*Official* Second Test at the Adelaide Oval

[Jono]

can't believe i'm copping spark and nufan coming at me at the same time. surely unprecedented.

 

[NUFAN]

Jono's Ashes debut has gone pear-shaped after upsetting the apple-cart. #feelinfruity

 

[Jono]

anything good on summer 360 tonight or should i not bother recording the replay?

 

[NUFAN]

I'm not a TV critic ****, see for yourself.

 

[Prince EWS]

****ing sick of Mark Waugh on Fox Sports talking out of his arse. He knew nothing about Gary Ballance and started saying how he wouldnt be any better than Stokes. Blewett than tells Waugh of his great record this English summer.

The bloke doesn't international cricket but is happy to pretend like he knows everything about all international line-ups. So sick of him.

This is a legitimate criticism of Mark Waugh. I can't disagree. However I still definitely think the good outweighs the bad. I love how he's willing to get stuck into players if he doesn't rate them - he doesn't mince his words or try not to offend anyone, he actually gives an honest opinion. That's so rare in a commentator that it makes him worth listening to. A lot of that is offset by him not only pretending to know everything about cricket he hasn't watched or even researched properly but also extrapolating the cricket he watches and ignoring everything else, but I still like him on balance (but not on Ballance, obv).

 

[wiff]

What the **** is going on here?

 

[Spikey]

The bloke doesn't international cricket but is happy to pretend like he knows everything about all international line-ups. So sick of him.

A regular Channel 9 Commentator, this guy

 

[sledger]

Jono likening himself to Marty Jannetty is enough to make me sick. He's more like Sensational Sherri. Only not sensational at all.

 

[fredfertang]

Mike Selvey seems to think Monty has a decent chance of playing - I hope he's wrong

 

[91Jmay]

My team prediction:
Carberry
Cook
Root
KP
Bell
Ballance
Prior
BressieLAD
Broad
Swann
James

 

[howardj]

This is a legitimate criticism of Mark Waugh. I can't disagree. However I still definitely think the good outweighs the bad. I love how he's willing to get stuck into players if he doesn't rate them - he doesn't mince his words or try not to offend anyone, he actually gives an honest opinion. That's so rare in a commentator that it makes him worth listening to. A lot of that is offset by him not only pretending to know everything about cricket he hasn't watched or even researched properly but also extrapolating the cricket he watches and ignoring everything else, but I still like him on balance (but not on Ballance, obv).

Exactly my thoughts, especially that he is willing to criticise players and doesn't care if he offends them

 

[howardj]

My team prediction:
Carberry
Cook
Root
KP
Bell
Ballance
Prior
BressieLAD
Broad
Swann
James

My Adelaide spies also tell me that this will be the line up

 

[howardj]

No more sleeps to go

In fact, England may not even have slept last night

#maraudingMitch

 

[theegyptian]

Mike Selvey seems to think Monty has a decent chance of playing - I hope he's wrong

Sounds like it could be any combo of the rest of the squad (bar Finn and Rankin) as possibilities for the 6 and 8 spot.

Jmay's team seems the most likely on recent history. Have grave doubts about Bresnan in general and even moreso now having only just come back from a sustained period on the sidelines so for that reason playing Monty might not be the worst choice.

Don't have any serious preferences any way in terms of selection. I think Ballance and Stokes will have long test careers but not convinced they're finished articles and it can't get much tougher than an away ashes tour for a debut.

Just needs Prior to go down in the warmups (or be dropped) and could have the Root, Ballance, Bairstow Yorkshire middle order which I predicted two or threee years ago in the domestic thread. Put Bell at 3 and play Bres and you have 1,2,3,4, Root, Ballance, Bairstow, Bresnan,9,10,11.

Exciting to see a debutant in Stokes or Ballance. Even if they fail this series they'll be back for a few more ashes series imo, so any experience is good in the long run.

 

[Burgey]

A lot worse places for a debutant batsman than Adelaide tbf. Looking forward to seeing Ballance play if he's picked. Have heard good things about him.

 

[fredfertang]

..... and you lot can't accuse him of being from South Africa

 

[Cabinet96]

Better a Saffa than a Yorkie though. I'm sure you'll agree Fred.

 

[fredfertang]

There's nowt up with Yorkies really - I mean you can't really hold them responsible for the accident of birth that they came into this world on the wrong side of the Pennines

 

[zaremba]

In the past, I'd've been worried about Monty's batting against Mitch's and Harris' short pitched bowling. But on this pitch, I'd expect Monty to piss all over their bouncers.

 

[fredfertang]

In the past, I'd've been worried about Monty's batting against Mitch's and Harris' short pitched bowling. But on this pitch, I'd expect Monty to piss all over their bouncers.

Conditions very different though - rather more "on the turn" in Brighton than Adelaide