Australia 98 ALL OUT....

[Donnywolf]

What a start to Boxing Day = 9ty effin 8

I saw all 10 wickets fell to catches which seemed rare - and for those of you wondering too .... the answer is it is not uncommon

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282880.html

Lets catch them for under a hundred next innings too !

[Donnywolf]

.... and watch for the Rovers shirt when Strauss cuts his first 4 to Third Man .... cant miss him

[coventryrover]

i love waking up not knowing whats happened(no sky plus knackered, especially like this morning

[CusworthRovers]

I saw the first overs and fell asleep, even though I tried to stay awake. 3 Xmas dinners, 4 pints in the pub at dinner, and then more beers, shorts, food, sweets, entertaining families and my own kids ensured I had a tough battle on to stay awake that night.

Anyway I saw the 2 dropped catch's and thought 'shite', as we had been so good in the field. I had the feeling of it suddenly not going our way. I then saw that hillbilly Bubba Watson edge one to KP, and hope was rekindled, before hitting the land of Z's. Not sure on you lot, but I daren't turn the telly on in bed when I wake up, in fear of what I might find. It's the first thing I think of and I can't sleep there after.

The Ashes are nearly ours and we effectively have one hand on them now. Concentration is still needed and no complacency.

The Aussies are now 14/1 for this match after only one chuffing day. If we can absolutely smash them to bits that will make it sweeter. Slinger Johnson went for 0. I haven't seen the wickets yet, but Anderson and Prior did very well, and those 2 owe these convicts some verbals or a finger gesture. I suppose the score of 98 and the resulting losing of the ashes is more hurting than any words

[I-was-there1976]

i knackered , what a night


Awesome bowling, shocking batting from them and Cook and Straus make the pitch look like a snooker table.


Great toss to win. It all looked a bit nervy with the 2 droppped catches and the 2 reviews turned down but the Aussie batsmen came to the party.

Only down side is my £50 free bet looks wasted lol.

Sunny weather predicted for the remaining 4 days. Bat for another 2 days, rack up 700 lead and stick em in on a crumbling wicket. YAY !!!!


If you watch the highlights later check out the Aussies fantastic support. 90,000 down to 23,000 in 5 hours of cricket and Rovers fans get stick for leaving 5 mins early ???? lol

[CusworthRovers]

Nice one. Look forward to the highlights.

Agreed we should bat for 2 further full days and put a win out of their reach first and foremost. I can see us getting 400 per day. Whilst 600-700 is a realistic target, if the form stays with us re batting, it would be awesome to rock up 1000 runs just to smash a few more records and totally destroy their rekindled confidence, really send out a statement. We need to come away from here with a win, the player of the series, the most wicket-taker and the most run getter....we need these chuffs firmly putting in their place and hammer it home, whilst the going is good.

[GM-MarkB]

Like you Cussy, saw Hughes smash 10 off the first over, saw the drops and thought 'b*ll*cks...it's going to be a long day'. Soldiered on until the lunch break and was rewarded with the sense that actually, we're bowling superbly and they look sh!te.

Got up to find Strauss and Cook unbeaten, a rapidly emptying MCG and one of DRFC's finest dancing on the terraces....bliss  

Roll on tonight...3 more good sessions and I reckon we can pack the Urn back in the luggage...it's coming home  

[RedJ]

CusworthRovers wrote:

Nice one. Look forward to the highlights.

Agreed we should bat for 2 further full days and put a win out of their reach first and foremost. I can see us getting 400 per day. Whilst 600-700 is a realistic target, if the form stays with us re batting, it would be awesome to rock up 1000 runs just to smash a few more records and totally destroy their rekindled confidence, really send out a statement. We need to come away from here with a win, the player of the series, the most wicket-taker and the most run getter....we need these chuffs firmly putting in their place and hammer it home, whilst the going is good.

The danger with that is they may experience a revival, and we may end up drawing the test, leaving a nerve jangling final test. I wouldn't take that chance, to be honest.

[GM-MarkB]

Oh dear Mr Ponting, it's all going horribly wrong isn't it lad  

I hope the Match Referee throws all the books he's got at him for his display of petulance. The sun is setting on your captaincy Cobber.

Bat till lunchtime then unleash the bowlers.....

It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming.....

[pkt_drfc]

Yep can not see Aussies getting back into this one i think ENGLAND should bat till lunchtime then put them into bat and have 2 and half days to bowl them out

[Filo]

pkt_drfc wrote:

Yep can not see Aussies getting back into this one i think ENGLAND should bat till lunchtime then put them into bat and have 2 and half days to bowl them out

Why wait until then, we`re 346 runs in front, 5 wickets standing, go out in the morning all guns blazing, try and add another 150 runs and the declare, they need a win so they have to rack up around 700 runs in the second innings and then get 10 wickets, they have n`t got the time, remember a draw is good enough for us to retain the ashes

[RedJ]

But then there's the final test, as I say, and we don't know how they'll do in that. If we go for the draw, we could end up shoving a sword up our own arse.

[Filo]

RedJ wrote:

But then there's the final test, as I say, and we don't know how they'll do in that. If we go for the draw, we could end up shoving a sword up our own arse.

I`m not saying go for a draw, if they need to rack up 700+ runs they`ve got to do it quick, and that means taking risky shots, they need to win, they have to go for it!

[pkt_drfc]

Well according to the pundits if we can get between 400-450 in front of the Aussies England will win this 1 as a score that has never been chased down at the MCG

[RedJ]

There is that. But I reckon we'd be best placed to declare late on today and then put a few through the stumps. I'd rather get them out and be prepared to chase a small total (if any).

[I-was-there1976]

Strauss will probably declare to give him 2 goes at their batsmen with fresh bowlers and a new/newish ball. That means bat for 70 ish overs if they can and then get the shitters in. 10 ish overs tonight and then a decentish ball tomorrow and fresh bowlers


Then again he might think f**k it get em in so we can go golfing tomorrow but Strauss is a bit cautious on declaring

[Glyn_Wigley]

Filo wrote:

pkt_drfc wrote:

Yep can not see Aussies getting back into this one i think ENGLAND should bat till lunchtime then put them into bat and have 2 and half days to bowl them out

Why wait until then, we`re 346 runs in front, 5 wickets standing, go out in the morning all guns blazing, try and add another 150 runs and the declare, they need a win so they have to rack up around 700 runs in the second innings and then get 10 wickets, they have n`t got the time, remember a draw is good enough for us to retain the ashes

Yep, rattle up those extra 100/150 ASAP and get the Aussies in about 30-45 minutes before lunch, so that just as (or indeed if) they get their eye in they have to go off to lunch and then come out and start again at the beginning of the afternoon session.

[GM-MarkB]

1 session tonight I reckon and it'll all be over.

Atherton's interview with Watson at stumps was quality    Basically 'you're sh!t and you know you are !'

[pkt_drfc]

Yep i agree we only have to get upto 9 wickets as 1 of there players has a stress fracture

[The Red Baron]

GM-MarkB wrote:

1 session tonight I reckon and it'll all be over.

Atherton's interview with Watson at stumps was quality    Basically 'you're sh!t and you know you are !'

Atherton and Hussain, in particular, must be loving it. Players and captains in teams that regularly got sh@t on by the Aussies and now the boot is firmly on the other foot.

One thing I would say- there must be NO LET UP in the final test. We want to win the series, not just retain the Ashes. 3-1 would be a proper reflection of how much better England have been.