This Ashes series is something no sport can match!

[Guest MugumboMcgee]

I'm sorry there is another thread on the cricket series between Australia and England, but I have to say after 5 days of cricket in the third test it went down to the last ball of the day! Just like the last match that went down to 2 runs, this match went down to 1 ball!

 

You can't replicate the drama, tension, excitement of these two back to back games.

If you don't follow cricket, your missing something that no NHL, NFL, baseball, Rugby, Soccer game can replicate! Ponting batted out for 7 hours and England only needed one wicket for victory!

 

 

Wow, just wow....................

[Guest kylegavin]

lol, I am also on a high from the spectacle that I have just witnessed!

[monkey 0]

That was heart wrenching to watch England almost win. Trent Bridge has been good to the Australians in the past so I am now a little worried.

 

If only Pieterson could catch.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

 

Cricket? Nobody understands cricket. You gotta know what a crumpet is to understand cricket.

[Guest MugumboMcgee]

 

Cricket? Nobody understands cricket. You gotta know what a crumpet is to understand cricket.

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Not really, you just gotta sit and watch it for a while. Not hard to do when you see action two captivated nations have been watching in the last two tests matches.

 

Captains batting hours in the field, bowlers 1 ball and 1 wicket away from winning a 5 day match, batsmen 2 runs away from winning a 4 day match to kill the series at 2-0.

 

It's all happening in cricket. I was reading comments from people around the world sending in on www.bbc.co.uk and there were even Canadians saying they have been watching NHL for years but never seen the drama, tension and the sheer excitement created by great test cricket between two mega rivals: Australia and England.

 

 

Poms vs Aussies.

[Paul Stanley 0]

 

Cricket? Nobody understands cricket. You gotta know what a crumpet is to understand cricket.

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Aahhahaha

[Guest MugumboMcgee]

Crumpet: A British yeasted product made from a batter poured into a ring mold on a stove top and cooked until is brown on the bottom and riddled with small holes on the top.

 

Crumpet pic

 

I understand Americans not wanting to watch cricket, since they like to play sports no one else plays

 

Anyway, since cricketers are known for eating sandwiches and having tea at intervals, not crumpets. I thought it would be cool to exploit your ignornace.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

It's been brilliant. It's had everything thus far, I shudder to think what a classic this series will be.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Cricket. YAY!

 

I usually just have it on in the background or watch highlights programs because, let's face it, it's not always the most exciting sport around. But it's certainly been a lot better in this match. I can watch 20-20 games okay and the one day games, because they're designed to be quick. When Tests are designed to be 5 days, it tends to have slow patches. But...yeah, it's been great entertainment so far.

 

It'd be better if we were winning, but still.

[Guest Damn You Helmsley]

I have a ticket for the first day at Trent Bridge. Very exciting, provided it doesn't rain of course.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

It's a quote from one of the best movies ever.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I'll say this, obv. we should have won the third, but after the first would you have banked on seeing the Aussies jumping up and down after forcing a draw? We're still in there.

[Adam 0]

You blokes are DEFINATELY still in there. You could still quite convincingly win the series. We just need Matty Hayden or Adam Gilchrist to have an innings like Punter did on Monday. Get back into a little bit of form. Then we'll be ok. Oh, and I'm sorry Dizzy, but you are going through a form slump, and at the moment, can't really bowl for shit. Time for a rest.

[Guest Damn You Helmsley]

[Adam 0]

What a gentleman.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

The teams take a break for sandwiches and tea? That's awesome as hell.

[monkey 0]

Wow, if Englands bowlers can keep up the pressure tomorrow should be interesting.

 

I know I shouldnt but I am really starting to believe that the Ashes might finally have a chance of coming home.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

Well England performed today the way the Aussies traditionally perform against us. I think they'll still make 300 but England will have only themselves to blame if they don't win the game from here.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

We'll shit em.

[Anorak 0]

We did it! Just.

 

Brilliant game again. Great tension all the way to the death with the Aussies really excelling themselves today to make England sweat like mad before squeezing home. Even with 10 runs to go I was still sweating.

[Guest clockworkraven]

Never thought I'd say this, but it's good to lose. I actually care about the next match now.

[monkey 0]

So far this series has been a response for me to those who say test cricket is dying and one day is the way forward.

 

Following the closest test matches in years one after the other is killing me with the tension. I am praying for five days of rain at the oval now.

[Prime Time Andrew Doyle 0]

Katich & Hayden need to go. We need to bring in Hodge and McGill

[zyn081 0]

What a great day it was yesterday to be an Englishman?

 

What can I say about yesterday, it was simply phenomenal. What a roller coaster ride that was. No sport could match that. It was up and down, up and down, up and down. My ticker was pumping. Cricket is a fantastic game, with the balance of Test switching sides in the matter of minutes despite the 5-day match length. Full credit to Australia, they have a bit of the mongrel in them. Warney is still doing it for them, the undisputed master of leg spin. Lee was really aggressive. That ball to Freddie was just wow, but to bowl a full toss to Hoggard was a bit off. McGrath was really missed. The commentaters said that Lee had to keep the tight end, when its normally spinners who are required to do that.

 

I think Australia were expecting a walk over after the 1st test, especially after Ponting backing up McGrath's comment of a 5-0 series victory. But they havent been good for the duration of a test, especially the 1st 2 innings. Its not good having a blinding last session, but it was nearly completely different. Id say that the last 3 tests have 75-25 Englands way so a 2-0-1 result is justified. England just need to have the killer blow that has been missing. Edgbaston was bloody close. Old Trafford should have been ours and yesterday was a great chance to claim a 10-wicket victory. The pitch was taking a lot of spin though, and smaller scores are harder to get.

 

Im a bit disappointed with Pontings comments about substitutes though. Nothing was said when Clarkey was off the field for ages with his back problems. Its just a case of sour grapes. It happens a lot in the sub-continent, when bowlers bowl 6 overs and have to go off to take on liquids and then later go off to the toilet. And it should be the ACB at ICC executive level complaining about this and not Ponting himself. They only have 7 minutes off the pitch, which is just 1 over. If not, they cant bowl for a while and I think that would be a bigger blow to Vaughan. I believe he would have prefered to have a fit Jonesy rather Pratt on the pitch.

 

On the umpiring, I think the only bad decision was that of Katich, but he still shouldnt have done what he did. Maybe they havent got the calls right twice and called a short over once, but your being finicky if you complain with that. Without technology, Strauss wouldnt have been given out yesterday.

 

I'm sorry there is another thread on the cricket series between Australia and England.

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Where is it though?

 

Katich & Hayden need to go. We need to bring in Hodge and McGill

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I dont think so. Hodge hasnt ever played a test match and Warney is god like at the moment. I was surprised how unimaginative Ponting can be. He only went on the attack with field placings in the 1st innings when players were nearing their 50/100. I wouldnt mind see Gilchrist number 2, playing the pinch-hitter role so well and then Langer coming in at 6 and he has batted so low down before. To rely on Warne and Lee with the bat to boost totals is a bit poor. I think Katich has played a good anchor role in the last 2 innings for the Aussies, better than Martyn for sure. I am surprised that they dont have an all-rounder averaging 30 with the bat and the ball instead of Katich if anything. They have been lacking the spare 5th change bowler. Why Bichel is not in the team is beyond me.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I'm worried about Simon Jones, he's come on in leaps and bounds and now he's uncertain for the Oval.

[Guest MugumboMcgee]

Yeah, if Simon Jones doesn't make it by the Oval test and Australia get McGrath back, the Ashes may not be a done deal!

[Guest Damn You Helmsley]

Bump.

 

Collingwood and Pigeon both start.

[Prime Time Andrew Doyle 0]

Warney has started off like a house on fire. If we win, it will be because he dragged our carcass over the line on his two immense shoulders.

[Guest clockworkraven]

I wouldn't have a problem with that, really. Wouldn't remember it anyway.

 

I'm still trying to figure out how The Age worked out that the second test has already become "one of the most famous matches of all time".

 

(Later edit: the commentators are saying we have to clone Warnie to win and I agree with them.)

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

We'll have em. Warne's been tremendous, but Lee and Glenn are getting smacked around a bit. I shudder to think what Warne'll do on the worn pitch though.