Thread: Ashes 2013!

Originally Posted by bob10

Sin bosuns have been trying to do that for ages, lasted 'till the next step ashore, in the arms of a willing wench[ before I was ,married , of course] Bob

I think I understand what you are referring to there.

*Whistles*

"All the nice boys love a sailor...."

I reckon we should have declared when we got to 250 and given our bowlers 40 minutes at them.

Without wanting to sound pessimistic, it looks like the Aussies have one hand on the urn. And it's very well deserved too.

I think there's the tiniest of chances that Bell and the lower order might fight through a day, but that's not a bet I'd be willing to put my money on.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!

Funny game cricket. A new coach, bring back the fielding coach from the US, a new belief, NO stupid rotation policy, I have to say, Boof is the instigator of this turnaround, bit like McKenzie with the Wallabies. Bet the same people writing off our cricket team wrote off the Wallabies in the Spring tour, as well. One bright hope for England, they have found a new star in Ben Stokes. They should get rid of their Africans, & pick a few more Englishmen, Bob

Originally Posted by sheerluck

Without wanting to sound pessimistic, it looks like the Aussies have one hand on the urn. And it's very well deserved too.

Two hands now. They are in the bag. There is now way that they can survive a full day.

One more wicket and it will take about 40 minutes to finish it.

And if we haven't got them by tea the batsmen will disappear into the cracks

Originally Posted by bob10

Funny game cricket. A new coach, bring back the fielding coach from the US, a new belief, NO stupid rotation policy, I have to say, Boof is the instigator of this turnaround, bit like McKenzie with the Wallabies. Bet the same people writing off our cricket team wrote off the Wallabies in the Spring tour, as well. One bright hope for England, they have found a new star in Ben Stokes. They should get rid of their Africans, & pick a few more Englishmen, Bob

I think this is about as clear an example as you will ever find of a new coach making a positive difference to a team. The Aussie team are once again playing with confidence and freedom, and it will be good to see how the South African tour goes now.

Stokes does look to be one for the future, and it is clear that there will need to be changes for the next test, and probably some retirements after the tour. Some more young blood needed, I think. Prior needs to go for the next test as a start, and give Bairstow a go behind the stumps.

Originally Posted by Mr Whippy

Two hands now. They are in the bag. There is now way that they can survive a full day.

One more wicket and it will take about 40 minutes to finish it.

And if we haven't got them by tea the batsmen will disappear into the cracks

If it had been Bell and Pietersen still there at stumps, then I would have said there was still half a chance. As it is, with a rookie, two out of form batsmen (Prior and Swann) and a limping Broad, that half a chance falls to somewhere between no hope and mindless optimism.

The maths still stacks up, 253 required from 90 overs, but they just don't have the batsmen that are capable of that.