Re: England V Australia - First test match
This is a very critical decision, and I think it is very logical. Regardless of the tally of lead Australia currently has, their gameplan will be to score a quick 200 or 250 before finally handing it over to England to bat for at least a day and a half.
Cheetah Jee, I say we go ahead and open the thread for the second test.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Eik Ashes jeet ker khud ko pata nahi kia samajh rahey theey. They still are miles behind Aus
Eggzaktali
Re: England V Australia - First test match
This is an extreme end of psychological mind-games. Understand this. Now that Australia have taken the option to bat, it is likely they are not going to give England a total of anything less than 600 to chase. 602 in the first innings, and the chasing went miserably for the tourists. Two times in a row within a span of five days is a major slap in the face of English media. 600+ innings chase in both innings, and given the conditions, England will go down the drain once again. It is not the margin of the defeat, but the manner in which you set the margin. Australia is in complete control of the margin now. Instead of an innings and some hundreds victory, they now can boast of their duo record of 600+ score in both innings while also keeping their own team-member McGrath in contention for Man of the Match and Man Of The Series as well.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
bang, bang and bang
3 4s by Hayden :)
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Steve Harmison should be brought on to bowl. I fear the lives of the people living dangerously on the edge of their seats by the boundary ropes.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Aus scoring more than 5 runs per over. looks like they want Eng to play atleast 5 overs today :)
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Hayden out and Ponting is in to bat
Aus 69/1
lead 513
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Aus is 181/1 at end of the day, they are leading by 626 runs
Re: England V Australia - First test match
What a mauling man!!
England look so rubbish without Vaughan and Jones.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
^And with McGrath healthy again.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
^ Look like he is going to "sanyasi baba" on some of Lahore's footpath for his health and is taking "joe-e-sheer" :)
Re: England V Australia - First test match
^i posted that before mcgrath took 6 wickets..lol.thats all u need one bowler like mcgrath in your team to thrash sides
Re: England V Australia - First test match
australia declared at 202 for 1 ....England now need 648 runs to win the first test
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Langer gets his century and Aus declare. Well played langer.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
This is how Englands innings is going to go:
Cook 50
Strauss 150
Bell 200
peterson 140
Flintoff 100
extras10
England win by 5 wickets at tea time tomorrow. 
Re: England V Australia - First test match
This is what cricinfo thinks of Englands task:
Here come Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook to start chipping away at their 648… toothpicks and a glacier spring to mind.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Another gem from cricinfo:
What more can go wrong for Andrew Flintoff? Flayed at Brisbane, back in England a horse he co-owns, called Flintoff, was strolling to victory at Towcester on Saturday before fading badly and being pipped at the post. At least it got near the finishing line, unlike its owner ... As The Times noted:** "I'm not sure what would bother Andrew Flintoff more: that his racehorse came second or that his thoroughbred bowlers look like such donkeys."** Thanks, Patrick, for bringing that to our attention.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
I can't understand why Ponting did not force follow on? Of course he has more experience and he knows whats best and how to win but I can digest that why he wasted a day and did not forced the follow on when he had 400+ runs on board.
Do you guys really think Aussies will be able to get them out in 1 and half day? I know England team does not look that good but when it comes to saving Ashes I think they CAN bat out for 1 and half day. I think Ponting messed it up here. Well lets see....
Re: England V Australia - First test match
^^ There is a possibility of shower and thunder storm for tomorrow. Come on lady luck England is waiting, all they need to do is make sure they bat out whole day for today with only 1 or 2 wickets down.
Re: England V Australia - First test match
Straus playing hook shot and caught near the boundary. Why really he had to play that shot.
Eng 29/1