The Cricket Thread 2013

[adrenachrome]

The Aussies have established a new coefficient of collapsibility.

[Meanwood Villa]

Oh dear this isn't looking good, we need a collapse here.

That'll do.

[cheltenhamlion]

Fuck me. I thought we had screwed it at 90 odd without loss. Leave work, find a pub with it on, consult Harry Potter spell book, job done. Convicto Collapso!

[olaftab]

Great test match cricket and a perfect illustration of why we should preserve and cherish it.

[The Left Side]

Convicto Collapso!

Superb stuff

[Chris Jameson]

You lot are complete drama queens. About 2 hours ago it was slash wrist and now....
There is a reason why test matches are not won by the team chasing over 250 in the 4th innings.

Absolutely, you'd think we were back to the dark days of endless humiliations reading some of the posts.

[Rotterdam]

Well done boys. Congrats.

[Dante Lavelli]

I think the tour down under will be fantastic stuff.  Playing away will be a great leveller and I do not think that the players will be afforded the lack of concentration/intensity that they've shown at home.

[tomd2103]

Well that's it wrapped up then.  Can't complain too much about an Ashes series win, but I do think we shouldn't be getting too carried away as there do seem to be some pretty big flaws in the side at the moment.  Saying that, after watching Ashes series through the 90's and early 00's we would have taken a win back then any way it would have come.

[TheTimVilla]

We did it! At least it being so close will let the selectors know that we're miles off being the finished article. Rest anybody for the last match? I guess there'll be one change, say Taylor for Bairstow, as we don't seem to make wholesale changes. What a match, what an atmosphere!

[paul_e]

I think we'll see 2 changes with a fresh batsman and a fresh bowler, Tremlett and Taylor being the obvious choices.  Not sure who of the bowlers will make way, but given it's a bit of a null match I'd give Jimmy a few extra days rest.  As for Taylor the smart money would be on Bairstow being rested but I wouldn't be massively surprised if Prior was given a match off.

[robbyfvillain]

Got to feel a bit for Ian Bell a third hundred in this ashes series and an average in excess of 80 and still no man of the match. Got to be man of the series I would have thought.

[TheTimVilla]

I think we'll see 2 changes with a fresh batsman and a fresh bowler, Tremlett and Taylor being the obvious choices.  Not sure who of the bowlers will make way, but given it's a bit of a null match I'd give Jimmy a few extra days rest.  As for Taylor the smart money would be on Bairstow being rested but I wouldn't be massively surprised if Prior was given a match off.

Rest Jimmy before what? There aren't any ODIs until September and he won't play the T20s. And I imagine they'll feel that Broad and Bresnan are required for continuity. It's a shame for Tremlett and Onions though.

[UK Redsox]

The Aussies have established a new coefficient of collapsibility.

That was a collapse of epic proportions. Considering all the dropped catches and the missed run-out, it could have been over even sooner.

[OzVilla]

Well done England, a superb win.  This shows why Test Cricket is so great and that 250 is a VERY competitive total at Durham.

It's quite funny looking back on this thread a few pages ago, where are they all now.

England have become a team that is very difficult to beat while Australia have become the exact opposite. Special mention though for Ryan Harris, i'm biased as he plays for Queensland but he's a terrific bowler.  Hits the bat hard, always at the batsman and bowls great lines. He didn't deserve to be on a losing side after that.

We've seen some really great bowling throughout this series, when it's easy to criticise the batsman we tend to forget that.