2005 Lords Ashes Cricket Test Ticket

[imy147]

Not long now before the 2nd test gets under away.. 1934 since we beat the aussies at Lord's and records like that are there to be smashed! It's got to happen sometime soon.

I think Harmison or Onions will definately come in as playing two spinners on the seam friendly Lord's pitch will be a waste. I would prefer Harmison with his pace,bounce,experience and aggression-eventhough Onions bowled well at Lord's a couple of months back.

We got out of Jail in Cardiff and can only improve. COME ON ENGLAND!

[samad]

I just saw this article - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...nd/8150633.stm lol

[imy147]

Brilliant knock from Strauss, he really needed that one! A pretty good day but slightly dampened by the way we lost quick wickets towards the end. Hopefully the lads can push on and get to 500 tomorrow.

[RocketRoy1983]

Yes the middle order collapsed somewhat but Strauss is gunning for a double century. Lets get to tea tomorrow still batting and ill be happy.

[samad]

Yes the middle order collapsed somewhat but Strauss is gunning for a double century. Lets get to tea tomorrow still batting and ill be happy.

Yeah , I wasnt expecting that , I was beginning to think England might to do what Paskistan did a few days ago against Sri Lanka , from a commanding position of 222-1 , all out for some 330 .
Strauss played remarkably well but I couldn't help admiring the ball on which Matt Prior got out , that was a beauty
Hopefully we'll get past the 500 mark

[imy147]

What a day!! Stunning bowling performance from the lads and we can smell victory. What a turnaround, getting hammered to all corners of the ground last week and now the prospect of making the aussies follow on!

[samad]

I think we can get them to follow-on , how great would that be

[DandyA]

well, the situation is Australia need about another 200 or just over to win with 5 wickets remaing on day 5 ... England (obviously) need to take 5 wickets to win ...

the weather forecast looks not too bad so there definitely should be a result one way or the other ...

I'd slightly favour England's position but there again, I really feel the Aussies could do it ...

I hope we'll win but if we don't (and even if we do), I'm certainly not impressed with Strauss's captaincy ... why on earth did he not enforce the follow on? or, since he did not, why didn't he send Freddie out on a "splash-and-dash" this morning ...

as he did, setting them 520ish over 6 sessions is entirely possible ... sending Freddie out to simply try to hit 4's or 6's (ie not wearing himself out running singles) could have made it 600ish over 5 and a half sessions ... clearly impossible ...

I think the great poet William Blake once said, if you've got the Australians on the floor with your boots on their nuts, just press down harder until you hear a nice squashing sound - don't ease off for an instant or you could regret it ...

[RocketRoy1983]

Tell you what a lead of 521 on day 4 if we throw this away ill be soooo mad its unreal!!

I said we shouldve batted til half an hour before lunch

A) To get a few more runs in case THIS happened!!
B) Take the new ball just before lunch and pressure the opening pair.

All this may be irrelevant this time tomorrow but if we throw this away!!

[DandyA]

Tell you what a lead of 521 on day 4 if we throw this away ill be soooo mad its unreal!!

I said we shouldve batted til half an hour before lunch

A) To get a few more runs in case THIS happened!!
B) Take the new ball just before lunch and pressure the opening pair.

All this may be irrelevant this time tomorrow but if we throw this away!!

yeah I agree RR ... I actually edited my earlier post to add the last 2 para's reflecting this ...

no need to panic though, we should win, I just really don't understand Strauss's logic ... why give them a chance?

[Dan27]

well, the situation is Australia need about another 200 or just over to win with 5 wickets remaing on day 5 ... England (obviously) need to take 5 wickets to win ...

the weather forecast looks not too bad so there definitely should be a result one way or the other ...

I'd slightly favour England's position but there again, I really feel the Aussies could do it ...

I hope we'll win but if we don't (and even if we do), I'm certainly not impressed with Strauss's captaincy ... why on earth did he not enforce the follow on? or, since he did not, why didn't he send Freddie out on a "splash-and-dash" this morning ...

as he did, setting them 520ish over 6 sessions is entirely possible ... sending Freddie out to simply try to hit 4's or 6's (ie not wearing himself out running singles) could have made it 600ish over 5 and a half sessions ... clearly impossible ...

But if they'd enforced the follow on, there's no way of knowing what Australia would have reached, then England would be under pressure to try to reach that total.

Also, giving Australia 600 would probably have resulted in them just playing for a draw and making it even harder for us to get wickets, at least now we know they have something to play for too.

It is sligthly closer than i'd have wanted though, and i do agree with you in that Strauss isn't the best person to have as captain.

[wildJONESEYE]

Tell you what a lead of 521 on day 4 if we throw this away ill be soooo mad its unreal!!

I said we shouldve batted til half an hour before lunch

A) To get a few more runs in case THIS happened!!
B) Take the new ball just before lunch and pressure the opening pair.

All this may be irrelevant this time tomorrow but if we throw this away!!

what i would have done was go in for 2 or 3 overs this morning before declaring letting the Aussies slightly less overs to play plus unsettle them....

but at 123 for 5 england was in the box seat with lets face it 3 suspect dismissals so even the luck was going theire way so if england dont finish the job tomorrow Australia will and major questions will be asked about this team there will be no draw out of this match .

[DandyA]

But if they'd enforced the follow on, there's no way of knowing what Australia would have reached, then England would be under pressure to try to reach that total.

Also, giving Australia 600 would probably have resulted in them just playing for a draw and making it even harder for us to get wickets, at least now we know they have something to play for too.

It is sligthly closer than i'd have wanted though, and i do agree with you in that Strauss isn't the best person to have as captain.

para 1 the follow on ... my memory is hopeless but wasn't that the day we lost our final 4 wickets before lunch and we got them all out after tea ... 14 wickets already that day, the wicket was smoking, wickets were falling ... put them back in and hope to get a wicket or two before the close of play ...

I dunno, I'd love to hear if Strauss has explained his decision not to enforce the follow on but the wicket at Lord's is not expected to deteriate that badly so why on earth not? the ony thing I can think off is he was worried about having to make his bowlers (especially Freddie) work too hard ...

para 2 ... the problem with 520 over 6 sessions is they neither have to play for a draw nor do they have to whack it if they want to win ... they can just play their normal game on a good wicket (and remember they scored 645 at Cardiff)

and as WJE commented, listening to TMS, 3 of today's Aussie dismissals were very suspect so, in another world, they could be 300 for 2 ...

but yes, I favour England ... if we can get 2 wickets with a nearly new ball preferably in the first hour but certainly before lunch then that should be enough ...

if not, the 75 year old curse could continue and it might be time to make another Ashes trophy

[Dan27]

Well that was a superb morning session from our bowlers, that's a huge victory.

[DandyA]

Well that was a superb morning session from our bowlers, that's a huge victory.

yes indeedy Dan ... oh me of little faith ... well done to the whole England team for an excellent performance ...

especially FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE ...

can we dare to think it's 2005 all over again ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mevNWOCstZ4

here's hoping!