The Ashes won't be close

[Neil Pickup]

Which had a lot to do with the fact that rubbish like Lee, Bichel and MacGill were playing.
His strike-rates against Warne, McGrath and Gillespie are what needs to be looked at.

Well, let's see...

Vaughan v McGrath: 132 runs @ 59.19
Vaughan v Gillespie: 136 runs @ 60.71
Vaughan v Bichel: 86 runs @ 56.95
Vaughan v Warne: 53 runs @ 42.40 (two innings, 45 off 69, 8 off 56)
Vaughan v Waugh: 11 runs @ 28.95
Vaughan v Lee: 38 runs @ 55.80
Vaughan v MacGill: 123 runs @ 70.29
Vaughan v Martyn: 13 runs @ 76.47

Not entirely true, eh Rich?

 

[age_master]

Giles will trouble Australia if the pitch turns.
What Warne will do to us doesn't change that.

well you made 13 straight posts on the prev page

Warne will trouble english batsmen no matter what the conditions

Giles shouldn't really trouble anyone, hes got nothing on the spinners the Australian batsmen have been facing in the last 12 months in Vettori, Kumble etc

 

[Scaly piscine]

well you made 13 straight posts on the prev page

Warne will trouble english batsmen no matter what the conditions

Giles shouldn't really trouble anyone, hes got nothing on the spinners the Australian batsmen have been facing in the last 12 months in Vettori, Kumble etc

Vettori isn't that much better than Giles, also Giles did reasonably well in his last Ashes Test.

 

[age_master]

in his last 30 test matches Giles has averages 24 with the bat and 38 with the ball, career 20 with the bat, 37 with the ball

Vettori in his last 30 has averaged 28 with the bat and 38 with the ball, career 22 with the bat and 35 with the ball.

its also worth noting that during his last 20 tests Vettori has been averaging 36 with the bat, apparently he has been working on that alot.

Vettori's main advantage over Giles for mine, is that he is a far smarter cricketwe and he puts alot of thought into what he bowls.

 

[Zinzan]

I never said anything about that, was only pointing out that its not the case that Warne would have the chance.

That said, stranger things have happened (I mean NZ drew one of the series they just played against Aus )

I assume that was a tongue and cheek comment, because that NZ side that drew with Aust in 2001-02 was a much stronger side than the current NZ side.

Mark Richardson
Adam Parore
Chris Cairns
Shane Bond
Dion Nash

None of the above play in the current test team

 

[Zinzan]

I cannot possibly see Flintoff scoring runs against Australia, I don't like the idea of Pietersen making his Test-deubt against them, and I don't like the idea of Vaughan playing in the vein he's played since 2004 against them, either.

I agree with your Flintoff comment. Because of all the talking up of Flintoff, I can see the Aussie's doing a lot of planning and targeting him. Just ask Stephen Fleming what its like when Aussie target you as the dangerman.

 

[Zinzan]

Clarke won't cause any of our batsmen trouble - even Flintoff will easily smash him all over everywhere, on any normal pitch, however much it turns.
Lehmann, yes, but it doesn't look very likely he'll even make the squad... which helps our chances but doesn't do much for his career.

I wouldn't under estimate Clarke's ability as a partnership breaker. He strikes me as one of those guys with a golden arm where things just go his way.

I'm not suggesting that he will used a lot in the series, I just think if he does come on for the odd spell, as the batsmen facing you'd need to be wary.

 

[aussie]

aussie

good point their on fleming zinzan

 

[Zinzan]

Vettori isn't that much better than Giles, also Giles did reasonably well in his last Ashes Test.

Vettori's a much better bowler than Giles. You obviously just look at statistics alone. Most people know that like Flintoff, Vettori's very average record doesn't tell the whole story.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Clarke won't cause any of our batsmen trouble - even Flintoff will easily smash him all over everywhere, on any normal pitch, however much it turns.
Lehmann, yes, but it doesn't look very likely he'll even make the squad... which helps our chances but doesn't do much for his career.

Clarke isn't anything special with the ball, but he is capable of troubling good batsmen on a turning wicket. He's actually quite accurace when be bowls around the wicket to right-handers, generally pitches it on a dime and if it turns it can be problematic. He didn't get his 6 for 9 or his wickets in New Zealand through pure luck. I can certainly see him finishing with 50 or more test wickets, similar to what Lehmann would have managed if he played more tests.

 

[Zinzan]

Clarke isn't anything special with the ball, but he is capable of troubling good batsmen on a turning wicket. He's actually quite accurace when be bowls around the wicket to right-handers, generally pitches it on a dime and if it turns it can be problematic. He didn't get his 6 for 9 or his wickets in New Zealand through pure luck. I can certainly see him finishing with 50 or more test wickets, similar to what Lehmann would have managed if he played more tests.

Correct. He seems to bowl well given limited opportunities

 

[marc71178]

The only players there's much likelihood of doing better are Vaughan and Butcher.

Jones, Thorpe, Giles, Flintoff (with bat), Harmison and the number 3 all underperformed in SA.

 

[marc71178]

India couldn't even beat England in the ODIs last September, despite England having one of the worst teams in living memory.

There are far far worse teams than that England side.

 

[marc71178]

I assume that was a tongue and cheek comment

It was, and I meant it in that they even drew one of the games in the series

 

[Langeveldt]

I find most of english fans to be idiots, not all but a lot.
Even ones ive met. They are the worst winners and the worst losers. only the matches they win matters, and they dont do it in a funny/humourous way, they are just dry.

I'm not the only one, most people dont like english teams becasue of their fans.

Blame the Barmy Army for that one... For the large part, just a load of footie fans with nothing better to do than get lashed and say they are doing something cultured for the day (apologies if I've offended there!). They insist on making themselves heard.. Most English cricket fans are for the large part very decent company, and among the most knowledgable around...

Saying that, I've never liked India because of their fickle and over dramatic fans..

 

[Langeveldt]

Because they act like a bunch of entitled bitches. Look at your new poster boy, Kevin Pietersen. Despite not even being English, he's certainly internalized the English sporting spirit quite well. But I will give England credit, they do have one of the nicest cities in the world to live in - London. (If you have money, that is.)

Please please do not assosciate Kevin Pietersen with me...

 

[Neil Pickup]

Please please do not assosciate Kevin Pietersen with me...

Please please do not associate yourself with England

 

[Langeveldt]

Please please do not associate yourself with England

Deal

 

[Link]

hey, thers nothin wrong with being an englishman, or being associated to pietersen for that matter

 

[Langeveldt]

hey, thers nothin wrong with being an englishman, or being associated to pietersen for that matter

Due to my team allegiances, I cant possibly be both..

Bad situation...