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ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
- ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
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ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
StrumSolo > 12/12/2013, 15:16
I was thinking about the cricket, got to thinking about Australia, and...
Just don't see it anymore, do you? Wonder what happened there.
Anyway, England are shit. After two hammerings in as many tests the Ashes could well be lost by Tuesday (or sooner). The good news is that after playing on a couple of (Australian)batsmen-friendly pitches, the wicket at Perth should favour the bowlers. The bad news is that will also benefit Mitchell Johnson, not just the overworked Broad and Anderson.
Beyond those two, the bowling attack is likely to see some tinkering. Andy Flower has confirmed as much and Steven Finn, Boyd Rankin, and Tim Bresnan are all in contention. Cue nervous over-shoulder glances from Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar...
Meanwhile, Bresnan again, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance could all be brought in to 'strengthen' the batting. I'm being harsh, they could scarcely make it any worse than the displays offered up in Brisbane and Adelaide, could they? Could they?!
The game will also see both skippers reach 100 tests. Alastair Cook's calling it the toughest of his career, while Michael Clarke's probably quite looking forward to it.
Predictions?
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RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
RussyRover > 12/12/2013, 15:33
Apparently it is going to be hot, damn hot in Perth, the kind of hot that calls for quite a few XXXX's....
Day One – Very hot with a max of 38c
Day Two – Very hot with a max of 40c
Day Three – Very hot with a max of 40c
Day Four – Very hot with a max of 39c
Day Five – Very hot with a max of 38c
and cos it's Western Australia, you'll have to stay up extra late (or get up extra early) as it won't start until 2.30am our time...
Green, no turn but plenty of bounce - that's the WACA for you..
According to the stats, the WACA is a 3.20 RPO pitch in normal circumstances, but the Ashes has brought out the worst in the batting line ups with only 2.97 RPO generated over the 11 Ashes Tests played at the ground.
The venue stats are interesting – 7 draws from 40 tests – with no obvious bias to the team batting first. The Ashes draw factor is slightly higher with 3 from 11.
The last time there was a draw was way back in 2005, but the WACA pitch came up dull with none of its customary pace and even with 132 overs the Australians couldn’t bowl out South Africa for the win.
The early pitch report from the WACA suggests a pitch bathed in green with little to no turn and lots of bounce – in other worlds a classic WACA pitch that has been set up for Mitchell Johnson and in the hot conditions this could be carnage & curtains for the English.
Australia to win at around 8/11 is the early call... or if you want to bet on the exchange, then laying the Draw is probably the most nailed on result.... -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
Hilary Briss > 12/12/2013, 17:40
I'll have a Guinea on Bradman getting a ton ! -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
thewolfman > 12/12/2013, 20:15
Ah Perth, it doesn't matter how well England are playing it is guaranteed to be carnage. England's approach to batting has ranged from the irresponsible to the utterly brainless and this needs to change big time! Sir Geoffrey has come out and said that England need to stop playing the hook shot and it is hard to argue with t'ledge, it is a shot that has only brought them trouble and at the WACA it would be the equivalent of dropping their whites and bending over with legs akimbo.
So the pitch is green? If this is the case then it could be an even toss with something in it for the quick bowlers early on. Anderson and Broad have to step up to the mark in this test, if there is something for them to seam the ball with then they have to use it because the Kookaburra turns into a tennis ball after about 20 overs. Bresnan has to play, despite temperatures akin to a kiln you will get a breeze from the old Freemantle Doctor and he is the perfect bowler for using that from what is available. The spinner? I would play one, Monty took five wickets at Perth in 2006, though he also got pissed on (no pun intended) by Gilchrist, so therefore I would drop Swann.
The batting? The top 7 have to perform in the first innings and there are no excuses, no more get out innings by Matt Prior or Kevin Pietersen when the game is already dead and no more thoughtlessness in shot selection. Let the Aussies break their backs trying to bounce us out all day long, sway inside it and smile sweetly then wait for the balls that are there to be scored from and take what is there. Every batsman has shown that they are capable of playing a patient innings but they haven't done it together, the time is now boys and it is all or nothing!!
Prediction: An Aussie win regaining the Ashes but I think a combination of us getting our act together and their own nerves nearer the time may cause some twists and turns with a tight finish. I actually think this could be a belting test match IF England bat properly. -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
RussyRover > 13/12/2013, 12:08
DAY 1: CLOSE OF PLAY- Aus 326-6 - Smith (103) & Johnson (39)
Well well, after England had some success early on to get the Aussies to 143 for 5, they then had to endure a long and tiresome second half of the day as Smith and Haddin put on a 124 run partnership, until Haddin has a mis-hit pull shot and gives Stokes his first wicket of the test, then another unbeaten 59 partnership with that man Mitchell Johnson who has been swatting the ball all around.
Even with the new ball taken, Broad seems intent of trying to bounce most every ball and both batsmen are easily coping with this...
Maybe after a good nights rest and relaxation, the wickets will fall again in the morning... However as always, until England has a go at batting, we will see if it's poor bowling or the conditions at work... My money is on the former... Johnson has already shown a penchant for getting through the lower order, something that England needs to get back to doing pretty pronto.
David Saker the England bowling coach admitted on interview that;
"It was a disappointing day for all the bowlers. We pride ourselves at being able to restrict scoring and we weren't able to do that.
"We had a chance, but we weren't able to take it. We probably bowled a little bit too short.
"It's drilled into this group not to bowl short. We probably got a little bit excited.
&
"We assess selection all the time. We make mistakes, and we might have made a mistake in this game. We picked a side that we thought would get 20 wickets and that still could happen."
Sooooooooo, you may have made a bowling selection error... you don't say... too late now mucker, you've probably just gone and put that final nail in the Ashes coffin for yourselves... But hey-ho, tomorrow is another day, we may be regaled with some fine early morning swing and still have a reasonable 350 run target to chase!!!! maybe!!!! -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
RussyRover > 13/12/2013, 16:38
Here's an update on the latest weather conditions...
Day Two – Very hot with a max of 40c
Day Three – Very hot with a max of 40c
Day Four – Very hot with a max of 39c
Day Five – Humid – Partly cloudy of 29c
With no chance of weather stopping play, at least for now, England need some inspirational bowling to see them in with a chance of a win... a very long chance... and I bet against the Draw, so that still looks solid.
I just read an interesting piece by Ed Smith on ESPN, see here Champs Today, Chumps Tomorrow
We all like to have a pop at the players, and why not, only human nature really, but I liked this piece... -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
StrumSolo > 13/12/2013, 18:54
143-5 could have been the start of something special.
326-6? No chance.
We'll do well to make 326 over two innings. -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
thewolfman > 13/12/2013, 22:58
An interesting article by Ed Smith, though I cannot help but think it is contrary to his own experiences in test cricket where he couldn't hack it himself. He seems to be completely discarding psychology and confidence within the series from what I can tell, he seems to paint the picture that players should be robots. He says about good dismissals and bad dismissals, there is no shame in getting out like Michael Clarke did at Trent Bridge but then you look a tit playing a shot like Jonathan Trott did in Brisbane. What he says completely contrasts with everything that Geoffrey Boycott is saying on TMS, sorry Ed but Geoffrey has been there and you haven't mate!
Ed Smith also says that England's cricket team has never caught the public's imagination, well that is utter bollocks! The performances three years ago were lauded, they do have personalities in there with Swann and KP, they were as adored as they could be in a football dominant sporting media. Can't help but think that Ed Smith thinks he should have been part of it instead of failing and retiring early with injury.
A few things have struck me with this England team, in particular that they aren't getting any younger. If England lose this series 4 or 5-0 then there is no way on this planet that Cook can hang on to the captaincy as this series, if it carries on like this, is an indication that this team is on the way out and changes need to be made and made quickly. So who would be captain, Bell or Prior? Wrong side of 30! Stuart Broad? Loose cannon! Joe Root? Not yet.
The most frightening thing is the lack of depth coming from the counties right now, how many players are screaming out to be picked that really look like they are going to be top cricketers. So is this, now failing, great team that we had down to a group of guys all maturing nicely at the same time a few years ago or is it down to the development? It is beginning to look like we hit the jackpot on the fruit machine of cricket rather than a bit of hard work. We have pumped our winnings back into the machine with the same formula and nothing is coming back, we have been worked out!
What also strikes me is the 'that'll do approach' that a lot of the players seem to be giving the impression of. They have won three series in a row and seem to think they have made it, they do not have the hunger that the Aussies (only Clarke among them has won an Ashes) are displaying. Is this human nature? Is it understandable? Steve Waugh won NINE Ashes series, he achieved it all and came back for more again and again so England's players have no excuse. -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
RussyRover > 13/12/2013, 23:52
I think Ed just likes writing so he can flog an ad for his own works of fiction lol -
RE: ASHES THIRD TEST: PERTH
thewolfman > 13/12/2013, 23:59
I've heard him on TMS a few times, he isn't too bad but not the most charismatic either.