Roger O'Keeffe wrote:Could we have a decision flow-chart please?
Then there's all that business about declaring, which I was brought up to believe depended on cricketers being gentlemen, but I find it hard to believe that that's still the way things happen.
Aha, yes, we forgot declaring. Gary?
Steve
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
Sounds like kidology to me. The Aussie batting lineup has struggled to cope with Englands attack for most of the series as it is, let alone dropping one to get MacGill on the park. Who would you leave out, I wonder?
You don't stop playing when you get old. You get old when you stop playing.
All reports over here say MacGill will not get a run in the test...he's not match fit, no practice, got taken in the latest tour match, blah, blah, blah. Never mind the fact that his last test figures were BETTER THAN WARNE. It'd be great to see them both bowling.
I want to see Jones and Freddie go at the aussie batsmen again, show them some of the reverse swing they've used to devastating effect so far.
Will we see a world cricket power shift?
1980's - West Indies
1990's - Australia
2005 - England?
Australia havent done themselves any favours by picking the same team for the last ten years. Three new guys in the squad in five years? Hardly a way to build for the future.
familyguy wrote:I want to see Jones and Freddie go at the aussie batsmen again, show them some of the reverse swing they've used to devastating effect so far
So did I. Sadly it won't happen. Jones has failed a fitness test and won't be playing in the Final Test.
The BBC wrote:Injured Jones to miss final Test
England's Simon Jones will miss the final Ashes Test after failing a fitness check on an injured right ankle which had developed a bony growth.
Jones, who has taken 18 wickets in the series, will be replaced by either James Anderson or Paul Collingwood.
familyguy wrote:I want to see Jones and Freddie go at the aussie batsmen again, show them some of the reverse swing they've used to devastating effect so far
So did I. Sadly it won't happen. Jones has failed a fitness test and won't be playing in the Final Test.
The BBC wrote:Injured Jones to miss final Test
England's Simon Jones will miss the final Ashes Test after failing a fitness check on an injured right ankle which had developed a bony growth.
Jones, who has taken 18 wickets in the series, will be replaced by either James Anderson or Paul Collingwood.
Oh no, the England team might have to play an Englishman now!!
Still even without Jones I back the United Nations (Englishmen by loose association) to capture the ashes from the Aussies.
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
perrins57 wrote:Oh no, the England team might have to play an Englishman now!!
Still even without Jones I back the United Nations (Englishmen by loose association) to capture the ashes from the Aussies.
Well, when the Welsh cricket team play the equivalent of The Ashes (against whom I ask myself? The Galapagos Archipelago perhaps? ), Jonesy might well opt to play for Wales. I suppose we ought to hand it to Giggsy for staying loyal to the Red Dragon but look where that's got him! You'll be cheering with the rest of us yer bugger when we win!
Steve
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
I had a bony growth once, right between my shoulders.
It was apparently quite normal for a man of my age, and the doctor would not recommend surgery to remove it. He told me it was called a head.
I had exactly the same kind of bony growth, in the same place as you. My doctor told me it was my brain.
Steve
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
McGrath may play for Australia, but we won't know that for sure until later today. Ponting's between a rock and a hard place... if he picks McGrath, and if McGrath's fitness subsequently fails mid-game, Australia will be left with only 3 bowlers. Or he can leave McGrath on the bench and go with replacement pace-man Clark. Of course, McGrath is full of beans and confidence, but 'tis not his decision.
The big question-mark is the weather. Friday could be lost to rain.
Which could be good news for a draw, I suppose. It's going to be interesting to see how England plays this... for an outright win, or stonewalling for a draw. There's no doubt what the Aussies will be playing for.
Both captains, it would seem, have some tough decisions to make.
"It might be a bit better to tune to one of my fiddle's open strings, like A, rather than asking me for an F#." - Martin Milner
Last day comin' up with England holding a slender lead. Will the Aussies bowl us out rapidly then have to chase a modest total? Or will England manage to bat it out, in spite of Shane Warne, who wouldn't give up even if we were 200 ahead with ten minutes to go...I've already cancelled my dental appointment for tomorrow!
Steve
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
From the point of view of neutrals, if there are any, it was a shame yesterday had to be played in bad light and still most of it was lost. From England's point of view, it's looking very good for a draw. Still, I'll be watching right till the end no matter what happens.
This series shows the advantage of a five test series. In three test series the weather can be a deciding factor in who wins the series. In a five test series its more likely to even itself out. If we hadn't lost half a day at Old Trafford, I doubt the last two men in for Australia would have held out for another session, in this case England would have been two up with one to play coming into The Oval. But now the weather is making a draw more likely and this plays in England's favour.
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
"It might be a bit better to tune to one of my fiddle's open strings, like A, rather than asking me for an F#." - Martin Milner
), Jonesy might well opt to play for Wales. I suppose we ought to hand it to Giggsy for staying loyal to the Red Dragon but look where that's got him! 
