2005 Tour of England: Ashes and ODI News and Discussion

[Dizzys_on_fire]

Some squad updates courtesy of cricinfo.

ODI Series: England -vs- Australia -vs- Bangladesh

England

* Michael Vaughan
* Kabir Ali
* Paul Collingwood
* Andrew Flintoff
* Ashley Giles
* Darren Gough
* Stephen Harmison
* Geraint Jones
* Simon Jones
* Jon Lewis
* Kevin Pietersen
* Vikram Solanki
* Andrew Strauss
* Marcus Trescothick

Australia

* Ricky Ponting
* Adam Gilchrist
* Michael Clarke
* Jason Gillespie
* Brad Haddin
* Matthew Hayden
* Brad Hogg
* Michael Hussey
* Michael Kasprowicz
* Simon Katich
* Brett Lee
* Damien Martyn
* Glenn McGrath
* Andrew Symonds
* Shane Watson

Bangladesh

* Habibul Bashar
* Khaled Mashud
* Mushfiqur Rahim
* Mohammad Ashraful
* Javed Omar
* Rajin Saleh
* Nafees Iqbal
* Aftab Ahmed
* Shahriar Nafees
* Mohammad Rafique
* Enamul Haque jnr
* Mashrafe Mortaza
* Tapash Baisya
* Anwar Hossain Monir
* Talha Jubair
* Shahadat Hossain
* Khaled Mahmud
* Tushar Imran
* Nazmul Hossain
* Manjural Islam Rana

Ashes Test Series: England -vs- Australia

Australia

* Ricky Ponting
* Adam Gilchrist
* Michael Clarke
* Jason Gillespie
* Brad Haddin
* Matthew Hayden
* Brad Hodge
* Justin Langer
* Michael Kasprowicz
* Simon Katich
* Brett Lee
* Stuart MacGill
* Damien Martyn
* Glenn McGrath
* Shaun Tait
* Shane Warne

[Dizzys_on_fire]

Tour Match: Leicestershire v Australia, 11th June 2005 at Grace Road Oval, Leicester

Australia 4/321 (50)

Hayden 107 (96)
Symonds 92 (59)
Martyn 85 (103)

Gibson 2/65 (9)

def.

Leicestershire 8/226 (50)

Gibson 50 (49)
Nixon 43 (53)
Akerman 38 (55)

Hogg 3/56 (10)
McGrath 2/33 (10)

[Dizzys_on_fire]

Tewnty 20 International: England -vs- Australia, 13th June 2005 at The Rose Bowl, South Hampton

England 8/179 (20)

Collingwood 46 (26)
Trescothick 41 (37)
Pietersen 34 (18)

McGrath 3/31 (4)
Symonds 2/14 (3)

def.

Australia 79 (14.3)

Gillespie 24 (18)
Gilchrist 15 (14)
Lee 15 (20)

Lewis 4/24 (4)
Gough 3/16 (3)

[Dizzys_on_fire]

Tour Match: Somerset -vs- Australia, 15th June 2005 at County Ground, Taunton

Australia 5/342 (50)

Ponting 80* (86) retired hurt
Hayden 76 (53)
Clarke 63* (45)

Jayasuria 1/47 (8)

lost to

Somerset 6/345 (46.5)

Smith 108 (74)
Jayasuria 101 (79)
Hildereth 38* (24)

McGrath 2/49 (10)
Hussey 2/41 (6)

[Beaussie]

Australia beaten by Bangladesh. What's going on?

Dizzy's weren't you saying recently that Bangladesh didn't deserve to be part of the series or words to that effect?

[Dizzys_on_fire]

I may have Beaussie, not sure. I know that i've always had mixed thoughts on the Bangers though. However, aslong as they were given good exposure against the top nations on a regular basis I was confident that in years to come they would possibly have a similar progression to Sri Lanka. That being said though, there team is still a bit ordinary at the moment and it shows just how out of form Australia is and the lack of cricket they have played in recent months. I wouldn't read much into though for that reason.

But good on Bangladesh, their attitude after copping a hiding from the Poms and the Pommy media was great. I was extremely impressed with their bowling and fielding. They have some promising youngsters and they really need to keep those guys in the team for long periods win, lose or draw to help them form a solid base of senior players to a build a team around for the future.

[crocodileman]

We're in real trouble now. What price the Poms in the Tests? Shortening quickly I imagine!

[Dizzys_on_fire]

The Poms will play off confidence more than anything I think. And if they take out the Natwest Challenge they'll be tough to beat in the First Test. However, I think the Aussie form slump is simply due to a lack of Cricket. If memory serves me well this would have to be one of the longest breaks this team has had for a very long time. They are just lacking match practice and confidence.

If, however, this form continues for the duration of the English summer and we lose the Ashes, it may be time to reassess this current squad. Especially as it's an old one.

[crocodileman]

However, I think the Aussie form slump is simply due to a lack of Cricket. If memory serves me well this would have to be one of the longest breaks this team has had for a very long time. They are just lacking match practice and confidence.

Weren't they in New Zealand less than 10 weeks ago?

I don't believe this is a valid argument about a lack of practice and confidence - they are supposedly the most confident team to wear the baggy green - there should be ample levels of confidence to beat this mob, shouldn't they?

[Dizzys_on_fire]

Early March they finished wasn't it? Either way that's still around 10-12 weeks I spose. When you're talking about time bewteen series, I still think that's a big gap. Still, I don't think it's time to panic just yet. Even if we end up losing the Natwest Challenge. I believe the real indication of where this team is at will come during the Ashes.

This series will test Ponting's captaincy as well as the effectivness of our bowling against a unusually good looking Pommy batting line-up. Who needs to pick up their game the most? Dare I say it, Dizzy Gillespie. He's looking very very ordinary at the moment.

[King-Eliagh]

This is fucking great! About time the aussies cop a few thorough beltings They just sicken me that lot at the moment. Ponting's just a little smarmy brat...always has been. Warne is getting closer to wacko jacko every day. They get away with racial slurs all the time. Basically I'm just sick of them winning all the time, its boring and mundane. Go Bangladesh!!!

[Dizzys_on_fire]

1st Test:

1st inns Australia....190

Langer 40
Harmison 5/43

1st inns England....155

Pietersen 57
McGrath 5/53

2nd inns Australia....384

Clarke 91
Harmison 3/54

2nd inns England....180

Pietersen 64*
McGrath 4/29
Warne 4/64

Australia won late on the 4th day by 239 runs. Australia leads the 5 Test series 1-0.

[Dizzys_on_fire]

Is it a case of "same old, same old" for the Poms? Alot of the usual mistakes present I must say. Plently of dropped catches too which proved costly. Namely when Clarke was dropped. Lords has always been a good ground for us to play on but honestly i'd be surprised if Australia dropped a game before they have the series wrapped up.

[crocodileman]

The Poms were woeful in the field and with the bat, however I believe that there are a few worrying signs for the Australians. These are:-

1. Gillespie's form - clearly he is not the bowler he once was. Luckily for us, McGrath and Warne were exceptional, however, if we need to rely on them so much throughout the series we will struggle. The other bowlers need to chip in for wickets. If they continue to persist with him (Gillespie) it may prove costly. Again, simply to replace him with Kasper may not be a solution as he too is struggling.

2. The failure of many batsman to find form - Hayden is a passenger and it seems he has done his own head in. Ponting is not as good as he was 2 years ago and Gilchrist has reverted back to tip-n-run cricket he played in the backyard as an 8 year old. Even though I hate to say it, Langer was a better commodity when he grafted an innings rather than play the aggressor as he is doing now.

3. I believe England dropped 7 catches with at least 3 of them proving very costly. If the catches stick in future tests we will need to improve.

[King-Eliagh]

I personally believe its all dizzy's fault, that guys shithouse.

Seriously though i think you bring up some good points there croc. The form isnt exceptional however i think you are discrediting the england bowlers just a bit. Their bowling i thought was very good. But Warney and Mcgrath were just a notch above weren't they.

I'm looking forward to the days of no Mcgrath and Warne, tests will be close and entertaining for not just an innings but the whole match again.