Australian Batting vs English Batting

[oz100no]

Agree with Seamer. If England were ever going to dominate the Aussie bowling attack it was during this past one-day series when Australian bowling was well below its best. Aussie look to have definate plans against English top order which came off during the one-day series when it is harder for the bowling team to build pressure (ie: via field placement) than a test match.

It is one thing to have the intention of attacking the Aussie bowling it is another thing entirely to actually produce it on the field.

[Cliff-UK]

i think it's great you are under-estimating the English. England will win. Every empire falls. The whole series will be just fantastic for the game of cricket in England. It is the forgotten sport. Kids don't play it any more. It'shardly mentioned in sports bulletins. Adults deride it. That comes from 20 yrs of failure. But even before that, it was very much a minority interest. So we';re doing well to compete at all given thefact that so few play it. This year I have seen two kids playing cricket on a field in my travels. That's it. Last year, I saw no kids playing their own little games.

Now, I think everyone is aware that the Ashes series is about to start. The English - thanks to foreigners like Duncan Fletcher and the main man Rod Marsh - have developed an un-English will to win. Our sports ethos is all about taking part. Which is a little purer perhaps than winning at all costs. (thank you Steve Waugh) We are losers in sport as you well know. However, we do consistently win the World Conker Championships. It is true that no sportsmen from foreign lands takes aprt in that. But that'sstill some kindof achievement.

[Trescothick]

The Aussies have layed their plans down clearly in how to get England out so if we manage to work on this then we will get some good innings from our top order batsmen and we will see a good contest. Its too close to call although Mcgrath and Lee look fantastic but so do Flintoff and Harmison.
People keep commenting on Strauss and Tresco but lets mention Ponting and Haydens poor innings!!! Be fair guys, you may win but you know its close

[Aussie-Yank]

Originally Posted by Seamer 55624

I agree with you AY, but to a point. There is no doubt that England are more that willing to put up a fight. But the one day series gave not indication of them being able to bat aggresively and attack the Aussie bowlers. Apart from Pietersens 92*, every other batsmen either failed outright, or in the case of Vaughan, Collingwood and Jones, scored very slow and ponderous half centuries. This against an Aussie attack below it's best and in ODI games where aggresive batting is usually par for the course.

Seamer, I think you missed my point, I did not say England would play the same style as what Australia does. But in each of the 3 ODI it was a different player who stood up and played a vital role for England. Even the game they lost to Australia. This is no longer a team that relies on one or two players, this is great to see. I have lost count of the times Australia's top order has failed and has been saved by its middle order and tail. This is now what England are doing.

It is the fact that so many batsmen have made 50's in only 3 ODI for England, where Australia has only Hussey (Twice), Martyn and Symmonds with half centuries. The other fact is that Australia have failed to bowl England out in any of the matches they have played. In the second ODI, Gough and Harmison where able to make 50 off the last 9 overs in a game they had already lost (the will to fight).

[Cliff-UK]

Originally Posted by Aussie-Yank

Australia have failed to bowl England out in any of the matches they have played... (the will to fight).

You've hit the nail on the head, A-Y, the point is that Australia's pace attack isn'tvery pacey - and a is a bit creaky. It dsoesn't matter so much for McGrath. He is clarly an all time great ofthe game. And of course Lee has performed - but not taken too many wickets in the one dayers. And isn't he a bit iffy in Test matches. The problem is with Gillespie and K aspro who wouldn't get in the England team.

England have real pace and accuracy in Harmy, Hoggard - who has been taking as many wickets as Harmison overthe past 12 months) as well as Flintoff and Jones - who is coming on very well. The great Australian Test batsmen have looked ordinary against them. Shame your most impressive players of the one day series have been Symonds - what a cricketer! And Hussey - who was just fantastic for Durham early on. And they're not in the Test side.

[Beny]

You've hit the nail on the head, A-Y, the point is that Australia's pace attack isn'tvery pacey - and a is a bit creaky. It dsoesn't matter so much for McGrath. He is clarly an all time great ofthe game. And of course Lee has performed - but not taken too many wickets in the one dayers. And isn't he a bit iffy in Test matches. The problem is with Gillespie and K aspro who wouldn't get in the England team.

I'm sorry Cliff but Gillespie has 250 test wickets at 25 a piece... He's looked much better over the past few days and when he is at his best he would get into any bowling attack in the world.

Is'nt it a bit silly to say that Australia has been suffering because we lack pace... even when Glenn McGrath is clearly the bowler of the series and the best in the world? Other than that, Lee is one of the fastest bowlers in the world and Shane Warne can hardly be critisesed for not being quick enough. Gillespie is a bit out of sorts but his pace has little to do with his lack of wickets.

How many wickets did Mr. Steve "I can ball bouncers" Harmison get this match? He hit Langer twice and the guy went on to get 82.

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by Beny

...Gillespie is a bit out of sorts but his pace has little to do with his lack of wickets...

Atherton and Greig have just been talking in the studio about how they feel Gillespie's lack of pace is the reason he has lost form. Atherton commented that him and Slater noticed in India last winter. I haven't seen much of Gillespie on the whole throughout his career, but I know that when I have seen him he has made the ball move either way off the seam, and quite a bit. It just seems that his lack of pace may be slightly contributing to not getting a lot of 'nip' off the pitch.

It's ok saying losing pace should not make a difference because, for example, McGrath himself dosen't bowl fast. But I think the extra bounce McGrath gets from hitting the pitch - more bounce than Dizzy gets - contributes more to his seam movement than any pace does.

I'm not sure but maybe aging - as well as not overdoing it to try and avoid injury - has caused Gillespie to just slow down a little bit and not be as nippy as a when he was a younger man. He probably just needs a little more action on the ball, but then again maybe his body won't take it.

[acker]

Still the argument the taller you are the further the ball has to travel, unfortunately Gillespie was allways going to be in trouble once his pace dropped from the mid 140's to the mid 130's he just has'nt got the same bag of tricks McGrath has.

[cantplaycantalk]

A lot of us over here in England have been very suprised by Gillespies poor form, we had expected him to take up the no1 seamer title for Aus when McGrath moved on into the commentators booth. The idea that Australia could lose both in a fairly short period of time must be worrying for you guys.

[Cliff-UK]

Originally Posted by Beny

I'm sorry Cliff but Gillespie has 250 test wickets at 25 a piece... He's looked much better over the past few days and when he is at his best he would get into any bowling attack in the world.
How many wickets did Mr. Steve "I can ball bouncers" Harmison get this match? He hit Langer twice and the guy went on to get 82.

are you eating your words? he he. i've been away and now it's clear Gillespie is a goner. Aussies shd play Tait.