THE ASHES 2010

[guydesavoy]

Then Ponting puts Siddle in to bowl....end of..Pietersen     Now Siddle takes 2 great catches for Johnson.  England 5/289.

TT puts the kiss of death on Collingwood  

[TTChang]

(TTChang @ Dec. 26 2010,15:30) ..... I've just put a bet on England to score 'less than 437 runs', at 7/4

Oh well, some bets you lose!      444-5 at the close. Great innings by Trott.  

Today was colder than 'Chester-le-street in April' - except when Ponting warmed up Aleem Dar.  Could be his last match as Captain? - but who is waiting to take the job (no obvious candidates).    Prior's reprieve was the final straw, judging by the body language of the Aussie team.  Have they got the balls (and technique) to put up a reasonable fight from here on?

It wasn't only the Brits who were booing Ponting!   And Michael Clarke got some jeering too .... for the most innocuous overs of spin since Mike Atherton bowled in a Test Match.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Hey, TT... Were you sitting next to the chairman of the Bank of England?

[BlueBallz]

Now I dont know much at all about cricket but I see England are kicking Australias ass all over the MCG. I know these matches last for days on end (thats just mind boggling to a stoopid Yank) but do the Aussies have ANY chance of recovering and turning things around in this test??

I once asked a buddy who was winning in a Test Match. he told me something like its so hard to tell usually. Now, I think its silly to play a game for a week and have it declred a draw!! FFFS whats the point?? But you cannot even tell who is winning?? Is that actually true?? And some of you foreigners have the BALLS to criticize Yank football and baseball?

Dont want to start a slanging match just curious.....

[Guest]

BB...It's looking like England shall probably be batting thru to lunctime on day 3 (Tuesday) in which case they shall have a huge first innings lead of around 450. From there the chance of an Australian victory is impossible and the best they can hope for is a draw by batting out eight sessions of play (3 sessions in a day) A draw shall suit the home side because at least it keeps alive hopes of regaining the ashes 2-1 with victory in the Sydney finale.
It's true that many times it is difficult to see who has the upper hand in a test match especially if both sides post similar first innings scores however, using the one which is currently taking place at the MCG as an example, it is quite clear that England are in control, although they still have to take ten Australian second innings wickets in order to get the job done completely within five days and claim victory otherwise it is a draw

[BlueBallz]

Oh I forgot to mention. They made a HUGE deal of Ponting's protest after a video review did not go his way. It was quite mild I thought. Have a looksee at some baseball arguments with the umps on Youtube. What the hell would they think of Earl Weaver or a Lou Pinella tantrum???

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Yep - cricket is still a gentlemanly sport for the most part. Outbursts of emotion like that would have Raffles turning in his stolen grave!

There have been moves to modernize the game for the benefit of the viewer... but in 'TEST' cricket it's a long drawn out affair with most players just standing around watching what's going on, for the most part.

Imagine a game of baseball going on for a full working week and you'll get the idea!

It's only really worth watching when the outcome is uncertain on the very last day!

[Bumpa STIKKA]

..and here they go!

95-1
99-2
102-3
104-4

I can hear TT Chang and Mervin King ordering another bottle of Bolly!

[Guest]

The Job is Almost Done  

England stand on the cusp of retaining the Ashes after Tim Bresnan ripped through Australia's top order after tea at the MCG.

Now I need rain in Sydney for 2 or 3 days to force a draw & help me out with my 2-1 series bet

[guydesavoy]

Bresnan was brilliant today

Let me say that it is such a pleasure to watch England play these days. It has been so long...

If there was any doubt before, England has come of age during this Ashes series

[katoeylover]

Fucking Awesome

way to go England

Amazing!!!

[pacman]

Congratulations to England. They annihilated the Aussies making them look second rate in the process.

What a fantastic team the English are! Great bowlers, great batsmen & a classy wicket keeper to boot.

The Australians on the other hand have too many passengers & not a lot of talent on the horizon.

It will take years to return to the glory days with some commentators predicting it won't happen in our lifetime.

Certainly not a lot to look forward to for the next few years.

So here's to England, enjoy your time in the sun, you deserve it...      

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Congrats to the English... it's nice to have something to celebrate.

That fourth test was a bit of a spectacle and I hope the Aussies can salvage something for the remaining one.

[TTChang]

[TTChang]

Got a video of the final wicket falling. Snapshot. Amazing number of Brits there to celebrate with the England team too.

Made a great choice of this Test Match to come over from LOS watch. Amazing 3 days. Hope can keep up the intensity for Sydney, and ruin Pentire's bet.