by a long shot (on statistics), and they dropped Phillip Hughes, (a young batsman who has the skills, but was dropped twice already only to be returned to the national team-which must dent the young guys confidence), not to mention the controversial bowling rotation system, which also sends the wrong message to a player who thinks he is in form.
Do the other countries drop their best bowlers to be rested - even if they are fit and ready to go???
Really disappointed with the Aussie cricket this summer. They were matching S.A. , drawing the first two matches , only to be squeezed out of the third game in a couple of sessions - those little 1% decisions that could've changed the course of the series ...ts,ts
11 Mar 13
Originally posted by karoly aczelActually, yes. We have consistently alternated and rested our fast bowlers for the last season. Especially now with the Champions Trophy around the corner.
Do the other countries drop their best bowlers to be rested - even if they are fit and ready to go???
I don't know why.
Every time there is an official ICC event on the horizon, the Protea management have some new vaunted plan to "this time bring a trophy home".
Bah. It seems preparation doesn't work. I suggest rock up the day before the first game and getting drunk after every game. It's not like taking these events seriously has gotten us anywhere in the past.