The Ashes First Test Lords Thursday 21st July..Day 2.

[Seamer]

What's the story with Vaughan having two men back for the hook off Martin? Um Vaughnie...... Martin does'nt hook mate.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

If anyone remembers me putting a tenner of a first innings Aus score of 490, I'll now transfer that to a second innings total. To much leg side, hardly any movement. Blimey it could be the england of 10 years ago !

[English_Al]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

If anyone remembers me putting a tenner of a first innings Aus score of 490, I'll now transfer that to a second innings total. To much leg side, hardly any movement. Blimey it could be the england of 10 years ago !

Yep, it's been shocking. Giles is bowling crap and Michael Clarke is very comfortable to keep knocking him around. And what Jones is doing on first after tea I dont know, he just cant keep it off their legs. We need Flintoff and Harmison to come on and keep it tight, or rough them up a bit. This is phonemenonly average bowling from a much better attack than that. I'll say it again, England are yet again their own worst enemy. And Pietersen dropping Clarke was, er, not good.

[Pete]

Harmison's not been much cop today either. He bowls too many short balls and they're never directed at the batsmen's head.

Hoggard misfields and gives away 4 runs. The fielding's been really shoddy too.

[Seamer]

Have you noticed though how the batsmen have prospered against the older ball. The English tail got more runs against it than the top order did with the new one. Same is happening now in the Aus second innings. This is not the conditions or wicket for Giles i think. I would have Flintoff and Harmison bowling from one end at all times and Hoggard and Jones from the other.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

The way they are all bowling it looks like curtains. The only way we'll avoid defeat now is if it ****es down for 3 days. Freddie hasnt looked to bad, harmo back to bowling too short, hoggy has looked ****e and Jones, while trying to mix it up a bit hasnt done much either. Gilo wasnt going to have much success, but really in overcast conditions the seamers should be doing the job. Bell anyone ?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Bell anyone ?

And then the wicket keeper. Flintoff's not done much either or looked too threatening, he going at about 5 runs per over.

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

The way they are all bowling it looks like curtains. Bell anyone ?

We haven't got to the Bell end yet.

It would be nice if The Legend of Michael Vaughan that fantastic tactician could suggest to his bowlers something about pitching the ball up. But... no.

Let's face it, he is neither a fantastic captain, not batsman, nor tactician and his big mate Ashley isn't very useful either.

In fact all the England bowlers are tosh, and none of the batsmen are any good. The fielding has been rot, and it's not looking frightfully good.

And what I'd really like to know, from all those eejuts who suggested England would win the Ashes, or the series would be frightfully close, is: "Did you forget that Glenn McGrath is a genius?"

Didja?

In that case I forgive your wildly inaccurate predictions.

"A little bit closer" My ar5e.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

I thought it would be closer. We (and some wild shots from the aussies) put ourselves in a decent position. Aussies 190 all out ?? Who wouldnt have taken that. Just looking at the bowling, we just havent been doing it today, which is the difference between the first and second rated teams in the world. Mcgrath et al turn up EVERY day, and we turn up in odd sessions.

[Seamer]

What the hell is going on with England? Dropped catches, misfields, batting collapses. Surely, it has'nt only taken Australia 6 sessions to wear them down?