Brian Lara
Active Member
As it turned out, it was neither.
England In Australia - The Ashes 2013/14
- Thread starter Ljp86
- Start date
Brian Lara
Active Member
In review, I like the attitude shown by Prior and Broad at the end of the day's play. I look at it and it reminds me of the partnership between Swann and Broad in the 4th test in 09. Prior looked a much more convincing batsman today. I think it's one of those things where a team situation becomes so big, you can't worry about your own issues and have to play above yourself. Hopefully he can at least threaten a ton. Hopefully England can mildly threaten chasing down the score. It wouldn't surprise me if England are a transformed team at the WACA.
Cook showing that cricket is a mind game first, and all the other crap (like pitch/conditions) are secondary factors. If he had a genuinely stronger attitude (atm), the hook would've gone to the boundary. As it turned out, he picked out the fielder.
Cook showing that cricket is a mind game first, and all the other crap (like pitch/conditions) are secondary factors. If he had a genuinely stronger attitude (atm), the hook would've gone to the boundary. As it turned out, he picked out the fielder.
nairbe
Active Member
Well that will make the toss a tough one as the pitch gets unpredictable when really dry at the WACA. No matter we are going in with massive momentum, the POMS must be really down with the weak effort in Adelaide. Reminds me of our last two Lords tests that have basically been the end of the series for us.
Brian Lara
Active Member
As a Pom fan, annoyed about the success of this current Australian team. I just have to look at the upside, or make an upside as much as I can.
- For all the noise, Johnson got motm, and all he did was clean up the lower order. 6 of the 8 were from 6 down in the batting line up. One of them was a debut player. The other 2 were Cook's wicket.
Even with Cook, as impressive as the first one looked, when you're an opener having to bat the last hour of the day or less, particularly in the weakened position England were in, a wicket was always going to happen. If it wasn't Johnson, it would've been someone else. It's the situation, rather than the bowling. The second one was hardly Johnson, Cook gave it away.
- The right-handers handled Johnson ok. With the lefties, Carberry looks alright. It was just the first wicket from Cook that was bad. For all the talk about Johnson rattling them, the top half, and Prior, seem to have adjusted a little. Whether it'll be enough is another story.
- A lot of soft dismissals, and they still got 300+.
- Australia still have an ordinary batting line-up.
- Australia are front runners.
- Shit is real now. England have a passive game plan, that can go out the window now. Now, it's all about winning. Sometimes, you need a sense of finality to get the job done. Kind of like Mick Malthouse with Collingwood, it wasn't til he was told he wasn't going to be coach anymore, is when the Pies became a beast of a side. You saw a little of it with Prior, all of his "problems" before meant sfa when they were staring down the barrel, and he batted really well.
- For all the noise, Johnson got motm, and all he did was clean up the lower order. 6 of the 8 were from 6 down in the batting line up. One of them was a debut player. The other 2 were Cook's wicket.
Even with Cook, as impressive as the first one looked, when you're an opener having to bat the last hour of the day or less, particularly in the weakened position England were in, a wicket was always going to happen. If it wasn't Johnson, it would've been someone else. It's the situation, rather than the bowling. The second one was hardly Johnson, Cook gave it away.
- The right-handers handled Johnson ok. With the lefties, Carberry looks alright. It was just the first wicket from Cook that was bad. For all the talk about Johnson rattling them, the top half, and Prior, seem to have adjusted a little. Whether it'll be enough is another story.
- A lot of soft dismissals, and they still got 300+.
- Australia still have an ordinary batting line-up.
- Australia are front runners.
- Shit is real now. England have a passive game plan, that can go out the window now. Now, it's all about winning. Sometimes, you need a sense of finality to get the job done. Kind of like Mick Malthouse with Collingwood, it wasn't til he was told he wasn't going to be coach anymore, is when the Pies became a beast of a side. You saw a little of it with Prior, all of his "problems" before meant sfa when they were staring down the barrel, and he batted really well.
Brian Lara
Active Member
Looking back, that was a bit of an essay. The biggest factor seems to be that the cricket Gods are seemingly looking after Johnson. The last point I made was the most valid one I think. Although one positive for England is that Rodney Hogg was asked on radio today if England had a chance of winning at the WACA, and he replied with "No chance!" He talks a lot of shit and is often wrong. Load up on England!
nairbe
Active Member
I don't know about the GOD's but England need a new attitude that is for sure. You can assess the first two tests as you like but in the end England are lacking application. Considering the past 5 years for them you would have to say that they are still in it. A win is probably too much to ask but a draw is still possible. The MCG and SCG will certainly be more to their taste
SLA said:
Seems to me that you're pretty soft to be honest and it probably goes a way to explaining why England are 2-0 down at this point. Funny how you're happy to criticise Australia for making comments but when an English player threatens George Bailey you don't have anything to say. You don't win international games of cricket by taking the softly, softly approach. Looking at the dominant sides of the previous few decades such as Australia and the West Indies, both those sides went tooth and nail at their opponent until they were physically and mentally beaten and is one of the reasons why both sides were at the top of world cricket for so long.
Brian Lara said:
He also knocked over Carberry, Trott (x2), Root and Pietersen from the top order in the Brisbane test. So it's not as if he's purely taking tail-end wickets. To be fair, some of the guys looked intimidated in that first innings of the Adelaide game on what was a benign pitch. Perth is the quickest deck in the world and the pace from Johnson and Harris will only get quicker.
Cook is not looking like the player he was a few years ago. He was okay in England but has looked average over here so far although he got a pretty good ball in the first innings by Johnson to get him out. His bread and butter shots square of the wicket aren't coming on and he looks out of form. Johnson did him for pace in the second innings rather than him giving it away.
There's little to no application for the top order for England. Cook looks out of form, Pietersen is just an arrogant tosser, the way he got out in that first innings was disgraceful, pure arrogance at its finest. Prior has looked terrible bar one knock and Stokes was in his debut game. The only two guys who have shown anything are Carberry and Root, one of which in his first Ashes series and the other is barely into his 20's.
I wouldn't get too excited about that. 312 at Adelaide is at least 100 below par.
Our batting isn't great but they're at least applying themselves. If someone fails there's always been someone else who has taken up the slack and made a big score. England haven't had anyone stand up so far bar a good knock from Root at Adelaide and Prior's slogfest on the final day.
I think you've drawn quite a few longbows in your post. I don't mean to bag England but they've well and truly underperformed so far and it's the batsmen who've let them down. They certainly have a lot of work to do and thinking about how they approach they upcoming Perth test.
If you're an English fan and player you are not going to like the weather forecast for the Perth game. First three days are sold out, make sure you slip, slop, slap!!
Friday: Very hot and sunny, 38
Saturday: Very hot and sunny, 38
Sunday: Very hot and sunny, 38
Monday: Very hot and mostly sunny, 39
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, 37
Enjoy!
Friday: Very hot and sunny, 38
Saturday: Very hot and sunny, 38
Sunday: Very hot and sunny, 38
Monday: Very hot and mostly sunny, 39
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, 37
Enjoy!
The west indies of the 80s and 90s were a classy side and famous for never sledging anyone. They just let the ball do the talking. Sledging or "mental disintegration" is a recent Australian invention designed expressly to cause serious mental health problems in the opposition. I hope they're very proud of ruining Jonathan Trott's career, they really could be sued for loss of earnings in any other profession.
Come on, Anderson never threatened anyone, it was just another of Warne's little mind games. Clarke got off very lightly. What a classless thug that man is.
Kram81
Well-Known Member
The pasty larger clowns from the barmy army will be like baked prawns by the end of the Test if they don't cover up at the concrete jungle WACA!
Brian Lara
Active Member
Ok Ljp86, I'm not going to quote your post. But this is my response and you can work out what I was responding to.
Yes, Johnson knocked over a few of the top order in Brisbane, but I was talking about Adelaide. Progressively, the batsman have dealt with him better. I'm not saying he won't get any top order wickets anymore. But as an England supporter, who's annoyed with the media tidal wave of support, I'm looking at the positives. The WACA will be favourable to Johnson, but I think the batsman, are better prepared to play him. (I hope so!)
Cook is looking like the player he was a few years ago. 3 years ago (and this is forgotten on BF), he was actually out of form and his place in the side was questioned. To this day does anyone know how he managed that emphatic a performance during 10/11?
Anyway, in the second innings, the tactics were right, to take on Johnson, but he's overcorrected with the aggression, going for a hook off the third ball. don't know how fast Johnson's ball was, but I don't think it mattered. Similar could be said for Broad's wicket as well.
Little or no application in batting is all down to being totally unprepared for the series. The buying of the protective gear? A big fuss has been made about England being scared. They're not scared. This tells me that they weren't prepared as well as they should've been. It's a mindset Australia have taken full advantage of. They'll get their act together. Hopefully it won't be too late.
I'm not excited about 312, but it's a step in the right direction. All the batsmen have put in a decent innings so far. It's just it there hasn't been huge scores, and they all haven done it a t the same time.
Yes, Johnson knocked over a few of the top order in Brisbane, but I was talking about Adelaide. Progressively, the batsman have dealt with him better. I'm not saying he won't get any top order wickets anymore. But as an England supporter, who's annoyed with the media tidal wave of support, I'm looking at the positives. The WACA will be favourable to Johnson, but I think the batsman, are better prepared to play him. (I hope so!)
Cook is looking like the player he was a few years ago. 3 years ago (and this is forgotten on BF), he was actually out of form and his place in the side was questioned. To this day does anyone know how he managed that emphatic a performance during 10/11?
Anyway, in the second innings, the tactics were right, to take on Johnson, but he's overcorrected with the aggression, going for a hook off the third ball. don't know how fast Johnson's ball was, but I don't think it mattered. Similar could be said for Broad's wicket as well.
Little or no application in batting is all down to being totally unprepared for the series. The buying of the protective gear? A big fuss has been made about England being scared. They're not scared. This tells me that they weren't prepared as well as they should've been. It's a mindset Australia have taken full advantage of. They'll get their act together. Hopefully it won't be too late.
I'm not excited about 312, but it's a step in the right direction. All the batsmen have put in a decent innings so far. It's just it there hasn't been huge scores, and they all haven done it a t the same time.
Brian Lara
Active Member
Will be interesting to see the effects of such high temperatures during this match.
Brian Lara
Active Member
Geez England have cut it so fine. They're in a situation that even if they a clearly the best team for the next 3 tests, they still might lose the series.