shahid6995
Club Cricketer
I'm waiting for the Ashes in Australia so that they can put England BACK in their place (hopefully 5-0) and put a rest to all this silly talk about how England is the best team since they won the Ashes this time around.
2006 Calling---> Which is the most eagerly waited series ?
- Thread starter aditya123
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andrew_nixon
Chairman of Selectors
If any English person says that England are the best team, then you have my permission to call them a total idiot. I do. We scraped the last Ashes, only winning the test when McGrath wasn't playing. We're fighting for second spot, but we're way off number one.shahid6995 said:
shahid6995
Club Cricketer
Thankyou. Although I don't really feel the need to take your permission before calling anyone a complete idiot. Some people did express sentiments like that, but admittedly, rarely.andrew_nixon said:
sachin
International Coach
Yes a very stupid thing to say....but england are definetely improving. I can't see them winning in Australia,but i said that about the last Ashes......Well it will be the best series next year.
m_vaughan
Chairman of Selectors
Sure will be, Sachin. If England manage to have all their players fit and performing, then they can win in Australia.
But I think its unfair to say that England scraped the Ashes win. They outplayed Australia for most of each of those four test matches, and it was only in the last innings in every test did Australia make any sort of comeback.
Infact had it not been for that last wicket last gasp partnership between McGrath and Lee of 24 balls, England would have won the Ashes 3-1.
But I think its unfair to say that England scraped the Ashes win. They outplayed Australia for most of each of those four test matches, and it was only in the last innings in every test did Australia make any sort of comeback.
Infact had it not been for that last wicket last gasp partnership between McGrath and Lee of 24 balls, England would have won the Ashes 3-1.
sachin
International Coach
Of course!It will be much tougher here.The pitches,the grounds,the crowds,and the confidence of the Australian team will be major factors against Eng retaining the Ashes.Australia just seem to have something extra when they play on home turf. They are still the best side in the World.
andrew_nixon
Chairman of Selectors
1st Test: England got hammeredm_vaughan said:
2nd Test: England scraped a win, Australia without McGrath
3rd Test: England drew when should have easily won
4th Test: England again scraped a win, Australia without McGrath
5th Test: Pretty much even
I'd say that's scraping a win.
nightprowler10
Executive member
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Even scraping a test series win against a team like Australia is a huge deal, and I don't blame the English fans for taking it to their heads. But after their recent blunders in Pakistan, I think its time for England fans to come back to reality. On topic, I can't wait for the Indo-Pak series. I hope it is as exciting as the last one, even though I prefer Pakistan's complete dominance over India. 
sohum
Executive member
@nightprowler, yeah complete dominance would be nice, but the win feels so much better when its hard-fought, eh? I speak like I play on the team, haha.
@shahid6995, where you been?
@shahid6995, where you been?
muhammad_inzi
Club Cricketer
Indo-Pak series will go ahead. So only 2 votes to go ahead.
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The Ashes is what I'm eagerly awaiting...
With the two Test Rookies Brad Hodge and Mike Hussey playing great,
England have plenty to worry about. The batting line-up for the Aussie
side is far stronger then before and would have to be strongest in the world,
Shane Watson's still to make his return, so it'll be even more potent,
plus his return will mean we can have an extra spinner in the attack.
With the two Test Rookies Brad Hodge and Mike Hussey playing great,
England have plenty to worry about. The batting line-up for the Aussie
side is far stronger then before and would have to be strongest in the world,
Shane Watson's still to make his return, so it'll be even more potent,
plus his return will mean we can have an extra spinner in the attack.
m_vaughan
Chairman of Selectors
1st Test - England got hammered. Accepted. Everyone is looking at a 5-0 thrasing of England at this stage.andrew_nixon said:
2nd Test
England 1st Innings - Post a very decent 407 batting first and all those runs on day1 itself
Australia 1st Innings - Bowled out for 308, 99 runs behind. Pretty much on the backfoot.
England 2nd Innings - Despite Flintoff's 73 England manage only 182. Australia make a comeback.
Australia 2nd Innings - After being down 8-175 at one stage, require partnerships from Warne-Lee and Lee-Kasprowicz to get them to 279, 2 runs short of England's score.
Had it not been for that last gasp partnership between Warne and Lee, and Lee and Kasprowicz, England were pretty much cruising to a win.
3rd Test
England 1st Innings - Score 341-5 on day1 and end up with 444.
Australia 1st Innings - 7-201 at one stage and the possibility of a follow on, but again thanks to the tail end up with 302. Still a huge 139 runs behind.
England 2nd Innings - 280-6 declared , setting Australia 420 to win.
Australia 2nd Innings - 7-264 at one stage, and a win is pretty much out of reach, but thanks to Ponting's 156 and a fine resistance from the tail again, manage to play out for a draw. England just needed one more wicket for victory.
Even despite Ponting's century, England were in total command of this game. Both McGrath and Warne were playing.
4th Test
England 1st Innings - Score a mammoth 477
Australia 1st Innings - Struggling at 99-5 at the end of day2, eventually bowled out for 218. Made to follow on
Australia 2nd Innings - 6-277 at one stage, but once again thanks to some good batting from the tail, manage to put up a good total of 387 in the end, setting England 128 to win.
England 2nd Innings - Chasing just 128, England collapse to 7-116 before Giles and Hoggard guide them home. Only session/day in the entire test match that belonged to Australia.
Apart from the last day, when Australia made a very strong comeback, England once again outplayed their rivals in almost all departments. Australia made to follow-on after a long time in test matches
5th Test
England 1st Innings - Bowled out for 373
Australia 1st Innings - 3-281 at one stage, bowled out for 367. 6 runs behind England
England 2nd Innings - Pietersen hits 155 as England are bowled out for 335 setting Australia 342 to win.
Australia 2nd Innings - With no time left to reach that target, Australia manage just 4-0 in the little bit of cricket that was allowed in the last innings.
You can call this an even game, though England took the advantage in the 2nd innings, and chasing 342 was really going to test Australia. Remember, England just needed a draw.
Overall: Like I said before England outplayed Australia, and it was only due to some great batting from the likes of Warne and Lee, and some good comebacks in the 4th innings, did Australia make the final results appear close.
sohum
Executive member
I read your overview and I would still say that England scraped to victory because a few runs here and there and the result would have been different. They may have outplayed Australia in many sessions, but Australia obviously played a few sessions well enough to make the result 'seem close'. A victory margin of 2 runs doesn't really seem close. 2 no-balls and the result would have been entirely different.
Pak_cricketer
Chairman of Selectors
India vs Pakistan, is always fun to watch!
