Fifth test

[English assassin]

Trust England to make it hard.

Another cracking up and down day but I reckon you'd have to say Australia would have settled for 31whatever for 7 at the end of today. Mind you talk about a one man side (Warne).

Less than, I don't know, 360, and we'll really be hoping for rain. Something more like 400 needed really. It only needs one Ozzie batsman to play himself in and anthing under 400 is going to look fairly easy IMHO.

Bloody Collingwood.

[Geoffrey S]

Collingwood was really unlucky. It's a shame England tends to have a couple of players batting well, while the rest fall around them; particularly as it's rarely the same players who bat well. Still, looking back at the start of this innings it could have been a lot worse.

[tibilicus]

If we can get to the 400 mark we should be in safe water. Mind you the Ozzie's know how to pu up one heck of a fight.

[English assassin]

It's a shame England tends to have a couple of players batting well, while the rest fall around them; particularly as it's rarely the same players who bat well

Well, that tends to be the case with most big scores, a couple of batsmen will play themselves in and post a 100 or more, and the rest are down in the 30s. I think its a promising sign that its not the same players getting the big scores each time, it means most of them are a threat cough except Bell cough


If we can get to the 400 mark we should be in safe water

If. And only safeish, although probably there won't be time for the Ozzies to post a huge score and bowl England out again and get any top up runs needed, I grant you.

[Revelation]

What we need is Gilchrist promoted to 3 or 4 and to smash a ton and a half of 80 or 90 balls. Plus the rest of the recognised batsmen to perform accordingly.
I Just hope they make a game of it.
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE OI OI OI! :charge:

[Slyspy]

Warne is a powerhouse and really impresses. Involved in seven of the wickets for England's first innings, the Australian team as it stands would be nothing without him. If they retain the Ashes then it will be solely down to Warne.

[Geoffrey S]

He's had one hell of a series, indeed. Australia's at 96-0 at the moment, which doesn't bode well for England.

[Revelation]

If they retain the Ashes then it will be solely down to Warne.

Well I don't necessarily agree with that statement. Yes he is a great player, but he does need "some" help to win a game.

Bet the poms are praying for rain now! Bloody miserable English weather!

[Mount Suribachi]

If they retain the Ashes then it will be solely down to Warne.

Give that man a prize! :bow:

I've got a feeling in my bones he's gunna skittle us out for 150 and retain the ashes....

[Productivity]

Bah it's going to rain out. :wall:

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

It's like you guys aren't speaking English.

:help:

[Mouzafphaerre]

It's like you guys aren't speaking English.

:help:
.
Or is it that they're speaking too much English?

:end:
.

[Marcellus]

Wow. Australia went from 281-3 to 367 all out, six runs behind England's first innings score of 373. That's quite a comeback for England. Hooray!

[Geoffrey S]

Oh yeah. It was great to watch, particularly Hoggy when he finally got his well-deserved wickets.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Yep, it's quite remarkable really. Hopefully the comeback will raise confidence and improve batting in the second innings.

[English assassin]

Hooray for bad light. Warne was looking tricky. What will they do when he retires?

Mind you scheduling a test this late in the year is nuts.

[JAG]

Maybe it was the night dance not the rain dance all us Englishmen were doing, we certainly had a good day of it light wise. Greatly helped us when bowling and then clearly when batting too. ~D

[Geoffrey S]

I just love the way both teams got pretty much equal runs after the first innings, and are left with the last day and 98 overs. It's basically come down to a one day match. And I'll be at school... :furious3:

[Adrian II]

I don't want to intrude, but this is the fifth test already - when is the real match going to begin?

[Geoffrey S]

Test cricket on Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_cricket)
Hope it helps.

[Mount Suribachi]

we need to bat out 2 sessions, which will put us 250-300 in front.

But I've just got a horrible feeling about that man warne.... :help:

tbh though, if we only lose 1 or 2 wickets in the morning session, we're safe


Anyone listen to it on the radio today? When they went off for bad light, they were all sat around telling Rodney Marsh stories, nearly every one of which ended with Marsh saying to someone in the crowd "do that again mate, and I'll knock yer block off!" ~D ~D

And I'm off work tomorrow! ~:cheers: Tho if it gets a bit nervy...

[Adrian II]

Test cricket on Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_cricket)
Hope it helps.Thanks a bundle, Geoffrey. I think I have got the hang of it now: player hits ball, runs, repeat five days in a row.

Is it the audience that is being tested? Be honest now.

[Revelation]

Is it the audience that is being tested? Be honest now.


It's an aquired taste. The tests can get quite mundane, though a series as historical as this one is always the exception. Australia Vs the Poms is always (was about to say a hard fought battle, but this is the first time for MANY years the English have actually even come close putting up a challenge, let alone winning) a closely followed match.
One day cricket is much more user/audience friendly. 50 overs each to make as much runs as possible.

[Adrian II]

It's an aquired taste.I see, a bit like fresh goat's milk or fried caterpillars?

[Papewaio]

I have a litre of goats milk in the fridge at home... good in coffee, not so great with cereal.

Can't say I have tried Fried Caterpillars, good food must be getting sparse in the EU... poor Europeans even their truffles are dying out... and Australian Wine outsells French Wine in the UK... so these Fried Caterpillars... Monarch butterfly caterpillars for the imperialists? What for the republicans? ~D

[English assassin]

Monarch butterfly caterpillars for the imperialists? What for the republicans?

As anyone familiar with 1917 could tell you, Red Admirals.

Back to the cricket. Absolutely NO work will be done in the City today, so if any crafty foreigner would like to rig the London stock market now is the day. I just hope the BBC and the Guardian have enough bandwidth.

The ashes hingeing on a day's play, blimey. I BET England are skittled out for about 250 shortly after lunch and the chase will be on.

[Adrian II]

The ashes hingeing on a day's play, blimey. I BET England are skittled out for about 250 shortly after lunch and the chase will be on.I saw some pictures of a team and according to their shirt prints they played for Vodafone. Where is Vodafone? It is Welsh?

[Bartix]

Oh yeah. It was great to watch, particularly Hoggy when he finally got his well-deserved wickets.
Hoggy is playing cricket also!? ~:eek:
That guy is very talented. ~D
His models and skins are of beauty beyond belief. ~:cheers:
(Lately he works on walls)

[English assassin]

I saw some pictures of a team and according to their shirt prints they played for Vodafone. Where is Vodafone? It is Welsh?

Well on that basis according to my Kent one day shirt Kent play for Spitfire bitter.

Which, come to think of it, is pretty much what the spectators are there for, anyway.

Now stop mucking about, find a beer, and some live coverage on line, ( http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket/overbyover/story/0,16077,1556045,00.html) and take this chance to discover the very pinnacle of sporting excellence, if not civilisation itself.

Breaking cloud over London today, cricket fans, I reckon we'll get a full day's play.

[Adrian II]

(..) discover the very pinnacle of sporting excellence, if not civilisation itself.No offense, but I'd have a quick bowl of fried caterpillars and be done with it rather than watch a man named Rodney knocking peoples' block off for five days.

[English assassin]

Bloody Bell. Biggest test match in years and he produces a pair.

In the good old days he would be shown into a quiet room with a glass of whiskey and a loaded Webley and expected to do the right thing.

[Productivity]

Arrgh - this test is brilliant - and I have to go play 5 a side tonight - my concentration is going to be so shot to pieces.

[English assassin]

219-7 at tea, and about 50 overs left.

This is the crux. Hang on for another ten overs and say another 30 runs and it will be bowel shatteringly exciting as the Ozzies chase 260 or so off 40 overs. Tough but they could do it. Any fewer runs or give them more overs and I think they would do it. If we hang around much longer or post more runs it should be in the bag for us.

[Productivity]

England should have it from here - would take something extremely special - so an unqualified congratulations for England (provided you guys don't collapse) on regaining the Ashes.

[Geoffrey S]

Pieterson's going beserk! I'm glad that of all the matches where he could have gotten his act together he chose this one.

[English assassin]

OK so there's a lead of just over 300 with about 30 overs remaining. Not much chance of a result (hooray) so what would you do if you were Vaughan?

I reckon KP should be allowed to pile on as many as he can, just for his own figures, and then declare as soon as he goes. Not that there is a cat in hell's chance of getting Australia out of course (or them getting the runs I hope and trust) but it would give the spectators something to watch.

Bye bye Warney. You can bowl a bit, fair play to you.

[Productivity]

OK so there's a lead of just over 300 with about 30 overs remaining. Not much chance of a result (hooray) so what would you do if you were Vaughan?

To be honest, I would bat on for as long as I can. I know it would be an absolute freak, but toying with your oposition is never something I would do - to many times it comes back to bite you. Aside from that, it's just bad form.

[English assassin]

Well, he could always have a word with Ponting and say it wasn't intended to be taking the p!ss. Nice to have all the lads on the field at the end of the match too. Although that's likely no matter what.

Anyway it looks as if he took your advice not mine.

Unbelievably Christopher Martin Jenkins on test match special was suggesting an early declaration when the rate required was about 6 an over in the hope of luring Australia into a run chase. Mad. Imagine being the smart alec England captain who lost the Ashes with a reckless declaration...

[Productivity]

I still wouldn't have done it, even if you can convince Ponting that it's in a good nature (and I'm not sure if you would, or the Australian public for that matter given that we have been quite frustrated this series (not trying to weasle out, see my unqualified congratulations, just commenting on the situation)) - if I was in England's position, I would be doing absolutely everything possible to secure it - as you say, imagine being the captain who lost it because he declared to early.

[English assassin]

Hooray, that's it, and ENGLAND WIN THE ASHES !!!!

Last time that happened I was 17. And to be perfectly honest the best I was hoping for at the start of the summer was a competitive series.

Annoyingly I now have an evening meeting until 10 pm and have to drive home after that so I can't celebrate in the appropriate style.

Well played the Ozzies, if Warne had held that one catch the match would probably have been lost, (there again cricket is full of ifs). That's what I call a close series.

[Productivity]

Hooray, that's it, and ENGLAND WIN THE ASHES !!!!

Last time that happened I was 17. And to be perfectly honest the best I was hoping for at the start of the summer was a competitive series.

Annoyingly I now have an evening meeting until 10 pm and have to drive home after that so I can't celebrate in the appropriate style.

Well played the Ozzies, if Warne had held that one catch the match would probably have been lost, (there again cricket is full of ifs). That's what I call a close series.

To be honest, all through it we were scrambling - trying to survive the end of a test, scrambling to make runs, watching our tail try to hold up pathetic performances by the top order etc. I don't think we deserved it, so congratulations to the English. The last time this happened I would have been ~ 4 - I hope it doesn't happen again anytime soon though.

Yes, we may have saved it if Warne had held that catch (and why of all times did he have to choose now to drop the easiest catch of his life), but really, he dragged us into the game, so I'm not going to criticise him too much for it.

The guy I really feel sorry for is Brett Lee - he was really throwing everything into it.

Again, unreserved congratulations to England - you deserved it.

EDIT: Sorry if that's incoherent, it's 1:30am here and I am depressed.

[ShadesWolf]

Well played Aussies, thanks for an excellent series.

[Mikeus Caesar]

Woooh, we finally win at the Cricket!! Yay! Go England!

You put up a good challenge you ozzies, but in the end the best man won!

[Marcellus]

Hooray! Well played Aussies, that was probably the best series ever.

[Papewaio]

Congrats, 16 years is a long time between drinks... last time England won the ashes the Berlin wall was still standing. ~:cheers:

[Revelation]

Hooray! Well played Aussies, that was probably the best series ever.

I don't think you would be saying that had the Aussies won.
But the poms did deserve to win. We played quite poorly throughout the series. Not up to our usual standard, thats for sure. I guess our poor performance made it a closely contested series though, so thats a bonus.
Well played England, and well played good ol' English weather.
We'll get you next time. :charge:

[The_Doctor]

Did a spaceship full robots from the planet Krikkit appear (Did it sound like a thousand people saying "wop" at the same time?), who then killed a lot of people and stole the ashes, because it is a part of the Wikkit Gate and it will release their planet from slo-time, so they can destroy the universe?

[English assassin]

Well played England, and well played good ol' English weather.

Sorry, that won't do. To win a test match you have to bowl the other side out twice. If you let them make 700 or so runs in their two innings you probably won't have time to do that, whoever you are and whatever the weather. OK, a lot of play was lost in the fifth test, but even with a full sixth day its not at all obvious there would have been an Aussie victory. They didn't manage a first innings lead, after all.

And, there were only 14 overs played in day 3 at the Old Trafford test, and at the end of that test Australia were 50 odd runs short of their target with no wickets left and Lee and McGrath at the crease. Which is to say, even ten more overs, heck, even five, and they would have lost. So without good ol English weather the series would have been effectively over at 3:1 to England at the start of the fifth test.

Australia are still a very good side and they played as well as they could. England are also now a good side, and on their day either side could beat the other. Australia could certainly have tied the series and retained the Ashes. Weather, (unfair) bad luck, substitute fielders, had nothing to do with the result, that's what made it such a great series between two very closely matched teams.

[Idaho]

'twas a great series. In terms of entertainment I can remember no better in the 15 years I have been watching the game seriously.

Australia were reduced to a one man band by England. Only Warne made any real inroads, none of the other bowlers (other than McGrath at Lords) had any meaningful impact and there were no batsmen that we feared.

It could have been a 4-1 win without rain. Do you reckon the Aussies could have got another 350 runs on that wicket yesterday even if they had another 100 overs to face?

It doesn't bode well for the Australian team. Without McGrath and Warne the bowling line up looks decidedly ordinary. And the batsmen are not only in poor form, but are too reaching the end of their careers.

Talking of end of careers - poor Richie Benaud being upstaged in his retirement speech by Kevin Peterson being bowled! 42 years and you would think he would have no end of dull moments to fill with his speech! Well done that man - you've been an institution.

The only sour note to the whole thing is this is possibly the high water mark of cricket in this country. It is now moving entirely to pay per view - which in the experience of all other sports has been the death knell.

[English assassin]

Its like a scene from Apocalypse Now out my office window, there must be five or six news helicopters hovering over Trafalgar square for the victory parade.

As for the passing of Richie, well, what can you say? End of an era doesn't begin to cover it. A first class advert for cricket and for Australia. If they made Colin Cowdrey a lord they should make Richie a baron at least (can you make Australians peers?)

[Marcellus]

I don't think you would be saying that had the Aussies won.

Er...of course I would have...


Did a spaceship full robots from the planet Krikkit appear (Did it sound like a thousand people saying "wop" at the same time?), who then killed a lot of people and stole the ashes, because it is a part of the Wikkit Gate and it will release their planet from slo-time, so they can destroy the universe?

Yes, and there was a Chesterfield sofa with a couple of wierd people on it too (one was in a dressing gown).

[Geoffrey S]

Bet Warne is regretting dropping Pietersen...

[The_Doctor]

Yes, and there was a Chesterfield sofa with a couple of wierd people on it too (one was in a dressing gown).

~:eek: That was yesterday, so that means tomorrow the world will end. ~:eek:

[Orda Khan]

......And the reward for all you loyal cricket fans is that you will now have to pay to watch your game. Now that is what I call bad play

........Orda

[Marcellus]

~:eek: That was yesterday, so that means tomorrow the world will end. ~:eek:

~:eek: Quick, let's get out of here! Do you have an electronic sub-ether device?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

The only sour note to the whole thing is this is possibly the high water mark of cricket in this country. It is now moving entirely to pay per view - which in the experience of all other sports has been the death knell.

I've never understood the logic of Sky putting up massive bids for sports and then putting them on pay-per-view. It's like they're paying to slash the viewing figures.

[tibilicus]

Sky if i may say so have not done any thing good for sport. They have basically got a monopoly on most sports and so is ruining sport and asking it away rom its roots. And as for pay-per-view its stupid but the funny thing is people will still play to watch sports! It's no longer like the good old days were sport was well sport. Theres now BIG money in sport. And i mean big.
Any way on a better note we won! A well deserved victory and a thrilling series at that! The most entertaining cricket event I have seen in my life time at least and also in my opinion the sporting event of the year (so far any way).
Heres to England! ~:cheers:

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Perhaps the government should just claim that it's an instituition, refuse to let Sky buy the cricket rights, and then give them to the BBC.

Pretty illegal, but it would be rather cool.

[Marcellus]

Perhaps the government should just claim that it's an instituition, refuse to let Sky buy the cricket rights, and then give them to the BBC.

Pretty illegal, but it would be rather cool.

Or at the very least allow C4 to keep it. Call it a national institution and the Government could probably force cricket to stay terrestrial.

[The_Doctor]

Quick, let's get out of here! Do you have an electronic sub-ether device?

No, but I have a Rubik's cube. If I can slove it I can unlease its mystic energies.

Also I have 3 towels. ~:cheers:

[Revelation]

Sorry, that won't do. To win a test match you have to bowl the other side out twice. If you let them make 700 or so runs in their two innings you probably won't have time to do that, whoever you are and whatever the weather. OK, a lot of play was lost in the fifth test, but even with a full sixth day its not at all obvious there would have been an Aussie victory. They didn't manage a first innings lead, after all.

And, there were only 14 overs played in day 3 at the Old Trafford test, and at the end of that test Australia were 50 odd runs short of their target with no wickets left and Lee and McGrath at the crease. Which is to say, even ten more overs, heck, even five, and they would have lost. So without good ol English weather the series would have been effectively over at 3:1 to England at the start of the fifth test.

Australia are still a very good side and they played as well as they could. England are also now a good side, and on their day either side could beat the other. Australia could certainly have tied the series and retained the Ashes. Weather, (unfair) bad luck, substitute fielders, had nothing to do with the result, that's what made it such a great series between two very closely matched teams.


No need to get on your pommy horse and have a sulk mate. What I was saying is that perhaps things could have been alot more interesting if the weather had of stayed away. Yes, England played well, hence the result.
What I don't agree with is ......
"Australia are still a very good side and played as well as they could."

I do not believe they played anywhere near aswell as they could. Far from it.
But could have's and should have's are not did's, and we lost. England played the better cricket. :shame:
Guess we'll just have to swallow it and wait for next time. It's always a pain in the ass losing to the poms for us, at any sport.

At least our swimmers will never be beaten by the poms.... :hide:
~D ~D ~D ~D

[English assassin]

No need to get on your pommy horse and have a sulk mate. What I was saying is that perhaps things could have been alot more interesting if the weather had of stayed away

Oh, right. For some reason when you said "Well played England, and well played good ol' English weather" I thought you were saying that, but for the weather, Australia would have won the match, tied the series and kept the Ashes. My mistake.