Australia v England Ashes 2013/2014

AU 295
EG 136
AU 7/401 DEC
EG 179

Australia win by a measly 381 runs
Who would have thought that pre match

MY MAN OF THE SERIES VOTES
3 Johnson
2 Warner
1 Haddin
0 Broad
0 Harris

Mitchell Johnson came in at 6/132 on day 1
From that point on he demolished England with bat ball and mouth
I've not seen him as fired up as he was this match
The other 4 players I voted for , could have finished in any order
What a game he played
64 + 4/61
39* +5/42


GONG MAN OF THE SERIES
3 Swann
2 Prior
1 Anderson

Swann 2 ducks and 2/215 match figures gives him top gong vote !

Mitchell Johnson
This game
64
4/61
39*
5/42

Last series AU V EG at the Gabba 2010/2011 series
That game
0/66
0
0/104
Did not bat

He improved !

What a crushing victory to kick off the series. Never would've expected it after day 1.

Two faced opinions ?

HOOK/PULL SHOTS
Having read forums, listened to media commentators , the assessing of the hook/pull shots is annoying
Some players in this Test have been castigated, others commended

Warner pulls Broad first ball for four
Clark pulls Broad in the 2nd innings for four
Both players commended and words such as intent positive are mentioned

Watson plays the hoik pull and is out caught
Trott plays that flick hoik pull and is out caught at deep square
Pieterson hooks and is caught at fine leg
These players are more or less criticised or had questions asked about their shots

In all instances it ends up being the execution of the shots
Or whether the players played the shot well enough or skillful enough

Just imagine this
Clarke caught fending in the first dig to short leg off a Broad steepler
In the 2nd dig he plays a superb pull of Broad to the mid wicket fence
What if he skies the ball and is caught for hardly a run ???????????????????????
Then the commentators and the press would be saying how irresponsible he was

I find Warne a bit frustrating like that.
To be honest I am a bit "warned" out.
He should go back and concentrate on keeping Liz happy.

How's that for a "Scrappyism"?

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:I find Warne a bit frustrating like that.
To be honest I am a bit "warned" out.
He should go back and concentrate on keeping Liz happy.

How's that for a "Scrappyism"?

You should respect legends
Stop Hurleying abuse at the great one
Howwwwzzzzat for a Chamboism !

He is a very innovating thinking commentator
He is different
He is very good to listen to in short bursts
He over does his Warne maxims at times

I reckon Shane Warne has a good background to be a coach of Australia
We were both coached by Terry Jenner !

Great win but one win doesnt make a summer. Poms will come back hard at Adelaide Oval

JORDAN SILK
Jordan Silk ,the 21 year old , is beckoning to be Chris Rogers successor , has just made his 4th century in First Class cricket in his 9th game

Another youngster with a promising future is Travis Head. Once he learns to turn his 90"s into 100's and keep going he will make a lot of runs.

Nothing wrong with making 90's, better than making ducks.

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:I find Warne a bit frustrating like that.
To be honest I am a bit "warned" out.
He should go back and concentrate on keeping Liz happy.

How's that for a "Scrappyism"?

i'll tell you what Chambo you listen to Warne & i'll go & keep Liz happy    

Just transgressing back to 21/11
These were some pre game media comments about Mitchell JJJJJJJJJJohnson

Shaun TTTTTTTait and Phil Hughes made these quotes

TAIT
" We all want to watch him, he is steaming in bowling 150km/h
We just want to see someone bowling fast and intimidating a bit."

HUGHES[commenting on a recent WA V SA Sheffield Shield match in Perth]
" He bowled some really good spells in Perth and if he bowls like that at the Gabba he could be a real handful.
I am sure he will be great."

During the match

WARNER
Has commented that some English batters were afraid of the Australian quicks
Warner directed these comments more or less at a mesmerised Jonathon Trott
Dont know if that's wise , this could come to bite him
He is playing well, does he need to be mouthing off ?
If Broad barrages with short stuff him and gets him out in Adelaide , then it will bite

CLARKE V ANDERSON
" Expect a f...g broken arm."
That's something like what Michael said to Jimmy when Jimmy was batting
This match comment co$t Clarke 20% of his match payments

JONATHON TROTT
3763 runs
46.45 average
226 highest score
9 Test centuries

32 year old Trott has gone home on stress leave
" I don't feel it is right I'm playing knowing that I'm not 100% and I cannot currently operate at the level I have done in the past.
My PRIORity now is to take a break from cricket so that I can focus on my recovery
I want to wish my team mates all the very best."

Wow that's a shock
But at least opposition sides wont have to worry as much about over rates
Trott has annoyed opposition players with his batting antics
His annoying trait of going 'walkabout' after each delivery has pissed off players and myself at times
He faces a ball, then walks to about where a short leg would be placed,returns, then takes stance.
At times bowlers have been kept waiting
I guess now he wont be HOLDING up the bowlers ...

The appropriate anachronism of Too Hot To Trot unfortunately now applies to Johnathon Trott
Hopefully he recovers from his stress related illness , as he is a talented cricketer

3763 runs
I reckon I might be close to the mark in saying he has never hit a 6 in those 3763 runs ????????????
He held the record for most runs without a 6 when he got to 3215 runs
Maybe he's gone home on six leave....


Footnote
An England player abandoning a tour has happened before in Australia
Marcus Trescothick also departed his team in the 2006/2007 England tour of Australia suffering from depression

Yes I did have a bit of dejavu this morning when I heard Trott was on his way home with a stress related illness!

I wonder how David Warner is feeling about the whole situation after calling him 'mentally weak' in the press conference a couple of days ago.

I hope he doesn't cop too much flak over the situation, he was just commenting on Trott's approach in a cricketing context, not to his mental state outside of the game.

Any critism or suggestion that he contributed to Trott's trip home would be unfair IMO.

It would be interesting if Trott's problems manifested out in the middle and Warner was able to pick up on it.

Whilst Warner perhaps couldn't have known it was anything more sinister, he may have sensed something amiss and commented on it.

These guys probably try and read every minute piece of body language on display and exploit it.

Twitter

Just had a phone call from the Queen.
She's stepping down.
She concedes I own England.

By
Mitchell Johnson ???

Question ???????????????????????????????????????
Should Ryan Harris be rested for the 2nd test in Adelaide ?
Should he kept fresh for the 3rd Test in Perth ?

This has been brought up in the media
I'm not sure
It makes sense given Ryan's propensity to injury
It probably makes more sense to play him , and see what happens

Would you rather go 2 up with arguably your most consistent bowler. Or run the risk by resting him, with a lessor attack?

Me, I would pick your most potent attack and would play him.

No way. Play him.

One test does not make a series.

Name an unchanged line up and go in for the kill I say. If we can go 2 up we'd have 1 hand on the Ashes.

Given the distinct possibility of a flat King William Road deck there is a greater probability that all bowlers will have to bowl longer at England

The key will be whether Shane hammy lbw watto Watson will bowl a share of overs
If Watto does not bowl, this leaves a 4 man bowling attack and Steve Smiths lollypoppers as the attack

If the English top order blunt Johnson and Harris early on , between overs 40-85 the English can cash in

James Faulkner may be a considered selection given the above scenarios

What we don't know as yet is just how much turn this new deck will allow.

Although both sides don't seem to possess spinners who can turn the ball like a Warne or Murali.

I would play him a Adelaide. You want someone who can bowl with pace and get movement and Harris is the best at that. If you want to rest him I would look at Perth as someone like Couter-Nile, who has a great record on his home deck, could repalce him.

People keep talking about the King William Road but surely the greenskeeper will have learned from the most recent shield game and be doing what he can to make sure there is a bit in it for both bat and ball.

There has been 6 points this Sheffield Season in Adelaide
2 Points to QL on Brighton Road
4 points in 2 games to SA on King William Road

Last SS season there must have been some bowling assistance, judging by the amount of below normal scores for a good deal of the season
And off course SA almost made a SS final , but were denied by freaky 10th wicket partnerships made by Micheal Hogan and Hogans heroes Hussey and Agar

Those that know me well enough , know that I dont really enjoy Adelaide Oval Tests as much as I should
Too often they are batfests for too long
Too often we need to wait until days 4+5 to see a fairer battle between bat and ball

Aussies 1/46 at lunch