The Ashes... All hype??

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Beny

And now the Pommies think they can reclaim, or even challenge for the Ashes because they've beaten a ragged bunch of the lowest ranked teams in the world.

"They've beaten everyone they've come up against, which is all they can do, and to get to number two in the world is a great achievement." Shane Warne

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4079522.stm

At time Beny I agree with you, but I just wishe you could actually give the grace to your oppoents taht you expect them to give to you...

[Seamer]

True, you can only beat the opposition put in front of you. They were not the strongest teams but Sth Afr did have a decent attack - Ntini, Pollock are good bowlers and Sth Africa is a hard place to tour. But it is only fair to put those achievements into perspective when relating it to Englands chances vs Australia. England have to match it with Australia home and away and beat the Asian teams in the subcontinent before they can undeniably prove themselves. Australia had to do it to claim best in the world status and all up and comers will have to do likewise

[Zainub]

If you're counting only cricket skills (bowling, batting and fielding) then it might as well be argued that tours to India are, for Australia or any other non-sub continental country, the toughest in world cricket. But if you're also counting in things like pressure of expectation from fans and media etc, then for Australia and England, it doesn't get bigger or tougher then the Ashes. By that logic, the hype is justified.

Secondly, I think it very unfair to suggest that England don't have the team to beat Australia. They're ranked no 2. And no matter what everyone's individual opinion are of that ranking or of the oppositions England have beaten to get to that ranking, it remains a fact that England are better then everyone except Australia. So by that logic alone, it should be, and will be a contest.

[Beny]

Originally Posted by flanflinger 51518

"They've beaten everyone they've come up against, which is all they can do, and to get to number two in the world is a great achievement." Shane Warne

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4079522.stm

At time Beny I agree with you, but I just wishe you could actually give the grace to your oppoents taht you expect them to give to you...

When England do something that I think is worth praising then I'll give them the grace they deserve. If England beat Australia, or if they even put up a good contest then I'll be the first to give them credit.

but your post thread is flawed, who are all these Englishmen who who are talking to England to the point of saying England will win the ashes series except for me,

I belive that I said that they belived England would put up a contest, not that they would win.

SriLanka was'nt a harder tour though. India, even with a hopless keeper and without Tendualker, are still a more dangerous team. For 3 reasons... Kumble, Harbijan and Dravid.

[AussieCricketLover]

That steely resolve you speak of, hasn't gone, its welling up, deep inside our hearts, waiting to be unleashed upon the pommies,

and when the battle is over, we'll look forward to the next ashes series, and we'll flog you lot again, and again and so on.
Nothing is better than beating the poms at their own game, I cant see the English winning against Australia for the next 20 years.
The Romans before battle had a warcry
Unleash hell!!!
and so will Australia come 2005

[Beny]

No... Russell Crow had that war cry...

The Romans we'rnt really into the war cry buisness although if they had been, they would likely have been more poetic about it.

[John]

All things are relative and this is the most anticpated Ashes series. So I don't blame the English for hyping it up they have so little to cheer against the Aussies over recent years. And everyone else for that matter.
I find that talking to England fans and reading the posts on the site they quiet realistic about their chances. I saw Botham and someone else on TV talking about the Ashes and they were surprisingly realistic without dismissing Englands chances.
They know cricket fans are quiet sophistcated and you can't dupe them.
The English fans also know if everything goes to plan they could come very close. So I no I don't think it is being overhyped in England. Back in Australia you might like to think of them as a bunch of whingeing poms but thats not my experience they are generally realistic.

[Mongoose]

Originally Posted by AussieCricketLover

The Romans before battle had a warcry
Unleash hell!!!

Further to what Beny said, the Romans used Latin, not English!

Originally Posted by AussieCricketLover

I cant see the English winning against Australia for the next 20 years.

Well, that one requires a crystal ball. I'm sure 10 years ago Australia wouldn't have entertained thoughts of England beating them to the rugby World Cup. But rugby in England changed, and so did the players and coaches.

English domestic cricket has undergone some major changes in the last five years. I, and many other people, believe these changes will only make the cricket, and therefore the players, more competitive. I don't think it's any coincidence that England's national team has improved during this time. And I don't think it's coincidence that more of the guys come into test cricket looking ready for it, rather than the lost chickens we often blooded in the 1990s.

So you've got to be either brave/foolish or psychic to say with complete confidence that England won't beat Australia before 2025.

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by Beny

We've [Australia] beaten everybody, everywhere.

Ah, well that is where you are wrong, you have yet to go on a winning tour to Bangladesh! And, to take your point literally, you have yet to beat Zimbabwe in Syberia!!

Originally Posted by Beny

And now the Pommies think they can reclaim, or even challenge for the Ashes because they've beaten a ragged bunch of the lowest ranked teams in the world. Ohh yes and because they have a bowler who managed to climb to the top of the world rankings when Warne, McGrath and Murali were all out of the game, then he slid down like everybody other than the English expected him to.

The point everybody has been making is not neccessarily that England are the greatest team in the world, but that they have beat everybody in their way for the last 18 months and are as prepared mentally and fingers-crossed physically, with a settled team, as they have ever been for an Ashes series in recent times. Even if they don't win the Ashes, they should make progress. Warne and McGrath won't go on forever, this could well be their last Ashes series. I don't know what Australia have got lined up after them, probably just memories!

An on form Steve Harmison is a force to be reckoned with, he has bad patches though and as an Englishman that is a worry. But there is no doubt that he can do real damage to any side when he is getting it right. If he is getting it right Australia better think again if they are not taking him seriously.

Originally Posted by Beny

Is anybody, other than the media and the English, taking the England threat seriously??

Probably the Australia team.

[Beny]

Probably the Australia team.

Yeah, but they get paid to take it seriously

Nothing is better than beating the poms at their own game, I cant see the English winning against Australia for the next 20 years.

Australia will likely get their butts kicked at the next ashes. Our bowling stocks are very thin.