Ponting Quaking in His Boots.Part 2.

[Ernest]

Ponting quaking in his boots

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Well, almost.

Report here from the BBC.

Of course this was way back in August, but things have changed, we have won another series, so the question still holds good(and more)

Should Ponting be quaking in his boots?, or should he take comfort from the fact that Harmison did not fire?, G O Jones drops more catches, Flintoff injured, and his batting gone down a little.

Or should he be quaking in his boots due to the fact, that England can still win tough series away from home?.

Link to Occasional Fans original thread here .

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Ponting, or any of the aussies, wont be quaking in their boots over anyone, let alone england. Thorpe has come out and sensibly talked our chances down a bit. The Aussies are clear favourites Ern, like it or not. (which I dont!)

[Ernest]

Problem is Rich, we only play Bangladesh between now and the Aussies, and as much as I am looking forwards to that, there will be no indicators from that series.

If Harmison comes back into form, then Ponting should start to worry, and if we get no 3 sorted.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

I dont think we've had a sorted No.3 since Robin Smith was dropped !??!?!

[Ernest]

Well there is the answer Rich, give Judge Robin Arnold Smith a recall, he is only about 41, not that much older than Glen mcGrath

[Moss]

He can always hit the Australian players round the head with that giant bottle of Grolsch...

[John]

I think Smiths career was cut short by Atherton when he became capitan. I once heard an interview with an ex test player who said Smith and Atherton didn't see eye to eye.
Just a point on the Ifs ie If Harminson find his form, if we find a number 3 etc.
If in logic is called a conditional. Now in an argument you cannot use a conditional too often otherwise it means there is a flaw in your argument. So you can use if Harminson is back to form thats okay but you can't use a number of other ifs because that is streching the argument people will not be convinced.

[Ernest]

john,
Life is full of ifs, and what why ifs are acceptabe, is because in this instance, Australia have some ifs of their own, so you can only go by the data you have.

But in sport, ifs and buts are turned on their heads, who would have thought Harmison would have been so bad against South Africa, but form can change.

Originally Posted by Zainub

Even if Australia are concerned (somehow if they forget all those lessons at school ), somewhere down in the deep corners of their hearts, they will never ever say anything remotely closed to that in public.

Well this is true, I think the English in sport in general, wear their hearts on their sleaves to much for my liking.

[Zainub]

I don't think even those previous statements suggested anything but the fact that Australia were a) not going to under rate or over rate England and b) that they were, are and will always will be superemely confident about beating England at the Ashes

Going by whatever I have heard from Australian supporters on this and other cricket forums, I have started to think that is something that is taught to them at school, Imagine this:

Teacher: Good morning childred
Students: Good morning Teacher
Teacher: Today's lesson is "How to win the Ashes", there is a lot of things you need to do to win the Ashes, the first and foremost being always tell everyone you comes across all the time, regardless of how strong week England are, that Australia will win 3-0, 4-0, 5-0", get the message?
Students: Yes Teacher!!!

Even if Australia are concerned (somehow if they forget all those lessons at school ), somewhere down in the deep corners of their hearts, they will never ever say anything remotely closed to that in public.

[John]

If there are any teams who have got a chance of beating Australia it is England and possibly India.
Its just that the Aussies are one of the best sides to play Test cricket. So beating them is going to take quiet a bit of luck. And thats why the majority of us aren't convinced although I don't rule it out. In sport you would be a fool to rule it out.
And if England do win I will praise those who had the foresight for their vision.
I will give you a example Italy in the 1982 World cup (football) had a poor start nobody tipped them to win except Jimmy Greaves. Who said it Italy start playing they will win and they did. The rest of us had to give him credit.
Thats all I will have to say on the Ashes for a few months.