Maybe 8-[

Not much activity in here since Boxing Day, everyone too depressed to watch the cricket then? \:d/

I'd be enjoying watching this, but I'm aquainting myself with the 2 new games I got for christmas:p

Australia bat get 600, bowl England out for 180 odd. Or Australia bat for 2.5 days and get a draw :lol:

:lol: Only 2 people average over 100 in Ashes tests. Australian Albert Trott and Pom Jonathan Trott

Well done Watson.

Dear Ricky Ponting, you are fucking terrible. Regards, the Australian cricketing public.

Fixed.

True that. But I think the root of the problem is ponting's leadership and form.

A little bit, but all of the batsmen except Hussey have failed this series, and all of the bowlers have bowled poorly. It's the entire team who have lost this series, and while Pontings part of that, I wouldn't consider him the main problem.

I hope it rains. But at the same time I dont want it to rain. If only I was in Qld or something, then I wouldnt give a fuck if it rained in melb.

I wouldn't say Shane Watson has been terrible. If every batsman had turned our a performance like his we wouldn't be in this mess.

Watson has been good, but for an opener to get 4 50's and not carry one of them on to a big score, is inexcusable. That said, He has been the other shining light, with Hussey.

What about Haddin?

Eh. He's been decent, but hasn't done much since that first hundred.

To be fair, he scored 41 not out in Brisbane, and he's been run out what...two, three times? He's not exactly getting the support to go on to the 'big score' to which you refer. 95 in Perth is still a quality effort. I'd say he's been the pick of the batsmen this series.

He hasn't been run out at all. He's been involved in two of them, but hasn't actually been run out himself. As for not getting the support, He's never been later than the 4th wicket to fall, in any innings this series. The supports been there, he just hasn't made the most of it.

Bit unfair on Hussey to say Watson has been the pick of the batsmen. And I assume you mean Pick of the Aussie batsmen.

TBF with Watson, as an opener I don't care about him getting a big score. I want my openers to set up the innings with a good 100-150 run partnership. Big scores are just a bonus imo. Watson has been holding up his end of that deal and if Katich hadn't got injured he would have had someone who is capable of holding up the other end, with Hughes he doesn't have that, which is why not getting a big score suddenly looks bad.

Hussey didn't really make much of a go at it this game though. Watson's been the most consistent. Australia would have been fucked without either of them, really.

Definitely the loss of Katich isn't helping things, Sydcro. But would it be making THAT much difference?

It wouldn't make a massive difference, but it would help having two openers who you know could put on a 100-150 run opening stand. Just don't get that feeling with Hughes.

Watson's been the most consistent? Until this test, Hussey hadn't been dismissed for less than 50 all series. And even with Watson batting one more innings, and Hussey failing this test, he still has nearly 200 runs more for the series, and an average 25 points higher than Watson.

There's no way you can say Hussey hasn't been Australia's best batsman this series. He's been miles ahead of the rest.

Ok, so I take that back.

It seems like Watson's always out in the middle when there's a player run-out. Is he hard of hearing or something?

Not only that, but he's generally on strike too. He's a quiet caller, they were talking about it on 9 today.

Seems to be a serious problem, especially for a high order batsman.

VVS Laxman, Disaster Recovery Consultant has steered India to 218/7 with a lead of 292

We should call him up!

India all out for 228. Laxman out for 96. South Africa chasing 303 to win.

Bad light brings an early end to the days play. South Africa finish 111/3, Kallis 12* De Villiers 17*. SA need another 192 runs to win.

VVS Laxman. What a great player

Siddle out for 40, one more and the Ashes stay in England! :cool: