***Official*** Tour Games

[Laurrz]

Tait and Lee in the same team?

[social]

Tait and Lee in the same team?

Not at this stage

Tait has got real potential - he's seriously quick, swings it both ways, and his action has improved markedly since last year but he leaks runs

I'd rather go with Johnson who is all of the above plus left-handed and seems to know where the ball is going.

If McGrath were a few years younger, I could see a situation where it was Lee on the outer in the next season or two

The other guy who's impressive is Hilf.........

Strong, great action, quick and swings it away - he went for a few today but looks like a really good bowler in the making

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah, Johnson is definitely ahead of Tait for me. Tait's a quality bowler and probably close to the quickest in the world right now based on today's showing, but he's still got some room to improve and I'd like to see him perform in a full season of FC cricket again or do well in the ODI side before he got picked in tests. Johnson's learned at a remarkable rate so far in his international career and is only going to improve, and at least deserves a run to see what he can do, given that Tait already had one. Has been picked in two consecutive ODI series and done absolutely nothing wrong, while Tait has effectively had one good game in a tour match.

Clark has the wickets on the board, and should be ahead of Tait as well if they decide to go past Johnson.

[GIMH]

Sounds like we were shocking. Oh dear.

[archie mac]

I gave it to some Poms, I must say they were very good about it, the fact I am 100KG may have helped

[alternative]

I gave it to some Poms, I must say they were very good about it, the fact I am 100KG may have helped

Hahhaah good man.

[Jono]

That was piss poor, particularly at the death by England.

Mind you, the least team to do well against Australia in Australia was India, and they didn't have a good time of the practice matches either. They didn't play the Prime Minister's XI if my memory serves me correct, but they were fairly ordinary against Victoria and Queensland Academy of Sport. Think they played against Aus A as well, but that was after their Adelaide win. Needless to say there weren't any good then too.

That being said, England weren't just ordinary today, they were really really bad. Lost the match convincingly and the worst thing was how bad Anderson bowled at the death there. Mahmood just isn't good enough at this stage in his career really, but Anderson was really bad. Guess he's a little underdone but he better get 'done' by the time the 1st test comes around.

Should have also at least batted out the 50 overs.

[howardj]

The only real disappointing thing for England today would be the performances of Anderson and Mahmood. Being serious, I don't think either of these two chaps are going to threaten Australia - not at this stage of their careers. Therefore, England would be better off shoring up their batting and just playing their four best wicket taking bowlers in the Test matches - Flintoff, Harmison, Hoggard and Panesar. Those guys are the bankers. Don't play a fifth bowler just for the sake of it. Particularly if he's, on the balance of probabilities, likely to be innocuous.

Strauss
Trescothick
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read/Jones
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

[Dravid]

Pathetic performance from the English. Good batting by Jaques, getting 112 off 110. The main reason they got to 300. Also good support from Marsh, staying not out on 78.

The English batsman played just like they do in ODIs, patheticly. No one but Strauss actually got it going. Would feel sorry for them, but it happens way to often to feel sorry.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

The only real disappointing thing for England today would be the performances of Anderson and Mahmood. Being serious, I don't think either of these two chaps are going to threaten Australia - not at this stage of their careers

This is the same Anderson that's already threatened Australia as debutant, right?

Anyway, no denying he was woeful today.

[wpdavid]

Dire performance from England - only bright points were Flintoff's return and Strauss' form against anyone bar but Tait.

This series will be a serious test of Flintoff's ability as a captain

I'm not sure it should be seen in those terms. If our quicks can't be bothered to show up and our batting's as fragile as it looked today, then captaincy doesn't come into it. Obviously the tabloids will focus on Fred's captaincy, but the rest of us should know better.

I wonder where we'll go from here, since Hoggard & Harmy will presumably play against NSW & SA. Today may have made Fletcher's mind up to play both spinners, I reckon.

[Matt79]

Sounds like we were shocking. Oh dear.

What stood out to me was how ill-at-ease the English looked at the crease against the short ball. Tait was seriously quick today, and Hilf was quick enough and very accurate, and the pitch looked to have an extra yard or two of pace compared to what the Poms were expecting. Both Cook (I think) and Pieterson got out to very poor attempts at hooks where they didn't move their feet and didn't use the crease at all.

Who in the top order for England has actually played any cricket at a decent level in Australia? Trescothick and... I'm not saying that I think players of the apparent quality of Strauss, Pieterson, Cook can't or won't adjust, but the series may well be over already by the time they do. I thought suggesting Vaughan comes back for the 3rd test if fit was stupid, but maybe the experience would be needed.

[marc71178]

This has been a quality spell from Flintoff. Anderson looked pretty pedestrian though, no swing at all with the new ball. Might be a tough tour for he and Hoggard in that regard.

Out of interest, was it a red or white ball?

[FaaipDeOiad]

Out of interest, was it a red or white ball?

Red ball, white clothing, and no ball change throughout the innings. Tait (in particular) and Hilfenhaus got a fair amount of reverse though the later part of the England innings, but aside from that there was no movement through the air for either side.

[PY]

What stood out to me was how ill-at-ease the English looked at the crease against the short ball. Tait was seriously quick today, and Hilf was quick enough and very accurate, and the pitch looked to have an extra yard or two of pace compared to what the Poms were expecting. Both Cook (I think) and Pieterson got out to very poor attempts at hooks where they didn't move their feet and didn't use the crease at all.

Who in the top order for England has actually played any cricket at a decent level in Australia? Trescothick and... I'm not saying that I think players of the apparent quality of Strauss, Pieterson, Cook can't or won't adjust, but the series may well be over already by the time they do. I thought suggesting Vaughan comes back for the 3rd test if fit was stupid, but maybe the experience would be needed.

I think it may be playing on their minds that the grounds are much bigger in Australia so the hooking has to be selective or non-existent whereas in England, KP could hook and a top-edge is (and did) go for six off the quicks.

I wouldn't be adverse to having Vaughan in there except he has a problem with compulsive hooking too.

The surprise you mention at the pace of the pitch is the main reason why I said earlier how I think we'll be under-done for the 1st Test.<10 days of cricket til Ashes begin means we'll do well to be fully prepared for it but having said that, part of being an international cricketer is the ability to adapt and they'll have to do it during the game if they haven't had enough time in the middle. Trying not to make excuse there as you can probably tell.