It's The Ashes

[Maquiladora]

****ing ****

[Alexander's Horse]

they got a good score

[Maquiladora]

Aus 49-2 (282 req)

It looks like a better score now.

Martyn looks shaky too.

[lightblue]

Flintoff is a beast. Six after six then 2 quick wickets.

[Alexander's Horse]

flintoff pulled off one of the most memorable fighting innings for England - its being compared to some of Botham's best

[Alexander's Horse]

what a wonderful test match

the only one I can think of which comes close was this one

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/ashes2005/story/0,15993,1479877,00.html

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

It was never in doubt! Not at all!

[Alexander's Horse]

I'm glad England won. I don't think they would recover from losing that match. South Africa lost a couple of tight ones in a series like this in Australia and they just folded mentally after that.

Now the series is alive and after 2 brilliant memorable tests, bring on Old Trafford.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

And if anyone's having a bad day, just remind yourself that, right at this moment, you aren't Shane Warne. Funny!

[*End Is Forever*]

[lightblue]

Great match. I am actuall finding cricket exciting now, which as a non-commonwealth citizen is some achievement Test cricket seems to be a lot more 4/6 slogging and bouncer bowling than when people first tried to get me into it in the late 90's.

[Alexander's Horse]

England need to work on their concentration and intensity for Old trafford. To let 9 10 and 11 score over 100 runs and nearly steal the test is not good enough. If England really has a world class attack they should roll the tail for no more than 20 or 30.

And get a new keeper. The incumbent is a liability.

[MikeH]

I can't believe your tailenders nearly pulled that one off. Amazing! What a great test match.

Loved Ponting in the after match interview saying about it being lucky they had Kasprovic out there and weren't relying on McGrath's batting.

[Paddy]

it certainly was close...

well done to ol' blighty

and onward we march

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by MikeH
I can't believe your tailenders nearly pulled that one off. Amazing! What a great test match.

It was a great test and the crowd shots were priceless - people with heads in hands, biting their nails, grimacing, groaning but as a former bowler it really makes me cringe to see tailenders get so many - both bowling attacks were guilty of lacklustre tactics. Its offensive and embarrassing to see bowlers last that long.

The art of blasting out the tail seems to have been lost. The bowlers of yester year would get rather cross of the tail wagged. They'd work over the tail - one at the head, one at the toes, one in the ribs, one on the hand, one on off stump going away and one spearing in at the stumps. The tailenders would soon start thinking of the dressing sheds and a hot shower. Maybe they are better batsmen today.