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The Ashes 2013

• The Ashes 2013

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  StrumSolo > 24/06/2013, 12:32

  Mickey Arthur has been sacked as Australia coach just 16 days before the start of The Ashes.
  
  Explaining the shock decision, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said, "The obvious question is why? Performances over recent months have not been at standards we expect or desire.
  
  "Discipline, consistency over behaviour, are things we like to see in a building team. We have recognised issues in months gone by we have not seen improvement we would like. The coach is not solely responsible, but we have made decision we believe will make a change. We didn’t want to look back at Ashes series and think we could have done something about it. We’re confident this decision is best one."
  
  Still, not ideal preparation, is it?

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  StrumSolo > 24/06/2013, 12:42

  Former Yorkshire batsman, and current Australia A coach Darren Lehmann is the man to replace him.
  
  The question is, are they now more or less likely to be able to win The Ashes back?

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  RussyRover > 24/06/2013, 12:51

  Apparently Arthur was dismissed due to "struggles on and off the field" !!! Cricket always has struggles on and off the field lol.
  
  Unfortunately now is not the best time to be in the Aussie camp, with all their players retiring and now having to find and rebuild another world beating team, which I am sure they will do again in a few years. It will have no impact on the ashes, unless some of the players hated him and then I suppose they may be happier but affect their performance?? nah, I don't think so.
  
  The Ashes will be won or lost on two factors, (1) This damn weather of ours and (2), will England throw away their chances, even against a weak Aussie side.
  
  An England win is sure?, a whitewash on the cards...

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  StrumSolo > 08/07/2013, 14:16

  Beefy's predicting a 10-0 whitewash across this series and the return in Australia later this year (weather permitting presumably).
  
  Do you agree? Or is he being a little too optimistic there?
  
  Only 2 days until the action gets going at Trent Bridge!

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  RussyRover > 09/07/2013, 13:57

  Less than a day now, it's all starting to heat up, if you excuse the pun lol...
  Trent Bridge has been known as a draw venue, but the stats are skewed with a lot of old data, as more recently there is a draw in 1 in 6 games, so I wouldn't put any cash on The Draw for this first test.
  There appears to be no issue with the forecast (for a change) so we should get a full 5 days play, if indeed it goes that far?
  A home win in 4 days would do nicely, although don't expect any big odds or even Evens, if you're backing England.
  
  Yeah, Beefy said a while ago that he was going for a 10-0 scoreline, if the weather holds out, they can do it, but England do like to make it tough for themselves as recent games against New Zealand and the Champions Trophy have shown... and for that I can't see them doing it, although would love to be proved wrong...

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  RussyRover > 10/07/2013, 10:39

  Let the battle commence. A little bit of cloud around but a beautiful day at Trent Bridge. England win the toss and decide to bat first, Cook mentioned that even though the ball may swing a bit at first, with the dry pitch, they hope to see that off and get on with putting up a significant total, Cook and Root will open.
  
  Earlier Australia gave a new cap to 19 year old spinner Ashton Agar, maybe they think that because he's not been seem before, England may have a problem playing him. I suppose well find out later. David Warner misses out despite his ban ending today, again not surprised at that.
  
  England: A Cook (capt), J Root, J Trott, K Pietersen, I Bell, J Bairstow, M Prior, S Broad, G Swann, S Finn, J Anderson.
  
  Australia: S Watson, C Rogers, E Cowan, M Clarke (capt), P Hughes, S Smith, B Haddin, P Siddle, J Pattinson, M Starc, A Agar.

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  RussyRover > 10/07/2013, 13:22

  LUNCH - England are 98-2, still at the crease are Trott 37* and Pietersen 10*.
  Cook was the first man out for 13 playing a loose drive after about 40 minutes c Haddin b Pattinson (27 for 1), then everything going nicely for about an hour and another wicket that of Joe Root out for 30 and bowled by Siddle, looks like that change of ends has worked for him.
  Trott and Pietersen hold the ship safe till lunchtime, but so far both teams will be fairly happy.

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  StrumSolo > 10/07/2013, 14:46

  Now on 134-4 midway through the afternoon session.
  
  Trott bowled by Siddle on 48 while Pieterson was caught by Clarke, making a disappointing 14.
  
  Bell (8*) and Bairstow (4*) currently at the stumps.
  
  Not looking great at this stage but still plenty of cricket to come.

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  RussyRover > 11/07/2013, 09:32

  Well, I'm glad I said it was a beautiful day at Trent Bridge yesterday, as it was a beautiful day for cricket but gloomy enough to have the lights on early, and overcast enough that the ball worked for the bowlers.
  
  Yet again England's batsmen failed to make a decent score, no one even making a half century, and when they were bowled out for 215 on the last ball of the 59th over, it didn't look that good. Peter Siddle being the destroyer as he took out the top and middle order with 5 for 50.
  
  But the Aussie batsmen copied ours as they too seemed to want to throw away their wickets also, and a good 21 overs saw the Aussies end on 75 for 4 with both Finn and Anderson taking 2 wickets each, with Finn on a hat trick after dismissing Watson and Cowan in successive balls, and almost had Clarke as he wafted at the ball.
  
  So again it's pretty even at the moment, if England can get an early wicket or two in today's first session, they will be looking to come away with a slender first innings lead which will be a psychological win rather than a numerical one.
  
  A poor show by England's batsmen, but also a good one by the Aussie bowlers, underestimate these guys at your peril...

• RE: The Ashes 2013

  RussyRover > 11/07/2013, 11:55

  A good first half hour from Steve Smith but a bit of movement from the ball and he edges one to the keeper off Anderson, out for 53. In comes Brad Haddin but he only lasts two balls as Swann gets one to turn quite a bit of he's out bowled for 1, that's put a smile on faces.
  
  Peter Siddle walks in, can he have a good game with the bat to compliment his bowling? The answer is no as the Prior / Anderson partnership strikes again and he goes for 1 and at 114 for 7, the Aussies are now in a spot of bother...
  
  I don't believe it. Swann drops a low catch at second slip, lucky boy Mitchell Starc.... That would certainly have put the Aussies up the creek without a paddle.. But he doesn't last long, as the next over from Anderson, he gets his man courtesy of aother Prior catch and it's 5 wickets for Anderson and at 114 for 8, England are hoping to bat again before lunch.
  
  I'm glad I bet against the draw lol... If they keep going at this rate, they can all have a weekend off !!!
  
  
  EDIT: After several large shouts for lbw off Swann, he finally gets one dead plum and it's 117 for 9 as Pattinson is out for 2. Just in time to take a drinks break.
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