The Cricket Thread.

[Jon Masters]

98 all out !!!

If you meet an Aussie today, be sure to ask them how the Fourth Test's going

[Stuart Wallis]

And then prepare to duck!

[Larry]

and England, end day 2 with a 444 for 5 a lead of nearly 350, .

[Stuart Wallis]

Well on the way then. (Famous last words...)

[Larry]

Well on the way then. (Famous last words...)

well was reading in todays Mail, the last time the Aussies did this bad on this same ground was back in 1877 - and yes the Aussies still won..

[Stuart Wallis]

well was reading in todays Mail, the last time the Aussies did this bad on this same ground was back in 1877 - and yes the Aussies still won..

And have for the most part never looked back...

[Larry]

And have for the most part never looked back...

but it looks like baring a miracle for the Aussies England are going to retain the Ashes...

[Dirk Gently]

Australia 1st innings total (all out; 42.5 overs; 227 mins) 98 (2.28 runs per over).

May be the English had all the luck & just had the better conditions?



England 1st innings total (all out; 159.1 overs; 713 mins) 513 (3.22 runs per over).

Yeah, the English obviously had it easy & now the pitch is improving, that'll be it.



Australia 2nd innings total (6 wickets; 66 overs) 169 (2.56 runs per over).

Err, ok, I guess England are just better than this Aussie team.
So that's 4 wickets to get in 2 days & the Aussies need 246 more to make England bat again.

[Stuart Wallis]

but it looks like baring a miracle for the Aussies England are going to retain the Ashes...

Well, the miracle didn't materialise, did it?

On a serious note, what odds on Ponting stepping down as captain at or by the end of the series? Can we blame his captaincy, since he's lost three Ashes series now, or is this loss due to Australia not being the side they were not all that long ago?

[Larry]

On a serious note, what odds on Ponting stepping down as captain at or by the end of the series? Can we blame his captaincy, since he's lost three Ashes series now, or is this loss due to Australia not being the side they were not all that long ago?

well world class captain's don't suddenly become bad - it's pretty clear the Aussie's are not the dominant force they once were so we don't know just how good this current England side is. Having said that all credit to England for twice walloping the Aussie's in their own backyard there are not to many sides who've done that in the last 20 years.

[Captain Tancredi]

I think there was some speculation that Ponting would rest himself for the Sydney test to allow his injured finger to heal in time for the World Cup- for that reason alone I doubt he'd go voluntarily if there was a chance of retiring as captain of the world champions. The Australian cricketing establishment don't seem to be too struck on Michael Clarke as captain material either so they may well hold on until another candidate emerges.

Ponting's success rate as a Test captain is actually very good- he's led his country in some 70-80 Tests and only lost about 18 of them- but it's just unfortunate that six of those defeats have cost him three Ashes series.

[Stuart Wallis]

If certain corners of the British press are to be believed (re: those with connections to Sky TV, so believe what you will), their Aussie counterparts have been baying for Ponting's blood for some time now, which is why I bring the subject up. Never mind his track record... The Australian selectors seem to have a problem with who to replace him with in any case, given Clarke's being the vice-captain is the only thing keeping in the side following his form, Katich's injury and the relative inexperience of the current side. That's most likely the reason why we've won this series.