England can't have wished for a better days cricket!
To bowl the Aussies out for sub 100 then overtake them for the loss of 0 wickets is unbelivable really especially after the last test this has knocked all the confidence back out of the Aussies......shame
Good full days batting tomorrow and the ashes should be nearly secured.
Hoards of the Aussie fans left the MCG very early today. The ground looked more like a 5th day no result crowd..... unlike at the start of the day when it was almost full to capacity!
Even Bumble couldn't believe that the stands were empty. 'Where has all the crowd gone?' he said repeatedly.
Great bowling from the newbies . Bresnan has been transformed into a decent test bowler. How did they do that ??
Unbelievable that Cook and Cap'n struss played off the aussies easily. That attack is their best and yet no wickets for them today. Oz got some Christmas stuffing !
What a great day for England and i watched the 1st bit of play but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would wake up with England ahead after fielding 1st hopefully the batters can bat the Aussies out of the game tommorrow
Hoards of the Aussie fans left the MCG very early today. The ground looked more like a 5th day no result crowd..... unlike at the start of the day when it was almost full to capacity!
Even Bumble couldn't believe that the stands were empty. 'Where has all the crowd gone?' he said repeatedly.
will be interesting to see the crowds today and tomorrow. Australian fans have every right to stay away as this australian team is so weak its unreal!
Very average and Austalian cricket is in a crisis at the moment.
England: 4 bowlers who take 10 wickets on day one.
Australia: 6 bowlers who fail to take a wicket on day one.
It's seems astonishing that the Aussies won't recall Brad Hodge (6 tests and averages 55!:eek:) or give David Hussey a go. I can understand those players not being picked in the mid noughties but not now. It must be age or the selectors not wanting to look like idiots.
Hughes is too technically flawed to be an opening batsman, Clarke looks out of form. Smith is two places too high.
The Aussie crowd deserting the MCG was a bit pathetic - they did that earlier in their summer against Sri Lanka in a one-dayer, by the end it sounded like a Sri Lankan home match.
I woke up and saw us batting...I had to have another look and then wake up a little bit to see it wasn't highlights/replays playing tricks on me again.
Poor Tremlett.....fab performance in 2 tests so far.
How is he going to take it when Broad replaces him and walks back into the dressing room?
He's probably going to expect it, although we don't have to worry about it until May and who knows what will happen between now and then, Anderson could get rested for the Sri Lanka series and Tremlett could take his place!
England: 4 bowlers who take 10 wickets on day one.
Australia: 6 bowlers who fail to take a wicket on day one.
It's seems astonishing that the Aussies won't recall Brad Hodge (6 tests and averages 55!:eek:) or give David Hussey a go. I can understand those players not being picked in the mid noughties but not now. It must be age or the selectors not wanting to look like idiots.
Hughes is too technically flawed to be an opening batsman, Clarke looks out of form. Smith is two places too high.
The Aussie crowd deserting the MCG was a bit pathetic - they did that earlier in their summer against Sri Lanka in a one-dayer, by the end it sounded like a Sri Lankan home match.
I agree but BRad Hodge only plays one day cricket I think now but David Hussey is worth a go for them. Hughes will ventually be a good player and smith isnt ready for this level of cricket
Poor Tremlett.....fab performance in 2 tests so far.
How is he going to take it when Broad replaces him and walks back into the dressing room?
Broad will have to earn his place back to the team like anyone else.
Simply thought i was dreaming this morning. My sister in law told me the score , and she knows nothing about cricket, so I thought she was talking drivel. And then I turned on the TV!. Bloody magic.
Can we get to 500 and then bowl them out. Much work to do, but we surely cannot lose this one.
What a turnaround yet again. With some matches in each of the last 2 Ashes series "momentum" has been a much overplayed thought. I did suggest this after Perth when some folk suggested the tide had really turned, but still not in my wildest dreams.......
Thread was a great read, although in a way it was maybe good I wasn't around reading it at the time because I would have really felt like throttling one contributor
Anyway one of the trully great days in Ashes history and to do it in front of an initially packed Melbourne ground, absolutely tremendous.
England 2 / 11 to win on bet365, wonder if and when an Ashes team has been such favourites to win after Day 1.
Looking ahead ( if I may ) I really do hope that this does end a winning Ashes series. Some folk seem to think almost all that mattwers is retaining the Ashes, I think all series ( incl Ashes series ) you really want to win, especially against this current Australian team and I would suspect there would be an element of disappointment in the team and many supporters like myself if they don't ultimately do this.
For now though let's rejoice at a great day and hopefully a professional job done in what remains of this test.
So that'll be declare overnight and send them in again to go for the quickest Ashes win ever. JOKING
Comments
Meanwhile our stalwart openers remain at the crease. Excellent start from them, it seems important that they do well for the team to perform well.
You've got to love these Boxing Day Sales.
To bowl the Aussies out for sub 100 then overtake them for the loss of 0 wickets is unbelivable really especially after the last test this has knocked all the confidence back out of the Aussies......shame
Good full days batting tomorrow and the ashes should be nearly secured.
Even Bumble couldn't believe that the stands were empty. 'Where has all the crowd gone?' he said repeatedly.
Great bowling from the newbies .
Unbelievable that Cook and Cap'n struss played off the aussies easily. That attack is their best and yet no wickets for them today. Oz got some Christmas stuffing !
Brilliant performance from the whole team - looks like another 3 day Test !...........300 ahead by tonight, bowl 'em out again tomorrow !
Reminds me of long ago Ashes 1997 Brum 1st day. Even Shane Walrne couldn't save 'em in that one.
will be interesting to see the crowds today and tomorrow. Australian fans have every right to stay away as this australian team is so weak its unreal!
Very average and Austalian cricket is in a crisis at the moment.
Australia: 6 bowlers who fail to take a wicket on day one.
It's seems astonishing that the Aussies won't recall Brad Hodge (6 tests and averages 55!:eek:) or give David Hussey a go. I can understand those players not being picked in the mid noughties but not now. It must be age or the selectors not wanting to look like idiots.
Hughes is too technically flawed to be an opening batsman, Clarke looks out of form. Smith is two places too high.
The Aussie crowd deserting the MCG was a bit pathetic - they did that earlier in their summer against Sri Lanka in a one-dayer, by the end it sounded like a Sri Lankan home match.
He cant be any worse than North/Smith...
All out for under 100. How about that then
How is he going to take it when Broad replaces him and walks back into the dressing room?
He's probably going to expect it, although we don't have to worry about it until May and who knows what will happen between now and then, Anderson could get rested for the Sri Lanka series and Tremlett could take his place!
Some of us have been up all night watching that performence, I hope you all that missed it, had a good excuse!
I managed till lunch but I was too full of M & S carrot cake and custard to keep going
Made sure I recorded it for posterity though.:)
I agree but BRad Hodge only plays one day cricket I think now but David Hussey is worth a go for them. Hughes will ventually be a good player and smith isnt ready for this level of cricket
Broad will have to earn his place back to the team like anyone else.
Simply thought i was dreaming this morning. My sister in law told me the score , and she knows nothing about cricket, so I thought she was talking drivel. And then I turned on the TV!. Bloody magic.
Can we get to 500 and then bowl them out. Much work to do, but we surely cannot lose this one.
What a turnaround yet again. With some matches in each of the last 2 Ashes series "momentum" has been a much overplayed thought. I did suggest this after Perth when some folk suggested the tide had really turned, but still not in my wildest dreams.......
Thread was a great read, although in a way it was maybe good I wasn't around reading it at the time because I would have really felt like throttling one contributor
Anyway one of the trully great days in Ashes history and to do it in front of an initially packed Melbourne ground, absolutely tremendous.
England 2 / 11 to win on bet365, wonder if and when an Ashes team has been such favourites to win after Day 1.
Looking ahead ( if I may
For now though let's rejoice at a great day and hopefully a professional job done in what remains of this test.
So that'll be declare overnight and send them in again to go for the quickest Ashes win ever. JOKING