Australia v England, 5th Test, Sydney, January 3-7, 2011 (II)

Apart from the first two days at Brisbane and the Perth test, Aus have been demolished in three tests. Absolute hidings.

If some major changes aren't made after this series then they will never be made. I reckon they'll get rid of Tim Nielsen and Andrew Hilditch after the World Cup.

Greg Chappell to head the selection panel, and perhaps Micky Arthur as Coach?

Henry wrote:$20 for a ticket tomorrow. That's it. I'm going. Will be worth it even if I only see three balls.

Have a good time, Henry.

They just said on the news that it's free entry tomorrow. Huzzah!

Henry wrote:Apart from the first two days at Brisbane and the Perth test, Aus have been demolished in three tests. Absolute hidings.

If some major changes aren't made after this series then they will never be made. I reckon they'll get rid of Tim Nielsen and Andrew Hilditch after the World Cup.

Greg Chappell to head the selection panel, and perhaps Micky Arthur as Coach?

One would hope that a 3-1 series loss would be the impetus needed for a complete overhaul and review of Cricket Aus, but more than likely seeing what these clueless qunts have presided over the standard procedure will be implemented.

Ugh, another "we suck worse than the mid-80s" day. Farkin needless and amateurish run out to get the ball rolling followed by Hughes showing just how sh!t he is and then the procession was on. Haddin got a brute of a ball but mostly it was meek, undisciplined surrender.

Well played England. Just way to good all over the park.

Raining in Sydney this evening

30% chance of rain tomorrow

skully wrote:Ugh, another "we suck worse than the mid-80s" day. Farkin needless and amateurish run out to get the ball rolling followed by Hughes showing just how sh!t he is and then the procession was on. Haddin got a brute of a ball but mostly it was meek, undisciplined surrender.

Well played England. Just way to good all over the park.

At least in those times we had a rebuilding and depleted unit playing against the awesome Windies. England has been very good but their success is more based on discipline, the basics, good planning, thorough preparation and than champion players. We have just become an absolute rabble.

Blackadder wrote:

Henry wrote:Apart from the first two days at Brisbane and the Perth test, Aus have been demolished in three tests. Absolute hidings.

If some major changes aren't made after this series then they will never be made. I reckon they'll get rid of Tim Nielsen and Andrew Hilditch after the World Cup.

Greg Chappell to head the selection panel, and perhaps Micky Arthur as Coach?

One would hope that a 3-1 series loss would be the impetus needed for a complete overhaul and review of Cricket Aus, but more than likely seeing what these clueless qunts have presided over the standard procedure will be implemented.

I wonder if your guys will organise a 'report.'

England had the 'Schofield Report' after the 5-0 nil thrashing four years ago. I think the recommendation at the end of it was something like- "play better".

Bad times.

Red wrote:

skully wrote:Ugh, another "we suck worse than the mid-80s" day. Farkin needless and amateurish run out to get the ball rolling followed by Hughes showing just how sh!t he is and then the procession was on. Haddin got a brute of a ball but mostly it was meek, undisciplined surrender.

Well played England. Just way to good all over the park.

At least in those times we had a rebuilding and depleted unit playing against the awesome Windies. England has been very good but their success is more based on discipline, the basics, good planning, thorough preparation and than champion players. We have just become an absolute rabble.

And we had AB. Neither Ponting or Clarke are fit to sit in the same room as AB in the heart and hardness stakes.

skully wrote:

Red wrote:

skully wrote:Ugh, another "we suck worse than the mid-80s" day. Farkin needless and amateurish run out to get the ball rolling followed by Hughes showing just how sh!t he is and then the procession was on. Haddin got a brute of a ball but mostly it was meek, undisciplined surrender.

Well played England. Just way to good all over the park.

At least in those times we had a rebuilding and depleted unit playing against the awesome Windies. England has been very good but their success is more based on discipline, the basics, good planning, thorough preparation and than champion players. We have just become an absolute rabble.

And we had AB. Neither Ponting or Clarke are fit to sit in the same room as AB in the heart and hardness stakes.

Ponting is as hard and has as much heart as AB and SRW did. He's just not as bright.

Being an arsehole doesn't necessarily mean you have heart and hardness. But I guess your assessment is probably more accurate regarding Drunky.

Chappelli just said that England has far and away the best attack in world cricket!

He's obviously not been watching Steyn and co in action over the last few days.

However, I do feel that England's bowling has more depth than any other side. If Steyn got Morkel are crocked, South Africa's attack would be County standard.

If Pakistan's attack isn't banned for life (ie three months before the inevitable PCB over-turning), they're pretty decent.

Henry wrote:

Blackadder wrote:

Henry wrote:Apart from the first two days at Brisbane and the Perth test, Aus have been demolished in three tests. Absolute hidings.

If some major changes aren't made after this series then they will never be made. I reckon they'll get rid of Tim Nielsen and Andrew Hilditch after the World Cup.

Greg Chappell to head the selection panel, and perhaps Micky Arthur as Coach?

One would hope that a 3-1 series loss would be the impetus needed for a complete overhaul and review of Cricket Aus, but more than likely seeing what these clueless qunts have presided over the standard procedure will be implemented.

I wonder if your guys will organise a 'report.'

England had the 'Schofield Report' after the 5-0 nil thrashing four years ago. I think the recommendation at the end of it was something like- "play better".

Bad times.

TGM had his 10 point plan to revitalise Aus Cricket in the Daily Terror today, it was simplistic stuff but still light years ahead of what the current CA board could organise.

Come bank Flanders, all is forgiven.

Paul Keating wrote:Come bank Flanders, all is forgiven.

At least he did prepare and plan.

I am being serious.

He's obviously not been watching Steyn and co in action over the last few days.

You obviously don't know that an "attack" consists of all the bowlers.

Paul Keating wrote:Come bank Flanders, all is forgiven.

I think he was the start of the problem, he oversaw the shift of focus away from the basics of skills and drills and towards more esoteric concepts of coaching and strategy. I get the impression that Nielson is very much Buchanan's understudy.

What we need is someone like Border or Waugh to take the reigns. Simpson was Australia's first ever coach and also the best. I think the way forward is for someone who experienced Simpson's methods first hand to take over and get the team back to basics.

Henry wrote:They just said on the news that it's free entry tomorrow. Huzzah!

Should be a top buzz. How many ex-pats and tourists will be storming the SCG then - any guesses?

Well, I've been at the SCG for the past four days.

The performance of our alleged national team has been worse than I could ever have imagined.

I recall saying some stuff, indeed getting into some heated arguments about what I thought were spineless performances a while back, possibly in the MCG Test against South Africa. The past four days have shown that was just a prelude. Think I might go a-hunting to see what we (I) foreshadowed back then.

Well done England. A superb effort from a team that is certainly the most well-prepared in world cricket, and contains players who executed the plan to the letter. Just too good.

I've been at the funeral for the past four days so I will go to the cremation and burial in the morning.

And then may not go to another live international match involving Australia for a few years. The 'Cricket Australia Marketing Department XI' doesn't deserve my support at present.
That last paragraph may have been alcohol-fueled to a degree, but that's how I feel right now.
And one last thing... It's pissing down here at present. But I don't want it to rain all day and wash out the match result, that would deny England a resounding and deserved victory.

Doesn't look like rain will spoil the party, Zat.

This, from the Telegraph blog, made me chuckle:

What might happen next: Steve Smith saves his Test career with a valiant innings of 175 as Australia save the match and salvage some pride. He gets valuable support from Michael Beer (4 not out), whose defiant three-hour vigil sees him immediately promoted to opener. "AUSTRALIA WINS 1-2", reads the headline of the Herald Sun on Saturday morning.

...and what probably will: After England wrap up a series victory, the nation is seized by triumphant, Aussie-bashing euphoria, culminating in David Cameron performing the sprinkler in front of Julia Gillard at the G20 summit. Gillard responds by severing all trade ties with the UK. "That backfired massively," an abashed Cameron admits afterwards.

Well that was impressive stuff, whoever found us a new brand of mints to try out.... give that man an obe

Do I get into trouble this time for suggesting that Watson surrendered his wicket?