2nd npower test Lords 16th-21st july

[El Presidente]

All fair points, but I only "seek to abuse" when the disappointment is monumental and catastrophic.

It's a cricket game, a monumental/catastrophic loss is when a loved one dies, I hope the latter does not happen to you or yours.

 

[El Presidente]

To be honest, in that example, if you were Australian you'd be totally f***ed off with your team and rightly so!

Really? Anyone who saw it would say different, but clearly you know better.

 

[El Presidente]

Not really a fair comparison is it.



Well obviously I didn't see it, and obviously Botham and Willis did amazingly well, but do you really think Australia weren't just a bit pissed off with their own performance?

Happy with their performance, No, gracious in defeat, Yes, slaughtering their team, No.

 

[El Presidente]

Not really a fair comparison is it.

It was you that used the words monumental and catastrophic, not me. It's sport, not life, and the hysterical reaction that some people have has very little sense of perspective IMO.

 

[Bozza]

I'm glad the above debate has happened because it will probably mean I give some slack in the coming season for the tirades we all know we'll get from TCB.

Believing that if he were an Aussie following his team in 1981 at Headingley that he'd "be totally f***ed off ... and rightly so" is a great illustration that he is unable to recognise sporting greatness from the opposition or even if he does, as I'm sure he'll claim, he will still find blame amongst his own team and seek to persecute the culprits with savage abuse.

Saturday evenings over the coming months will probably be easier now I understand.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Big innings from Michael Clarke coming up?

Oh I SAY - great call by the boy Hark!

 

[Seagull over NZ]

Was up at Lords yesterday which was a day of two halves. England exceeded expectations when we had them 5 down for 128 then the Aussie partnership happened. Not a surprise that at some stage they would build a big partnership especially when that ball got old. Just be grateful by then they had lost 5 wickets as had we been looking at 320 for 3 at close of play, then I would be feeling a lot more nervous.

We need a breakthrough in the first 45 minutes or so to calm the nerves, then we should crack on. Flintoff was awesome yesterday, charging in when clearly struggling. Swann bowled really well but I was slightly bemused by the odd bit of defensive field setting by Strauss. If the Aussies make a good start today we'll probably see more than that. England still to win for me.

 

[Uncle Buck]

If Australia score 526 in the fourth innings then they deserve praise. Why do some people seem to think that everything should be about fault and blame?

Because the person in question really has gauged all his cricket insight from the bastarised form of the game that is 20/20.

 

[Mendoza]

Anyway here's something to get us all back into the mood for the last day of a Lords test match were England will make a bit of history or Australia will create history

[yt]Z_9id4I0pCw[/yt]

 

[itszamora]

If we can break this partnership early on, I think we'll win comfortably. If not, then who knows.

 

[Simster]

If we can break this partnership early on, I think we'll win comfortably. If not, then who knows.

...is the right answer.

To be honest, even if we get to the situation where they are, say, 7 down and needing only 50 runs, the game will change dramatically once again. It's a lot easier as a batsman finding gaps in the field and playing your shots when there is no pressure. But once the last few batsmen become almost expected to knock the runs off, they will have to concentrate, think about the risks of playing the shots - and if the bowling is tight enough, it won't be at all easy. I remember 2005 in the second test - once the last wicket pairing got within 20 runs of victory, they looked nervous and batting became MUCH harder.

If the Aussies win this, we won't be able to take anything away from a monumental 2nd innings batting effort from their team. In the same way that I feel England will have done all they can - the cricket from England has been superb for most of the game.

 

[Questions]

If these boys put on another hundred I`ll be pooping myself.
2 wickets before lunch though and its practically all over.

 

[Mendoza]

My prediction - I reckon they will get to about 480.
I think we will get Haddin and Johnson out in the first hour of todays play, and then Clarke will get to 150, taking them over 400, but get out plike Collingwood did at Cardiff.

We SHOULD win, but it will be another emotional rollercoaster. Flintoff will get the last wicket too

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Here we go ladies and gents....

 

[Hiney]

Great start from Jimmy

How the HELL am I supposed to get any work done today?

Come on England!