Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Might be rain?

OK, it's a pessimismoff! You blokes will naturally win - numbers, experience and natural talent will come to the fore - but I may have a few good shots along the way.

btw, Arthur, hoping for rain, in England or by an Englishman, is classed as optimism. Once more, and yet get ejected for one test.



*bowler breakdown....

I'll go for a home 3-1 win. Which feels like sitting on the fence as it's probably an average outcome in an Ashes down under.

The Aussie attack is too good. A couple of pace bowlers go down and it might be more interesting.

‘Are we there yet? ‘ asked the PM. ‘We’re offering all our support’ the FS replied.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:I'll go for a home 3-1 win. Which feels like sitting on the fence as it's probably an average outcome in an Ashes down under.

The Aussie attack is too good. A couple of pace bowlers go down and it might be more interesting.

Might need more than a couple. Siddle is back from injury, and is not even being considered at present.

Australia has a very soft middle order, and Smith must surely be due a few low scores.

If England can keep Warner and Smith in check then they have a chance. Get thos 2 out for a low score and you can see Australia struggling to make 200.

And there is talk of Daniel Hughes possibly getting a look in for the first test. Obviously helps that he plays for NSW....

GarlicJam wrote:I don't think a whitewash will happen is Aus this summer.

me neither. Pink ball will scupper it.

3-1 Aus. England will win pink ball and hang on for one match

Aus will win at Gabba and WACA, naturally, so it's just a matter of how many bowlers who play at MCG and SCG still have 2 legs left to bowl off

besides.... if we lose, we'll claim it is a hollow victory because the police wouldn't let Stokes play

and we might have a point

Ahead of the weekend tour opener, Finn and Mo have injuries. This is the Cricket Australia XI.

Jake Carder (WA), Jackson Coleman (Vic), Michael Cormack (SA), Daniel Fallins (NSW), Ryan Gibson (NSW), Nick Larkin (NSW), Simon Milenko (Tas), Tim Paine (Tas), Will Pucovski (Tas), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Jason Sangha (NSW), Matthew Short (Vic)

I've heard of two of these. No retired player selected just to embarrass the tourists as in days gone by.

That's the squad for the two four day games. Not the WAXI game at the weekend.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Ahead of the weekend tour opener, Finn and Mo have injuries. This is the Cricket Australia XI.

Jake Carder (WA), Jackson Coleman (Vic), Michael Cormack (SA), Daniel Fallins (NSW), Ryan Gibson (NSW), Nick Larkin (NSW), Simon Milenko (Tas), Tim Paine (Tas), Will Pucovski (Tas), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Jason Sangha (NSW), Matthew Short (Vic)

I've heard of two of these. No retired player selected just to embarrass the tourists as in days gone by.

Paine, Milenko, Sandhu, Short, I can put a face to the name, Sangha and Gibson sound familiar, but am unsure. All the rest are newbies to me.

Doesn’t look like the deal took place then.
Didn’t ecb try to get a deal to have strong opposition during the last ashes tour to Australia.
Remember some press about that if England got decent opposition they would give the same to the Aussies.
From the teams sent out doesn’t really look like England will face much challenge.

We always get these complaints though. And usually the touring side get a decent game, or don't steamroller the opposition anyway (apart from in WI). There was that issue over India not picking known spinners when England toured there- but the spinner they had took wickets.

But, as I've said, there's something lost in the games not having value of themselves, just as prep for the Tests. If you keep devaluing aspects of the game, the whole eventually gets tainted. Cheapening things has a habit of rotting more than was envisioned.

This happened in CC when the championship was made to look like a feeder competition for the England side.

True learnt from past experience do not read anything about Aussie warm up games, for the credit the pitches and facilities are good but the players not so good.
india faced some kids and players with limited first class experience and the pace men actually looked good, although sometimes australia do push it by picking so many bad players.
probably worked in Australia favour that since the bowlers were overexcited by the pace and didn't really bowl much good length so were not really prepared for the test series.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1061 ... australia/

would add Australia to the list that provide teams that the opposition streamroll.
last few times even australian fans and supporters have felt embarrassed of what CA give the opposition.