Will England Retain The Ashes?.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

There actually wont be that many poms, because most of the ticket sold over the internet. ie Ebay wont get the fans into the grounds.

Theoretically, Australian fans should have the advantage due being geographically closer to the ticketek server. But just remember Quagmire, there are over 1 million Brits living in Australia. I think there will be a heap of English supporters myself. I have already packed the earmuffs, noisy buggers

On this Panesar issue, he would have recieved no more attention than any other English player. But he has now made himself a target by firstly going a psychologist over the matter and then telling the media all about it
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/c...ry/259967.html
He shot himself in the foot by admitting he is spooked, so naturally the Aussie players and supporters smell blood now.

[Quagmire]

Yeh I know that I was actually waiting for the right time to mention that myself.Oh I know there are alot of English in Australia, one is going to be living with my during the Ashes. If Australia loses will have to kill him.

[Nico]

It looks as if you will have to kill him because in my opinion England have the Ashes sewn up before
they even cross Europe to get here. Ponting is never in form and Australia need a bit of a re-shuffle to win.
I think they should pick Mark Cosgrove, he is a brilliant batsman and spinner and, yes, i know Darren Lehmann
is old, but they should consider him. He hit over 300 for his county club the other day (can't remember the exact
number, sorry). England may be missing Jones and Vaughan but that's no problem, Jones didn't have the biggest
of impacts last year in England and Vaughan needs to make way for a new captain.

I actually disagree with Flintoff being made as captain. He has enough on his plate already what with his skill with the bat and his venom with the ball. He shouldn't have to look after the team as well.

Bye for now

Nico

[flanflinger]

Quagmire

I think you have underestimated the determination of British sporting fans. A few years ago we toured the West Indies and we were told the authorities were making it harder for opposition fans to get tickets, but as always there many occasions when the games were more like home games.

Take the football World Cup, England fans outnumbered the opposition by thousands, yet the ticket allocation was not that much more.

I will be in Australia this winter, have options to see the Perth game, and will be at the MCG, all my tickets were bought with out much effort and legally (no need for ebay) via some friends based in Australia.

And as pointed out by Seamer, there will be tons of ex-pats, who can buy tickets perfectly legitamately, who will be there on mass.

So please don't be fooled that there will not be lots of England fans at the ground.

[Quagmire]

I wasnt saying that there wont be any poms, but the Aussie crowds will overwhelm the English players like the English fans did to the Australians in 2005.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

but the Aussie crowds will overwhelm the English players like the English fans did to the Australians in 2005.

Yep there is bound to be more Aussie supporters, but I think it fair to say the English have the most vocal supporters bar none in the world.

Could be the beer wetting the vocal cords.

[flanflinger]

Ern,

I have no doubt that there will be more Aussies, but I am certain that most of the English fans who travel will be very vocal. Also, I am certain there will be many many more English fans than Cricket Australia has planned for.

What I find amusing is that the Barny Army is a spontaneous group, with some key people, but mainly it is very spontaneous. Two years ago the Saffers tried to match them and frankly it was awful, contrived and will probably won't surface again. As it was they never matched the Barmy Army vocally and frankly it proves that trying to contrive something doesn't work.

This year, I understand, the Aussies are trying to do the same, called the "Aussie Posse"... personally I feel it is just going to be as bad..

http://www.cricket.mailliw.com/archi...-aussie-posse/

[Mr Hutt]

Crowd vocals do matter, but the real advantage is with the team who are playing at home... the Aussies. That being said it is not going to be a cake walk as exhibited by their play in the DLF cup recently... sure that was ODI cricket and not test level or anything but still if a team plays like that for 50 overs you get the idea... Aussies are showing a few chinks in their previously impregnable armory..age is catching up and the new players are yet to dive into the deep end. This fact should be further cemented by the Champions trophy. whats important to note also is the aussie spirit which just wont quit... and which got them the DLF cup in the end!!

So to re say what i have said previously its gonna be tough but the aussies will take back the ashes... barmy army will holler and then just watch

[Ernest]

Yep I agree, Australia will have home advantage, but as England will testify - that is not always enough.

No doubt as both I and flanflinger have said, the Barmy Army will be very vocal, but if the England team has been prepared right, the home advantage to the Australians will be countered by a close comaradary in the England camp.

In theory anyway.

[Quagmire]

The Australians like to be heard and are as vocal as the English, also no one drinks like the Aussies. Which would explain why we are so obnocious, similar to the Irish. The Australian side will be a lot stronger this year to it will be an interesting series.