Cricket, lovely cricket

[Adam Went]

Monty:

You're hardly in a position to talk about our attack, how's Mount Rushmore Face been travelling so far? You were talking him up as some brilliant cricketer before, saying how I was "twitching" at the thought of him coming over here, etc - what's he done? Bugger all.

Meanwhile, Day 1 is currently in progress, and once again The UN are finding it impossible to dislodge the brilliant Mike Hussey.....Onya, Mike!

Cheers,
Adam.

[Monty]

You'd want to hope your opening batsmen could bat on a road, otherwise you're in a lot of trouble.....

With your attack Adam?

Come now, even you arent that deluded.

Meanwhile, second test starts tomorrow. I sense a UN defeat.

Ooop, apparently you are.

Monty

[Adam Went]

Monty:

Yes, that's more like it. If I recall correctly, Bell holed out in the deep to the debutant spinner.....hmmm....
You'd want to hope your opening batsmen could bat on a road, otherwise you're in a lot of trouble.....

Meanwhile, second test starts tomorrow. I sense a UN defeat.

Stephen:

Excellent!
But do you know the words to Waltzing Matilda? Because I certainly don't know all the words to God Save The Queen at the moment....

Cheers,
Adam.

[Stephen Thomas]

[QUOTE=Steven Russell;156844]
I'd be happy to give you a rendition of Waltzing Matilda if the Aussies win but I doubt I've the technology to upload it. Will have to have a think. QUOTE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT93fLYuSLc&feature=related

[Steven Russell]

Steven:

How about the Aussie version of GSTQ? You know, the "Rarely victorious, often inglorious" version?

Surely it's only fair that if the Aussies go on to win the series, you will in turn be singing "Waltzing Matilda"?

Monty:

Could you please point out to me where Ian Bell got a ton in the first test? I must have missed that.

Cheers,
Adam.

Hello, Adam.

I'd be happy to give you a rendition of Waltzing Matilda if the Aussies win but I doubt I've the technology to upload it. Will have to have a think. If I can suss out how to do it, you're on!

Best wishes,
Steve.

[Monty]

Cookie got it for him Adam, I was so overcome with falling records even I got excited.

Youre right Steven, 235.....see that Adam, 235.

235. 235, 235, 517-1, 235, 235,

Monty

[Adam Went]

Steven:

How about the Aussie version of GSTQ? You know, the "Rarely victorious, often inglorious" version?

Surely it's only fair that if the Aussies go on to win the series, you will in turn be singing "Waltzing Matilda"?

Monty:

Could you please point out to me where Ian Bell got a ton in the first test? I must have missed that.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steven Russell]

Come on, Monty. It was 235!

[Monty]

Ponting only got 51 huh Adam? Way to go ickle Wicky.

Bell got a ton, Trott got a ton, Strauss got a ton and Cook, wonderful Cook, got 225. Beating your beloved Don Bradman to the highest score ever at the Gabba.....but hey, Ponting got a 50.

Monty

[Steven Russell]

Steven:

4 tests to go, 4-0 is still on the cards. Doesn't matter how many tests you win or pull out of the mire, your team will always be a bunch of Z-grade, stinking hacks to us.

As for God Save The Queen, should it be necessary, I look forward to it.....but you'll note that I allowed myself a loophole so that I may choose to do the Queen version of it....or better still, the Sex Pistols version.

Cheers,
Adam.[/quote]

Dream on, Adam. As for GSTQ, I've always preferred the Sex Pistols version anyway so that will be fine. We used to have to sing the other one at school and I never could figure out what "Long two ray noverus" meant. Can't say I lost much sleep over it though.

Best,
Steve.

PS You were right about Aleem Dar.

[Adam Went]

Monty:

We've had the same problem before, perhaps most notably in 1984 when Lillee, Marsh and Greg Chappell all retired at basically the same time, and we were pretty rubbish for the next few years.....the 2006/07 Ashes series was a time of great celebration for us, but the writing was already on the wall - Damien Martyn, Justin Langer, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath all gone in one series - that, right there, was much of the backbone of the Australian team for the previous decade, and the rest of it in Hayden and Gilchrist would follow shortly afterwards. It was a poorly organised exodus and one that shows as coming back to bite us on the arse in recent times.

The Gabba was just a dead wicket by the end, as you say - the only hope was landing the ball on a crack. Mind you, I sort of got one prediction right, that one R.T. Ponting would fare better in his next innings.....51 not out, I believe.

I believe there's only one way to sort out our little niggle, Monty - if and when I get the chance to come to England, we're going to have a net session, m'kay?

Steven:

4 tests to go, 4-0 is still on the cards. Doesn't matter how many tests you win or pull out of the mire, your team will always be a bunch of Z-grade, stinking hacks to us.

As for God Save The Queen, should it be necessary, I look forward to it.....but you'll note that I allowed myself a loophole so that I may choose to do the Queen version of it....or better still, the Sex Pistols version.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steven Russell]

Well that was a very interesting opener. My prediction of 2-1 England is still on and seems rather more likely than Adam's misguidedly patriotic 4-0 Australia.

It certainly looks like we have the edge - the Aussies' body language spoke volumes during the fourth and fifth day. The sudden realisation that they are no longer the best in the world must be quite a shock. And you can't lay all the blame at the selectors' door. Players like Warne and Gilchrist can't be replaced simply by picking the right man. The fact is, there is probably no-one to pick to fully replace Australia's retired stars of a few years ago.

England, on the other hand, are on the way up and steadily building on recent good results and performances. I reckon we're a pretty good side already although I wish we could find a proper express-pace, hostile quick.

This is going to be a killer series to watch. And Adam, we only have to win one match to hear you sing God Save The Queen don't we? Looking forward to hearing it. I think.

Steve.

[Hoxton Creeper]

Uncharted territory for the Poms........

A resilient team. Record breaking batting. Ah, not like the good old days for Australia when we folded up like wet cardboard.

From a great day in the field, Hat trick, England rocking, to all day chasing leather.

I think I know who go to Adelaide more confident!!

[Monty]

This the same grace and humility you showed in post 413, when you thought you'd won?

Your nation had been fortunate in having a group of great players who all came through at the same time. However, like the Windies 10 years previous, these players have dried up.

Also, this England team is a unit. Go check the records and see how many games the core 8 or 9 have played together and played well.

Finally, the Gabba was always gonna turn into a dead wicket. I knew our batting would dominate your bowling. You have no one to be afraid off. No one who could sustain an attack.

Youre a good test side, but we are better. Doesnt mean we will win the Ashes, just means we have an edge you need to overcome. And you can.

Just got to learn to stop celerbrating before the game is done.

Monty

[Adam Went]

Monty:

I should be surprised, and disappointed, and in a way I am but in another way I kind of knew it was always going to happen. I can't count the number of times recently that we have got ourselves into the perfect position to WIN the game, yet somehow we've managed to find a way to lose - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Well, not defeat as such, but it might as well be.

Part of me actually wants us to lose this Ashes series because the team needs a damned good shake up - the ACB and the selectors have been rubbish the last few years and they never prepared for the retirements of Warne, McGrath, et al. The whole team needs a damned good clean out, get rid of the dead wood and bring in some young kids that will actually play for the baggy green rather than their pay cheques.

This should be our team for the second test:

1.) Shane Watson
2.) Philip Hughes
3.) Ricky Ponting (c)
4.) Callum Ferguson
5.) Mike Hussey
6.) Mitchell Marsh
7.) Brad Haddin (wk)
8.) Steve Smith
9.) James Faulkner
10.) Peter Siddle
11.) Ben Hilfenhaus

But of course it won't be because the selectors are too gutless. Unlike you however, Monty, I will show some humility and congratulate your team on their excellent fightback. Manners are free.....mate.

Cheers,
Adam.