Ashes Victory!

Its all over!  Australia has just won the Ashes 3-0 in just three tests and brings England’s “reign” to an end in only 15 months – a record for the shortest amount of time a side has held the Ashes.

A lot of the post match rhetoric was “England played well, but Australia played brilliantly”… I disagree in part.  England were pathetic!  They have been so shoddily prepared, captained and coached that they have made a mockery of their achievements of 2005.

This is not because they lost – you can be brave and gallant in defeat – but the reality is they have really been a mile behind the Aussies and baring bad weather in either Sydney or Melbourne, Australia WILL win 5-0.

Ashes: England Chokes On Their Ineptitude.

What an ending… unbelievable!  But really, whilst Australia bowled very well yesterday the match was actually lost by England as opposed to being won by Australia.  The English bats simple froze and choked.  Really, the match was petering out to a draw and they threw it away.  They went ultra-defensive and were scoring at less than 1 run per over and allowed Australia to attack.  Very poor tactics and very poor execution.  Yes, Warne was turning it but it was the way the Poms played Brett Lee that was embarrassing.  That tool Geraint Jones played the worst looking shot I have seen and to think he’s in the team as a “batting wicket keeper” is a parody in itself.

And when it came to the run chase, it was hilarious to watch the English spread out and concede 3 singles an over.  Michael Clarke scored a 7 as well with a run 3 and 4 over throws (again the keepers fault) and Australia effectively cruised in as England pinned their forlorn hopes on nude-baller Ashley Giles.

England need to get rid of Giles, Jones, Anderson and possibly look at a new batsman as well - the England openers are not setting the world on fire.  I watched their series against Pakistan on FOX during our winter and Panesar and Mahmood looked pretty decent players.  They actually look like Superstars when compared to Ashley Giles.

To Australia, we do have our own problems and I hope the selectors don’t get caught up with the get out of jail win we just had.  Damien Martyn needs to make way for a new batsman.  I know that they will want to play Watson, so that should make room for Stuart MacGill.  The fact that England were like startled rabbits against Warne further highlights that they cannot play leg spin and MacGill comes in.  Who to drop in the bowling department?  Well I hate to say this, but has McGrath had his day?  Injury concerns, not that many wickets… Stuart Clark on fire with the ball… I think it may be time for McGrath to be put aside.  The fact that during yesterdays England collapse McGrath only got the ball after Lee and Clark had had spells is a tell tale sign that McGrath is not the bowler he once was.

So for Perth, my Aussie team would be Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Hussey, M Clarke, Watson, Gilchrist, Warne, Lee, S Clark, MacGill.  England:  Strauss, Cook (Vaughn??), Bell, Collingwood, Pieterson, Flintoff, Read, Mahmood, Hoggard, Harmison, Panesar.  That’s a long tail for England, but they need the bowlers… the crop they have now are shite.

 

The Ashes Commence

Well, back in the office today, but I drove in as we’re off to the A-League tonight to see Sydney vs Queensland. Got some free tickets via work and Niki and the girls are coming in…

Today though is a sporty theme as I want to comment on the start of the Ashes…

Top marks to Australia. They showed how prepared they were mentally and they were brilliant. But what about England?! That Steve Harmison would have to be the biggest choker going around. How many times in his career has he started jittery? I have seen him bowl 11 ball overs in the past and yesterdays opening ball really did set the tone. England were very stodgy and if they’re relying on Flintoff with the ball, then they’re in for a long summer. Yes, I am probably regurgitating the mainstream press today as there isn’t much to write about when the home team racks up 3/346 but I hope Australia bat until tea today and that Ponting is there at the close.

Go the Punter!

England Under Stress

English opening batsman Marcus Trescothick has left the England camp on the eve of the Ashes campaign due to “stress related illness”. This is amazing and an unprecedented event in sporting circles and an interesting case study. Now most Aussies will have a joke and a laugh and would have sledged Trescothick mercilessly during the series. He played in the NSW game just concluded yesterday and failed with the bat, but I am sure the crowd would have given him some curry on the race down to the wicket.

Now putting this into context if you were suffering from such an illness (can we call it depression? Is that what it is?) and you had anywhere between 30 and 100 thousand people bagging you on a daily basis and compounded by you not being in the best of form, I think it’s a logical and brave decision to pack it in and go home. For the sake of the team, he would be useless and a liability and more importantly, you have to say is it worth it on a personal level? You’re stressed / depressed / fatigued and you continue to put yourself through it and in the background you’ll be aware the Selectors would be giving you a tap on the shoulder and yanking you out anyway if you don’t conquer the demons and perform. Essentially it’s a lose / lose situation to play, so it’s good that he made the right call.

But to the team itself, England is now in disarray. Trescothick averages 43 in tests and is despite this a very good batsman. Strauss his opening partner is good too, but they are talking of opening with Alastair Cook as a replacement… who? With Vaughn, Jones and now Trescothick out of the squad, England looks very paper thin. I am now envisioning England being put to the sword this summer… a whitewash wouldn’t surprise me and guess what. I am going to enjoy it mercilessly!