The Ashes 2006/07: The Adelaide Test Thread - Day Five

[Oliver]

I actually don't think Flintoff captained very badly in that last match.

I didn't think he should've been captain before the tour. I think Strauss should have been allowed to continue.
But Flintoff didn't do a bad job.

I'm not that convinced by his batting or Pietersen, Paul (no-one can get me out so I'll just run out my colleagues) Collingwood, Jones, Giles, etc.,

Had to get one in though didn't I?

But I don't think Flintoff captained badly.

[Golden Boy James]

A strange day of cricket indeed. The Aussies bowled well but surely not enough to keep a side to less than 1.5 runs an over. (I can't see this English side fathering any more kids because I don't think they have any balls.) Then when Australia are in a slightly vulnerable moment Damien Martyn comes out and exhibits a severe case of brain fade. is he trying to make the selectors job easier. Ian Healy was denied a farewell test in Brisbane, Martyn should consider himself lucky if he plays in Perth let alone another test.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Oliver

It must've taken him in the environs of three hours to stop laughing, at which time he managed to replace the errant socket.

Yeah I would be laughing, I think we deserved the drink, and Buckner some cyanide.

Originally Posted by greg 121533

I think being captain and expecting him do the job at 6 is too much even for Freddie.Not that there is any other option to bat at 6 at present if we want to play 5 bowlers.Maybe Strauss should have been captain in the first place to ease Freddie's burden.

No it's not that IMO - I am not sure he is fit.
Also the team is poor, they got a good first innings, but this second innings was a carry on from the Gabba.

Even Hoggards efforts came late, Giles has done nothing.

Worth remembering that the rot started with Buckner, then Colly running Bell out, Harmison was batting OK- but he was given out LBW to a set of stums on the next pitch.

Of England 10 wickets down - 20% were down the the umpires, that did not help.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Ernest

I think we deserved the drink, and Buckner some cyanide.[...]

Of England 10 wickets down - 20% were down the the umpires, that did not help.

Really? Whatever happened to all the "must always respect the umpire" drivel that some of the more ancient English fans used to trot out?

[Nazza]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Of England 10 wickets down - 20% were down the the umpires, that did not help.

Get over it Ern..............bad decisions happen, some you win, some you lose. Today, we were rubbish, pure and simple. Bringing questionable decisions into it is clutching at straws at best.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Nazza

Today, we were rubbish, pure and simple. Bringing questionable decisions into it is clutching at straws at best.

Very true. Though the Strauss decision did start the collapse, just as the KP marginal decision at the Gabba was crucial. These things happen; we had plenty of time to sort it out and didn't.

[Irish Left Armer]

Strauss looks to me like he's actually in pretty good nick, he just keeps managing to find a way of getting out. In this instance the umpire giving him out wrongly.

I'm not picking on Flintoff especially Ern but he's not a good enough batsman to be a test number 6 and never has been. England's victories in the last few years have been in spite of their fragile batting, rather than because of it. What's Flintoff's test average, low 30's? Not good enough. Look at the averages of the other players in the top 6, they are significantly better players than Flintoff and it's unfair to Flintoff to ask him to be an equal to these other players with all the extra burdens he has.

[Speedboy Salesman]

Giles was put there to do a job. Do a bit with the bat, do a bit in the field, and maybe do a bit with the ball. He hasn't done any of the 3. With England needing some wins, we got stop playing defensively with Giles and get Panesar in to rip it around a bit, even if it does lengthen the tail, because England need to have something about them after the shine has gone off the new ball, having Giles bowling at leg stump for god-knows-how-many-overs is not viable in the next test. Giles didn't shore a ****ing end, the Australians played the poor bastard with ease. Rant over, pick me to shreds. I'm so ****ing disappointed in England, put full credit to the Australian bowlers.

[Speedboy Salesman]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Flintoff bashing will not hide the fact that Strauss even though he was not out, is not in form, Pietersen need not have played a shot, neither did Jones - Flintoff played a bad shot also.

Funnily enough, when we lost the first thing I said was "No blame for Flintoff", and I still stick with it. Giles = dropped, SURELY. Pietersen = very hit or miss in terms of run getting, Jones = We all knew that he isn't the greatest wk/batsman in the world, Flintoff = too much on his plate (batting, bowling, captaincy and injury problems) but tried to cope anyway, Hoggard = fantastic, but we can't rely on one man to get over half the Australians out, last year we relied on two (Flintoff, Simon Jones). Panesar needs to come in. Would anybody put Vaughan in the side now?

[Mr Hutt]

Well i just cant believe it.... i tried to log onto the site in the morning but i couldnt...

England losing like this was the furthest thing from my mind..


its not that they lost... but the way they lost which really puzzles me.

Why was Strauss going for his shots when he opened the batting??

Seemed like a clear case of nerves after bell was run out... that and the magnificent bowling of Shane Warne... that ball that did KP was glorius.

After all out for 129 basically it was turned into an ODI and we all know what australia do at ODIS and what england dont do.

2-0 down now.... looks at Ern... so you owe me dinner eh??

Well ill bring my apetite for both food and drink.. u better save up hehe