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The Ashes: Fourth Test

jimN

jimN

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 23, 2005
942
18
London
I know there are a lot of Brits on here and from the complaints about the lack of an itms service i know that there are plenty of aussies on here too, so where's the cricket discussion - i tried to slot some into a previous post but it was edited out - clearly Doctor Q is not a fan.

For those who don't know the ashes is a series of five test matches played between england and australia (?every two years). Australia tend to dominate this but England have looked the better side throughout the series and the 1-1 score at present doesn't reflect that. The current test looks to be going England's way but if there is any country more capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory then it's us.

This is my first new thread, sorry if i've broken any rules but when Warne is out for a golden duck and england are able to enforce a follow-on it can be difficult to behave appropriately.

Woo hoo! :)
 
Fantastic match this morning, Australia are currently following on ... yay! we were robbed at Old Trafford :( hopefully this is payback!
 
The first time in 17 years you've made us follow on!

I haven't caught a great deal of the cricket but from what I've seen, you Brits have been playing very well. It's nice to see the Ashes back to a vicious contest.

That said, I'd still like the see our boys win but it's not looking good. :(
 
you've missed one hell of a series so far

cooknwitha said:
I haven't caught a great deal of the cricket but from what I've seen, you Brits have been playing very well. It's nice to see the Ashes back to a vicious contest.
Click to expand...

Not with on wanting so see an aussie fight, my nerves would prefer this one not to go the wire. THe 2nd test australia were all out 2 runs short of their target! 3rd test the last pair had to survive 24 balls to take the draw - was almost worth it see the aussies celebrate a tie; how the mighty had fallen. This 4th test is another cracker. I live just down the road from the oval but i have feeling that you won't be able to get in to the fifth test for love nor money.

The best thing is the spirit that is has been played in, shame the footballers can't buy manners as readily as they buy new cars!!
 
Oh, I agree. It's fantastic to see the Ashes back as a contest. I'm sure you'll be the first to admit for the last x amount of series, it hasn't been too competitive. But now.... wow!

Despite the rivalry between the two countries, it's always good to see the contest being played in the right spirit. But yeah, it looks like now Australia will be begging for a draw of the series. How times change.
 
This series has really captivated the nation - it's actually taken some focus away from the tedium of premiership football. I for one think this is the best test series I've ever seen - partially of course because I like to see England do well, but also because we have a proper fight on our hands. It is such a pleasure to no longer see an English batting collapse.

Still, things can turn in an instant, and it looks like the aussies are recovering well during the follow-on.
 
The great thing about the test in Australia is no commercial station wanted to broadcast the cricket live which created much outrage. Even the Prime Minister said this wasn't good (that man's priorities are a little askew). And so the most minor Free to Air station, SBS, took the live coverage and they are posting some of their best ratings ever. So a big finger to the commercial stations. We loves out cricket. :D

For the game at hand, I think Australia will need to produce a miracle to get out of this one.

EDIT Ponting just run out. Meh!! Loved the comment from the SBS commentator "Pratt by name but not by nature". Great run out.
 
Well I think this one's going to go to the English. I just saw Ponting get run out (as if they're not doing well enough getting themselves out as it is), and with a hundred odd to get to at least draw even, I don't have much hope. Though you never know, if they manage to get ahead anything could happen. Or it could rain... :D
 
I know this sounds sacrilegious but I wouldn't mind the Poms to win for once. Only because the games have been so good has anyone noticed the telly and actually talked about the series which I thought was as dead as a dodo. Good stuff England. Warney needs his ego tempered a bit if you ask me...the empire strikes back. :p
 
Well, I tend to agree MyLeftNut. It'll make it all the more enjoyable for it to go down to a "win to draw" for Australia with the fifth. I just think it's great to have the competition back. And I'm not being facetious but it gets a little boring Australia winning all the time.

And Warney needs a lot of things. :) The sad thing with Shane Warne is dispite being a great bowler (and sometimes batsman) I think he'll never be remembered as a true great because, well, he's a wanker. Glenn McGrath on the other hand, he'll be well remembered!
 
I wonder how many Americans are viewing this thread with confusion?

I've never understood the draw of cricket, it's bad enough when there's a football match on and my mate disappears for a couple of hours but during the cricket the guy is out of circulation for days, then it rains and the game is drawn!
 
Hey MPW,

I never played cricket very well. Suffice it to say, it is a cultural pastime not unlike baseball in that the memories with the family at the cricket or watching it on the TV while at a BBQ or playing as a kid with friends are the same...nostalgia. :p That draws me back, and the rivalry between two countries that goes back a ways has something honourable going for it.

I dont know if cricket will last like maybe soccer or basketball, but I hope it does...
 
Okay...... if Australia can be given a 3rd innings, we might be in with a shot. That said, I have seen many a side fail when posted with a low run chase. But with their current form, England would have to fluff up pretty successfully for us to win from here. :(
 
cooknwitha said:
Okay...... if Australia can be given a 3rd innings, we might be in with a shot. That said, I have seen many a side fail when posted with a low run chase. But with their current form, England would have to fluff up pretty successfully for us to win from here. :(
Click to expand...

at 65-4 that almight fluff up is entirely possible, this isn't going to be easy to watch.
 
wasn't easy to watch...

... not sure if it was the strength of aussie bowling or mental strength but they looked more comfortable than england, although that said england had every thing to lose whilst australia had nothing.

Now it is all set for an incredible final test, and given that i'm living just down the road maybe i should start looking for a tout!!
 
We deserved this, but made a meal of it at the end. All in all, well done England :D. The aussies are going DOWN! :p
 
YES! what a fantastic series this has been, from both sides.... This ashes has really gotten me into Cricket.
 
I just heard this afternoon described as a 3 hour penalty shootout. Couldn't have put it better. Hope Jones is fit for the Oval test.
 
That bank holiday couldn't have come at a better time...Don't know how I'd have gone on a Monday morning with an office full of happy English people :)

Australia showed a bit of fight towards the end today, so let's hope we can turn this series around in the last test.
 
mpw said:
I wonder how many Americans are viewing this thread with confusion?
Click to expand...

At least one :confused: . I honestly don't know anything about cricket other than it is a sport that people far, far away from me play.
 
jimN said:
The best thing is the spirit that is has been played in, shame the footballers can't buy manners as readily as they buy new cars!!
Click to expand...

You obviously haven't been watching Ponting in action then! ;) :p
 
Yes, Ponting had a bit of a hissy fit but he did apologise for it the next day. Give him that. :)

But well done England. It's going to make one hell of a fifth test. It finished at 3.30am this morning so needlesss to say, I was a little sleepy at work. It was worth it though.

Bring on the 5th test! Some part of me would like to see the mother country get a chance to play with The Ashes but then comes the patriot in me. It has felt like a test played in good spirits which is nice.
 
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