December 2010
32 posts
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The Barmy Army critique Mitchell Johnson’s...
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“England retain the Ashes”
– Is there a sweeter four word phrase in the English language?
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Jonathan Trott: unlikely Ashes Hero... again
It’s hard to write about Jonathan Trott’s batting, in a patient and unspectacular manner he accumulates huge scores often without close calls or spectacular shots. He presents a master class in batting technique which allows him to quietly accumulate providing a solid backbone for faster scoring colleagues such as Pietersen and Prior to accelerate the innings, with others often taking...
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Patience
This morning Kevin Pietersen showed more patience than the entire Australian batting line-up did collectively yesterday, KP demonstrated the classic forward defensive and good old fashioned leave. With conditions again in the bowler’s favour, Siddle firing and Hilfenhaus holding up one end, patience was very much a requirement. England surely know it’s their day when Pietersen provides...
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English misers
Has there ever been such a complete display from an English bowling attack in Australia? They bowled as a team, each knowing their own roll and each executing it aplomb. Anderson’s line and length was perfection, with swing and control. Tremlett posed a threat with greater bounce and pace. While Bresnan coming in for Finn showed that the selectors made exactly the right call when they called...
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Merry Boxing Day Test Eve
Okay cricket fans, we’ve got two fantastic test matches starting tomorrow so let’s make it count.
Get that beer ready
Get some snacks in
Keep those Wisden Alamacs handy
And make sure the kids have something to do (like sleeping)
Most importantly enjoy it!
I hear there’s something else happening today, can’t think what that would be though!
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Time for Changes?
England have just lost a test match in previous Ashes series this would have meant a full squad rotation. Out goes Graham Hick or Mark Ramprakash in comes some fresh talent who have hardly scored a run all summer, the bowlers were even more at risk almost constant rotation. In recent years England’s selectors have kept strict discipline sticking with the same eleven through thick and thin....
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Toil, trouble and collapse
It’s fair to say that in the last three days Australia have comprehensively outplayed England with both bat and ball. This was bought into sharp focus today by the contrasting fortunes of the bowling talisman of England and Australia. Mitchell Johnson continued to swing the ball round corners at high speed bamboozling England’s batsman into a second batting collapse in the same test....
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Johnson's Golden Arm
Mitchell Johnson had England all over the place on the 2nd day at the WACA, having failed spectacularly whenever he’s played previously England really struggled as Johnson hit his straps. Fast, uncompromising with the ball swinging both ways Johnson was unstoppable and England rarely had an answer. It was a spell of bowling that changed the momentum of the match and quite possibly swung the...
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“Nathan Hauritz, the spin bowler who has been shunned by Australia, spent part of...”
– The Ashes 2010: Nathan Hauritz sells his kit as history gets a tweak | Sport | The Guardian (via isay)
The selectors have driven Nathan Hauritz away from international cricket without a viable alternative, if the selectors need someone else I’m currently available and fancy a holiday. We...
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“If we carry on playing the brand of cricket we have been there’s no reason...”
– Matt Prior - Sunday 12th December 2010
Pinch me.
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“Beer. Now there’s a temporary solution”
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As usual Homer’s right but the Australian selection are of course totally mind-numbing wrong. Do you think think they picked Michael Beer by mistake, when what they meant to do was pick up a six pack?
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“The really annoying thing about that is that no one’s asked me if I want to make...”
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Richie Benaud on Shane Warne’s comeback calls.
(I wish he was in the Sky Commentary team.)
In the UK we get Richie on the ITV highlights package, he’s as still as magical as ever. Part of me wants to go back to 2005 and freeze Channel4’s cricket coverage right there, Sky just...
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Let's Call Everyone Back!
laukikaklesa:
If Australia are going to call Shane Warne back, then they must call back Hayden, Waugh, McGrath, Gilchrist, and even Bradman.
The Bring Back Shane Warne campaign must be quite embarrassing for the Australian team.
Not only is it embarrassing it’s damaging, who ever bowls spin for Australia for the next decade was always going to fall under the shadow of Warne’s...
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Pessimism of the English
When Matt Prior dropped a relatively straightforward catch off Mike Hussey, England fans everywhere had that all too familiar collective sinking feeling, England would again snatch disappointment from the jaws of victory. Hussey the immovable object, rolling thunderstorms and a depleted English bowling attack would make this a very difficult task indeed. England fans are used to failure and this...
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When do England declare?
Seems like an unlikely question to ask during an Australian home series but at 452 for 4, if England don’t declare at some point they’ll still be there Tuesday afternoon. The key to this question is whether the pitch starts to deteriorate enough for the spinners to have a real impact on this contest; for the moment Doherty and North are getting spin but it’s not troubling...
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The first hour
The first hour with the new ball in any test innings in Australia is critical, after around 20 overs it starts getting more and more difficult to take wickets as the kookaburra ball gets much softer than the Dukes used in England.
Compare and contrast the two teams:
England
Trott superbly runs out Simon Katich with a throw aiming at one stump.
Anderson swings out Ponting and then quickly...
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So then...
11 for 3. I guess that answers the question, beyond mere conjecture:
“Which team took the psychological edge from Brisbane?”