Ashes 2013/14

[willywombat]

On the last tour to Australia I remember thinking what a lovely ground Adelaide was.  It looks like a concrete shithole now.

It's really nice actually hilts. They've retained the hill, the old scoreboard and the Cypress trees at the northern end as well as upping the capacity to 53,000. Had to be done as both Adelaide aussie rules clubs will be playing home games there from this season on. It's also quite an attractive structure with lots of curves and it sits quite nicely in the surrounding parklands

[OzVilla]

They have to keep the hill though now. That's the grounds character now which was always something the Adelaide Oval had in abundance.

Without it, it would be just a concrete characterless bowl like the Gabba.

[OzVilla]

Can I just take this opportunity to say a big Fuck Off to Shane Watson.

Overrated Gobshite that he is.

[hilts_coolerking]

It's really nice actually hilts. They've retained the hill, the old scoreboard and the Cypress trees at the northern end as well as upping the capacity to 53,000. Had to be done as both Adelaide aussie rules clubs will be playing home games there from this season on. It's also quite an attractive structure with lots of curves and it sits quite nicely in the surrounding parklands

Fair play.  I suppose, in their defence, it isn't finished yet.

[eastie]

A bit more fight in this innings but still poor overall- cook looks woeful , root, kp and prior getting a few more runs but still a heavy defeat unless some torrential rain saves us and that's not forecast

[beness]

Well we will drag it over to another day. It's arduous watchimg at times but i thinl being a Villa fan helps in these situations.

[spangley1812]

A bit better today but not much at least KP,Stokes, Broad, Prior showed some fight and bottle and a good innings from Root but he should have gone on and made a 100+

[olaftab]

You  all may not agree but this was a very good day for England. They did not capitulate and showed great character all through the 3 sessions to take it into the final day. Remember this was a huge pressure day with absolutely no chance of saving the match never mind winning it. Teams will lesser character would have folded very quickly today.  This  stout attitude will stand the team in a much better position in the final 3 tests. I can only see improvement from here.

[eastie]

I'd agree it was a better day but certainly wouldn't describe it as a very good day.
A very good day for me would have seen us at 260-2.

[OzVilla]

You're a glass half full guy I'll give you that!

Yeah, much more fight but we still gave wickets away needlessly, Cook , Carberry and Bell. 

Nice to see Prior survive and at least we've given the weather a chance to intervene - it won't and England wouldn't deserve it anyway.

[eastie]

You're a glass half full guy I'll give you that!

Yeah, much more fight but we still gave wickets away needlessly, Cook , Carberry and Bell. 

Nice to see Prior survive and at least we've given the weather a chance to intervene - it won't and England wouldn't deserve it anyway.

As boycott would describe it a pudding of a pitch - we gave silly wickets away so it's not a question of glass half full - it was an improvement but certainly wouldn't describe it as  a very good day .
Root and kp, got some much needed runs prior and stokes fought and our openers again both went cheaply -

[olaftab]

eastter's look at it in isolation. Huge pressure batted all day and nearly 300 on the board. Normally this would be very good.
OzVilla  every wickett lost is careless and unnecessary. Go back to your own playing days (apologies if you are still tapping it) and I bet you hated it every time you were out? It was unnecessary and careless. Clarke and Haddin were careless!

[eastie]

eastter's look at it in isolation. Huge pressure batted all day and nearly 300 on the board. Normally this would be very good.
OzVilla  every wickett lost is careless and unnecessary. Go back to your own playing days (apologies if you are still tapping it) and I bet you hated it every time you were out? It was unnecessary and careless. Clarke and Haddin were careless!

You are an old romantic affers - I love your outlook my friend
( when you say nearly 300 it's actually still closer to 200 )

[olaftab]

Less of the old please.....there is no need to be factually correct about everything!

[OzVilla]

eastter's look at it in isolation. Huge pressure batted all day and nearly 300 on the board. Normally this would be very good.
OzVilla  every wickett lost is careless and unnecessary. Go back to your own playing days (apologies if you are still tapping it) and I bet you hated it every time you were out? It was unnecessary and careless. Clarke and Haddin were careless!

That's maybe right but I'd be pretty pissed off if I'd hooked a bouncer in the 2nd over down fine legs throat with 6 sessions to play. It was the wrong shot at the wrong time.  We needed Cook to bat long today so to play such an uncontrollable shot so early on was a misjudgement that was surprising coming from such a disciplined batsman.

Carberry in his defense maybe just hit his a little too well and Bell, well I think he felt he had to cream it as it was such a poor delivery, he's done that before with Smith and got himself out.

I see your points regards Root and Prior - much, much better.