Australia v England, 1st Test, Brisbane, Nov 25-29, 2010

JGK wrote:Any news of XD v SS?

Doherty will definitely debut. Smith left the squad yesterday.

Honestly, i'd prefer it if we bat first. I think we can handle swinging conditions better than Australia, and it should swing throughout the match. We shouldn't forget the advantage we have with Swann potentially bowling last.

OK deal. If you can just get Strauss and Drunky to agree to not bother tossing and have the English openers strap on the pads, that would be grouse thanks Trev.

Meh, runs on the board etc. If we can get 350 batting first in these conditions, i'd be happy.


I genuinely think neither captain is sure what to do, though.

you can bet ricky wont bowl first

I thought I'd miss the opening day tomorrow because I work the exact hours of the telecast but I've now got a teev set up right in front of my desk at work. I didn't even have to do the boss to get it!

simkat wrote:I thought I'd miss the opening day tomorrow because I work the exact hours of the telecast but I've now got a teev set up right in front of my desk at work. I didn't even have to do the boss to get it!

Don't tell Smerk that......

Did Smerky do his boss?

Trev did Smerky's boss.

If we bat first and Katich gets a century I think I'll do my boss. Either that or make him a cup of coffee.

Hehehe, onya sk. Take one for the team!!!

Is this official? This Dickinfo article seems to suggest the two teams are:

Australia 1 Simon Katich, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Xavier Doherty, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.

England 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.

No surprises if it is official but farkin Nein was more intent on a self-promotional fluff piece about the coming Channel Eddie coverage delivered by the jibbering Kenny Sutcliffe than giving the final XIs for the game.

skully wrote:Hehehe, onya sk. Take one for the team!!!

Hehe. It will be my pleasure.

So it's all cricket (hopefully lots of Fleas boundaries) and no Cas and the boys this Saturday (on a one week break)?

Will miss the start. About to catch a plane

You sound heartbroken.

skully wrote:Is this official? This Dickinfo article seems to suggest the two teams are:

Australia 1 Simon Katich, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Xavier Doherty, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.

England 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.

No surprises if it is official but farkin Nein was more intent on a self-promotional fluff piece about the coming Channel Eddie coverage delivered by the jibbering Kenny Sutcliffe than giving the final XIs for the game.

Not official but as good as.

All I know is, I'm so excited!

Not long now chaps, time to stiffen the sinews.

All that excitement and I can help but remember Brisbane 02-03 and 06-07

Hayden smacking some county trundlers and Harmisons first ball straight to slip.... you knew we were farqed after day 1

We need to compete in the series early.

I also remember the forum went tits up about 30 minutes before the start in 2006/7 - some clueless qunt at C4 wiped all the threads.Not a good omen.

Yeah, the Gabba in general is a pretty awful cricket ground to be honest. No discernible pavilion to speak of, and row after row of concrete and multi coloured seat ugliness. No character whatsoever. I see the Barmy Army's trumpeter has been allowed to keep his instrument for the entire series so that's at least something.

As long as he doesn't play it like JK's avatar

If its the guy i'm thinking about he has a face like an arse!

4 hours, 4 minutes, 4 seconds to go...