Pom's whinging about Itinerary.

[marc71178]

OT?

Links?

 

[brockley]

Ashes 2013-14: England concern over weakened warm-up opponents in Australia - Telegraph
England have picked five specialist fast bowlers ahead of Bresnan – Broad, James Anderson, Steve Finn, Chris Tremlett and Boyd Rankin – plus the Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes. They play a three-day game against a Western Australia XI in Perth then four-day fixtures against Australia A in Hobart and a New South Wales XI in Sydney, a near-exact repeat of their buildup to the first Test on the last Ashes tour in Brisbane.

However doubts have been expressed about the standard of opposition they will be facing in at least two of those matches, as they clash with Sheffield Shield fixtures that Australia's captain and coach, Michael Clarke and Darren Lehmann, have stressed will be critical to the selection and preparation of their team.
The Guardian.

 

[fredfertang]

You have to get your excuses in early - standard procedure

 

[marc71178]

So one paper mentioning doubts is now whinging is it?

 

[Howe_zat]

Doubts have been expressed by who? The Telegraph?

Bucket o' nuthin

 

[brockley]

Ashes 2013-14: England concern over weakened warm-up opponents in Australia - Telegraph

 

[brockley]

Tim Bresnan confident of being fit for first Ashes Test in Brisbane | Sport | theguardian.com

 

[theegyptian]

I don't think either Eng or Aus can have much complaint for facing who they do. English county season is ridiculous with games everyday and way too much cricket played. Aus with putting the big bash as such a big part of the summer are going to have similar concerns fitting in all the cricket they need. Fact is playing a wa or nsw 2nd xi or whoever are gonna be stronger that a lot of the weak first teams counties put out for tour games.

India are the only team deliberately or obviously putting weak teams out on purpose and trying to undermine the preparation of the opposition. Eng and Aus have pretty convenient excuses at least.

 

[hendrix]

It can't be a coincidence that England insist on proper warm up matches and are also one of the only teams that actually win away Test matches of any note.

ummm why can't it be a coincidence? Can it not be just that they have good players who play well in test situations? Or that they have good, consistent selection policies (until recently anyway)? Or that their central contracts and complete system have been re-jigged to promote test cricket? Or that they're one of the few test playing nations who can afford for their star players to not be involved in the IPL?

I think the large number of warm up matches England play are a symptom of the fact that their management has prioritised test match performance, but they're not necessarily part of the reason for their good performances.

 

[Furball]

It can't be a coincidence that England insist on proper warm up matches and are also one of the only teams that actually win away Test matches of any note.

Oh hey, South Africa are getting thumped.

 

[nightprowler10]

Oh hey, South Africa are getting thumped.

So now we know why England got thrashed here 3-0. Only two tour matches. Horrible stuff really, completely invalidates the result. Thank goodness that one tour match preceding the ODIs was the best tour match ever since England went 6-1 in the limited over matches.

 

[91Jmay]

Considering the amount of arse hurt moaning the Aussie media did throughout the Ashes this thread based on two articles is hilarious. Also not sure the Aussies can moan about there warm up games being against weak opposition, they didn't win one of them.

 

[Adders]

Also not sure the Aussies can moan about there warm up games being against weak opposition, they didn't win one of them.

Yeah, I think Sussex, Worcestershire and The Lions had grounds to complain about the quality of their opposition tbf.

 

[Furball]

So now we know why England got thrashed here 3-0. Only two tour matches. Horrible stuff really, completely invalidates the result. Thank goodness that one tour match preceding the ODIs was the best tour match ever since England went 6-1 in the limited over matches.

Haha, no.

 

[brockley]

The Counties always rests key players,ECB won't let English players play and 2nd xl and Oxford or Cambridge graduates get a game.Whats the diff.
You should have seen the sides Bangladesh played,and they still lost.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Considering the amount of arse hurt moaning the Aussie media did throughout the Ashes this thread based on two articles is hilarious. Also not sure the Aussies can moan about there warm up games being against weak opposition, they didn't win one of them.

Really? The game vs Somerset didn't happen then? Interesting story.

 

[theegyptian]

This is a completely **** discussion and surely should be in the ashes subforum.

 

[Maximas]

neither team has has any decent reason to be upset IMO