Archive for the ‘Ashes’ Category
Harmison hammered!!
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Forgotten debut against a team which had just started to see its best opener in years. First test as opener for that man and first test for Harmi as a England player. Harmi got hammered and that player scored 110 odd runs.
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7/12 against West Indies.
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Cheek breaker delivery that set the tone for epic 2005 Ashes win. The batsman on receiving end was Ricky Ponting.
He was one good bowler who was let down by his own inconsistencies and his own homesickness.
England have now lost all 5 of the bowling attack that won them Ashes 2005. Hoggard , Giles, Jones, Freddie and now Harmison. Add Vaughan and Tresco to that.
Last time England toured SA, they won tests 2-1 and a new star was born in the ODI series loss. KP.
The coming 3 months are key for 4 teams. The number 1 team plays number 5 in the rankings. And no 2 (they should not be) play the no 3 (they should be 2) in no 3 country where no 2 country have not won even a single Test.
And then no 1 would then play no 3 in no 3. Before that no 3 would tour no 9 for 2 Tests.
Figure out the numbers…………….
Is Ponting era bygone ?
He doesnt play ODIs. Clark(e) wins 3 out of 3. So is Ponting misfit in the captaincy plans for Australia ?
He has already quit T20s. That means he wont return for IPL. Would he ?
Australia are no more a force in ODIs now. This is a separate story that they are 3-0 up against England, who are anyways crap in ODIs.
So whats the future for Ponting, the batsman and the captain ? He has easy meat in Tests down under this summer — West Indies and Pakistan. Australia would brush this two teams up. Pakistan havent won a test against Australia in 15 years and WI havent won a test in Australia in 13 years.
So this 2 series wont be a true measure of his captaincy. Besides Australia would need to take a call on the likes of Mike Hussey and Ponting himself in the Tests. Ponting besides a 100 wasnt very successful in Tests.
The Ashes is over and till 2010-11 they have no bigger assignment coming up their way. So would Ponting be continued or sacked ?
Future of ODIs
Post Ashes scenario
Well done Aussies.
A series well decided in the decider.
Batting collapses cost Australia dear. So Pakistan now have company. They aint alone on Collapsistan. Aussies have joined them.
England were old inhabitants of that planet. They did that many times in 90s. They holded on to their nerve this Ashes. Especially in Cardiff which would rankle Aussies for long.
Indians joined Collapsistan in 90s too when they toured SA. SA were part of the Collapsistan too when they played any big ICC event. They still make their occasional trips there. India too made a recent trip there in England T20 WC.
So aussies would now undergo sea change. Change of captain may be. Ponting cant decide to be captain or not. He has lost 2 consecutive Ashes in England. England and India have been a bumpy ride for Punter. In this 2 countries he has never won a series as captain.
Let alone a series in India, he has not even won a Test as a captain in India.
So what India started late last year, England finished it off. South Africa did it too. Result they are on top.
SL are 2. Yeah yeah I know. I know.
India are 3. England remain 5 and Aussies drop to 4. Pakistan are just touch above NZ and WI. 80s.
The order should be :
SA
Ind
Aus
Eng
SL
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But then this is ICC. It has special romance for SL. I too.
Heads would roll. Hussey would go. Ponting as captain would go. There would be end of illusion that Watson is a Test player. Search for a decent spinner would be on in Australia. Though they dont have a big series coming up this year, but they would be eyeing a 5-0 whitewash again next Ashes.
Pakistan and West Indies would be swept apart later this year. That would mark the rebuilding process of the Australian team. Its imminent that Ponting should go. He hasnt done any worthwhile when his star players retired. He is no Border. He has now become a whinner. He couldnt even play a 156 in Oval like he did in Old Trafford 2005.
Bret Lee would be back. Johnson would go out for a while. Hughes would be back and Hussey would end up his career.
England would now aim to beat SA in SA, which they could. Last tour they did it. 2004. Pietersen rose in that tour. SA were poor in Tests those times and today they are 1 not by effort but by luck partly.
England won their first home series against serious opposition in 4 years. Ironically their last significant win was against the same team. Since then they won against BD, WI, NZ and Pak, but these teams aint serious Test teams. They lost to India, SA and drew with SL. Yeah they couldnt get past SL in their home conditions.
Test cricket got a boost with this result. The battle for top spot has opened up. I dont bother about ICC rankings. For me India and SA remain the top 2 test teams. And the battle early next year in India would be a decider who is the best. Before that India would edge past SL in India. Not to forget that the Lankan spinners never have had good times in India. And those flat track bullies too.
Freddie wont play Test cricket longer. I doubt if ever he would play any cricket any more. He is injured again. Thats not a news anymore.
Winners :
Strauss
Swann
Trott
Broad
Losers
Flintoff
Bell
Collingwood
Winners (A)
North
Hilfenhaus
Siddle
Watson
Losers
Ponting
Hussey
Clark(M)
Haddin
Mitch
One more test in the Lanka land and the ODIs take over the limelight starting with a tri-series in Lanka land and 7 ODI series in England followed by CT.
Why should the tri-series even be played. India are going to win it anyway.
Pro India whinning. Yup. If people whine for Mumbai, England and Australia, I proudly whine it for India. India India India. And I am not shameful for it. Hate me or shun me. Pro India whinning shall go on.
Inch closer to # 2.
Yippieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
England have their nose ahead
Right now they have nose a bit ahead, but then Ponting and co cannot be discounted. The 2nd day madness would be very tough to set in again.
Trott is the new star. Wonder who would go out in SA when KP returns ? Collingwood or Bell ?
Australia have made a good start in the pursuit of 546. The positive intent is there. So anything can happen.
All eyes would be on day 4. Make or break day for Aussies ashes bid. if they lose, SA become 1, SL become 2. No…..
Go Aussies!!!!!!!
Good start for Aussies, Drug Peddler returns and NZ struggle
On the other hand NZ are struggling but they would be able to save it. Rains. Rains would help them. 1/30 in pursuit of 413. Only Thushara and Murali threat. Mendis is negated and dusted. He is zeroed now. No more splendid, no more mystery. 26 in 3 and then 17 in next 7. Flattened.
In another development Spinnach is left out of teh Pakistan team and drug peddler comes in. Wow. Pakistan doesnt find anybody beyond drug-addicts, rebels, selfish players. Keep going guys. Tight slap to ICC and WADA. And they cry foul on BCCI that they compromise against the spirits of the game.
Here is PCB openly playing a player who has been caught with drugs not once but 2 good times. What precedent he would set on the youngsters like Fawad Alam and Amer is all for a guess.
Oval Test, Day 1
None from England managed to stick to the wicket and play a long innings to bat Australia out of the game. Bell was at 3, Trott was at 5. Finally after lot of mulling and thought process hardly any change was made in the England team. Much ado about anything. Thats like khoda pahad nikla chuha.
Siddle has been an unsung hero for australia and his 4 wkts got Australia back into the contest at 2/176.
The Ashes has been low on quality, more on the hype. Both sides have failed to create the spark of 2005, or even 2006 – 07.
In the end I shall stick to my scoreline of 2-1 for Australia. 340 would be the par score for Australia to bundle out England and then bat the way they have done in the past to get an edge over England for rest of the series.
2001 and 2007 Australia – India series were far better than this contest…..
Ponting humbled by defeat ?
Ump errors
Cricket is a great leveller and it doesnt consider if its India or England. Some Aussie blogs have mentioned that had Ponting taken the Strauss catch of may be Hussey then his effigies would have been burnt in India. Well may be yes, but then they should have known the anger and the pain when you are resigned to loss for not the game you play, but owing to over appealing and claiming catches when they are not…
English reaction to this catches and umpire reactions have nothing but idiotic. Something they would have learnt while watching Sydney 2008.
And not everybody is like Anil Kumble and his Indian lads who wont sulk. Not everybody takes this incidents in good taste. It would be interesting to see Ponting’s reaction on result today if they lose or even if they win……Lets see how the hunters feel when they are preyed down by their own medicine…..
