Ponting quaking in his boots

[Occasional Fan]

Well, almost.

Report here from the BBC.

[Glamorgan Wanderer]

It is far too early for them to start rubbishing us yet - they'll wait until we are having a tough time of it at some point in SA so that it does maximum damage.

I watched (albeit on TV) Ponting play in a floodlit Totesport league match for Somerset against Durham. Conditions were awful (it was cold, wet and foggy) and consequently batsmen on both sides had struggled for runs. Ponting came in and scored 80 odd off not many more balls playing orthodox cricket shots and timing the ball perfectly winning the match for Somerset. It was the best innings I have seen for ages and it made me realised how well we are going to have to play to compete with the Aussies next summer.

[Occasional Fan]

So, let me get this right, GW: you think that Ponting is NOT quaking yet?

[Goatman]

AUS played IND on a slowish pitch in muggy conditions in Amstelveen after the rain yesterday. Hayden looked aggressive, and upset young Pathan a little but diddn't middle a single shot. He really struggled, and eventually got himself out. Ponting got a few shots off and a harsh decision, but ultimately diddn't look much more comfortable than Hayden had. Symonds struggled too. Unfortunately rain stopped play before IND could bat, but in similar conditions on the same pitch PAK had shredded the same IND bowlers two days before.*

AUS are good, but we should not make them Gods. As you go up through the levels, it becomes harder and harder to take each step in improvement. This makes batting lineups like IND and AUS look streets ahead of the opposition, when in fact the differences are subtle and small - not so much speaking a different language, or even a dialect it is more a matter of differing accents. As has been shown in the rugby, players making up a team that looked second rate in one world cup can come back in a team accounted as favourites in the next, and even win. They just have find a way to manage those last couple of steps.

ENG have stepped on since the last Ashes, there can be no doubting that. MAybe we'll stil get steamrollered, but maybe not - only time can tell. As was shown in the rugby, things can change surprisingly quickly even within an unchanged team. AUS are a very, very fine team but the main reason we never compete with them is because we always go in believing that we can't compete. Too often we buy thier self-publicity. No matter how good or poor we are, we should not allow rhetoric to cow us this time round, as it is often has doen in the past.

According to Mike Selvey, the rumour is that AUS are beginning thier tactical planning for the next Ashes, and Hayden and Langer were intended to attack Harmison as they had Hoggard and Caddick in the last tour with well remembered and horrid results. They are now thinking about just seeing him off and tucking into the support. It doesn't matter if this is true - it matters that it can be said at all. We will never reel in AUS until we believe that we have players capable of forcing them to change thier game. And that covers the media and supporters too. The players do not exist in a vacuum. This is a time for measured optimism, not outright worship of either team.

*Most of my information comes from Jimmy Wikkerink (Utrechts answer to Tatenda Taibu) who has been drafted in to help out in the Videocon Trophy, and thus has the pleasure of watching the game from the boundary rope and being paid for the priveledge. Bastard.

[Glamorgan Wanderer]

I think that the England players believe they are good enough to beat Australia at the moment and that is what matters. I am reasonably confident that their bowling will not knock us over for far too little. The deciding factor will be whether we can bowl them out cheaply enough.

[Goatman]

I think and hope it'll be a really good series. I shared the new ball with a lad from Perth on Sunday and he expressed exactly the same sentiments. UNlike 2 years ago, this ENG team have made the Aussie public actually sit up and take notice. Anyone see Staurt Laws recent comments? He reckons AUS have to really be wary of our Fred. He says unless they have a Grand Plan to keep him quiet, he'll shred even thier attack.......

Sorry for the Sermon by the way. i diddn;t realise I was going on for so long.....

[eng fan]

To win, we'll have to field exceptionally, exceptionally well - not put anything down.

I also think the Australian batting line-up is weaker than it has been for a long time. I say this because under Waugh, they were encouraged to bat as fast as possible, but with the safety net of Steve Waugh (and Mark) himself coming in at 6 and rescuing the side from any perilous positions. They don't ahve that now. A guy like Ajit Agarkar could bowl them out cheaply on a flat deck. (i know waugh played that game, but he was past his very best and M Waugh wasn't there either). The SL bowled them out cheaply in Aus even without Murali. If tehy want to take liberties with Hoggard and the support bowlers, they can try, but it just might backfire on them. Remember also that the idea of seeing off one bowler and attacking the rest is fraught with peril - how many times have we seen lesser bowlers pick up wickets because the batsmen are so scared of the main bowler they take liberties with the the others.
I do honestly believe that their batting line-up is more fragile than it has been for years. Produce the right pitches, and I reckon we'll bowl them out cheaply. In any case, no batting line-up in the world is so good that good bowlers, bowling line and length won't get rewards. Our problem is that we regard the Australians as gods, as people we are unable to beat. If we can overcome that mental block, we will at least compete, if not win.

[Ernest]

If England dont beat Australia and regain the Ashes this time, then they never will, I think Ponting Knows full well how England have improved, and they have more than a fight on his hands, but most of all Ponting knows just what is happening to the Australia team, mo longer do opening batsmen live in fear of Mc Grath, and i think the team, have the confidence to play Warne, not much left really, If I was Ricky Ponting, I would at least be worried.

[Alison]

Is he being serious in what he's said or is it intended to be some kind of mind games? Because for some reason I really wouldn't have expected the Australians to admit that we're playing really well and might be a threat.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Alison

Is he being serious in what he's said or is it intended to be some kind of mind games? Because for some reason I really wouldn't have expected the Australians to admit that we're playing really well and might be a threat.

He is being clever really, he knows that England are on the up, and that one or two of his players are going over the top.

He is not quaking in his boots,but he knows he has a battle on his hands, and is clever enough to say so, if we beat them he can say he warned this could happen, and if they win he will a bigger hero than ever.

He is not sure, that his is problem, and also a chink in Englands favour, I would think.