The Ashes - are we going to win?

[Stacey]

To be honest; don't want to sound like a pessimist.... however, I don't think it's too early to be talking about The Oval already, I think we've fluffed this one up that much that it's bound to be one all with one to play.... I'm not convinced we'll pull this back...

 

[furryfeet]

not just Bopara ( even though he was unlucky in the 2nd innings today ) , but Bell and Harmison too !

 

[mrcheek]

Yikes! Anybody but Shah!!! What I'd really like is an emergency call to Trescothick saying 'I know you've retired mate but can you just play a one off game?' Either way, Bopara needs to go. As for the bowling, where do you start?!

I thought long and hard about who could be brought in, and was actually surprised at how few players seem to be playing well enough to deserve a call-up. Which I guess is why the selectors go back to old hands such as Harmison and Ian Bell.

Who are the top batsmen in England outside the test side? Trescothick, who wont play, Shah, Ian Blackwell, and Ed Joyce (who have all had a go and failed). The best bowlers are guys like Liam Plunkett and Saj mahmood, who again have been tried at international level and not made it.

The future for the England test side suddenly does not look so bright.

We do seem to have an awful lot of reasonably good wicket keepers though.

 

[mrcheek]

If, as rumours suggest, Mark Ramprakash is brought into the squad, then I hereby declare that I will no longer be supporting England.

 

[Stacey]

Do you mind if I ask why? (as you may remember, I'm not really that 'up' on cricket...)

 

[mrcheek]

Do you mind if I ask why? (as you may remember, I'm not really that 'up' on cricket...)

Because he has had numerous chances at international level, and been a monumental failure. He's scoring tons of runs for his county, but always plays for himself, not the team (His most productive years have been the last 3 or 4 seasons, during which time Surrey have fallen into the second division, and hardly ever win a game there either). And because he is even older than I am. Lets give the call to a youngster with a future!!!

 

[Stacey]

Ah I see, that's valid enough then, I'd heard of him(!) but...it's looking rather dicey for the Oval now though isn't it

 

[Geezertronic]

The same could be said for any of the England top order, they score runs for run on County level and muck up when playing for England. Ravi Bopara and Ian Bell's form in County cricket earned them their England places and they fluffed their lines and became consistently inconsistent as usual.

 

[mrcheek]

The same could be said for any of the England top order, they score runs for run on County level and muck up when playing for England. Ravi Bopara and Ian Bell's form in County cricket earned them their England places and they fluffed their lines and became consistently inconsistent as usual.

Yes, but Bopara DID at least score 3 successive hundreds. and Ian Bell still has a test average of very nearly 40 (39.85 or something like that).

Mark Ramprakash. 52 tests. Only 2 centuries. An average of 27.32.

Of course, maybe theres an argument to find somebody who doesnt have a great average at county level, but who the selectors feel have the right temperament and technique for test level. Neither Marcus Trescothick nor Michael Vaughan had high first class averages, but both were amongst the top 3 batsmen in the world at different times at test level. On this basis, England should call for James Hildreth. Or maybe take a real chance and go for Josh Cobb.

 

[Stacey]

Is it too soon to suggest the outcome.....?!
I'm off to the pub to watch some of it. Lack of TV means being reliant on highlights on 5 Demand (duley watched) and today, live scoring on the internet or via Ferret-Gen[!] ()
Here's to hoping England won't throw away this opportunity, mega withered if we do....

 

[Ferret]

Ponting run out in this situation?! Hasn't that happened before?

Ferret
- laughing loudly!!!

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

- Splendid

 

[Stacey]

Who else is whipped up?!
WE WON!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a beast, what a performance in the final test!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

- What a way for Flintoff to finish up Test Cricket!!!

I can think of someone whose gonna be more whipped up than me.....! lol

Absolute beast, what else can be said. Proper beast, brilliant!!!!

 

[Ferret]

Oh yes, what a day. The pitch was dead but we still got 10 wickets! Broad and Harmy bowled well but Swann was outstanding. Amazing bowling performance through the day. A fantastic win, and one I'll be savouring!

 

[me123]

To retain The Ashes was absolutely fantastic! Well done England!

 

[mrcheek]

We did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really didnt expect it at the start of this match.
But it seems the selectors made the right decision to pick Jonathan Trott (players on debut usually either look nervous, or over-confident. Trott was so calm, and fitted in so well, he looked like he had played a hundred tests). And after the brilliant bowling performances of Broad and Swann in the 1st innings it would have been hard to lose.

I've been stuck at work all day with a radio in my ear. Havent seen any of the action. So bring on Sky Sports 2 hour highlights package!!!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

To retain The Ashes was absolutely fantastic! Well done England!

I was going to correct you there, because we actually reGAINed The Ashes.

But on the other hand, the real ashes never leave Lords anyway (the winning captain is presented with a replica. although they did once take the Ashes to Australia for a week or so. They had their own first class seat on the plane...), so technically its still correct to say we reTAINed them!

 

[me123]

Regain is the right word; my apologies