Why is Nathan Hauritz playing test cricket??

Fyp....

Test avg of 34, can bowl lots of overs at reasonable economy rate. In the modern game of flat tracks this skill set is pretty useful. What was the last test pitch to warrant 4 seamers? These days those conditions are the exception

Obvious having been able to indulge in the likes of Shane Warne and to a lesser extent Stuart MacGill over the last 15 years I have followed cricket means that coming back down to Earth is somewhat difficult, but the fact that our spinner is such a downgrade is still annoying.

FWIW how far off the edge of the earth has Nathan Krejza gone. 9 wickets? in his first test innings and now seems to be nowhere close to the scene.

I just hope Steve Smith can really become something over the next few years.

Tbh I never rated Monty Panasar (sp)

He just spun it a touch more than giles did, was of no use whatsoever in the field/ with a bat and had an incredibly annoying celebration.

Aussies liked Panesar because he was a modern day Tufnell. Pretty useless in general, but tried and was a decent laugh...

I wouldnt want him to bat to save a Test (icwidt...)

Now we're talking. Pretty sure Pakistan didn't know until now that the ICC was anti corruption, now that they do it's all good....

So much awesome Test cricket played today, so little time to watch it all. And the main event doesn't start for another ten days. If only all this stupid poker didn't get in the way......

im trying to put in a ******** of ours the next 10 days to make up for the ashes when i never leave the couch lol....

Awesome that the tour match is live on tellybox, but KP is really taking some stick from the commentary guys for his dodgy-looking Movember effort

Caution, NSFW, in fact not safe for anywhere imo

Good day's work by England in the field though, bowling out Aus A for 230, though it's a bit of a green surface and obv we still have to bat on it. Hopefully the blistering heat they get in Hobart (66º aorn) will dry it out and make it a perfect batting wicket tomorrow

Can't see this match lasting four days tbh

OMFG Ashes!!11!!1!!!

30 hours away give or take...

Anyway, I want to do some prop betting on the series with some of you English people.

Anywhere between US$10-100 on the result of the series, if the series is a tie then I will pay out half the bet.

Anywhere from 10-50 on the leading run scorer/wicket taker being Australian. I have all the aussies, you have all the English. If the wickets is a tie then average being the decider, and if the runs are a tie H/S being the decider.

Other random props negotiable.

gogogogogogogogogogogo...

Would be happy to do some betting, do you use betfair?

Ok my sleep schedule is ****ed and the Ashes is <24 hours so i thought i'd post some crap.



The weather is set for showers (apparently) which should suit us well, getting into the series with a draw.
Although Australia have been on lol form of late, it hasn't been the true Aus playing. As much as i'd love to i just can't see us winning this series. Like Manchester United, Australia just have a winning mentality drilled into them, we on the other hand usually lose before we step off the plane.

Strauss will need to be our talisman with the bat, i'm confident in him as a captain and with his batting ability.
Swann cannot afford to get injured, has been our best bowler for a while now and carries a real burden on his shoulders.
Pieterson has been woeful recently and we will need him to step his game up 10 fold.
I expect Trott to be solid throughout the series, be as dull as Dravid if needs be, but we need someone who can stay at the wicket.
Broad will have to try and keep his cool, but undoubtedly he will throw his toys out the pram on several occasions.
I hope Monty is only out there to play water boy, i don't want to see him bowl one ball or face a single delivery.

Michael Clarke should pass fit to play.
Aus reserve keeper ruled out for six weeks due to broken finger
Johnson claims he's going to bombard Strauss with bouncers
England have warmed up with the "sprinkler"

Some predictions

Gatting- Aus
Warne - Eng
Botham- Eng
S Waugh- Aus 3-2
Tony Greig- 2-2
Benaud- Draw (well he hints towards Eng)
Vaughan-Eng 5-0 lol
McGrath- Shall i even bother? Aus

So the experts have it 3-3 and two draws. Well that settled a lot



Some Twitter accounts
Graeme Swann
Michael Clarke
Kevin Pieterson
David Lloyd
Shane Warne
Michael Vaughan
Phil Tufnell
Cricinfo Wickets
Cricinfo News


Some Odds-

Current Odds (Betfair)

Favoured Series result

2-2 @ 7.6. That would set up for a cracking series.

Aus 3-1 / 2-1 Virtually the same price @ 9.4.

Eng 2-1 @ 10.5

====

Series Winner
Aus @2.0
Eng @2.9
Draw @5.6

====

First Test
Aus @2.2
Eng @3.2
Draw @4.1

Test Match End
< Day 3 @12
4 Morning @12.5
4 Lunch @8.2
4 Eve @5.9
5 M @6.4
5 L @6.2
5 E @3.2 (current forecast is wet)

Given our record in opening tests i'd snap a draw here, but wont be surprised if we go one down.

Aus guys you may see some value in here, or English guys with a decent memory.

Most Runs from Wicket
Brisbane @5.2
Adelaide @2.9
Perth @3.7
Melbourne @4.7
Sydney @3.2

====

Top scoring bat

Aus
Ponting @4.5
Watson @5.1
Katich @6.2
Hussey @7.2 I've not seen him play for a while, but he's been a thorn in our side enough down the years to make that look good value

Eng/ SAF
Strauss @4.7
Piet @5.4
Trott @5.9
Bell @6.4

If i had enough money, i'd gladly lay K Pieterson, he hasn't been on form for a while, i know he can rise to the occasion but i cannot see him being our top scorer.
I'm happy to pile on Strauss and Trott here.


Overall leading scorer
Ponting @ 6.4
Strauss @ 7.8
Katich @ 9.2
Hussey @ 14

Surely there has to be value on Ponting here?
=====

Leading WKT

Aus
Johnson @3.85
Hilf @3.95
Boll @6.8

Not a clue here, think i'd back Hilfenhaus.

Eng
Swann @2.3
Broad @4.5
Anderson @5.1

Just goes to show how much weight is on Swann's shoulders.
No doubt Aus will plan to play very aggressively early to knock him off his game and attempt to dent his confidence.

Overall
Swann @3.9
Johnson @6.2
Broad @7.6
Hilf @8.2

GOGOGOGOGOGOGOOGOGO!

I'd just like to express my heartfelt support for Ricky Ponting in his bid to




Super excited about this. Really think we're gonna do them this time. I'm old enough to remember the last time we won down there (TMS ftw - listening under the duvet when I should have been asleep for school the next day ), though this time I'll just watch it all on tv obv, if I can stay awake. Would be good to win there again, was bad enough having to wait so long just to win it at home.

Really think we've got a good chance of doing this.

Wish I was going this time instead of going on the last one. That was a pretty miserable tour, even the weather sucked for most of the Boxing Day test. And Xmas lunch in the hotel was so bad that some of us supplemented it at the Burger King on Swanston St because it was about the only place open to eat .


Anyway, pretty sure that Australia's lol form of late will not count for so much because it's against us, they're going to be up for this more than anything.

Strauss, Trott, Broad and Swann key for us. Have a good feeling about Belly too. Not sure about KP. Have a bad feeling Finn may struggle, hope I'm wrong tho.

For the Aussies it'll be Katich, Ponting and Johnson who are most crucial, and Clarke if fit; Bollinger and Hilfenhaus will have their work cut out to keep it tight though if Johnson's radar goes awol. Think they should have put Hughes in at the top of the order with Katich and dropped Watson to #6. And lol at Marcus North.

Not too worried about the Aussie spinning options tbh; could be a crucial advantage for us come the Fifth Test in Sydney if it's a winner-take-all jobby.



gogogogogogogo

And ffs bat if you win the toss Straussy.


GL everybody, it's gonna be epic!!!!!!!!!

nice write ups... I might do one from a green and gold perspective later.

Badders, only pokerstars money, not betfair sorry.

So looking forward to this.

Expecting a hard fought series or a humiliation for oz.

not betting on cricket but would buy Bell runs if I did.

Hmm. This snuck up on me. I got the days mixed up and thought Thursday (for us) meant a Friday start in Oz, but it's today!

I have no idea what to make of this. Australia do look weak right now, but I am used to automatically factoring England being hugely overrated into my thinking in spite of the recent Ashes wins. My brain simply won't let me think they can win in Australia.

Is KP keepng that moustache? England big favourites if so.

in before lolstralia

do you guys think Ponting will be asked to go after world cup if he loses this series?

about 3.5 hours to go

is it a midnight start here?

According to Sky the first ball should be at midnight

hmm, to watch until drinks, or until lunch, before hitting tms. decisions, decisions. probably until drinks if we bat

Anybody know of a way to listen to tms online from overseas? UK only it says.

I'm in NZ atm but prefer to listen to the tms commentary.

Player for player England have been much much better lately than the Aussies, but as an Englishmen that worries me! Think we would do much better without any expectations. Should be a good series either way.

Bat first and start the sledging with Mitchell Johnson would be a good first session!