Ashes sledging

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Beny

Ohh no TTFC. England are still going to get canned in the tests . Provided Gillespie fires or they replace him.

And they're gonna replace him with who? 'Cos we won't be frightened by Shaun Tait or Nathan Bracken. Gillespie firing is your best shot.

[Beny]

No they'll replace him with Lee... Even without Gillespie we'd still beat England. A second rate bowler along with the other two seamers and Shane Warne is still a bloody good bowling attack.

[Beny]

Ern, Leave my poor spelling alone or I'll have to bring up your delusions of English cricketing power.

[Teatime FatCat]

Originally Posted by Beny

No they'll replace him with Lee... Even without Gillespie we'd still beat England. A second rate bowler along with the other two seamers and Shane Warne is still a bloody good bowling attack.

Kaspa is well off form as well isn't he?

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Teatime FatCat

Glad to hear you think it will be a close series, and that you claim the Aussies have some respect for our side. !

Yes TTFC, it is true that myself and some of my fellow Aussie posters were questioning the merits of Englands previous 12 months. But i have seen this English side against us now and England have gained the respect they deserve from me at least. The recovery from 5-33 was something England would never have achieved in the past, and the all-round quality of this team is something to make England proud of their cricket team again. I still think the likes of Warne and McGrath will make the difference in the end, but it will be a closely fought contest all the same. England still have to win in the sub-continent and beat Austalia down here to take th NO1 mantle, but there is no denying they have gained the respect of most Australians now.

[Beny]

He's not a ODI bowler. He gets 'caned' , in a lot of them but generaly comes good in the tests.

[Teatime FatCat]

Woo Hooo! Stick a fork in me I'm done!!!!!!

Seamer, you're not in the Diplomatic Corps are you?

Actually, I tend to agree, and I think that Warne will be the difference I'm afraid. It all depends on how he is handled by Freddie, KP and Tresco I think.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

And they're gonna replace him with who? 'Cos we won't be frightened by Shaun Tait or Nathan Bracken. Gillespie firing is your best shot.

Between McGrath, Kasprowicz, Lee, Warne and McGill, we will have a good bowling line up. And Gillespie might gain form and confidence too. Australia are not really in trouble - they just have some hard decisions to make that's all.

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by Seamer

...England still have to win in the sub-continent and beat Austalia down here to take the NO1 mantle, but there is no denying they have gained the respect of most Australians now.

Not from the point of view of the ICC. If England win these Ashes 5-0 they will become number one in the world.

No, you are quite correct. To prove they have really knocked Australia off the top spot, England will need to show they can play all opposition in all parts of the world. Except for in Sri Lanka, I believe our sub-continent record isn't all that bad in recent years. If I remember rightly, we lost 1-0 against Sri Lanka, I think we drew with India, beat Pakistan and beat Bangladesh. Winning this winter in Pakistan will be a good start, beating India and Sri Lanka is a huge test, especially on those 'Murali-wickets' which turn miles!

[Notts Exile]

Next winter will be a test. I actually believe we'l beat Pakistan and go to India with some confidence. How we do in India does depend on where the Tests are played and how our spinners plus Harmison and Freddie get on.