"England have massive chance of retaining Ashes" -- Sydney Morning Herald

[Whips_off_the_bails]

Very good article here.

THEY'RE a funny lot, the English. Should you have believed them a fortnight ago, the Ashes were as good as lost and England, after drawing a home series with Sri Lanka and drawing the first Test with Pakistan, were on the skids without their injured stars.

Now, suddenly, England are back in the running. Brimming with confidence. Set to spin Australia into submission, with Monty Panesar leading the charge. Yes, the same Panesar whose name doubled as a punchline last month.

This tells you two things. First, that the English media are incapable of moderate comment. Second, that England's first post-Ashes series victory has got the Poms excited again.

Adding a dash of intrigue to pre-Ashes discussion yesterday was Pakistan's coach Bob Woolmer who, having watched his side dismissed for 155 in the second innings and beaten comprehensively at Headingley, insisted England were capable of retaining the Ashes on Australian soil, provided Andrew Flintoff was fit.

The truth is that, even without the injured Michael Vaughan, Flintoff, Simon Jones and Ashley Giles, England have always been a chance. For Australia have at least as many question marks looming over their side, notably in the fast-bowling department.

Glenn McGrath, the cornerstone of Australia's attack for a decade, will presumably return to the Test ranks - albeit after an 11-month lay-off and approaching the age of 37. Around him will be Brett Lee, who has yet to lead the attack for an extended period, and Stuart Clark, the impressive yet internationally inexperienced right-arm quick.

Australia's pace reservists consist of Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz, who were dismantled by the English last year, and the young trio of Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson.

Suddenly, an English attack of Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison and Sajid Mahmood, the fast-bowling hero of Headingley, doesn't look bad, even if Jones fails to make a comeback.

Australia's selectors may also have cause to tinker with the batting line-up which, for years, was almost unthinkable. Assuming the top three remain the same - a push from Phil Jaques the only possible threat to openers Justin Langer and/or Matthew Hayden - selectors must decide whether to persist with Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke at numbers four and six, or possibly reshuffle the line-up to accommodate a fifth bowling option, such as Shane Watson, to cover for McGrath.

Watson, too, could provide handy batting protection for Adam Gilchrist, who hasn't approached his form of old since Flintoff's devastating around-the-wicket assaults last year.

Australia will not have played a Test since April, against Bangladesh, while England have contested four competitive Test series at home and away since the Ashes. In that time the likes of Alastair Cook and Panesar have shown promise, while Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood appear to be realising their potential.

So forget the nonsense about England's confidence rising on account of reclaiming the No.2 position on the Test table. Rankings count for little. England were, and continue to be, a massive chance of retaining the Ashes.

[Mongoose]

Originally Posted by Whips_off_the_bails

This tells you two things. First, that the English media are incapable of moderate comment. Second, that England's first post-Ashes series victory has got the Poms excited again.

Both true. Our media, in the main, have never been interested in measured comment, as this doesn't make for dramatic headlines and good sales. And after a few dodgy series, I think we can excited about good prospects like Cook and Monty who already look like they've been playing tests for years. Saj may take longer to become a first pick bowler, as he's far too inconsistent. But he has the natural attributes to be a very good test match bowler. Even so, despite the excitement, I remain firmly rooted to the ground. I make Australia favourites to win the series and the urn.

[Whips_off_the_bails]

Here's another article in the same paper. Are they trying to build us up for a fall?

Buchanan worried England are discovering a new way to win

And what's with this "commando camp" anyway? Buchanan has some unusual motivation tools, some of them half-baked. Certainly, the Aussie team's tour of World War I and II battlefields last year didn't improve their Ashes performances, however much it might have benefited them culturally.

[Collyisamackem]

While he plans this month's Queensland commando camp, which he hopes will help his own players shut out the kind of distractions that put them off their game in England last year,

So it was nothing to do with us then? Australia were just distracted, I see. I guess Glenn McGrath was miles away when he trod on that cricket ball which beat them at Edgbaston.

[Quagmire]

Bit of reverse psychology- to battle the reverse swing

[Collyisamackem]

Maybe a good idea. It's certainly a bit of a contrast to the lack of respect and "5-0" predictions of last spring! However, we've still had some writing us off and hopefully that will be an added inspiration.

[Occasional Fan]

This is interesting. Last year, based largely on what I read in this forum, I had the impression that the Aussie press (and players) were talking their way through the Ashes several months before the first ball was bowled. The English press and players really didn't start the talk until the series was about to start (the first real noise being when Australia were thumped in the Twenty20 game and a couple of tour matches). Now it's happening again: the English press really isn't talking about the Ashes yet, as far as I can tell from here. But the Aussies are already banging on about it. Why is this?

[Mongoose]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Now it's happening again: the English press really isn't talking about the Ashes yet, as far as I can tell from here. But the Aussies are already banging on about it. Why is this?

The English press has Wayne Rooney, Paul and Heather McCartney and the great John Prescott to distract from a cricket match. Unbeknown to us, the footballers won us the Ashes in 2005 by taking unwanted media pressure away from our cricketers until later in the summer.

[adamberry]

Don't forget terrorism, asylum seekers and "when will Blair resign" Mongoose.

To be fair I wish I read Australian newspapers, it might restore my belief that England can actually beat the old enemy. On our current form I'd say we won't. And I agree with Quagmire's view that it'll probably inspire McGrath and co to wrestle the urn from us pommies. And then the natural order of things will be restored.

[Collyisamackem]

Originally Posted by adamberry

I agree with Quagmire and Colly's views that it'll probably inspire McGrath and co to wrestle the urn from us pommies. And then the natural order of things will be restored.

Um, I was talking about us being inspired by their press.