A_S

I think it is a serious case of white line fever with him. Add to that his brother's English experience and that he sees his role as that of a strike bowler, it makes more sense why he is always so intense. No doubt it looks a bit stupid when you've just bowled a pie, and he was very erratic at times yesterday, but he eventually got it right. Ask Broad.

The days themselves are actually quite nice. It's the mornings and nights that do my head in.

Show me a fast bowler who isn't a bit of a cunt and I'll show you a shit fast bowler. Being 'a cunt' can include any/all of: * Bowling bouncers with intent to injure/hurt * Words with the batsman after every other delivery, especially the good ones * Glaring at the batsman * Big send-off after claiming the batsman's wicket Pattinson, Siddle, Anderson and Broad all comfortably fit this category, with Finn and Starc still making their way. Fucking ace and adds so much to the series.

So if he's put in a transfer request, does that mean he has a club lined up or he simply wants out regardless?

I could understand it more if he had poked at a wide ball, at least it would have shown he was trying to do the right thing, but wasn't in. Flashing that hard on his first ball though, just terrible.

Just got to work, tired as fuck after only a few hours sleep, but worth staying up. As some have mentioned, the standard of cricket wasn't always the best, but you could forgive the players that, being the first day of an Ashes series. Watson went a bit too hard at a decent ball, fucked if I know what Cowan was doing there and it is a good thing that Anderson saved that for a top, top batsman in Clarke or people wouldn't appreciate how good that ball really was. A fucking belter. I personally thought Rogers was very unlucky and had every right to review his LBW, but a technicality allowed the (IMO) poor decision to stand. Smith has done well in two things- finding quick singles and putting shit balls away. He still looks like he will give a few chances with that loose technique, but even if he can hang on for a good 50-odd and one or two batsmen can hang around, Australia should be near enough to England's 215 to be right back in the game. I mentioned that Australia's tail goes ok with the bat and fortunately they have probably picked the strongest 'batting' 8,9 and 10 in Siddle, Pattinson and Starc. They will be needed for crucial runs tomorrow. 250 would be excellent from here. Oh, and RB, I'm an Aussie :)

Been high-risk/ high reward bowling from Australia. Pitching it up in these conditions is producing plenty of swing, but it is also giving England a lot of boundary opportunities. Lots of runs through 4's but a few wickets too. Siddle just seems like that type of bowler that will be underestimated for his entire career. He can definitely get on a roll though. Overall, I'm happy enough with proceedings thus far, but I'm not confident of the batting yet, especially if the ball continues to swing.

Can't wait for tonight, watching an Ashes Tour late at night is one of my earliest sports-related memories and my grandpa was a big part of that, as Dad would always take my brother and I to his place and we would all watch it together with the heater on and hot drink at hand. Nan would even get up in the middle of the night to cook us some bacon and eggs! We lost her in 2000 and Pop only last year, so this will be the first Ashes in England where I won't be able to sit, watch it and chat with the old boy. :(

Wow. Shocking.

Here's a rather disturbing graphic (if you are an Aussie!) about the relative decline in our batting in this country over the last few years. A group of 6 batsmen aged 35-45 and their stats shown up against the current batting group for the impending Ashes series (Clarke aside). It is quite grim reading and proof that you can sometimes just be born a decade too early.... 35-45s CHRIS ROGERS- 19,752 runs @ 50.71 from 240 F/C matches, 60 x 100's DARREN LEHMANN- 25,795 runs @ 57.83 from 284 F/C matches, 82 x 100's STUART LAW- 27,080 runs @ 50.52 from 367 F/C matches, 79 x 100's DAVID HUSSEY- 12,703 runs @ 52.71 from 170 F/C matches, 42 x 100's BRAD HODGE- 17,048 runs @ 48.81 from 223 F/C matches, 51 x 100's MARTIN LOVE- 16,952 runs @ 49.85 from 214 matches, 45 x 100's * Played a combined 1498 F/C matches for 119,330 runs @ 51.77 * Scored a combined total of 359 F/C 100's * Have played a combined total of only 40 Tests (incl. Lehmann with 27) Another thing to note is that Law's only Test score was 54no, Love's final score was 100no, Hodge's 67, David Hussey never got a chance and Rogers had to wait 5 years since his only Test for another chance in this series. Only Lehmann could be said to have been given a reasonable crack at it and he didn't go too badly, scoring 5 centuries and averaging 44.95. So none of these could be said to have been tried and ultimately failed, yet what do they have to show for it? Compare that to the current crop of batsmen who haven't reached any great heights in their respective Test careers to date: 25-35's SHANE WATSON- 8,059 runs @ 44.03 from 114 F/C matches, 18 x 100's PHIL HUGHES- 7,627 runs @ 44.86 from 98 F/C matches, 21 x 100's ED COWAN- 6,555 runs @ 39.72 from 98 F/C matches, 16 x 100's DAVID WARNER- 2,264 runs @ 45.28 from 31 F/C matches, 6 x 100's STEVE SMITH- 2,918 runs @ 42.28 from 44 F/C matches, 6 x 100's USMAN KHAWAJA- 4,270 runs @ 42.27 from 65 F/C matches, 11 x 100's * Played a combined 450 F/C matches for 31,693 runs @ 42.94 * Scored a combined total of 78 F/C 100's * Have played a combined total of 114 Tests The last batsman from this group to score a Test century was David Warner in Adelaide at the end of November 2012. Since then, there have been 8 Tests involving Australia, in which the only centuries have been scored by Michael Clarke (2), Mike Hussey (1- since retired) and Matthew Wade (1- dropped) :wallbutt: It shows that someone needs to seriously up their game and give Clarke a hand or it could be a long couple of months. Thank goodness our bowling looks much healthier. :whistle:

Haha, I fucking wish! I don't give a shit if our winter isn't as long as some other parts of the world, it doesn't make me like it any more. Honestly, the upcoming Ashes and Aussie Rules season being in full swing are the only things I can genuinely look forward to at the moment.

Fuck this, is it January yet? Even colder this morning than yesterday!

Rub it in, fuckers. Sitting in my office trying to thaw my feet with a pissy little heater. Should be good by about 3pm. July can suck my dick.

Incidentally, what is the general view of Darren Pattinson? As it would appear that young James has quite a strong view about his brother's one and only time of representing England. James Pattinson wants Ashes vengeance | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo

Ah cheers, interesting that. The thought of Brad Haddin being allowed to play for Victoria against England in an attempt to oust Wade from the Aussie keeper's position.... :whistle:

It's possible, Clarke is easily good enough that moving up one place in the middle order shouldn't worry him. The spots between the openers and Haddin at 7 are well up for grabs, Clarke aside. I do like the balance of a steady Rogers with the aggressive Watson, left/right combo too, which is never a bad thing. One thing that hasn't been mentioned much is that all of Siddle, Pattinson and Starc are quite useful with the bat, Faulkner is a bowling all rounder too. Hopefully this will not need to be too much in evidence this series, but it probably will. BTW, am I missing something or was Nick Compton playing for Somerset last week and Worcstershire this week? Excuse the ignorance.

Needs to bowl too. Returning him to the top of the order seems to have restored his confidence somewhat and he did quite well opening in 2009 too. What do you make of Siddle and Khawaja not playing this game? Rested for the 1st Test? I'd be stunned if Siddle was dropped for the 1st Test, esepcially given his consistency over the last 2 years. Khawaja is a hard one to work out, but I'd personally like to see him given a chance to finally prove himself.

Too fucking right. It's how it should be, as one of the oldest and best rivalries in world sport. I'll bet the Aussies wouldn't want it any other way so that when they do get the Ashes back at some stage (hopefully sooner rather than fucking later!) it'll be well-deserved. As a man of 30, I was proper spoilt growing up, as England last won the Ashes in '87 when I was 4, so too young to remember. So as I got older, all I can remember is Australia beating England, usually convincingly. It seemed like it would last forever, but like all good things, it came to an end. I still maintain it won't be the whitewash some are expecting, even if I'm not confident of a series win.

So with one more warm-up game to go, the Aussie team is looking something like: 1) Watson 2) Cowan 3) Hughes 4) Khawaja 5) Clarke 6) Faulkner 7) Haddin 8) Pattinson 9) Siddle 10) Harris 11) Lyon I'd say that is a reasonable chance for the 1st Test. Note the bolded players are the only ones who are certainties though. Moving on to England, will Bairstow bat at 6, given the apparent reluctance to move Prior up from 7?

By the way, that is not a very nice thing to say about Ravi....

Anyway, Compton has made runs against the Aussies in their tour 'opener'. Best way to respond to his axing and will keep the pressure on Root to deliver early in the series. Nice to see Pattinson and Starc in the wickets too, as they are crucial to what slight chance we have in this series.

Was it just that it was early morning here and my ears hadn't woken up properly or could I hear 'Bopara' chants in the T20 game v NZ? :whistle:

Anyone know where I can start an e-petition to get the ball rolling? The first Test is only 2 weeks away! Ravi in!

Not that I am confident about winning the series, because I am not, but I am fairly certain that there will be no whitewash. England showed as recently as the New Zealand tour that they can get a tad complacent at times, which has led to some ordinary batting performances that have often been saved by a very tight and on-song bowling unit. Don't forget, this is 10 Ashes Tests in a row over a 7-month period, not a 3-Test series in July. So much can happen in that time. The 2005 series turned on its head when McGrath rolled his ankle on the morning of the 2nd Test FFS! All I can say is that if the English dressing room are already as supremely confident as some English supporters, they are in trouble. All this said without the elephant about to barge into the room- recalling Ravi Bopara to the Test team! His form simply demands it and, given England have a hole in the middle order batting, it makes a lot of sense to me. The crowd at the Oval tonight thought so too. Go on England selectors, do it! :whistle: