*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Irish_Opener

I seriously doubt Border really cares. Likely the Australians just see it as a useful sledging tactic to get under England's skin and piss them off.

I don't rate their chances. KP and Trott are really not the types to be bothered by that sort of crap. Neither are the basically-English Saffers (Prior and Strauss). I can't see this being a particularly great Aussie team when it comes to sledging. They don't have the results, the aura or the ability to back it up, and they mostly seem a pretty inoffensive bunch, Chimpy excepted, but even he has mellowed considerably in recent years.

[Howe_zat]

Originally Posted by zaremba

I don't rate their chances. Strauss and Trott are really not the types to be bothered by that sort of crap. Prior's probably similar. I can't see this being a particularly great Aussie team when it comes to sledging. They don't have the results or the aura to back it up, and they mostly seem a pretty inoffensive bunch, Chimpy excepted, but even he has mellowed considerably in recent years.

Can't help but agree, Alistair Cook or Steve Finn might be a bit nervy but that's about it. No doubt the Aussies will try though.

I will also resist the urge to murder everyone and everything when someone uses the word "aura".

[BoyBrumby]

AB clearly indulging in a spot of minor manipulation of l'actualité for levity's sake.

Or, to use its more friendly name, taking the piss out of the poms.

God forbid some ex-cricketers have a sense of humour.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

I will also resist the urge to murder everyone and everything when someone uses the word "aura".

Used with tongue in cheek, ftr. As in the "where's your aura gone" chants at Edgbaston last year

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by Burgey

SS, can you do one for "Indianism" with the following caption, which seems pretty apt:

"**** at test cricket for 70 years, good for two, now strutting around like you've dominated the game for 120".

Haha, I am annoyed by India a lot more than I'm annoyed at Australia. So there's no need. Plus no one actually thinks India are dominant now, let alone have been for 120.


The Wheel of Mediocrity is making a comeback.....

Today. You heard it here first.

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by Jayzamann

I'd go out on a limb and say that those comments were in jest, in the article he sort of brushed that aside before getting stuck into the Australian selectors.

Yeah I read it the same way. Don't think he was being serious when he made those comments. Saw the interview on TV too, looked very tongue-in-cheek.

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by Broadsmile

interesting stats for spinners. Swan will do better.

He's had 9 fifers in the last 2 years and will be getting more in the next 2 months.

Yeah, Murali was in terrible form before he toured Australia...

[wpdavid]

Originally Posted by Burgey

That and scoring a poultice of runs..

Good to see the future King get engaged, it will distract the English public from the thrashing their cricket team is about to get.

Apparently our national gift to celebrate the occasion, a kangaroo's scrotum zip-up purse for the new missus, was well received.

We've always appreciated your contributions to royal kneesups - 1953, 1977, and 1981 spring immediately to mind. More of the same please.

[Howe_zat]

So Duncan's Fletcher has come out with this pile of tosh.

The Ashes 2010: This is Australia's worst side for 30 years | Duncan Fletcher | Sport | The Guardian

It mostly consists of the same regurgitated mutterings of confusion from the Aussies and good preparations from England.

The headline wildly claims "This is Australia's worst side for 30 years". Then the article says no such thing, only points out that the said rumours of poor planning from Australia are reminiscent of the Packer days.

But possibly the most spurious point it engages in is judging the health of Aussie cricket by how many of the first team are playing county cricket, compared to ten years ago. Ignoring that this says much more about the counties than Australia, he claims that:

"Not only that, they had about 10 players who could not even get in the team who would have been picked up as well. Look at Australia now and there are not many players in the team that the counties would be scrambling over each other to sign up for a season, let alone 10 more from outside the squad."

No, it's not like the first-choice Test lineup were actually playing internationals this summer, while the fringe players like David Hussey, Brad Hodge, Andrew McDonald, Dirk Nannes, Mark Cosgrove, Chris Rogers, Shaun Tait etc were playing for their counties.

Moron.

[vcs]

Duncan Fletcher writes some really poor articles for the Guardian. Mike Selvey's stuff is much better.

[four_or_six]

Looks like our bowlers are training hard!

Yfrog Video : yfrog.com/ev7q4z - Uploaded by StuartBroad8

[Howe_zat]

Originally Posted by four_or_six

Looks like our bowlers are training hard!

Yfrog Video : yfrog.com/ev7q4z - Uploaded by StuartBroad8

Nice.

Meanwhile, the team get on their dancin' shoes...

YouTube - Swannys Ashes Video Diary - Episode 3

[four_or_six]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

Nice.

Meanwhile, the team get on their dancin' shoes...

YouTube - Swannys Ashes Video Diary - Episode 3

Love those.

[Howe_zat]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I had to share it with you.

Forget Stump-cam, Hawk-Eye and Snicko … stand by for shower-cam

I can't be the only one who burst out laughing at that. That said, I've always wondered what happens to Mitchell Johnson's underwear after a hard day in the field.

[four_or_six]

Watto in the shower? Yes please.