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[cider_steve 26]

Hey steve, how's the cricket hey:) Couldn't pick how this test is gonna turn out!

 

Bah ! I knew it was too good to last. England will be lucky to get a draw outta this one, I can only see an Aussie win now, tbh. Then we'll crumble completely and lose the series.

 

Well, we'll see. Its been such back and forth stuff (mainly forth for you guys) so far that I still see it going either way, theres still 3 days of play left...so yeah

 

Got up this morning, checked the score, and have written this test off.

 

Nuff said.

 

 

Steve.

[Dragon Brother 619]

Hey steve, how's the cricket hey:) Couldn't pick how this test is gonna turn out!

 

Bah ! I knew it was too good to last. England will be lucky to get a draw outta this one, I can only see an Aussie win now, tbh. Then we'll crumble completely and lose the series.

 

Well, we'll see. Its been such back and forth stuff (mainly forth for you guys) so far that I still see it going either way, theres still 3 days of play left...so yeah

 

Got up this morning, checked the score, and have written this test off.

 

Nuff said.

 

 

Steve.

 

It was a good day for us, got the runs we needed, and then got half your wickets in a session...I'm not complaining

[cider_steve 26]

Hey steve, how's the cricket hey:) Couldn't pick how this test is gonna turn out!

 

Bah ! I knew it was too good to last. England will be lucky to get a draw outta this one, I can only see an Aussie win now, tbh. Then we'll crumble completely and lose the series.

 

Well, we'll see. Its been such back and forth stuff (mainly forth for you guys) so far that I still see it going either way, theres still 3 days of play left...so yeah

 

Got up this morning, checked the score, and have written this test off.

 

Nuff said.

 

 

Steve.

 

It was a good day for us, got the runs we needed, and then got half your wickets in a session...I'm not complaining

 

I think the word I'm looking for is.........'embarrassing'.

 

Well, at least it can't be 5-0 again..........I'll never get over that.

[Dragon Brother 619]

Hey steve, how's the cricket hey:) Couldn't pick how this test is gonna turn out!

 

Bah ! I knew it was too good to last. England will be lucky to get a draw outta this one, I can only see an Aussie win now, tbh. Then we'll crumble completely and lose the series.

 

Well, we'll see. Its been such back and forth stuff (mainly forth for you guys) so far that I still see it going either way, theres still 3 days of play left...so yeah

 

Got up this morning, checked the score, and have written this test off.

 

Nuff said.

 

 

Steve.

 

It was a good day for us, got the runs we needed, and then got half your wickets in a session...I'm not complaining

 

I think the word I'm looking for is.........'embarrassing'.

 

Well, at least it can't be 5-0 again..........I'll never get over that.

 

And I'll never forget it

[cider_steve 26]

Hey steve, how's the cricket hey:) Couldn't pick how this test is gonna turn out!

 

Bah ! I knew it was too good to last. England will be lucky to get a draw outta this one, I can only see an Aussie win now, tbh. Then we'll crumble completely and lose the series.

 

Well, we'll see. Its been such back and forth stuff (mainly forth for you guys) so far that I still see it going either way, theres still 3 days of play left...so yeah

 

Got up this morning, checked the score, and have written this test off.

 

Nuff said.

 

 

Steve.

 

It was a good day for us, got the runs we needed, and then got half your wickets in a session...I'm not complaining

 

I think the word I'm looking for is.........'embarrassing'.

 

Well, at least it can't be 5-0 again..........I'll never get over that.

 

And I'll never forget it

 

Well, I am still hurting from the 'Blackwash' we got from the Windies in the 80's. I'll never forget the West Indies fans holding up thier banners saying " We Blackwashed you" which I thought was one of the funniest banners ever, tbh. The biggest thing was that they thrashed us 5-0, and we were the home team !

[Dragon Brother 619]

Well, I am still hurting from the 'Blackwash' we got from the Windies in the 80's. I'll never forget the West Indies fans holding up thier banners saying " We Blackwashed you" which I thought was one of the funniest banners ever, tbh. The biggest thing was that they thrashed us 5-0, and we were the home team !

 

Haha...gotta love the fans that tour with the opposition. Take your barmy army for example, they're great

[cider_steve 26]

Well, I am still hurting from the 'Blackwash' we got from the Windies in the 80's. I'll never forget the West Indies fans holding up thier banners saying " We Blackwashed you" which I thought was one of the funniest banners ever, tbh. The biggest thing was that they thrashed us 5-0, and we were the home team !

 

Haha...gotta love the fans that tour with the opposition. Take your barmy army for example, they're great

 

The barmy army, hmmm, for thier money and time.........I'd go for a slice of that ! Not everyone has that luxury. They'll be crying into thier beer now though, that's for sure. The Aussies were better in EVERY aspect of the match. We were out-batted, our-bowled, and out-fielded.

 

The Aussies are back, and we are more than a little worried !

 

Gratz to you mate.

[Bondbug 32]

What on earth is this strange looking place

 

October seems to have slipped by without my noticing ...

 

Just popped in to wish all a Merry (not too 'merry' perhaps) Xmas

 

As for cricket ... speaking as an expert ... you will find me in Wisden, but I refuse to say which years ... yes, as to cricket ... I am speechless. Gotta gird up our loins and all that ...

 

Anyway happy Xmas all.

 

P.S. Hey Steve what a pleasure to find you in here. You, buddy boy, are an asset to any self-respecting forum. Have a pint of scrumpy.

Edited December 24, 2010 by Bondbug

[cider_steve 26]

What on earth is this strange looking place

 

October seems to have slipped by without my noticing ...

 

Just popped in to wish all a Merry (not too 'merry' perhaps) Xmas

 

As for cricket ... speaking as an expert ... you will find me in Wisden, but I refuse to say which years ... yes, as to cricket ... I am speechless. Gotta gird up our loins and all that ...

 

Anyway happy Xmas all.

 

P.S. Hey Steve what a pleasure to find you in here. You, buddy boy, are an asset to any self-respecting forum. Have a pint of scrumpy.

 

You are too kind Bondbug, and I'll be happy to join you in a pint.

 

As for the cricket, the Aussies with thier tails up, on thier own patch..........a bit scarey !!

[Bondbug 32]

It is just a game laddy. Go skiing till it is all over. Too much stress on the nerves that sort of thing. It is only a bit of professional commerce, nothing to do with sport.

 

Gotta believe it. Think I will go out and bury my head in the garden till 2011.

[cider_steve 26]

It is just a game laddy. Go skiing till it is all over. Too much stress on the nerves that sort of thing. It is only a bit of professional commerce, nothing to do with sport.

 

Gotta believe it. Think I will go out and bury my head in the garden till 2011.

 

Bury your head in the garden ?.............I hope the ground is softer in France than it is back home my friend, cause that would hurt !

 

I got my days confused this morning ! I was trying everywhere to get an update for the test match..........then realised I was 24 hours early.........doh !

Edited December 25, 2010 by cider_steve

[Bondbug 32]

Sorry Steve. I am stuffed to the eyeballs with Xmas Dinner and Boxing Day follow up, and cricket seems s-o-o-o-o unseasonable. Who cares, in weather like this.

 

What! When! Now? ... dashes to call up the right channel on the web ... OK for you mate ... we don't get cricket commentaries here! Get tore into those bloody arrogant colonials my lads ... here Steve, have a glass of my home made Cherry Brandy ... or perhaps a bottle of Old Ale from Harveys.

[cider_steve 26]

Sorry Steve. I am stuffed to the eyeballs with Xmas Dinner and Boxing Day follow up, and cricket seems s-o-o-o-o unseasonable. Who cares, in weather like this.

 

What! When! Now? ... dashes to call up the right channel on the web ... OK for you mate ... we don't get cricket commentaries here! Get tore into those bloody arrogant colonials my lads ... here Steve, have a glass of my home made Cherry Brandy ... or perhaps a bottle of Old Ale from Harveys.

 

I will certainly raise a glass.

 

To bowl them all out for just 98 ?!?! I thought that I was dreaming...........

[Bondbug 32]

Eh! I just looked in before going to bed and thought you were joking! Then I thought "nooooo he wouldn't joke about that", so I have just looked it up. Not only skittled them but set up an unbelievable reply.

 

Happy Xmas, Steve my boy! Have a brown ale this time.

 

Problem here is that the only way I can listen to commentary is to sit outside in the car. No reception in the house ... no commentary on the web ... and sitting out in the car all day in this weather is not on. Wife might object too. I suppose I could turn it up loud and park the car outside the window ... in a French village? Perhaps not.

 

Thanks Steve. Should sleep well tonight.

[cider_steve 26]

Eh! I just looked in before going to bed and thought you were joking! Then I thought "nooooo he wouldn't joke about that", so I have just looked it up. Not only skittled them but set up an unbelievable reply.

 

Happy Xmas, Steve my boy! Have a brown ale this time.

 

Problem here is that the only way I can listen to commentary is to sit outside in the car. No reception in the house ... no commentary on the web ... and sitting out in the car all day in this weather is not on. Wife might object too. I suppose I could turn it up loud and park the car outside the window ... in a French village? Perhaps not.

 

Thanks Steve. Should sleep well tonight.

 

We finished day two on 444 for 5, so well over 300 lead. Looking good.

 

The Aussies are imploding ! Mr Ponting refusing to except an umpires decision is very poor. The referal showed that the batsman had not edged the ball, and hotspot backed it up. Why Ponting was argueing..........smacks of desperation. Could spell the end of a very good career. I just hope he doesn't blot his book with sillyness.

[Dragon Brother 619]

Eh! I just looked in before going to bed and thought you were joking! Then I thought "nooooo he wouldn't joke about that", so I have just looked it up. Not only skittled them but set up an unbelievable reply.

 

Happy Xmas, Steve my boy! Have a brown ale this time.

 

Problem here is that the only way I can listen to commentary is to sit outside in the car. No reception in the house ... no commentary on the web ... and sitting out in the car all day in this weather is not on. Wife might object too. I suppose I could turn it up loud and park the car outside the window ... in a French village? Perhaps not.

 

Thanks Steve. Should sleep well tonight.

 

What sort of commentary is it you are after? If textual ball by ball is fine then cricinfo is great for that (this test is here). Audio commentary...I know you can stream australian radio which covers it, Im not sure if it will work overseas...it may do however (link). Hope it helps you enjoy listening to our boys getting crushed...

 

Eh! I just looked in before going to bed and thought you were joking! Then I thought "nooooo he wouldn't joke about that", so I have just looked it up. Not only skittled them but set up an unbelievable reply.

 

Happy Xmas, Steve my boy! Have a brown ale this time.

 

Problem here is that the only way I can listen to commentary is to sit outside in the car. No reception in the house ... no commentary on the web ... and sitting out in the car all day in this weather is not on. Wife might object too. I suppose I could turn it up loud and park the car outside the window ... in a French village? Perhaps not.

 

Thanks Steve. Should sleep well tonight.

 

We finished day two on 444 for 5, so well over 300 lead. Looking good.

 

The Aussies are imploding ! Mr Ponting refusing to except an umpires decision is very poor. The referal showed that the batsman had not edged the ball, and hotspot backed it up. Why Ponting was argueing..........smacks of desperation. Could spell the end of a very good career. I just hope he doesn't blot his book with sillyness.

 

Yeah...I went to the cricket today, expecting a full day of english batting and got a mixed bag. After siddle came on and got a couple of wickets it looked like we were going ok, but then you guys always managed to regroup. I thought we had a chance to finish it off when johnson had prior caught behind...only for the umpire to refer it and have the delivery adjudged a no-ball. From there on, trott and prior played pretty much without any chance of going out.

 

As to ponting...well...desparation is possibly/probably it, but I guess we cant really know. It was in poor taste however to have the captain arguing with the umpires for such a period of time.

Edited December 27, 2010 by Dragon Brother

[Bondbug 32]

Yes. I like to listen, while I do other things. Thanks for the link. I will try it when there is live commentary. The interviews come over well. Trouble with BBC is that they always cut off and replace with recorded stuff because they say that their licence does not cover us here in France for the PC ... but I can listen outside in the car. Odd! I need to wire up a loudspeaker from the car to the house! LOL

 

Lucky you to be able to watch live! I hate to say so but I think the last Test Match I saw live was at Leeds when Len Hutton broke a long low-scoring spell by getting 101.

 

OK Steve. Take half a dozen Ibuprofen and try to keep breathing normally. Remember - we wiped 'em in Second Test and "crowed" ... then got clobbered in the Third and they "crowed". So keep it cool cool cool.

[Dragon Brother 619]

Yes. I like to listen, while I do other things. Thanks for the link. I will try it when there is live commentary. The interviews come over well. Trouble with BBC is that they always cut off and replace with recorded stuff because they say that their licence does not cover us here in France for the PC ... but I can listen outside in the car. Odd! I need to wire up a loudspeaker from the car to the house! LOL

 

Lucky you to be able to watch live! I hate to say so but I think the last Test Match I saw live was at Leeds when Len Hutton broke a long low-scoring spell by getting 101.

 

OK Steve. Take half a dozen Ibuprofen and try to keep breathing normally. Remember - we wiped 'em in Second Test and "crowed" ... then got clobbered in the Third and they "crowed". So keep it cool cool cool.

 

Yeah, I thought that the site may have done something similar, but fingers crossed!

 

Live is great, the atmosphere is amazing When siddle was getting the wickets...and catching the other ones...the crowd is awesome.

 

I dont suppose you were around for Len Huttons Bradman beating score? Or even got to see bradman bat?

Edited December 27, 2010 by Dragon Brother

[Bondbug 32]

I am not sure about Bradman. I think it was only on radio commentaries. I certainly saw Wally Hammond. Some of the Compton/ Edrich days. Bill Bowes, Freddie Trueman, Statham, Laker, Lock. I once saw Learie Constantine get out 5th ball having scored 16. It was during a brief period of about 3 years when I was in the London area. In those days we queued all night outside Lords (same for tennis at Wimbledon) and paid a simple inexpensive ticket for the ground. I saw the Aussie and West Indian greats of the late 40s early 50s. But lacking other people to discuss these with the memories have faded.

 

I remember Willie Watson and Trevor Bailey batting all day to save a Test Match at Lords. Rivetting stuff for an Englishman. Dead silence and intense concentration in the crowd. Perhaps the Aussies should look at that performance as a guide for the next two days! In such an unpredictable game nothing is impossible given the right attitude. Perhaps tho it is not commercially viable to dig in and bat all day with no regard to the score, plain survival but rivetting.

 

Cricket was still partially amateur in those days. To some extent, as with many other games that used to be sport, I lost interest when they all became fully professional. I still watch some rugby and the Tour de France, but that is all. Tennis, Olympics, Soccer, no thanks. Glad I never had to play as anything other than an amateur and I still believe that the criteria in professional games no longer qualifies them to be called "sport". (You may recognise that I am "stirring" in the aim of raising loud outcries from other forum members.)

 

Perhaps, Dragon, you could console yourself with the thought that it would be commercially beneficial if Australia lose - just for once. People like myself, who gave England up some time ago as too painful an experience, might actually start watching again. Not stupid these Aussies.

[Bondbug 32]

Double-posting, my apologies. Steve and Dragon should not have put my mind in cricket-reminiscences mode.

 

Remembering great cricketers of the past started me thinking, of all things, of cricket in Scotland. Eh! What? You may well ask. But I lived in Scotland and played rugby and cricket first in The Dundee area, then in the Glasgow area. To my surprise I found in "Angus" and Perth an incredible enthousiasm for cricket. I recall the nets at Forthill (Dundee) being fully active the week before the last match of the season, something that I had never come across anywhere else.

 

And there were some of the great players, mainly West Indian, taking their pre-retirement years as professionals to clubs in the region. Rohan Kanhai was at Aberdeen (pro for Aberdeenshire), a prodigious run maker. Pope, the old Derbyshire and England bowler, was pro for Perth, though he left just after I arrived up there and I never, to my regret, played against him. He would have been a joy to watch (safely from the pavilion) ... I was a bowler and a tail-end "howker" ... he would have made short work of me. West Indian Hazel, affectionately called "Chopper" because of his stocky build and aggressive batting, was pro at Forfar. A short-spell fast bowler, and renowned hitter. Fortunately his bowling had slowed down a bit, but he regularly hit the ball all over the ground. I was always a bit proud that he treated my bowling with respect and never hit me out of the ground, or into the lake beside the ground at Forfar. I believe that later he became President of West Indies Cricket. Stirling also had a high-level pro but I can't remember his name, and they were in a different league.

 

A problem in Scotland was the weather. It once snowed during a match at Aberdeen ... we played on! We rarely had hard or fast pitches, except at County grounds. As a bowler I found it necessary to vary my style and tactics nearly every match. Not scintillating cricket but interesting. The only time I ever bowled in perfect conditions was my last game at, I believe, Prestwick, where nearly every ball cut away late off the pitch. I quite ruined the game, by taking all 10 wickets and the first 2 in the following "beer" match before the captain had the sense to take me off. I first came across 6 a-side cricket in the Perth area. Suited my style - great stuff.

 

Can't guarantee that there is still the same enthousiasm now for cricket in Scotland.

 

Sorry about that - I don't often look backwards.

 

Tail between legs he slinks back to his basket in front of the Inglenook fire where he belongs.

[Dragon Brother 619]

Perhaps, Dragon, you could console yourself with the thought that it would be commercially beneficial if Australia lose - just for once. People like myself, who gave England up some time ago as too painful an experience, might actually start watching again. Not stupid these Aussies.

That is exactly it. After losing such a number of great players over the last few years (Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and others I can't remember right now) it was certain that the remnants of such a team would at some point be unable to continue with the same results. And finally it has reached breaking point. While the team mostly measured up to england on paper we clearly saw how little that means in the real world. Now is the time for us to cut our losses and focus on rebuilding much as England has done. From a team that was pretty pathetic for years, England has built a great unit out of the ashes (pun intended) of its past. With a few of the players approaching retirement age (Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting) we now have a chance to recreate ourselves with fresh young talent.

 

Of course, only bugger is that the selectors don't seem willing just yet to make any long term decisions. And when it comes to a spinner...well we've had only about a dozen of them trialled in the last 12 months...

 

A problem in Scotland was the weather. It once snowed during a match at Aberdeen ... we played on! We rarely had hard or fast pitches, except at County grounds. As a bowler I found it necessary to vary my style and tactics nearly every match. Not scintillating cricket but interesting. The only time I ever bowled in perfect conditions was my last game at, I believe, Prestwick, where nearly every ball cut away late off the pitch. I quite ruined the game, by taking all 10 wickets and the first 2 in the following "beer" match before the captain had the sense to take me off. I first came across 6 a-side cricket in the Perth area. Suited my style - great stuff.

 

Haha! Nice bowling!

[cider_steve 26]

I know Ricky Ponting has struggled this series, but the stick he is taking is way too much. He has a fantastic record as captain, and has been one the the finest batsman in the history of the game.

 

People have very short memories.

 

I hope he bounces back with some big scores. I bet he'd love to shove that down the media's throats.

[Scleameth 19]

Drinks on me for finally reaching 1000 posts!!

:pitcher: :drunkards:

 

*Where's the fairy:)*

[cider_steve 26]

Drinks on me for finally reaching 1000 posts!

:pitcher: :drunkards:

 

*Where's the fairy:)*

 

Gratz to you.

 

As for the fairy, I have no idea where Llama is................ maybe still on top of a Christmas tree somewhere ?!

[Dragon Brother 619]

I know Ricky Ponting has struggled this series, but the stick he is taking is way too much. He has a fantastic record as captain, and has been one the the finest batsman in the history of the game.

 

People have very short memories.

 

I hope he bounces back with some big scores. I bet he'd love to shove that down the media's throats.

 

He sure would. However, depending on how his world cup pans out he may never play test cricket again. Our next test is in august next year and since he isnt playing the 5th ashes test because of his broken finger...who knows how things will turn out. He definitely deserves the chance to go out on his terms though.