View Full Version : Ashes 2005
WOW !!!!!! What a sensational series of cricket that was !!!! Probably one of, if not THE greatest series of test matches ever. So much drama and tension, a level of cricket that no one could have predicted, sportsmanship at it's highest level ..... some unbelievable batting and bowling performances ... this series had the lot !
To me, the Aussies were always the untouchables, growing up on a diet of them winning everything in cricket and seemingly doing no wrong and being almost unbeatable. After the Lords test match i was thinking it could be another white wash or that we may nick one game when the series was already decided. But back we came and we gave it right to them and it was fantastic. Our set of 4 pace bowlers clicked and we gave the best set of batsmen in the world all sorts of problems, heaven only knows what might have been if Harmison was also on his game !
We fought back and we carried on fighting, whenever someone needed to produce an effort with bat or ball, someone stepped up and we out performed the best team in the world ... the best team in cricketing history .... time and time again. In the end, their wasn't alot to choose between the 2 teams. I'm sure some cynics will say "If Australia played as well as they could have, it would have been 5-0" ... well to that i would say "We didn't let you play as well as you could have because we bowled and batted with immense courage and discipline (most of the time)" ... some might say "The rain and light saved you in this match" and i would say "The rain and light saved Australia in the 3rd test".
I'm immensely proud of that set of English players who stood toe-to-toe with the best team ever and won, if we kick on from here England will be THE best team in cricket for many many years to follow.
Cricket will lose 2 of the best ever bowlers in cricketing history in Warne and McGrath, but all i can say was it was an honour to see them and Brett Lee bowl and more importantly how great it was to see them congratulate the English players when we won. We may have won the Ashes, but surely cricket was the real winner in this, the best test series ever !
Well Done! :cool: It was a great series from start to end. England have deservedly won it back. Great going. :)
Thanks Haroon :)
Now we face a winter almost as hard as this summer when we go to the sub-continent to face Pakistan and Sri-Lanka ( i think ) in their own backyards ... that will be one tough trip. However, we did pretty well down there 4 years ago when we won in near complete darkness ... with bats flying round the groud :D So to keep this momentum going we need to win down there in the heat and combat all the noise and pressure from the fanatical crowds.
Stezagud
13-09-2005, 11:03
Its a fantastic achievement, even more so considering its only about 5 years since we were ranked bottom of the test playing nations :eek:
Every player contributed and it really was a great team effort but its really hard not to single out Freddie because he was an absolute monster, Gilchrist came in regarded as one of the best players in the world but Freddie had him on a tight leash the whole series, because of that they were never able to get themselves out of trouble as they have done so often down the years :cool:
If we can get Bell to start fulfilling his potential then by the next ashes tour we will have a complete side ;)
I was watching the parade today and it was fantastic to see how wrecked they all were, particularly KP and Freddie ( when he stumbled out the mayor's place and could hardly focus, that was hilarious ) ... good on them, they deserve a decent celebration after what must have been an enormous amount of pressure.
My worry is that all this support is just a one season wonder, it was like this because it was against Australia, had the series been against any other team it wouldn't have been anything like this. So the big test will be next summer when we're playing ( Sri Lanka i think, can't remember to be honest ) and with World Cup fever around (should we get there :D ) who knows how many will turn up to the grounds.
I hope the support continues, i hope England come down to earth a tiny bit and all realise that the job is just beginning and the next stage is the tough tour of India. If we bowl like we can and keep some of their players ( Sewhag in particular ) on tight leashes like we did with some of the Aussies, then we have a good chance of winning over there.
Going back to the parade, when the whole crowd sang "Jerusalem", i had a few hairs standing on end :D
Final mention must go to the legend that is Richie Benaud, what a way to bow out. The way he mixed his final few comments into the delivery that got Pieterson out was just incredible ... a very very poignant moment indeed ... a true legend and gentleman :5ok:
triniman
13-09-2005, 17:52
Enjoy it while it lasts folks.... :)
Great job by england...and good for cricket for them to regain the ashes and thus the top spot.......
but just remember...one day the West Indies will be back on top too...then it will be my turn to smile :D
It's about time! You sure you pombe's didnt get cigarette ashes??? I'd hope the security of such a relic would be taken seriously.
Twas fantastic, made even more so by the fact that they were all blocked.
Never thought I'd see it though. Brilliant.
trini, i spend too long arguing with your compatriots on other forums to debate you on that point.
kenny_shev
14-09-2005, 07:15
Congrats to you! England definitely deserved the win.
keep dreaming Trini ... you'll be an old man with grey dreads when they become number one again ... haha :D
Just kidding. You have to hope your quicks come good, which they will with time ... they're all kind of young i think, so in a few years you never know. Plus with Gayle smashing 7 kinds of **** out of the ball anything's possible.
The urn is shared Kui, it was on its way to Australia before the end of the 5th test to be shown in a display at one of the grounds ( maybe kenny shev knows which one ) ... whether that's still going ahead is another matter though, i should imagine it would after all the euphoria dies down.
In the papers today it had many shots of our drunk players, particularly Freddie who was absolutely plastered. Apparently the team spent £31,000 on drinks that night :eek: Ian Bell might not have had much luck in the tests but he pulled an absolute stunner ! She was very nice :D
Now for the Super Series against Australia, that'll be great to watch, are you going to the game Kenny Shev ? Any other Aussie members going ?
kenny_shev
14-09-2005, 17:41
The cricket super series one-dayers will be played in Melbourne on Oct 5,7, 9 while the 6-day test will be held at the SCG (sydney cricket ground) on Oct 14-19. I dont think i will go to the one-dayers as I live in Sydney. I might turn up for the 6-day test in Sydney though depending on other work committments. Jim !! are you coming over for the series?
I saw Ricky's press conference today on Foxtel. He too said England deserved the win.
kenny_shev
14-09-2005, 18:15
And oh yeah..you guys should get drunk. They dont just name the super series ' Johnnie walker ' series for no reasons ;)
haha, i wish i was going to the test or the one day'ers KS, that would be fantastic. I'm kind of tempted to go when the Ashes are on in Australia, that would be a good trip. Although i'm not that good in the heat so we'll have to see.
You could get quite drunk if you had a glass or two of each of the Johnnie Walker labels, Johnnie Walker red label followed by black label, then maybe blue label, white label, green label ... then on the floor :D
kenny_shev
15-09-2005, 17:26
haha, i wish i was going to the test or the one day'ers KS, that would be fantastic. I'm kind of tempted to go when the Ashes are on in Australia, that would be a good trip. Although i'm not that good in the heat so we'll have to see.
You could get quite drunk if you had a glass or two of each of the Johnnie Walker labels, Johnnie Walker red label followed by black label, then maybe blue label, white label, green label ... then on the floor :D
if you refer to the aussie summer heat , here is some good news for you, mate. Summer practically doesnt start untill Dec (it could get really warm then). Also, i m not sure if they are selling Johnnie at the ground though. There has been (or was) ban of alcoholic drinks at some sports venues here due to bad crowd behaviour.
That's what i mean KS, because your summer doesn't start until the late/early months of the year, that'll be when it's hottest, right when the cricket is on. I get sunburnt really easily, so if i did go i'd have to wear a tub of sun block or one an astronaut's suit :D
Dr Milano
17-09-2005, 14:08
i have 1 thing to say it was a great great and great cricket match i can not explain although i wouldnt of wanted to see the rain and that i wanted them to play longer till the end Congratulations England
The highly anticipated cricketing grudge match returns next week as England travel to Brisbane to play Australia in the first match of the Ashes.
Australia will be looking to regain the urn and show that from their point of view, last years defeat was just a blip. While England will be looking to find some form and consistancy and hope that they can rediscover the 'ashes' spirit that helped them beat Australia.
With some key players missing and other players not producing the goods, i do find myself quite apprehensive about the result. However, nothing would give me more satisfaction than stuffing the aussies in their own backyard and giving their arrogant vitriolic media a good pasting. People slating English media should take a look at the bile the aussie media produce whenever an English/British team play them.
That aside, i hope this Ashes series will be played in the fantastic team spirit and sportsmanship of the previous series. Then whatever happens, cricket will be the winner in a time when the sport is under intense scrutiny.
rahul.acm
19-11-2006, 08:19
England - (Trescothick + Vaughan) = :str:
Beating the aussie at home is no secret. Set up a good total in the first inn. (like 600 or something) and screw the rhythm of their bowlers as well as Ponting and for the rest of the match they will appear like lame ducks.
Rest aside, I don't see England winning the series or even one match because they are missing some really important players. If youngsters like Pietersen don't live up to the challenge posed their ##ggot bowlers they will crumble very quickly. I would tip the aussies to regain the urn.
I hope the Aussies take a good pumeling! Dont know if it will happen though
Stezagud
19-11-2006, 09:01
England - (Trescothick + Vaughan) =
Missing Vaughan is particularly bad as he did a fantastic job captaining the side last time, he outclassed Ponting when it mattered and the little decisions he made played a major part in tipping a very close series Englands way.
Trescothick though never really played all that well against Australia anyway and harsh as it is for me to say his condition would have made him a liability. I know its not his fault and i do sympathise with him totally but the reality is his mental state has been like a timebomb and it is better it happened before the series than in the middle of it, at least we can prepare :(
Bell and Cook are both inexperienced but they are quality batsmen and both in good form too, as long as they dont have nightmare starts they should grow into their roles and do a decent job for the side. My biggest worry is that the middle order powerhouses Freddie and KP dont live up to their reputations, their role is the crucial one because it is up to them to build on a good start or rescue a bad one :eek:
Whatever happens it should be a cracking series and i hope we manage to pull off a surprise ;)
It all starts tomorrow!
I'm not sure what i want to happen first, to see us bowl at them first or bat first. Thinking logically you always want to bat first, we saw what happened last time we let them bat first in Australia :moan: However, nothing would please me more than seeing such hostility in our opening bowling like that on the first morning in the Lord's test. What a statement of intent that was! It's a shame Simon Jones is injured, i hope he returns to test cricket soon, we need him.
We might get soundly beaten and a part of me is prepared for the worst, but it doesn't matter as we beat them last time and they can't take that away from us :D
COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!! :fero:
Dr Milano
22-11-2006, 10:29
It all starts tomorrow!
I'm not sure what i want to happen first, to see us bowl at them first or bat first. Thinking logically you always want to bat first, we saw what happened last time we let them bat first in Australia :moan: However, nothing would please me more than seeing such hostility in our opening bowling like that on the first morning in the Lord's test. What a statement of intent that was! It's a shame Simon Jones is injured, i hope he returns to test cricket soon, we need him.
We might get soundly beaten and a part of me is prepared for the worst, but it doesn't matter as we beat them last time and they can't take that away from us :D
COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!! :fero:
yup come on england ...
but truthfully i think the aussies are gonna win they are unbeatable at this point ... and england have struggled recently
Damn you Aussies, damn your ridiculous heat, damn you Ponting for winning the toss and scoring a century, damn you bowlers for not being more effective ( save Flintoff :proud: ) .... and there's another 43 days of this :eek: :depress: :delol:
Still only the first day, i don't mind too much if we lose the first test, we always seem to get hammered in Brisbane anyway. We lost at Lords but won the series, so maybe history will repeat itself again :D COME ON ENGLAND!
Stezagud
23-11-2006, 09:11
yeah, at this stage a draw in the first test would be a good result for us even with 4 days left to play ;)
If the wicket doesnt deteriorate too quickly then we should have a strong enough batting line up to score heavily too, but i must admit watching a parttime bowler like Pietersen getting the ball to spin occasionally made me worry about what Fatboy might do :eek:
either way tommorow is going to be crucial..
Without Trescothic in the team, i cant see England doing much at all. Unless Strauss carries all the weight on his shoulders. Then again Bell has been playing very well and Cook is quite steady.
The thing with Bell is that he's looked solid against most attacks recently, however we all know Warne gave him nightmares last time around, if the same happens again then were done for.
I'd just love Pietersen and Flintoff to get to the wicket and bulldoze their way to centuries in about 50 balls each :D
Stezagud
25-11-2006, 06:42
wow things really didnt go to plan :eek:
The Aussies decision not to enforce the follow on is just about the only thing giving us any hope at the moment, the longer they stay in the less we have to bat to save the draw but with what seems like a 100000000000 run lead already i doubt they'll make that mistake :(
only 3 things can save us from being beaten.
A freak rain storm
Aussie arrogance in batting on long past the point in which they need to
A miracle like innings from an England player ala Atherton's 10 hour vigil against the South Africans many years ago.
I cant believe the Aussies didnt put the wounded England batsmen in again. If Ponting or someone makes a big innings then are they going to stay in longer than neccesary to see him convert it. If this English team has any guts then surely they will make a stand.
Well, they have declared with a league of over 650 and Strauss needs to perform today big time and make a century. Cook has to be his normal mind numbing boring self and just leave as many deliveries as possible and keep ticking away the singles. Big things needed from Bell and Colingwood and sensible innings from Pieterson and Flintoff. Im nt hoping for much more else from anyone else.
God only knows why Monty was dropped for Giles. How many do they really expect him to make with the bat. Bowlers make runs by limiting the opponents runs and that is one thing Monty can do much better than Giles.
AC-GIOFFRE
25-11-2006, 23:07
The Ashes will be back in Australia :p283:
They will if England continue to bowl as badly as they have done. I saw some highlights last night of day 3 and i have to say England's bowling was rubbish. It was either too full, too short, wrong line, wrong length, no accuracy or consistency and not once did i see anyone bowl round the wicket to the left-handers (which was the Aussie's biggest problem against us last year).
It must have been the equivalent of bowling slow under-arm in baseball and giving the batter as much chance to leather the ball as possible.
Still, we lost at Lords last time and i would pray that our bowling can't get any worse.
rahul.acm
26-11-2006, 08:13
Isn't there a myth since the last Ashes that whoever wins the first test loses the series. :grinser:
Stezagud
26-11-2006, 10:00
exactly Rahul, England have a cunning plan ;)
Well we put up a bit more of a fight yesterday, its so dissapointing to see them do that on day 4 instead of day 2, if we'd have posted 400 or so in the first innings (which Australia have shown was hardly an impossible ask) then this game would be almost certainly headed towards a draw :(
At least a few of the batters will emerge with a little more confidence, i wont give up hope just yet but with only Pietersen, Jones and Giles left before we're into the real tail-enders things dont look too good :cool:
we're just playing ourselves in :ilol:
rahul.acm
02-12-2006, 08:04
Wow! Hats off for the Pietersen and Collingwood. I feel really happy for them. Winning Ashes in their home country is one and putting up a day of defiance in Australia is another. I am sure Freddie will push as hard as he can. I hope they notch up another 3 wickets in tomorrow's morning session. Forza English National Cricket Team. :D
rahul.acm
02-12-2006, 19:41
For those who cannot see the match log on to channel # 13117 on Sopcast. The description of the channel is "Live Cricket By "www.livefreetv.net""
Alternative:
Channel # 15410 Description: "Free Cricket From Www.DesiMedia4U.Com"
Enjoy :5ok:
Unless there is a miracle tomorrow morning and we get 5 wickets on a pitch that is tough for bowlers, this match will end in a draw :depress:
The only thing we will take out of a draw is some confidence and team spirit ... i loved how Collingwood was shouting as he struck his 4 to get his 200 ... that was ace .... "YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" .... ahem :D
rahul.acm
03-12-2006, 12:12
I guess if the English bowlers take the aussies out in the span of another 100 hundred runs they have a chance of beating them. I hope tomorrow they come on the pitch, sledge the aussies a little bit ;) and bowl some quickies with Harmison. If they can knock the whole team in the first session, England can go ballistic, play the match like a 20-20 game, score 200 hundred runs and give the aussies one whole day to defend. I hope it tunrs out like the second test of Ashes 2005; victory on the last ball. :5ok:
How gutless is this England team and its management. Fletcher is such an idiot :irritate: Giles has to go, Panesar is ten times the player Giles has ever been. And Harmeson has brought his dreadful oneday game to the test matches. Anderson wasnt much better. Mahmood needs to come in, at least he has a positive attitude (Arrogant at times). Lets not even talk about Jones.
Trescothic left the team because of depresssion, but surely he is more depressed watching this at home.
This could really become a 5-0. Fletcher the muppet defended the decision to stick with Giles in the post match interview. :987:
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