The Ashes 2009

[Woody]

Fantastic work, old chaps! Knighthoods all around again! Double knighthoods for those with knighthoods the first time around!

I think we will just knight the Aussie selectors this time around. [icon_lol1. [icon_lol1. [icon_lol1.

 

[Coxy]

Yeah, I think huge credit has to go to the Australian top order, Ricky Ponting's captaincy and the selectors.
England weren't that great this series. They were far better in 2005. And yet Australia crumbled. Twice. And you can't blame youth either. It was jokers like Hussey and Ponting that were doing most of the choking.

Terrible series for Australia.

 

[Steve]

Awful first innings batting is what lost that series. Horrible efforts at Lords, Edgbaston and The Oval. Not much else to say really apart form congrats to England. They took full advantage of our ineficencies.

 

[Coxy]

There's a genuine lack of application amongst Australia's batsmen. They too often get out to terrible shots or poor judgment of line and length. In their dominant years it was hard to get a wicket against Australia, and your excitement was short lived as you'd see another mentally strong and technically proficient batsman stride to the crease.

These days you get a breakthrough and you are a good chance to get another 1 or 2 out in quick succession.

And that was the problem this series. Far too many batting collapses.

 

[gUt]

Ponting's dismissal was a massive kick in the guts. It was Hussey's call and it was always going to be tight but Ponting was ball watching and did not take off. I don't blame Hussey - he hit it to the aging Flintoff's left hand side and he had ground to cover.

Well done England I guess. I feel the umpiring generally went their way throughout the series but fair play to them. Statistically, Australia was the better side but as has been said, the poms stood up and won the vital sessions.

I won't be bagging Ponting. Love him or hate him, we still need him and while he's playing Test cricket, he will be captain.

 

[Je$ter]

I think Strauss summed up England's ashes pretty well:

"When we were bad we were very bad, but when we were good we were good enough,"

 

[Astroboy]

Utterly shit series all round. Ponting does not know a thing about tactics or selections. Get rid of him as captain, keep him as a batsman, nothing wrong with his batting. P!ss off the selectors too, they don't have a friggin clue. Billy Bowden should find his true calling as a professional clown, he's done the dirty again just like in 2005. Freddie GIT TOFF, cricket says good riddance to you! You've had your 2 lucky freak series, now p!ss off. There should be a Royal Commission into this series. They've lost not just to anyone, but to England, freakin p!ss poor England, twice in 4 years. It's criminal, nothing less. Can't wait to watch us smash these pommie tossers 5-0 next summer.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Meh it was our first Ashes without 4 legends of the game. 3 collapses lost us the Ashes and the fact we didn't win in Cardiff when we should have. I am seriously pissed that Hussey got a ton and will no doubt be saved from being dropped.

 

[Black Philip]

Utterly shit series all round. Ponting does not know a thing about tactics or selections. Get rid of him as captain, keep him as a batsman, nothing wrong with his batting. P!ss off the selectors too, they don't have a friggin clue. Billy Bowden should find his true calling as a professional clown, he's done the dirty again just like in 2005. Freddie GIT TOFF, cricket says good riddance to you! You've had your 2 lucky freak series, now p!ss off. There should be a Royal Commission into this series. They've lost not just to anyone, but to England, freakin p!ss poor England, twice in 4 years. It's criminal, nothing less. Can't wait to watch us smash these pommie tossers 5-0 next summer.

LOL sportsmanship plus in this post [icon_lol1. :roll:

Overall this series I think England were average and Australia were just piss poor. That said, Australia still had enough quality to retain the ashes but couldn't get that win in the first test when England played silly buggers time wasting.

Not to worry for the aussies, you have to look on the brightside, it keeps cricket competitive and will make the ashes more interesting next series.

 

[Coxy]

Yes and no Scotty. Most likely next time England will be a rabble when they get here and we'll win 5-0. Won't happen? Did last time! :P

 

[Black Philip]

Yes and no Scotty. Most likely next time England will be a rabble when they get here and we'll win 5-0. Won't happen? Did last time! :P

Oh I expect England to lost 5-0 next time they are here, what I'm saying is it will be a sweeter victory for the Australians considering they lost this series just gone.

 

[Coxy]

Yep.

I find it funny, in fact, LOLZWORTHY that Ricky Ponting is the first captain in 119 years to lose 2 series in England! LOLZ LOLZ LOLZ!

I think what should be embarrassing for him is that on neither occasion has he a) had a shit team at his disposal or b) been playing against a red hot England team.

On both occasions England was average, but Australia played well below par. Robert Craddock pointed out that Australia had 6 of the top 7 highest run scorers in the series, and the top 3 wicket takers...and yet lost? Shows we were shit when it mattered most.