The Ashes in Australia

A bit off topic but did anyone see the South Africa v India match? 16 runs needed off 21 balls and SA gave up the chase leaving anything outside off stump regardless of length. Simply amazing. A total anticlimax after a day of brilliant batting to get in a winning position. A pal of mine is convinced it was a case of match fixing. Very odd.

Here's some background:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2013-14/content/story/703239.html
 
Fido said:
A bit off topic but did anyone see the South Africa v India match? 16 runs needed off 21 balls and SA gave up the chase leaving anything outside off stump regardless of length. Simply amazing. A total anticlimax after a day of brilliant batting to get in a winning position. A pal of mine is convinced it was a case of match fixing. Very odd.

Here's some background:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2013-14/content/story/703239.html
Click to expand...

Certainly sounds fishy.:icon_rolleyes:
 
I feel like a moth attracted to a light. I know it's going to hurt but still cannot resist watching England suffer. Another woeful performance this morning. Might check the close of play score but the TVs staying off now.
 
UKRob said:
Hard to say who's had the biggest impact in the series so far - Haddin or Johnson.
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Yep.. Haddin is the first batsman since 1972 (in an Ashes series) to score half centuries in every test. In fact the Aussie lower six have scored more runs than their more illustrious specialist batsmen.

To me it looks as if England were not prepared for how good Australia would be, they have lost two members of the team who have been successful over the last few years and I also think very jaded and burnt out. Top level cricket, especially for those who play all forms of the game, is relentless and it must have an affect sooner or later. England's "go-to" players - Cook, Bell, Prior and Anderson - have just not performed to anywhere near their level, and losing Trott and Swann has just exacerbated the whole experience. Add in Pietersen's self obsessed nature (although he did try and cage that in Test num 4) and it likes a real mess. There is some rebuilding to be done and the powers that be need to identify the next wave of talent and put their trust in them.

I was confident England would win this series not necessarily because they were that good, but Australia were so lacklustre and poor in the summer. They have really turned things around, so hats off to them.
 
English cricket is a shambles. Geoff Boycott will have to find another word than 'roobish' to describe our inept and spineless display. When we become a world powerhouse again, we can look back with a wry smile and remember when we just made up the numbers.
 
Frankieabbott said:
English cricket is a shambles.
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How do you justify that statement? Six months ago the Aussie press was all over their team - and two months ago they lost to India. I'm not trying to justify a very poor performance, but, in reality this English side has been well prepared, has perhaps an overload of coaches and back up team - the fact that they have not performed is certainly not due to a lack of preparation. A shambles it ain't.
 
Well done to Australia, Boof Leahman has got them playing with grit & determination in all areas.

It will be interesting to see what changes are made - there has to be some!
 
I think a 5-0 whitewash / drubbing / hammering / painful to watch such a spineless display from England justifies my comment. England didn't even get close to a drawn game let alone a won one. Time to remove your rose tinted specs y'all.
 
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