Who do you fear Ashes 2005 (e)

[cantplaycantalk]

I said they had a good opening pair, and it is generally the two opening bowlers who cause a collapse.
I also said that England are rightly the world #2 NOT #1.
Q. Is the English attack better than any other that Australia can face at the moment?
A. Yes probably, only Pakistan have an attack which MAY be at best on a par.

[Zainub]

I conclude you are saying that England's attack is the second best in the world.

[cantplaycantalk]

At present that would be my opinion, all be it that I think the Pakistan opening pair Shoaib and Sami are exceptional, IF Shoaib is up for it, and Pakistan have the edge in the spin department. Englands change bowlers of Flintoff and Jones are better than the Pakistan equivalent and overall I think that gives England the edge as world #2.
The question is are the players who Australia have coming through good enough to fill the boots of McGrath and Warne when they retire in the next couple of years, and will the England bowlers keep improving as they have over the last two years.

BTW S Tait was being out bowled by a wide margin by a 19 and a 21 year old in England last year, he could barely keep it on the cut strip.

[John]

Q. Is the English attack better than any other that Australia can face at the moment?
A. Yes probably, only Pakistan have an attack which MAY be at best on a par. I agree Englands attack is second best in the world. But its like saying in the next election the Tories have a better chance of beating the Labour party than the Lib Dems. It doesn't mean all that much in the bigger picture.

[Beny]

Q. Is the English attack better than any other that Australia can face at the moment?
A: No... For the simple reason that England have not proven that they can create and sustain preassure. Other than the series against WI and NZ, English bowling has not been able to last long periods, steming the run flow when wickets are not coming. This is something the Indians and Paks can do (their in a bit of a mess at the momment but lets imagine that they are at full strength). When the English relly on an alrounder to carry most of the bowling workload you know they are in trouble. Watching the SA series I think it was fair to say that most of the wickets came not from preassure, but batting mistakes. True that most wickets generaly come from mistakes from the batsmen but the difference in this case is that the mistakes were not created by the bowlers, but by the batsmen themselves (or in some cases a freak good ball).

I have no doubt that if Harmison can fix himself up and either Anderson or (whatsname) cement themselves a place, England can be a force. But at the momment the English attack are unprofessinal and in need of a lot more temwork.

[Leafy Seadragon]

Originally Posted by cantplaycantalk

Moderate? Pollock and Ntini are Moderate????

No, they are better than moderate, but the original statement was that the attack (ie. the whole bowling lineup) is moderate. Pollock has probably seen better times, but is still good enough to bowl well, Ntini is very good and then...

I think that its fair to say that most world bowling attacks (not just the opening pair) are probably moderate at the moment. England have a potentially v. good strike bowler who's emotionally fragile (gee the Aussies won't work on that), an improving 2nd bowler (Hoggard), an all-rounder that's injured, but needs to show that 2004 wasn't a freak year and a moderate spinner. If this is the no. 2 bowling attack in the world I'm confused how you could take affront at the comment that a lesser attack is moderate (not bad, but moderate)

Originally Posted by cantplaycantalk

BTW S Tait was being out bowled by a wide margin by a 19 and a 21 year old in England last year, he could barely keep it on the cut strip.

I've heard this cited by a couple of English supporters when Tait's name is raised. I think that its important to recognise that Shaun Tait was just a 21 y.o. himself last year and played only two 1st class matches after flying in. There's no secret that he was fairly rough at the edges in his first couple of seasons - when you're bowling that quick (and he is), it normally takes time to learn to control it. His return this Aussie domestic season reflects that learning curve, just getting better as the season went on. Virtually everyone in Oz sees him as the long-term future of Australia's fast bowling, the question is whether he should be allowed to develop for another season or so first. Steve Waugh made comments to this effect in today's press - although I think he may have been a little biased towards the selection of a NSW counterpart ahead of Tait. I'm happy for the English (and anybody else) to write him off on the back of a couple of dodgy matches in England, it'll just make the shock that much bigger if/when he does step up as expected

[cantplaycantalk]

I actually think Tait has load of potential and will improve and muture well. The Question is will he be another Lillee or another Lee?
One think you have failed to notice is that he only played 2 games because he was dropped by Durham. Durham who finished rank bottom of the English 2nd division and who had about 75% of the bowling options injured or away playing for England for most of the season, chose to play kids from the youth team ahead of him. To say he had a couple of bad weeks is putting it incredibly mildly, it is kind of like playing the opening pair from the Brisbane under 18s ahead of the Australia A opening bowler.

[Zainub]

Then Beny, I conclude you are saying that one of either the Indian or Pakistani attacks is the "better than any other attack Aus can face at the moment"

[Punisher]

I somehow get a feeling that Andrew Strauss will trouble the aussies.Hes been consistant throughout his little test career and would love to score runs against the aussies.Best of luck to him.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Beny

I have no doubt that if Harmison can fix himself up and either Anderson or (whatsname) cement themselves a place, England can be a force. But at the momment the English attack are unprofessinal and in need of a lot more temwork.

Beny do you mean that England attack that ripped though the Windies home and away, then New zealand.
then with only half a bowling attack, beat SA in their own back yard.
come on Beny "unprofessional" noooo way.