Comments on: Australia v England – Final, Natwest series

By: Isaac SchrÃ¶dinger

Isaac SchrÃ¶dinger — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 18:27:36 +0000

The World Champions in Trouble

England are tightening the screws. Symonds and Clarke batted with a miserable partnership of 3 runs in 5 overs. Clarke

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:54:03 +0000

Unbeleivable

By: Darryl

Darryl — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:53:58 +0000

A tie … and it’s time for some sleep. If I can.

By: France

France — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:53:22 +0000

Australians….cant believe it….

By: France

France — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:52:37 +0000

Tied….:)

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:52:33 +0000

great game of cricket. well im off to bed as it is nearly 4.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:19:39 +0000

Balance in your favour now mate, well and truly. Jones hits a big ball but…

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:18:51 +0000

Brilliant knock by Jones. A pitty he couldn’t finish it off for his own sakes and Englands. BUT i’m not complaining! I really need Australia to win because my footy team got flogged today…

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:15:35 +0000

GONE!!! HOGG GETS JONES!!!

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:12:06 +0000

2 great fours by Jones though! Can’t beleive this game – what a game. And look at all the comments, 65!

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:11:03 +0000

Jeez, what a way to break that partnership. AND Nasser Bloody Hussain gave it the kiss of death: the ball before he said he thought the trophy had England’s name on it. FOOL! For once I agreed with Botham: “Nasser Hussain is now hanging from the rafters”

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:10:49 +0000

I think Collingwood may have been feeling guilty for some of those shots that landed safe! What was he thinking (you don’t even take on Andrew Symonds when there’s a run there!)

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:06:11 +0000

it would be nice if one of those sky high balls would fall to a fielder for once. well nice for us Australians anyway!

By: Darryl

Darryl — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:04:24 +0000

I’m still here, Will. England look to be in control now. Jones and Collingwood have both got those 50’s I was talking about, and the luck is going their way. How could someone possibly sleep through this?!?

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:04:06 +0000

Hmmm – when was the last time England won a ODI tournament ?? Will there be nerves now that they are so close ??

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:58:30 +0000

ahhh, this could be dangerous!!

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:53:40 +0000

McGrath first though mate..here he comes, Mr Happy

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:53:04 +0000

the thing i’m worrying about are those 5 overs still to come from Hogg!

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:52:22 +0000

yep up until the end mate

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:52:04 +0000

WOAH – big BIG six by Jones off Gillespie. Poor old Diz – this could be curtains for him as regards the first Test at Lord’s in 19 days…

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:50:15 +0000

I’m back from Sainsburys – God I hate shopping. But glad to see no more wickets have fallen – at least there’s going to be a game on now. Harry and Darryl still up?

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:35:39 +0000

Jones making a fight of it !!

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:16:50 +0000

England beginning to look back in the hunt

By: Darryl

Darryl — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:14:35 +0000

Yep, I think so, Harry. I see Gillespie is back on now … he hasn’t fired yet. Surely this pitch should suit him as much as it does the other quicks, yet he looks rather average.

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:10:31 +0000

I’m up set with tennis because of Hewitt losing yet again to Federer! Darryl I think the time for Lee or Mcgrath should be soon…

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 16:08:19 +0000

No one watching Wimbledon ?? Much more thrilling stuff on there

By: Darryl

Darryl — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:55:16 +0000

Collingwood and Jones are slowly building a decent partnership here. I wonder when Ponting will go back to Lee or McGrath …

By: Scott Wickstein

Scott Wickstein — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:42:44 +0000

Sounds like a plan, Stu. See you all later Go Aussies!

By: Stu

Stu — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:32:16 +0000

And I’m going to have to get some sleep. Resorting to an ear piece and BBS commentary on the ABC, so maybe not that much sleep. Good luck all.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:29:14 +0000

Well I’m off to the shops…see how England are doing in a half hour or so.

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:28:56 +0000

Better still … sub your worst batsman … Harmisson for Bell … after all Giles can bat a bit … and I think Bell can bat at 8 with the others pushed down one number … it does not have to be that the guy substituted should bat at the same number

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:27:42 +0000

Yeah … exactly the type of substitution I was thinking about

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:26:25 +0000

No … I wasnt talking about Gilchrist being substituted … but other teams could for eg. start off a match with no keeper and a genuine pinch-hitter … then when it comes tiem to field they can substitue that batsman with the genuine keeper … in fact it might help bring back in the game the almost-lost entity – a high-quality wicket-keeper with very limited batting skills

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:25:10 +0000

So if the substitute-ruling was in force right now, England could sub Giles for Ian Bell (or another batsman). Correct?

By: Scott Wickstein

Scott Wickstein — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:22:11 +0000

Gilchrist? You wouldnt substitute him off. The guy that will lose out here is the Watson/Harvey sort of all-rounder.

See, if the ICC was thinking ahead, they could have trialled this in a domestic competition in England or Australia so that potential banana skins were ironed out before they affect ODI games.

Back at the ranch, Collingwood and Jones steadying the ship; 48 for 5.

It’s easier for them because Gillespie is still bowling pies.

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:17:14 +0000

Hmmm – probably … cant say for sure … it could be exploited in so many different ways … but it will diminish the role of genuine all-rounders like Gilchrist as 2 players will be able to combine to play his role

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:15:21 +0000

adding to that, it’s going to have a huge advantage for the team batting second.

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:13:57 +0000

that is exactly why i don’t want it.

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:10:05 +0000

Wouldnt England be wishing that the substitute rule existed for this game today !! Which throws in an interesting question – should teams prolong the substitution for crisis situations like this ??

By: Darryl

Darryl — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:05:42 +0000

Both Collingwood and Jones will need to score 50+ each from here. Australia’s second tier of bowlers are on now, and that might be what England needs to get moving again. We’ve still got a game here, and I’ll be staying up to the end (currently a little after 1am).

By: Rezwan

Rezwan — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:02:11 +0000

Figures for McGrath

6-3-9-3

Wow!

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 15:00:08 +0000

Breaking news – England have scored a run

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:54:54 +0000

it was a lot better pitch and conditions than this though

By: Stu

Stu — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:53:14 +0000

Settle down Harry. Bangladesh were 5 for 70 and made 250! Long way to go yet.

By: Scott Wickstein

Scott Wickstein — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:51:51 +0000

Stu- At least 7 each; Hogg and Symonds to play a bigger role then Gillespie (although given English shot selection, Sox the Cat might be worth an over or three…)

By: Stu

Stu — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:47:29 +0000

Just remember the difficulty clening up the tale the other night. Should Lee and McGrath bowl out their overs now?

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:47:01 +0000

you have lost 5 out of your best 6 batsman with in 10. No hope of lasting 50 and no hope of getting the runs.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:46:52 +0000

Shocking batting. But you know, I’ve missed this sickening feeling of batting collapses. I got so used to them, and I haven’t had one for so long – it’s almost comforting to see England are capable of it still!

By: Rezwan

Rezwan — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:46:03 +0000

19/4 !!!! – Marvelous bowling by Mcgrath & Lee. England in trouble here. Lets see where Flintoff & Collingwood take England.

By: Scott Wickstein

Scott Wickstein — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:44:39 +0000

Well, actually Australia’s *cough* top order didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory on that score either.

There’s still only 165 to get and McGrath and Lee are the real threat (as Ponting drops a difficult chance which would have made it 5 for 32) and once these bowlers are seen off, who is to stop England?

Oh, next ball Flintoff edges to slip, and it is 5 for 33.

Oh well, if we lose this now….