The Ashes (6 Viewers)

[johnny_87]

Ponting should remain captain. Where the selectors should really look is the coach. John Buchanan and his computer analysis doesn't help out-of-form players to improve on its own. The Aussies need a batting specialist and a bowling specialist to help iron out technical faults. The no-balls? Too many. And where has all the catching practice gone? We were once the best fielding (ground and catching) nation in the world. How many catches did we drop in that series? Too many.

 

[copious]

The squad is too old, 35 yr olds losing their edge in the field doesnt surprise me.

 

[...]

as i said

they should've been blooding new young players just before steve waugh's retirement, but they insist on the core of old players;

the selectors need to have a good look at their team, and think of a way to putting new players with the current squad

 

[johnny_87]

You can blame the ultra-conservative selectors for not blooding younger players when we played against lesser teams.

 

[Benny_]

Rugby, tennis and ping pong?

 

[jaxhendo]

why age is irrelevant

if we had won the ashes it would have been because of shane warne. when we lost it, it was because warne wasn't captain.... but to bring age in, and depict some team mates as retirement candidates is ridiculous. are we forgetting haydens record breaking 380+ innings less that 3 years ago...or maybe the 17 wins in a row... the ashes were hard fought, the team was beaten, but we are the team facing the world XI, we are still number one...
and that goes for rugby, tennis, nrl, ping pong, dalshoig, billards...and so on

 

[bJ_Bhoy 87]

You can blame the ultra-conservative selectors for not blooding younger players when we played against lesser teams.

Wait- are people critising these "ultra-conservative" selectors now? I didnt sound like it when Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Michael Slater, Ian Healy, Mark Taylor, Darren Lehmann, etc were fired or threatened with being fired?

How can you just drop in form players, only for the sake of "blooding" the youth? I mean, would you really suggest dropping Langer against Zimbabwe just to blood an up and comer, despite Langer being in great form? How would this reflect the morale of the team, players in form, deserved of their place in the squad having to watch a test match from the stands.

Fair enough if this was in a club structure. But this is international sport. You play your best. Your best represent your country. I reckon the selectors have demonstrated a great balance of loyalty and the need to move forward

 

[Jimmy_B]

if we had won the ashes it would have been because of shane warne. when we lost it, it was because warne wasn't captain.... but to bring age in, and depict some team mates as retirement candidates is ridiculous. are we forgetting haydens record breaking 380+ innings less that 3 years ago...or maybe the 17 wins in a row... the ashes were hard fought, the team was beaten, but we are the team facing the world XI, we are still number one...
and that goes for rugby, tennis, nrl, ping pong, dalshoig, billards...and so on

the flat track bully being defended yet again. fucks sake, we do need fresh blood in the side. maybe not as drastically as some say, but like deano said in the ashes wrap-up we lost to a side with a useless keeper, deadweight number 4 and a trundler as a spinner.

we might as well shake things up now while we still have some quality in the ranks than wait around like the windies did and see their entire core reitre at the same time.

 

[Smokey_22]

You can blame the ultra-conservative selectors for not blooding younger players when we played against lesser teams.

I think for very much the last half decade these selectors were picking 'the best team' rather than the 'best team for the future'.

Reading Bothams comments that his country were the new superpower 'barr none' made me laugh.

 

[Smokey_22]

n.b. Be very careful when you judge the up-and-coming world-11 series. Playing for a showcase 11 is a far cry from wearing your countries colours. Expect the aussies to be pumped and primed*.

(*not guaranteed)

 

[bJ_Bhoy 87]

Reading Bothams comments that his country were the new superpower 'barr none' made me laugh.

Reading anything Botham writes makes me laugh

 

[copious]

Hmm the papers reckon Vettori will partner Murali in the the spin attack, bring that on

anyone going to the match? im up in the Walters stand for the 3rd day. is the walters stand any good?

 

[Jimmy_B]

Hmm the papers reckon Vettori will partner Murali in the the spin attack, bring that on

anyone going to the match? im up in the Walters stand for the 3rd day. is the walters stand any good?

i'd rather see kumble, but I guess with a better bowling attack around him, dan will look a lot better bowler. he'll be more dangerous than a tie down one-end bowler role that he seems to fill whenever playing for NZ against a big team.

and yes, i am going there aby 18 row d. hopefully my bro will buy me some beers too

and if there had to be a kiwi in the side, i'd rather see shane bond come in for shoaib. he took india apart very recently and has got his pace back.

 

[copious]

Definately Bond, he has his pace back and looks as fit as ever. I hope the Rawalpindi Express is left out!

 

[Bookie]

Bonds played well in the tri series that just went by. But at least Pollock will be there.

 

[Jimmy_B]

looking at the super seires squads. how the fark did they leave chaminda vaas out of the one day team? cant believe i didnt realise that.

 

[Bookie]

shame Chaminda got left out.

Cant believe Shaoib made it ahead of him.

 

[redruM]

i'm going to day3 on sunday

 

[Bookie]

Hmmmmmm.

I need to get tickets. Soon.

Cant go on Saturday [playing cricket] as 90% of the people I know are, soooo;

Day 1 or Day 3 though?

 

[copious]

Day 3 , might get a chance to see a bit of bowling and batting from both sides.