The Ashes - 4th Test

[The Flying Scotsman]

First Update:

McGrath is ruled out with elbow injury. Kasper takes his place.

[The Flying Scotsman]

England have won the toss and decided to bat. I believe it is a very clear day up there so far so hopefully not too much swing.

[Matt the Shrimp]

F***ing bring on the Ockers!

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[Hong Kong Blue]

I'm too nervous/excited to work.

[The Flying Scotsman]

53/0 as the first drinks break takes place - a good start. Keep it up lads!

[Bucks_blue]

3-1!

We're gonna win 3-1 !

3-1!

53-0

[The Flying Scotsman]

75/0 and Warne has entered the attack

[Matt the Shrimp]

Can't believe Warne's on already - 40 minutes before lunch on the first day's play!

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Tait's 4 overs have gone for 21 so far... 76/0.

Matt

[The General]

81-0 from 19 ...

[Matt the Shrimp]

Banger has just hit Shaaaayne for six. *Magic.

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[Norwichsufc]

91-0
Warne just thumped for 6 http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
England going at 4.6 per over

[Matt the Shrimp]

Hmm... it's fair to say that Warney has got Strauss's number. Still, 110/1 off 24 overs - looks good to me.

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[Matt the Shrimp]

Oof... Banger is a lucky man. *He has just been bowled... off a no ball!

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And it was on the Nelson!!

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[canveyshrimper]

If the start England have made is anything to go by then Mr Warne is going to have a heck of a work load.

129-1 off 27 overs - just shy of 5 an over again.

Rain delays play again!

[Matt the Shrimp]

Arse!!! *After all the rain delays, we've finally gone back in... and lost a wicket almost straight away. *Tait has bagged his first wicket in Test cricket. *Trescothick bowled for 65 facing his first ball after the rain delay.

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137/2.

Oh well, Bell is now in, couple of runs off his first ball.

Matt

[canveyshrimper]

Bloody weather, Bell quickly back in the hutch as well.

161-3 Vaughan & Pietrsen at the crease.

[Museshrimper]

Vaughan got out playing a nothing shot to guess who...






Ricky Ponting http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Hong Kong Blue]

I can't believe it. Was disappointed enough when Ponting bowled a maiden (I'd like to have seen him hit out of the attack, so that he had to overbowl his quicks), but for him to pick up such an important wicket as well is gutting.

Sadly no England batsman other than Vaughan looks like making big scores against Australia and we are now struggling to make a competitive total for what is supposedly a featherbed.

[Hong Kong Blue]

Pietersen out for 45.

Advantage Australia.

[The Flying Scotsman]

While Freddy's in we can still post a total. Lets not forget how many valuable partnerships him and Jones have had.

Currently 286/5. AF&GJ partnership currently 45 not out. We do need to get a minimum of 350, ideally at least 400 and 450 would be dreamland.

We've reached 300 now, so hopefully we can get to 400-odd if our tail can add a few runs.

Not counting any chickens though. I remember the good old days when we struggled to score 300 against them with regularity

[Hong Kong Blue]

If the pitch is as lifeless as everyone was suggesting it was, a score of 450 would be a minimum.

350 is par for an average pitch, for a good pitch you need 450 in order to exert any pressure.

We will know how good a pitch it is once we've seen England bowl on it, which I predict will be about halfway through the next session.

[canveyshrimper]

338/5 - would agree that 400-450 would be about par on this seemingly flat surface.

Having said that Old Trafford was fairly flat and the England bowlers got more life out of it than the convicts bowlers.

[The Flying Scotsman]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Aug. 26 2005,11:59)]If the pitch is as lifeless as everyone was suggesting it was, a score of 450 would be a minimum.

350 is par for an average pitch, for a good pitch you need 450 in order to exert any pressure.

We will know how good a pitch it is once we've seen England bowl on it, which I predict will be about halfway through the next session.
Yes but I was going on the basis that we were 286/5 due to the fact none of our batsmen got a big score. The fact that we are now 342/5 means we should be looking to get 450.

Also, I rate our bowlers to get more out of the pitch than theirs.

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (The Flying Scotsman @ Aug. 26 2005,12:22)]
Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Aug. 26 2005,11:59)]If the pitch is as lifeless as everyone was suggesting it was, a score of 450 would be a minimum.

350 is par for an average pitch, for a good pitch you need 450 in order to exert any pressure.

We will know how good a pitch it is once we've seen England bowl on it, which I predict will be about halfway through the next session.
Yes but I was going on the basis that we were 286/5 due to the fact none of our batsmen got a big score. The fact that we are now 342/5 means we should be looking to get 450.

Also, I rate our bowlers to get more out of the pitch than theirs.
Agreed, there is normally lateral movement at Trent Bridge so i hope Hoggard can contribute with the ball more this time.

[Smiffy]

344/5 at Lunch

[Smiffy]

Freddy has just hit a century to take us onto 406/5...

500 should be easily doable before the end of the day...

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[canveyshrimper]

Freddie 100not out - Come on England

[Smiffy]

Kiss of death that!.

Freddy - LBW off Tait for 102.

Still good knock by the lad.

We have to try and get at least 450 if we can...

Come on Jonesy its all down to you now.

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[canveyshrimper]

Bugger - shame he could not make it a big hundred, but it looks like we will get 450 at least. With Jones and the King of Spain and a wagging tail 500 should get us in a position where we cannot lose.

[Smiffy]

Jones c&b Kaspa for 85.

Currently 450/7.

Lets see if we can make 500....

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[Smiffy]

Collapsing now...

Giles LBW off Warne for 15.

450/8

Come on Harmy!.

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[the leopard]

454/9

[Smiffy]

Harmy makes 2!..

454/9 now...

Come on Hoggy and Jonesy!.

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[BILLERICAY BLUE]

471-9

[CANV]

these are the runs that hurt.. we never seem to bother.. get out for 450 n think oh well we can have a bowl now.. the aussies always try to dog out those extra 20/30 at the end when they bat..
477 good effort lets hope the pitch isnt as frdly as everyone thinks come on hoggard!!!

[Smiffy]

477 all out, great effort.

The aussies will have to go some to get anywhere near that.

[Hong Kong Blue]

Get in there! Hoggy strikes. hayden fails again.

[Museshrimper]

Ponting lbw! 21-2, f%&king get in!!!!!

[Bucks_blue]

Woohoo!


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[Museshrimper]

22-3!!!! Martyn lbw to Hoggy haha http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Bucks_blue]

Woohoo! http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[canveyshrimper]

Bloody hell - who said it was a flat deck.

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Aug. 26 2005,16:57)]Bloody hell - who said it was a flat deck.
He he, I think that was me (I have actually yet to see any play so far this test and am actually going on what crackinfo says).

I'm guessing with two wickets falling to Hoggy and one to Jones, its more to do with overhead conditions that the pitch.

[Museshrimper]

Langer gone! Hoggy again, inside edge and caught. 58-3 http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[* ORM *]

****in ELL !!! This is looking AWESOME !

[* ORM *]

Quote[/b] (Museshrimper @ Aug. 26 2005,17:36)]Langer gone! Hoggy again, inside edge and caught. 58-3 http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Yes, caught before you had a chance to edit the wickets http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Smiffy]

58/4

Easy, easy, easy, easy!!...

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[* ORM *]

Nah, u aint one of the dicks from the West doing that at 1-0 up are ya ? http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I'll rest easy when another 16 Aussies have gone.

[Museshrimper]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ Aug. 26 2005,17:38)]
Quote[/b] (Museshrimper @ Aug. 26 2005,17:36)]Langer gone! Hoggy again, inside edge and caught. 58-3 http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Yes, caught before you had a chance to edit the wickets http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Exactly http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
4 is next to 3, let's just call it an error in the mist of excitement http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Museshrimper]

Wicket last ball of the day, Clarke lbw for 36 bowled by harmy, what a great day 99-5 http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[The General]

180-9 http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

And they've had to follow on, first time for 190-odd tests. They're currently 35-0. A few wickets before the end of play and we should be set up nicely...

[BlueJ]

We've got this test in the bag now!

[blues_r_best]

Langer out for 61, Giles bowled and Bell caught at short leg.

129-2

[blues_r_best]

155-3 Ponting run out

[blues_r_best]

161-4, edged and Martyn is out

Been 'watching' Cricinfo at work all day - the Aussies have been stubborn but now Warne has just gone and it's 349-8. A lead of 90 so far... if we can clean their tail up before they get a lead of 150 then we could have won the test by lunch tomorrow!

373-9, as Kasprowich (or however you spell his name) edges it straight to Jones. With Tait left as last batsman, how much longer can the Aussies last?

Tait exposes his wicket and is bowled out. Australia are 387 all out and England now need 129 to win....

[Bluesmanager]

67-4, 62 to win, Warnie has 3-8 off 3 overs.

[The General]

Need 48 to win.

[Bluesmanager]

KP gone for 23 - 26 to win.

[Barmy Army]

Trying our hardest to lose this.

[Barmy Army]

Lee just stole Freddie's celebration http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[* ORM *]

Oh dear - I dont feel too confident about this http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[* ORM *]

What a f%&king bunch of p%&*ks - WHY hit out like that ?

Idiots. What the hell are they doing? All they need to do is defend.

I thought england have turned the corner - but it seems to be bad old England once more in the Ashes. http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Barmy Army]

Let's definitely keep butter-fingers Jones in the squad because he's a good batsman.

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[Bluesmanager]

10 to win, 3 wickets.

Awful shot selection from the last man out, why can't they just hit off the seamers and keep Warnie off their poles?

8 to win now. This is nerve-shredding stuff http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[Bluesmanager]

4....

[Barmy Army]

Hoggy Hoggy Hoggy, Oi Oi Oi

Great shot http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

2 to go...

[Bluesmanager]

England win - 2-1, Aussies need to win at the Oval, England need a draw, tie or win.

And we've done it. At one point I thought we were gonna throw it all away....

[Bluesmanager]

Wouldn't be English sport if we didn't have a "Oh god, we'll lose by 3 wickets moment" would it?

[* ORM *]

Apologies for my earlier post. I had no doubt we'd do it http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Jeez, what a match. What a series AND we could still not regain the ashes.

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ Aug. 28 2005,19:42)]Apologies for my earlier post. I had no doubt we'd do it http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Jeez, what a match. What a series AND we could still not regain the ashes.
I know, amazing isn't it? However I do think we will do it.....which is almost scary in itself, as it's the first time I've entertained that thought all summer.

However to use a cliche normally associated with football...'at the end of the day, cricket's the winner'.

I'm a cricket fan but this series has really re-awoken my real passion for the game, and I now intend (other commitments allowing) to go to more games than my one a season average of recent years. If I'm typical then we hopefully will see a resurgence in the popularity of our summer game.

[Bob Cratchitt]

Have to say, you have posted my sentiments exactly, always liked cricket mainly from when I watched the last time we won the ashes. I remember going to see Essex many times when they had Border, Goochie, Pringle and Foster in the team. However the recent dismals test matches and work commitments meant that I have not really followed Cricket as I did, but this series has definitely brought back the passion I had when I was a lad.

[Matt the Shrimp]

Awesome test, and that 4th innings was always going to be like that... it's classic Warne territory, he's always unplayable in 4th innings run chases.

Cricket isn't just played with bat and ball, it's played in the mind... and we were tough enough to win this one.

Truly nerve-shredding, truly brilliant.

"They're coming home
They're coming home
They're coming,
Ashes coming home"

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Quote[/b] (Bob Cratchitt @ Aug. 28 2005,22:09)]Have to say, you have posted my sentiments exactly, always liked cricket mainly from when I watched the last time we won the ashes. I remember going to see Essex many times when they had Border, Goochie, Pringle and Foster in the team. However the recent dismals test matches and work commitments meant that I have not really followed Cricket as I did, but this series has definitely brought back the passion I had when I was a lad.
Recent dismal test matches?

This England team hasn't been dismal for a fair few years. Its been producing some quality cricket for some time.

There was no disgrace in losing previous Ashes series to a brilliant team. In fact what's made this series so gripping is that one of the all-time great teams is having its dominance challenged by a superior young pretender, but the champion is refusing to let its crown go without a real battle.

With the drama drawn out over 5 enthralling tests of 5 days each, has there ever been such an epic sporting contest between two teams at the top of their sport?

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Guest @ Aug. 29 2005,01:17)]With the drama drawn out over 5 enthralling tests of 5 days each, has there ever been such an epic sporting contest between two teams at the top of their sport?
Other than the fact that we've only had 4 tests so far, and of those, only one has gone into the fifth day...

...I heartily concur!

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I've always watched England games, and this is probably the best series I've ever watched.

Might have to get down to see Essex one of these days - is county cricket as exciting?

[BlueJ]

I've always found playing cricket far more exciting than watching it, but this Ashes series has just been compelling viewing!

[canveyshrimper]

I hope we can go to The Oval and keep up the fantastic work so far, and take out the series 3 - 1.

Hands those who are hoping for it to pee down for 5 days.

It is so good to see Ponting and a few others squealing like stuck pigs.

To be really fair what a player & competitor Shane Warne is another great performance from him, the recalcitrant convict b******.

I've always liked Shane Warne, he's a superb bowler and actually has an interesting character.

Ponting and Katich should shut up, we've had plenty of dodgy decisions over the years go against us, and the rules say we can substitute fielders, so we do this. He's just bitter becasue he was stupidly run out.

Really looking forward to the fifth test, finally we've proved we're a match for the Aussies! http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[BlueJ]

Quote[/b] (Whatever @ Aug. 30 2005,13:11)]I've always liked Shane Warne, he's a superb bowler and actually has an interesting character.

Ponting and Katich should shut up, we've had plenty of dodgy decisions over the years go against us, and the rules say we can substitute fielders, so we do this. He's just bitter becasue he was stupidly run out.

Really looking forward to the fifth test, finally we've proved we're a match for the Aussies! http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Can somebody please shut Gilchrist up for the 5th test!

[Museshrimper]

I hope it rains for all 5 days too

[BlueJ]

Quote[/b] (Museshrimper @ Aug. 30 2005,21:04)]I hope it rains for all 5 days too
that would do us nicley!