Why England's pre-Ashes hype was crazy and possibly doomed

[Langeveldt]

I think that the large majority of English members on this board have been very "realistic" - maybe even overly pessimistic.

Can I ask what the expectations of the average English spectator was, as opposed to what the tabloids were spouting? Or did their optimism spread to the general public?

English general public was quiet optimism.. Overhyped by tools such as Mark Nicholas and the tabloids (which always do overhype) I think the general consensus on this forum was a bit more optimistic than the public in general, not much though..

I don't care who is playing Australia.. Whether it be South Africa, England, New Zealand or Swaziland.. I have nothing but dire pessimism for them.. Until Warne, Ponting, Gilchrist and McGrath are long gone at least..

 

[twctopcat]

Warne and Mcgrath are the main differences. Without them the gap becomes negligible, as shown by dead rubber sydney test '03 and the drawn india-australia series,

 

[Shane Warne]

Warne and Mcgrath are the main differences. Without them the gap becomes negligible, as shown by dead rubber sydney test '03 and the drawn india-australia series,

Without Harmisson and Flintoff the gap becomes big again.

 

[twctopcat]

Without Harmisson and Flintoff the gap becomes big again.

I can always rely on you shane to counter any aussie put downs.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Without Harmisson and Flintoff the gap becomes big again.

Because I'm sure that McGrath and Warne will still be playing when Harmison and Flintoff retire

 

[Richard]

English general public was quiet optimism.. Overhyped by tools such as Mark Nicholas and the tabloids (which always do overhype)

I can't say I heard MCJ going OTT in his predictions that England would smash the Aussies...

 

[Scallywag]

I'm disappointed with the English fans here, they all picked As to win the series. Thats pretty lame because if they do win its not like they can rub it in because they will be wrong too.

 

[twctopcat]

I'm disappointed with the English fans here, they all picked As to win the series. Thats pretty lame because if they do win its not like they can rub it in because they will be wrong too.

I think the quiet satisfaction of having beaten the aussies will make up for the lack of gloating possible on CW,don't you??

 

[Scallywag]

I think the quiet satisfaction of having beaten the aussies will make up for the lack of gloating possible on CW,don't you??

Cant see it being quiet satisfaction. Loud in your face satisfaction (remember the first couple of ODI's)

 

[twctopcat]

Cant see it being quiet satisfaction. Loud in your face satisfaction (remember the first couple of ODI's)

Yeah i was being understated, if we got them back then el vino would flow for quite a while.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Cant see it being quiet satisfaction. Loud in your face satisfaction (remember the first couple of ODI's)

But really, it wasn't the forum regulars who were into "rubbing faces in the dirt" - just like it isn't really forum regulars now who are doing it to the England followers. Well, almost..

 

[Scallywag]

But really, it wasn't the forum regulars who were into "rubbing faces in the dirt" - just like it isn't really forum regulars now who are doing it to the England followers. Well, almost..

You win you party thats why we play.

 

[Langeveldt]

el vino would flow

Oi, Gervais

 

[twctopcat]

Oi, Gervais

Gervais, Ferrell,Coogan, doesn't really matter to me!

 

[tooextracool]

Well... they did, it was just quite some time ago, before either England or India became as good as they were in 2003\04 and 2004 respectively.

yes they did, thanks to the rain and the fact that england played without gough, caddick, giles(for the test that they lost), thorpe(for the last 2 tests) and stewart. and well any side that has mark ramprakash was at a severe disadvantage in the first place.

 

[luckyeddie]

You win you party thats why we play.

That explains why, on the odd occasion Australia lose, you disappear from these boards for a week or so, unable to face a bit of ribbing. It's called being a sore loser - although in your case, the word 'sore' is quite possibly superfluous,

 

[Zinzan]

As a neutral, I picked 5-0 to Australia (weather permitting) before the series started. Half way through the first day at Lords I was shell-shocked and thinking I'd got it totally wrong. But after the clinical drubbing after that first 50 overs or so, I'll stick with my prediction.

Hope England are at least more competitive in the rest of the series. Wow, if it wasn't for South African Pietersen it would have been an even more crushing defeat.

In respect to England, they are deservedly the 2nd best test team and are facing up to 2 of the biggest bowling legends in cricket History from both ends.

 

[Richard]

And yet... Australia's batting can get much better, England's batting can get better...
I can only see the gap widening for the rest of the series.

 

[Richard]

yes they did, thanks to the rain and the fact that england played without gough, caddick, giles(for the test that they lost), thorpe(for the last 2 tests) and stewart. and well any side that has mark ramprakash was at a severe disadvantage in the first place.

I said that we'd not have been favourites for that series with a full-strength side where?
It annoyed me enough that we failed to win the Second Test - a result which would probably have been different but for the non-presence of the one man you failed to mention, Croft.
We might, just, have won the series if we'd played better at Motera and had more luck with the weather at Bangalore, and that with a half-strength side.
Nonetheless, a match-up between our current side and India's current side might just be a close-run thing.

 

[Steulen]

And yet... Australia's batting can get much better, England's batting can get better...
I can only see the gap widening for the rest of the series.

"CAN" the operative word here.

On the bowling front, I think McGrath, Warne and Lee cannot get much better, so the only way Australia will improve there is if their 4th bowler finds some form.
On the England side, Simon Jones can get a bit more luck, Flintoff, Hoggard, and Giles can really only improve. And then there's the England fielding...

I don't think we've yet seen the closest of the matches, as you seem to imply.