Ashes 2013/14

[taylorsworkrate]

Anderson looks a shadow of his former self on this tour.

I think he needs to be dropped for Perth along with Swann who has also been poor. I think this game is lost now, unless our batsmen can bat properly (which would be a miracle).

Cook
Root
Bell
Pietersen
Ballance
Bairstow
Prior
Broad
Finn
Rankin
Panesar

Would be my team for Perth.

[taylorsworkrate]

Another fucking drop. Brilliant.

[taylorsworkrate]

Show some fucking fight England, instead of meakly surrendering yet again.

[OzVilla]

The bottom line is, when those big moments come around they need to be taken.  England have not done that at all so far and that's why they're in the shit now.

You can't legislate for dropped catches but dropping Clarke AND Haddin (Clarkes was a sharp chance but should have been taken at this level, Haddins was a dolly) as well as missing run out opportunities (always difficult but it's on these that matches can turn) mean that England have failed to take their chances on a flat pitch and thus will get what they deserve.

Get Haddin last night and Aus are 6-275, Johnson at the crease against the new ball with 3 or 4 overs left under pressure, totally different game.

The reality is, Australia have improved a lot since Lord's and have looked a settled side that are on the up.  England have looked increasingly like a side living of their reputations rather than performances.

One thing I really don't like is that we also look like a side that seems to be feeling a bit sorry for itself too.  You just can't do that in an Ashes series, especially over here.

I fear that all of those chickens will come home to roost over the next month or so.

 

[taylorsworkrate]

What a fucking joke. Sums it all up.

[taylorsworkrate]

Theres no anger or fight in this England side. Stokes should be fuming with himself now, and sending a few at the batsmens heads. He won't though.

[OzVilla]

3 dropped catches, 2 missed run outs and a wicket of a no ball - on a flat track.

They are trying, they're just not good enough when the big moments come around.

[taylorsworkrate]

3 dropped catches, 2 missed run outs and a wicket of a no ball - on a flat track.

They are trying, they're just not good enough when the big moments come around.

England built pressure yesterday by bowling tight spells. Today Swann has bowled around the wicket with virtually every ball down the legside making it extremely easy to score. The seamers today have either bowled short and wide or at leg stump

Australia just haven't had to do anything to score runs. The body language has also been poor. Our fielding has been pathetic in this innings.

[taylorsworkrate]

Also why has Broad only bowled 3 overs in this session? He's the only seamer who looks like he could trouble the batsmen.

[taylorsworkrate]

Priors wicket keeping has become as poor as his batting this series.

[taylorsworkrate]

Score.prediction for end of the day:

Australia 550/6 declared

England 40/3 from 23 overs

[Bald Eagle]

The only saving grace is that on this deck i cant see the Aussies bowling us out twice. But we have been a shambles in the field. Swann seems more interested in protecting his run-rate than taking wickets. He looks a different animal from a year ago.

[OzVilla]

Well, that session couldn't really have gone any worse.  They've taken the game away from us and we look really rattled.

Which gives the Aussie media more ammunition with the 'Whinging Poms' line which gets the crowd going and we just look like a side that feels a bit too sorry for itself.

Clarke another ton, Haddin getting runs after simple let offs.  When you're largely getting outplayed you must take your chances to stay in the game.  When you don't you end up with results like Brisbane.  I fear that this tour could really descend into a repeat of 06/07 unless who show some fight with the bat.

[OzVilla]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/poms-no1-whinger-in-gabba-fallout/story-fnii0dno-1226776536277

And this is the kind of shit we have to put up with thanks to a pathetic "look at us" local media and badly handled management from the ECB.

[OzVilla]

Well the Aussies have finally had enough and how we bat now may decide the series one way or the other.

It's a flat pitch but it's time to stand up, something we haven't done for a while.

4 dropped catches, 2 missed run outs and a wicket off a no ball - pretty shite all in all.

Graeme Swann has now been humiliated in two Test Matches.

Absolutely, no way can he play in Perth.