So basically you admit is was all shite then.... fair enough big of you...but still 2-0
So basically you admit is was all shite then.... fair enough big of you...but still 2-0
^No. You are the one who is full of shit Bob
Anderson over Starc
Cyrille is a riot too!
Harris a 'trundler'
First tour match starts tonight!
FIXTURESFirst Test
July 8 - July 12, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
Play starts at 8pm AEST (11am local)
Second Test
July 16 - July 20, Lord’s, London
Play starts at 8pm AEST (11am local)
Australia is out to make a sizzling start to this year’s Ashes series. Source: Getty Images
Third Test
July 29 - August 2, Edgbaston, Birmingham
Play starts at 8pm AEST (11am local)
Fourth Test
August 6 - August 10, Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Play starts at 8pm AEST (11am local)
Fifth Test
August 20 - August 24, The Oval, London
Play starts at 8pm AEST (11am local)
As a strictly neutral observer, I think the way the Kiwi seamers challenged the English bodes sad times against Starc, who swings the ball just as well, although his speed might limit that swing in the English conditions. However I am sure he can slow it down a bit if he needs to.Originally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles
AgreedOriginally Posted by cyrille
Agreed...Allan Border he is not.Originally Posted by cyrille
Whoa there Cy, Steve Waugh would have to be the biggest [at][at][at][at] that ever walked, but he had the full respect of his team because he was so good at his job, so the fact that the Pup is just a stuck up [at][at][at][at] should have nothing to do with it, actually he isn't bad on tactics either, but something is definitely missing from the Captain's manual with him.Originally Posted by cyrille
I guess it is the England and Wales Cricket Board...but do they have to take an Ashes test there?Originally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles
They took the bloody Ryder Cup to Wales...what a soggy disaster...I don't have anything against the Welsh...but their climate stinks.Originally Posted by harrybarracuda
Dangerous bringing a Test side here with so much potential for denting NHS waiting times, and so little depth to back it up.
I can see you losing 2 or 3 bowlers to long term injury, when they don't really need to be trying so hard.
Bwaaaa!!! Jimmy is shitting his pants!!!
Ashes 2015: Let's ditch sledging, says James Anderson | smh.com.au
And here is what the big sook was saying not so long ago
James Anderson: I can't help sledging the Aussies - Profiles - People - The Independent
So the big cry baby doesn't want to play anymore. Absolute toss-pot
Who will open with Warner?
Rogers or Marsh
^ Rogers hands down. He provides the stability in the top order that Marsh has failed to show time and time again. He has the most experience in English conditions by far. Can't see any room for Marsh but the selectors seem to favor the Marsh boys so you never know.
My pick as well.it doesent really matter we will flog the poms no problems.
Lack of confidence isn't an Australian thing is it?Originally Posted by bobo746
^ not with our current bowling line up it isn't Brucella
Considering the English don't have one that is a fair comment...but Wales ain't the GabbaOriginally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles
MITCHELL Johnson is officially back and alarm bells are ringing for England.
It took just six balls in the tour match against Kent for him to deliver the eerily familiar thud into the pads that will have Alastair Cook and company wondering why they aren’t being offered more to step into the ring with their tormentor again.
Just when the old enemy might have started to convince themselves the unstoppable force who obliterated them last Ashes had come back to the field, Johnson reintroduced himself as Australia’s spearhead with a ferocious and tireless three-wicket haul, which included a clinical lbw in the very first over.
Mitchell Johnson of Australia bowls in the tour match against Kent.
Mitchell Johnson of Australia bowls in the tour match against Kent. Source: Getty Images
Johnson’s place in the first Test side may never have been under threat but the depth in Australia’s bowling arsenal had some suggesting he might be more support act than leading man this Ashes series.
Former Ashes Test batsman and Kent stalwart Rob Key was blown away by Johnson’s power and suggested England’s stars ought to be seeking an urgent pay rise as they prepare to jet off for their camp in Spain.
“For a large part of that I thought, ‘There’s no way I get paid enough to be facing him’. And I do alright for myself, don’t get me wrong,” said Key.
“He is a different level.
“The pace he has, he gets the odd one to swing. It doesn’t matter which pitch you are on, that bloke is a serious bowler. He can intimidate you but he can also move the ball around a little bit, he’s tough.
“I think if he wasn’t playing there would be a lot of batters quite happy. We’ve seen it in the Ashes back home, he’s just quick and he’s something different to everyone else.
“For the first bit out there, you had to kind of remember what you used to do against bowlers like that. He’s a proper, proper bowler.”
Everything England didn’t want to see heading into a return bout with Johnson was summed up in the very first over.
Johnson launched into his Ashes campaign with five consecutive dots, before closing out an emphatic opening statement with a perfectly executed dead-eye lbw bowled at almost unplayable speed.
Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond was far from the first Englishman to fall to the Johnson sucker punch, and two weeks out from the first Test, Australia will now grow in confidence that he won’t be the last.
They weren’t dropping like ten pins as they did for Johnson at the Gabba when he launched his superhuman Ashes haul of 37 wickets at 13.97.
But on a slow and flat wicket, Kent still felt the wrath of England’s bogeyman as they finished 5-203 at stumps on day two of the tour game in Canterbury, with Australia leading by 304 runs.
Earlier, Australia declared at 8-507 with Steve Smith starring with a brilliant 111 retired out.
But all the focus was on the bowlers, with Australia’s all-star pace cartel jostling for spots ahead of the first Test in Cardiff.
Smith noticed a lift in Johnson’s intensity.
“It looked like he stepped it up today,” Smith said.
“I am not sure if it was faster than he has been bowling but it certainly looked like he had great rhythm.”
Ryan Harris went wicketless with figures of 0-39 from 11 overs and Darren Lehmann’s suggestion that the war horse Queenslander might be a little short of match practice, rang true.
At this early stage an unchanged attack of Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood looms for the first Test, unless Harris can bounce back – which of course he is more than capable of doing.
The most impressive aspect of Johnson’s (3-42 from 13) bowling against Kent was the intent.
As if motivated by question marks raised over his drop in pace in the West Indies, Johnson roared out of the blocks like a man possessed.
He was the only Australian to find pace in the pitch, and he had Kent’s batsmen scrambling early.
Despite the arduous conditions for fast bowlers, Johnson’s pace and starch didn’t drop off as he came back for his second, third and fourth spells.
Key carved out an outstanding 87 to frustrate the Australians, before Johnson responded with back-to-back wickets to close out the day.
Harris was frustrated he didn’t get an lbw shout of his own to go his way in his sixth over.
The next over another big nick went through the slips, but there was no luck for the 35-year-old.
However, selectors know that above all his other attributes, Harris is a quintessential big match player – who could be trusted to lift for the first Test of an Ashes.
Peter Siddle bowled soundly for figures of 1-32 from 11 and spinner Fawad Ahmed picked up the wicket of Key.
Ashes tour match live, video, updates: Kent v Australia day two
“For a large part of that I thought, ‘There’s no way I get paid enough to be facing him’.
Bowling through Kent...WOW!!!...he must be goodOriginally Posted by kingwilly
Are they still bottom of div. 2?
Just a heads-up for those wondering how they're going to be able to watch the Ashes. Ilikehdtv have just upgraded their software and added a heap of content, most of it is UK stations including all the Sky Sports channels. I have the app on my tv, laptop, tablet, and phone and it works fine on all of them. Worth a look for those in Thailand, or out of it if you know how to make your ISP show you're in Thailand which is something you techy type guys would all know how to do. You can stream the free channels to see if your speed is good enough before ponying up chump change for a pay-as-you-go monthly password. Picture quality is plenty good enough, photo below;
^ Thanks for that mate...........If I can't get coverage I'll just head over to your place.
beat themOriginally Posted by kingwilly
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