start today... shame about it being in cardiff though, should keep the 1st test at lords. 3-1 england my prediction
Hard to tell how this is going to go. If Bopara and Pieterson perform we'll have a great chance. Still got an early advantage with Brett Lee being injured.
australias biggest bowling threat if he plays is mitchell johnson, very good bowler, not bad with the bat either.
I would say England to win it just about. I'll watch some of it but im not sitting through every last minute of it, f**k that.
We do always lose at Lords though. I have been excited about this for weeks now. Won the **** and having a bat and playing 2 spinners. Have to get off to a good start and make the most of Brett Lee not playing.
Will playing at Cardiff mean anything? The wicket has a reputation for spinning though it hasn't really this season in county cricket. What is Cardiff like as a cricket pitch? What meaning will it have for the series that classic venues such as Old Trafford and Trent Bridge are not used for this series? What are England's chances against an Australian side coming to terms with life after Warne and McGrath. I don't think we'll see a white wash this time round but I do think the Ozzies will retain the ashes.
i hope we win so i can rub it in the aussie's faces it was unbearable over here two years ago when we got whitewashed lets see if we can do it to them, fingers crossed ricky ponting cops a bouncer to the skull and drops dead on the pitch... i dont think i could hate anyone as much as i hate him even most australians hate him
Very slow play, and scoring. The outfield is slow and with Hilenhaus moving it around a fair bit. I can see this being a draw already and this is not accounting for the predicted rain at the weekend either.
I got bored shockingly quickly and aim to watch about 2 minutes of it per day. Might watch the highlights show though.
Reckon we will see the Aussies batting before end of play today? At the moment, they have got the pub bolwers on Clarke and Hauritz. It does not look a spin wicket at the moment and with some rain due as well, will it turn?
I think they will try and up the pace after tea if both KP and Collingwood are still in. We still have runs lower down the order.
A great revival. I turned on before I went to work, and it was 91-3. :dismay: Good turn around by the sounds of it. Prior and Flintoff still to come. Our tail has the potential to wag, with Broad and Swann useful with the bat. Got to be looking at 500.
Why not? Colly and KP both set for big knocks? Flintoff with a lot to prove still with the bat. The tail can add 50-75 runs between them. 500 would be a great score, and reachable providing these two can stick around for the rest of the day.
I think 400 would be a good first innings score. Looking through the Australian team it is no where near as good as four years ago. Famous last words probably...
Agreed. McGrath, Warne, Hayden, Gilchrist and Langer are major losses. Although I don't think our team is as good either, to be honest. No Vaughan, Simon Jones, Matty Hoggard or Harmison.
Maybe but I also think Broad, Cook and Prior have improved the team. Like any series with England a the moment a lot rests on KP. If he does well we will do well.
Not sure about Prior. Geraint Jones performed heroically with the bat in the 05 ashes series...but was hit and miss with the gloves. Prior is too inconsistent with bat and behind the stumps. We have never replaced Alec Stewart. Broad is a good player, as is Cook.
Interesting about Prior, he does have the 2nd best average of any England player for 2009 and I believe he will get more runs than Jones did in 05. However as mentioned before this is not as strong opponents.
Strauss c Clarke b Johnson 30 Cook c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 10 Bopara c Hughes b Johnson 35 Pietersen c Katich b Hauritz 69 Collingwood c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 64 Prior not out 37 Flintoff not out 35 total 309-5 Good so far, hopefully either prior or flintoff can go on for at least a ton or both of them!
Flintoff out for 37 good imo as he is lacking form With Prior still in on 55 runs off 57 balls :sign15: In comes our night watchman jimmy anderson
Credit to Matty Prior. He sounds as if he's turned it on today with the bat! :sign15: Perhaps I should slate our players more often, they may prove me wrong more often!
Where does Swann come up with a performance like this? And apparently the pitch is starting to turn a bit - could be an interesting match though it'll probably end in a draw.
