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ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
- ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
-
ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
StrumSolo > 02/01/2014, 19:02
The fifth and (thankfully) final test gets underway at 23:30 GMT this evening. England haven't got loads to play for but there's something to be said for not getting done 5-0 so, you know, there's that...
Here's hoping we catch the Aussies on a wind-down.
Changes are likely, with batsman Gary Ballance, leg-spinner Scott Borthwick and fast bowler Boyd Rankin all in line to make their test debuts. They'd make way for Michael Carberry, who's struggled after an encouraging start to the series, Tim Bresnan and Monty Panesar, who'd likely have missed out anyway due to a calf injury. All this will mean another alteration to the batting line-up, with Joe Root opening with Cook, Bell at 3, followed by Pietersen, Ballance and Stokes.
Michael Clarke reckons England missed Matt Prior last time out, but Cook's confirmed that Johnny Bairstow will continue as wicket-keeper, adding that "settled sides happen when you win games of cricket and perform well". On that basis the Aussies will probably remain unchanged.
Predictions?
Image source -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
RussyRover > 02/01/2014, 20:08
My crystal ball tells me that it's most likely to become a 5-0 whitewash...
The SCG has a very similar results profile to the MCG with only 17 draws in 101 tests, with just one draw in the last 14 tests. The last time there was a draw at the SCG was back in 2004 when India piled on 700+ runs in the first innings which spanned the opening two days of the test.
In 43 Ashes tests at the SCG there have been just 6 draws.
Of the 84 results at the SCG, 44 have been won by the team batting first.
The early pitch report from the SCG suggests a huge change in preparation with the strip having a lot more grass than is usual...
The conditions have prompted calls for Faulkner to be included in place of the disappointing Bailey and considering the way he has been bowling recently, that would be a terrific decision. A grassy SCG used to play into McGrath’s hands and that could well be the case with Faulkner too
The weather's always been a bit tricky to predict here but it says it's going to be cooler, great for bowling, and with rain showers always nearby..
Day One – Possible light showers with cloud cover – max of 27c
Day Two – Mostly sunny with cloudy conditions in the morning – max of 26c
Day Three – Morning showers a possibility and plenty of cloud – max of 25c
Day Four – Mostly sunny – max of 25c
Day Five – Showers with plenty of cloud – max of 22c
If Clarke wins the toss, will he decide to bowl first again? If the pitch is prepared as being suggested then he could be thinking of early wickets and more pressure for the English...
Having Bell back up to 3, might actually be quite positive. If he stays in, he can steady the ship early doors and maybe set the stage for a decent first innings score...
4 hours and a bit to go before it all starts to unravel... maybe literally for the English!!! -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
RussyRover > 03/01/2014, 00:20
Cook wins the toss (to cheers from the crowd) and he does decide to have a bowl first... It seems unanimous from all there that to bowl first is definitely the right thing to do...
There are the 3 changes for England but Root makes way for Ballance instead of Carberry, while the Aussies remain unchanged.
Australia: Rogers, Warner, Watson, Clarke ©, Smith, Bailey, Haddin (wkt), Johnson, Harris, Siddle, Lyon.
England: Cook ©, Carberry, Bell, KP, Ballance, Stokes, Bairstow (wk), Borthwick, Broad, Anderson, Rankin.
The stage is set... How about 3 or 4 wickets before lunch lads... -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
StrumSolo > 03/01/2014, 12:10
Another decent start (97-5 at one point) followed by another struggle to dismiss the middle order, with the Aussies regrouping to reach 326. 115 from Smith and 75 from Haddin the pick of the innings for the home side, though England will be encouraged by Stokes' first five-wicket haul, 6-99 for him.
Less joy for the debutants, Ranking went off injured after 8 wickets and Borthwick was only given 7 to show what he could do, 1-49 since you asked.
England faced 6 overs at the end of the day, plenty enough for Johnson to dispose of Michael Carberry. 8-1 at close. -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
RussyRover > 03/01/2014, 14:50
Ay yet again England let a good start slip away and the possibility of winning the match with it. They don't seem to know how to stop Haddin this series, and Smith just went with the flow. Great scoring again as 326 from 76 overs, not too shabby at all...
I just do not know what Carberry was trying to do against Mitchell Johnson... Playing all around the ball and getting edges before he swiped one to leg slip... If he's the man in better form, then all I can say is god help Joe Root!!!
With the possibility of more overcast conditions in the morning, which will delight the Aussie bowlers, I can see another collapse before lunch.. For certain Jimmy ain't gonna be out there long... -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
StrumSolo > 04/01/2014, 15:24
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...
We were 23-5 at one point, so with that in mind 155 all out should probably be considered something of a success. Just as well we got past the follow-on threshold of 127 too or the game could well have been over inside 2 days. Stokes didn't disgrace himself with 47 and Stuart Broad's 30 not out was a decent bit of damage limitation but aside from that, woeful. Duck for Carberry as well.
Australia got 30 overs in at the end of the day and put on 140 for 4, giving them a lead of 311.
Nearly over, nearly over... -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
RussyRover > 04/01/2014, 16:02
So much for hoping this one would last till the 5th day!!!
At least Jimmy lasted longer than Cook did, and again what shocking shot selection. Sturdy defence to start with, they know the kind of pitch, they know the bowlers by now and they know that early doors ain't really the time for extravagance, or leaving close balls, at least not until you've had a few overs to see how it's playing...
Befuddled, bemused and beyond comprehension really... Thank goodness Stokes at least had the bottle to save the day.
Serious heads need knocking together behind closed doors. No need for uber drastic cuts and changes, these are still the same great players but need a good kick in the arse... It makes you wonder what was exactly going on from the beginning, with Trott's stress related departure and Swann's who quite honestly chickened out in my view anyway, then how were these players affecting the rest? It shouldn't have but we all know sportsmen are a funny and fragile lot. even though the Aussies have seriously upped their game and played superbly, they still haven't been brilliant, It just shows what happens when one team have a sudden upturn and the other has an equal and opposite downturn... Newton's Law isn't it... For every action there is an equal and opposite re-action!!!!
Have to look forward for the limited overs games now, and Alex Hales who's playing in the Big Bash at the moment is having a whale of a time with the bat, I wonder if they'll consider him??? -
RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
StrumSolo > 05/01/2014, 15:10
At least it's over.
Just 166 runs for England in their second innings, all out in under 32 overs and the match finished inside 3 days.
Carberry, Stokes and Broad aside, a total shower.
The Aussies win by 281 runs and take series 5-0.
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RE: ASHES FIFTH TEST: SYDNEY
RussyRover > 05/01/2014, 16:39
What can you really say!! When they came out after Tea with 7 wickets still remaining you had to think they would make it to Day 4?? But it was worse than comical as the wickets kept falling, they were never going to win but that was just criminal. Perhaps the lads wanted an extra day down at the beach?
The stats will say a 5-0 victory but the severity of each win is almost worth double that, it was a virtual no contest...
You have to hope that they actually DO know what was wrong so they can fix it, otherwise we'll be below Zimbabwe in the rankings if they keep this up.
At least Ben Stokes looks like he's one for the future, and as he and Broad sent Lyon flying into the crowd that was about the only highlight of the tour, it's a pity they left it till the last afternoon to do it... RIP English cricket...