Ashes 2010/11

[junxs]

The Ashes are safe, but when it comes to world rankings and such, an away series win in Austrailia is far more important than retaining a little urn with a drawn series.

Many points to be won by actually winning the series rather than drawing it.

[avfcpg]

Right, that's the Aussies put away (and we will win the next match), now to go for the real powerhouses in cricket these days. India are here in the summer.

And then don't we tour there as well? Could be shooting up the rankings...

[KevinGage]

The one thing that has irked me is the way the Aussies have given us grief about the South African born players in the Test team.  We've been labelled the 'Empire eleven' the 'Rainbow team' etc on most blogs.

So imagine my delight when their great batting hope for the 5th Test turns out to be a Pakistani, born in Pakistan of Pakistani parents.

Hilfenhaus - doesn't sound true blue Aussie to me.

Whatever did they make of Andrew Symonds - born in that well known Australian city Birmingham-  and Kepler Wessels?

[VillaZogmariner]

Right, that's the Aussies put away (and we will win the next match), now to go for the real powerhouses in cricket these days. India are here in the summer.

And then don't we tour there as well? Could be shooting up the rankings...

We managed to jump up to third from fourth (and Aussies from Fifth to Fourth) during the Brisbane Test (Sri Lanka dropping down)

[OzVilla]

The one thing that has irked me is the way the Aussies have given us grief about the South African born players in the Test team.  We've been labelled the 'Empire eleven' the 'Rainbow team' etc on most blogs.

So imagine my delight when their great batting hope for the 5th Test turns out to be a Pakistani, born in Pakistan of Pakistani parents.

To be fair to the lad, he's lived there since he was 3 years old. Its hardly the same as picking a handful of ready made cricketers out of South Africa.

By handful I take it you mean two as Prior and Strauss both moved the England as children also yet they always get mentioned.   

Besides, it's just the irony coming from a nation that claims the Bee Gees as their greatest musical export, their huge star being an actor that was born in New Zealand and has a Welsh PM and English opposition leader.

[taylorsworkrate]

The one thing that has irked me is the way the Aussies have given us grief about the South African born players in the Test team.  We've been labelled the 'Empire eleven' the 'Rainbow team' etc on most blogs.

So imagine my delight when their great batting hope for the 5th Test turns out to be a Pakistani, born in Pakistan of Pakistani parents.

To be fair to the lad, he's lived there since he was 3 years old. Its hardly the same as picking a handful of ready made cricketers out of South Africa.

By handful I take it you mean two as Prior and Strauss both moved the England as children also yet they always get mentioned.   

Besides, it's just the irony coming from a nation that claims the Bee Gees as their greatest musical export, their huge star being an actor that was born in New Zealand and has a Welsh PM and English opposition leader.

Yeah always pisses me off this whole non English thing.

Pietersen actually has an English mother, and was hardly a ready made cricketer in South Africa, considering he was batting at no 9 for Natal. (on the odd occasion he played).

I can't believe that Prior and Strauss are mentioned in this type of conversation.

[taylorsworkrate]

Right, that's the Aussies put away (and we will win the next match), now to go for the real powerhouses in cricket these days. India are here in the summer.

And then don't we tour there as well? Could be shooting up the rankings...

We managed to jump up to third from fourth (and Aussies from Fifth to Fourth) during the Brisbane Test (Sri Lanka dropping down)

In fairness Sri Lanka were always in a false postion at no 3.  They win at home on pitches that are ridiculously tailor made and thats about it.

I think we are probably as good as India.  Our bowling attack certainly seems a lot better.

[Villan For Life]

Heard Radio 4 went to the Shipping Forecast, missing the final wicket.

Dicks.

Haha Radio 4... on the ball as always

That's why I brought my first DAB radio about 5 years ago!

[Andy Poole]

The one thing that has irked me is the way the Aussies have given us grief about the South African born players in the Test team.  We've been labelled the 'Empire eleven' the 'Rainbow team' etc on most blogs.

So imagine my delight when their great batting hope for the 5th Test turns out to be a Pakistani, born in Pakistan of Pakistani parents.

To be fair to the lad, he's lived there since he was 3 years old. Its hardly the same as picking a handful of ready made cricketers out of South Africa.

Maybe we should poach a few Crims as they have plenty with English ancestry? Or maybe not...as Smith is the 6th best batsman in Australia!

Perhaps if the South Africans had given equal rights to all and picked on merit, they'd have a coloured squad today!!

[peter w]

Really will say a lot about us in the final test. The players will be tested mentally, not so much by the Australians trying to merely trying to draw the series. But, if we are to want to be the number 1 team and stay there, then we have to win tests like the one in Sydney. We will be there to be shot at as the number 1 team and evryone will want to try and take us down, just as the Aussies will do on Sunday. They will be desperate to beat us. Win this and we make a point. When a home team really wanted to take us down, we do them. Its the way of winners. This will be the biggest test of the summer. (their summer obviously...)

[TheTimVilla]

That Tsotsobe looks a good prospect.


(replying to Andy, but Peter replied in the meantime).

[junxs]

The one thing that has irked me is the way the Aussies have given us grief about the South African born players in the Test team.  We've been labelled the 'Empire eleven' the 'Rainbow team' etc on most blogs.

So imagine my delight when their great batting hope for the 5th Test turns out to be a Pakistani, born in Pakistan of Pakistani parents.

To be fair to the lad, he's lived there since he was 3 years old. Its hardly the same as picking a handful of ready made cricketers out of South Africa.

By handful I take it you mean two as Prior and Strauss both moved the England as children also yet they always get mentioned.   

Besides, it's just the irony coming from a nation that claims the Bee Gees as their greatest musical export, their huge star being an actor that was born in New Zealand and has a Welsh PM and English opposition leader.

Yeah always pisses me off this whole non English thing.

Pietersen actually has an English mother, and was hardly a ready made cricketer in South Africa, considering he was batting at no 9 for Natal. (on the odd occasion he played).

I can't believe that Prior and Strauss are mentioned in this type of conversation.

Well I didn't mention Strauss or Prior - using those 2 as an example would be like classing Usman Khawaja as a non Australian!

When I said ready made Criketers, I didn't say ready made world class players. They were Cricketers by trade when they moved to this country, and came here to do guess what? yes play Cricket - hence ready made Cricketers! As opposed to people who move here and then take up the sport.

I was referring to Pietersen, Trott, Kieswetter, Lumb and players from the past like Robin Smith, Allan Lamb. Then there’s others like Hick & Morgan.

So getting back to my initial point - Usman Khawaja would come under the Matt Prior, Andrew Strauss category rather than the above mentioned lot.

[OzVilla]

I do love the Sydney Test match.  For those that havn't been, the SCG is a great ground, perfect mixture of new stands with the old traditional pavilion with the green roof, Sydney on New Year Eve is one of the things i'm glad i've done in life and recommend it to anyone - not just the fireworks either, the whole 'Rocks' area atmosphere is brilliant.

So to then be able to take a few days of recovery time on the beach at Bondi or Coogee before an Ashes  Test with England looking to go 3-1 up, it really wouldn't be getting much better.

Basically, I'm so jealous of VillaSub.

[VillaZogmariner]

It's a hard life ain't it!

[VillaZogmariner]

I'm not sure you'll want to stop up late for the first day - we've got a big storm here in Sydney at the moment and it's predicted to be here for about 24 hours.