Lousy preparation = first Home Ashes loss since 86-87?

Crumby preparation for a tilt at regaining the Ashes

"Australia are confronting the awful reality that they are having their worst Ashes preparation in history - and it's only going to get worse on the dustbowl pitches in India.

After a confidence-sapping Test loss to lowly Pakistan, the next stage of Australia's Ashes build-up is two Tests in India, where the pitches are about as far from a Gabba greentop or a bouncy Perth pitch as you can get.

Australia's "Captain Grumpy", Ricky Ponting, concedes that playing Tests in Mohali and Bangalore in October is hardly ideal preparation for the first Test against England at the Gabba on November 25.

Pancake-flat Indian pitches are also probably the worst place to try to recalibrate misfiring spearhead

Mitchell Johnson, who returned a woeful average of 72 in the two Tests against Pakistan in England.

"If you were trying to set down and map out your perfect preparation for an Ashes series, it probably wouldn't be playing two Test matches in India," Ponting said.

"But you don't live in an ideal world. That's the way international cricket is these days.

"We'll go over there and do whatever we can, play the best cricket we possibly can.

"We'll wait and see who we have that's fit and ready to go for that tour and pick a squad of players we think can win a Test series over there.

"We'll worry about the start of the Ashes after that."

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Gawd I've got a bad feeling about this. I cling to the hope that our bowlers can snap out of it, and England's bowlers won't be able to crash through us twice per Test.

On paper, we are starting to look like a mid-80s Australia.

I've a feeling that Aus seam attack would do alright at home. If you look at their stats all of them do far better at home than they do in Eng.

While Eng attack looks far more suited to seaming pitches something they may not find in Aus.

I'm feeling about as confident as you presently do about the current Test, SG. Midge Johnson is very much a confidence bowler and his mindset is just poor at the moment.

Bolly and Milf will try all day but bowlers like Hauritz are bread and butter to Englishmen. I would feel much better if Drunky tried to bring on Smith rather than talking up Ollie's bowling.

Maybe some hard work in india will do Midge good.

Theres no way in hell England will be anywhere near favourites in Aus or even close.

We have a Forum 5 group together for Day 1 of the 5th Test. Lordy I hope the series is still alive at that point.

It could easy still be 0-0.

JKLever wrote:Theres no way in hell England will be anywhere near favourites in Aus or even close.

That's just customary English pessimism talking, JKL. On paper your side looks the stronger.

Without a doubt, Eng look favorites at this stage.

They've a well rounded attack to aid a solid batting lineup, which is bound to rake huge runs in Aus especially if KP regains his fitness/form.

Bollocks Skully. Our opening pace bowling average 34+

We have one world class batsman who is in no kind of form.

As Dellboy said, we won't take 20 wickets once all tour.

Hehehe, it's depression at 10 paces.

Series odds on Betfair

Aus 1.77
England 3.55
Draw 6

Some of you reverse woofters should put some money where your woofing is!

No reverse woofing here, JKL. I've just watched my team get beaten by a bog-ordinary Pakster team (except for the two opening bowlers).

If Engulund struggle to beat Pakistan, I may review my pessimistic outlook. But with Midge looking barely a Grade bowler and Watson, Drinky and ollie all looking out of touch, it's a very shaky looking Aus side.

You're playing England at home. Not Indias batting line up, or the Saffer/Pak pacemen...

I hope you're right, JKL.

As Lever says, where is the Pom seam attack? Difficult to see at the mo.

Broad may well prosper, Finn and Anderson (if he thinks) might work ... Sid and Tremlett are fukced, Onions uncertain fitness-wise, Plunkett very iffy at Test level, and Shazhad has not been given enough time to prove himself and his temperament under fire.

So it's Swann to do a Warney and take 35-40 wickets if England are to come close. Hmmm.

I'd be a bit more hopeful of the England batting, but that won't win matches on its own. It might lose a couple.

skully wrote:No reverse woofing here, JKL. I've just watched my team get beaten by a bog-ordinary Pakster team (except for the two opening bowlers).

If Engulund struggle to beat Pakistan, I may review my pessimistic outlook. But with Midge looking barely a Grade bowler and Watson, Drinky and ollie all looking out of touch, it's a very shaky looking Aus side.

You got knocked into a cocked hat by a very decent seam attack in favourable conditions for them (well done Punter).

As I said - I hope the series is still in the balance (or we have won it!!) come day 1 of T5. It'll allow the Forum 5 to be in good voice. I'm looking forward to some witty sledges from Zog and the Assassin, espesh if there's any Barmy Armiers nearby.

Skulls - you just hoped that a fact was right.

THe next Ashes is in Australia, and you are playing England.

skully wrote:As I said - I hope the series is still in the balance (or we have won it!!) come day 1 of T5. It'll allow the Forum 5 to be in good voice. I'm looking forward to some witty sledges from Zog and the Assassin, espesh if there's any Barmy Armiers nearby.

Alternatively ....

On past record, you won't see more than 2 or 3 coments from Zimmy, the last extremely cutting, if the series should start to go against Oz.

PeterCS wrote:Skulls - you just hoped that a fact was right.

THe next Ashes is in Australia, and you are playing England.

As crook as Aus was in 86-87 I was still hopeful that we would compete. The series was over by Day 3 of T4. Gladstone Small FFS had just helped Beefy clean us up by an innings. The lowest ebb for Aus cricket in my near 40 years watching the Great Game.

And that England side started with losses in the warm up games on tour. It all feels a bit foreboding.

PeterCS wrote:

skully wrote:As I said - I hope the series is still in the balance (or we have won it!!) come day 1 of T5. It'll allow the Forum 5 to be in good voice. I'm looking forward to some witty sledges from Zog and the Assassin, espesh if there's any Barmy Armiers nearby.

Alternatively ....

On past record, you won't see more than 2 or 3 coments from Zimmy, the last extremely cutting, if the series should start to go against Oz.

Zimmy ain't among the bunch. It's the Assassin (MB), Zog, lardy, Woody and myself. Or are you referring to comments on here?

Comments on here!

btw: Gladstone Small was an underrated bowler.

He wasn't fast, had no neck and looked unprepossessing.

But he was accurate, nagging, and clever. A bit of a latter-day Pidge with less bounce.

Aye, Gladstone was a good bowler and very good humoured about the neck he didn't have.

But he wasn't the first choice to start a Test match. Dilley had an injury and missed T4.

I didn't say GS was underrated only by Oz

JKLever wrote:Bollocks Skully. Our opening pace bowling average 34+

We have one world class batsman who is in no kind of form.

As Dellboy said, we won't take 20 wickets once all tour.

Nor will the bushmen.
So looks like a boring 0-0 series draw with England retaining the coveted urn.

Suits me.