Just listening to Pontings post match interview. FFS stop booing him peeps, he's been a great, great player and handled himself well in the face of some poor treatment from the 'Barmy Army' - if indeed it was them.
Ponting, in the main, is still a graceless prick. He's been a turd for many, many years - and I'll never forget what a petulant child he was for most of the last series over here. Fair play to him this series though, he's been pretty exemplary in every interview he's given.
Fantastic victory, they need to enjoy it but the aim for the next series in Australia must be to give them a sterner test than we did last time down-under.
[cite]Posted By: Bournemouth Addick[/cite]Just listening to Pontings post match interview. FFS stop booing him peeps, he's been a great, great player and handled himself well in the face of some poor treatment from the 'Barmy Army' - if indeed it was them.
...and this...
[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]Ponting, in the main, is still a graceless prick. He's been a turd for many, many years - and I'll never forget what a petulant child he was for most of the last series over here. Fair play to him this series though, he's been pretty exemplary in every interview he's given.
I just think you have to respect the toughness of the Aussies, epitomised by Ponting. We should take that as a huge compliment and not be all defensive about it. The Aussies never give it away easily. You have to take it away from them.
Superb series, was convinced it'd be drawn but so glad we won, showed some bottle to win at Lord's and The Oval after being hanging on for the draw at Cardiff and being thrashed at Headlingly. 2005 was better in certain ways as we'd had to wait 18 years to see us win the Ashes but in certain ways this is better as this was a developing team with some unproven performers. We haven't had one outstanding performer this series but played well as a unit, as 11 players. Our bowlers have been superb at different times during the series - Anderson, Freddie, Broad, Swann, Harmy and Onions. Even Monty did his bit to help us draw he first test in Cardiff which allowed us to go to Lord's at 0-0. Proud to be an Englishman tonight and my chest is puffed up that little bit more and I can't stop smiling!
I was thinking that forgetting the 2007 Ashes in sporting terms we've done alright against the Aussies over the last few years ever since doing them in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final. Being a bit of a pessimist (I am Charlton after all) I was thinking that knowing the Aussies they'll wipe it all out by doing us in the world cup next year - Oh mate I could not take that and to be fair as much as I love us winning the Ashes I'd give it away for the next few times over us losing to the Aussies in football in a game that matters.
I have played and followed cricket for over 35 years and I have always felt that I have been fighting a losing battle in my approach to the game. I dismiss statistics - to a certain extent.
Cricket they say is a statisticians dream, indeed it is. No other sport is recorded as fully and comprehensively as cricket. The records and statistics that the game has provided over the past 150 years or so are amazing in volume and detail.
Personally, whether as a player/captain or as a fan I have always given stats a wide berth. If you have played the game at any level for a period of time you know that many, many performances, although impressive statistically, in reality can be dismissed.
Now I could go on for ever about this but it's late and I want to make a point.
This series says it all for me. We were totally out done statistically by the Aussies, they scored more centuries, many more. They had bowlers who took more wickets than most of our bowlers. We had the leading run scorer but they had the next six or seven. But, and boy is it a big but, we won.
It's like the experts always going on about Freddie's poor record (statistically) in Test cricket, Average about 32 with both bat and ball, taken 5 wickets in an innings only 3 times etc, however it's not just those stats that matter, it's the quick 30 runs, the spell of 3-14, the pressure built up by his tight bowling that produces wickets at the other end, the amazing catches and as shown today the brilliant pieces of genius.
We won this series because we won certain sessions, important ones and won them well, and Australia didn't win the sessions they needed to.
Forget umpiring decisions, we got our few in our favour but so did they.
Australia are not the team they were 2 1/2 years ago when we lost 5-0, we all know that, but they are still Australia and until today, still the No.1 ranked side in the world. I don't care where they are ranked personally, to me there is only one series left at the moment and that is against the Aussies.
They have had the wood over us for years and nothing should be taken from us for this victory, it was well deserved.
Anyway, back to stats- Ok, they may not lie, but they do not tell the whole truth.
[cite]Posted By: Chirpy Red[/cite]I have played and followed cricket for over 35 years and I have always felt that I have been fighting a losing battle in my approach to the game. I dismiss statistics - to a certain extent.
Cricket they say is a statisticians dream, indeed it is. No other sport is recorded as fully and comprehensively as cricket. The records and statistics that the game has provided over the past 150 years or so are amazing in volume and detail.
Personally, whether as a player/captain or as a fan I have always given stats a wide berth. If you have played the game at any level for a period of time you know that many, many performances, although impressive statistically, in reality can be dismissed.
Now I could go on for ever about this but it's late and I want to make a point.
This series says it all for me. We were totally out done statistically by the Aussies, they scored more centuries, many more. They had bowlers who took more wickets than most of our bowlers. We had the leading run scorer but they had the next six or seven. But, and boy is it a big but, we won.
It's like the experts always going on about Freddie's poor record (statistically) in Test cricket, Average about 32 with both bat and ball, taken 5 wickets in an innings only 3 times etc, however it's not just those stats that matter, it's the quick 30 runs, the spell of 3-14, the pressure built up by his tight bowling that produces wickets at the other end, the amazing catches and as shown today the brilliant pieces of genius.
We won this series because we won certain sessions, important ones and won them well, and Australia didn't win the sessions they needed to.
Forget umpiring decisions, we got our few in our favour but so did they.
Australia are not the team they were 2 1/2 years ago when we lost 5-0, we all know that, but they are still Australia and until today, still the No.1 ranked side in the world. I don't care where they are ranked personally, to me there is only one series left at the moment and that is against the Aussies.
They have had the wood over us for years and nothing should be taken from us for this victory, it was well deserved.
Anyway, back to stats- Ok, they may not lie, but they do not tell the whole truth.
Well I think Broady's stats for a no. 8 all rounder were very good this series - his 234 runs at an average of just under 30 (better than Cook, Bopara, Bell & Collingwood) and 18 wickets at 30 was the best of our bowlers. As for sessions his Ashes winning bowling spell this game wasn't too bad either!!
So I do believe that, all in all, he probably deserves to keep his place in the team for the next Test and the so called experts of Atherton, Boycott, Hayden and Chirpy to name but a few should be ordering an unlimited amount of humble pie ;-)
[cite]Posted By: Chirpy Red[/cite]I have played and followed cricket for over 35 years and I have always felt that I have been fighting a losing battle in my approach to the game. I dismiss statistics - to a certain extent.
Cricket they say is a statisticians dream, indeed it is. No other sport is recorded as fully and comprehensively as cricket. The records and statistics that the game has provided over the past 150 years or so are amazing in volume and detail.
Personally, whether as a player/captain or as a fan I have always given stats a wide berth. If you have played the game at any level for a period of time you know that many, many performances, although impressive statistically, in reality can be dismissed.
Now I could go on for ever about this but it's late and I want to make a point.
This series says it all for me. We were totally out done statistically by the Aussies, they scored more centuries, many more. They had bowlers who took more wickets than most of our bowlers. We had the leading run scorer but they had the next six or seven. But, and boy is it a big but, we won.
It's like the experts always going on about Freddie's poor record (statistically) in Test cricket, Average about 32 with both bat and ball, taken 5 wickets in an innings only 3 times etc, however it's not just those stats that matter, it's the quick 30 runs, the spell of 3-14, the pressure built up by his tight bowling that produces wickets at the other end, the amazing catches and as shown today the brilliant pieces of genius.
We won this series because we won certain sessions, important ones and won them well, and Australia didn't win the sessions they needed to.
Forget umpiring decisions, we got our few in our favour but so did they.
Australia are not the team they were 2 1/2 years ago when we lost 5-0, we all know that, but they are still Australia and until today, still the No.1 ranked side in the world. I don't care where they are ranked personally, to me there is only one series left at the moment and that is against the Aussies.
They have had the wood over us for years and nothing should be taken from us for this victory, it was well deserved.
Anyway, back to stats- Ok, they may not lie, but they do not tell the whole truth.
Some really interesting points. To me, there are two key stats that tell the tale. First, Australia may have scored several more centuries than England, but England's two hundreds both resulted in wins. Second, Australia took twenty wickets only once in the series. You can't win series without bowling the opposition out twice.
Australia are poor. Very poor. And they've rightly been knocked well off their perch as the world's best Test team. Their only win in the series came when England's two superstars were injured. And with Trott and Broad filling Pietersen's and Flintoff's shoes brilliantly, England look ready to get even better, while Australia look to be at the start of a steep decline.
[cite]Posted By: cfgs[/cite]Just heard a Convict on the radio saying they had the best bowlers and the best batsmen, after a pause the presenter said shame you lost though.
Worst aussie bowling attack I have ever seen FACT. However, their batting line up looked awesome and the English boys did well to continually bowl them out.
I was there yesterday. Met a mate at footy who had a spare ticket - how is my luck!? Feel very tiered today from drinking too much whilst sitting in the sun. Happy days ...........
Jammy feck, only cos my brother knew I could not go. Must of been a cracking day and a once in a lifetime experience. What time did you finish drinking, where did you go after?
Strange sort of series - England were outplayed at Cardiff and Headingley, but in turn outplayed the Aussies at Lords, Edgbaston and the Oval. Ultimately ours was a team performance with the bowlers contributing valuable runs and the wickets were shared around, but we managed to force victories in two of the Tests where we were on top, while the Aussies screwed up at Cardiff where they did everything but win, but that's cricket.
[cite]Posted By: Steve Dowman[/cite]Jammy feck, only cos my brother knew I could not go. Must of been a cracking day and a once in a lifetime experience. What time did you finish drinking, where did you go after?
To be honest - I canned it early cos part of the deal with the Mrs was that I would take her out in the evening. Had no problems with that as I was out all night Friday, all day Saturday, and then sprang the cricket on her. So put a meal and loads of red wine - on the 12 or so pints i had during the day. C was surprised that I could still hold a conversation - but I was still buzzing from the cricket. Feel very jaded today......
i was in hospitality in the OCS stand(england suite) , 2nd floor, lunch time gladstone small, graham thorpe and dean jones told us a few stories that were quite funny but the meal wasn't finished when play started after lunch , i left the dessert and i think i was one of about 15 people who left their meal to watch the cricket out of about 1kish ... ridiculous you can eat anytime you carnts ....... got absolutely hammered and good banter with the aussies
I Spose should say well done to England for managing to dig out a Series Win against what has to be described as, well a very ordinary Aussie side, but then again this was an ordinary England side at best. Enjoy the next couple of years cos the Aussies will reclaim it on Home Soil next time & I bet they win the series by more than 2-1 :-)
[cite]Posted By: Ketman[/cite]I Spose should say well done to England for managing to dig out a Series Win against what has to be described as, well a very ordinary Aussie side, but then again this was an ordinary England side at best. Enjoy the next couple of years cos the Aussies will reclaim it on Home Soil next time & I bet they win the series by more than 2-1 :-)
[cite]Posted By: Ketman[/cite]I Spose should say well done to England for managing to dig out a Series Win against what has to be described as, well a very ordinary Aussie side, but then again this was an ordinary England side at best. Enjoy the next couple of years cos the Aussies will reclaim it on Home Soil next time & I bet they win the series by more than 2-1 :-)
The odds on England winning will shorten considerably now that you've backed Australia again!
Comments
Well done England!!
:0)
JERUSALEM!
I was thinking that forgetting the 2007 Ashes in sporting terms we've done alright against the Aussies over the last few years ever since doing them in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final. Being a bit of a pessimist (I am Charlton after all) I was thinking that knowing the Aussies they'll wipe it all out by doing us in the world cup next year - Oh mate I could not take that and to be fair as much as I love us winning the Ashes I'd give it away for the next few times over us losing to the Aussies in football in a game that matters.
Cricket they say is a statisticians dream, indeed it is. No other sport is recorded as fully and comprehensively as cricket. The records and statistics that the game has provided over the past 150 years or so are amazing in volume and detail.
Personally, whether as a player/captain or as a fan I have always given stats a wide berth. If you have played the game at any level for a period of time you know that many, many performances, although impressive statistically, in reality can be dismissed.
Now I could go on for ever about this but it's late and I want to make a point.
This series says it all for me. We were totally out done statistically by the Aussies, they scored more centuries, many more. They had bowlers who took more wickets than most of our bowlers. We had the leading run scorer but they had the next six or seven. But, and boy is it a big but, we won.
It's like the experts always going on about Freddie's poor record (statistically) in Test cricket, Average about 32 with both bat and ball, taken 5 wickets in an innings only 3 times etc, however it's not just those stats that matter, it's the quick 30 runs, the spell of 3-14, the pressure built up by his tight bowling that produces wickets at the other end, the amazing catches and as shown today the brilliant pieces of genius.
We won this series because we won certain sessions, important ones and won them well, and Australia didn't win the sessions they needed to.
Forget umpiring decisions, we got our few in our favour but so did they.
Australia are not the team they were 2 1/2 years ago when we lost 5-0, we all know that, but they are still Australia and until today, still the No.1 ranked side in the world. I don't care where they are ranked personally, to me there is only one series left at the moment and that is against the Aussies.
They have had the wood over us for years and nothing should be taken from us for this victory, it was well deserved.
Anyway, back to stats- Ok, they may not lie, but they do not tell the whole truth.
Well I think Broady's stats for a no. 8 all rounder were very good this series - his 234 runs at an average of just under 30 (better than Cook, Bopara, Bell & Collingwood) and 18 wickets at 30 was the best of our bowlers. As for sessions his Ashes winning bowling spell this game wasn't too bad either!!
So I do believe that, all in all, he probably deserves to keep his place in the team for the next Test and the so called experts of Atherton, Boycott, Hayden and Chirpy to name but a few should be ordering an unlimited amount of humble pie ;-)
PS Told you the Series would be a 1-1 Draw.
Australia are poor. Very poor. And they've rightly been knocked well off their perch as the world's best Test team. Their only win in the series came when England's two superstars were injured. And with Trott and Broad filling Pietersen's and Flintoff's shoes brilliantly, England look ready to get even better, while Australia look to be at the start of a steep decline.
Worst aussie bowling attack I have ever seen FACT. However, their batting line up looked awesome and the English boys did well to continually bowl them out.
I was there yesterday. Met a mate at footy who had a spare ticket - how is my luck!? Feel very tiered today from drinking too much whilst sitting in the sun. Happy days ...........
To be honest - I canned it early cos part of the deal with the Mrs was that I would take her out in the evening. Had no problems with that as I was out all night Friday, all day Saturday, and then sprang the cricket on her. So put a meal and loads of red wine - on the 12 or so pints i had during the day. C was surprised that I could still hold a conversation - but I was still buzzing from the cricket. Feel very jaded today......
Sat right next to the Barmy Army and had a blinder. For a day out, the only thing I can compare it to was the play off final.
Fair play to all the Aussies we saw, gracious and a good laugh.
;o)
Hopefully when we go down under we will put up more of a fight to retain the Ashes.
Typical of Freddie to make his mark on his final appearence but the whole team played their part.
Strauss' leadership was excellent.