Onto WACCA

looking forward to more questions being asked of both batsmen and bowlers, the new lineup is looking ok

NZ abandon tour match after Aus 1/503

They came closer to saving it than I thought they would

We can still get a draw. Even if we don't, we've improved on our last visit here!!


Andrew, are you ready for another Bledisloe Cup match (why is it called that?).
I'm not sure who I want to win.
Every team I've wanted to win, so far, has lost. Usually to Aussie! (England, Wales, Scotland, Argentina!)

It was a no-ball!

Well done Allister Cook.  I seem to remember Ben and I in the office the last time England were here. They lost an early Strauss, but we said don't worry, Cook and Trott are in (this was not long after THAT Ashes series down under (no Andrew, not one of THOSE, THAT one) so we'll be OK. We weren't, it all went wrong and we lost 3-0.
But this week, however, has been just what you expect from Cook.

As impressive as 13 hours of batting is, I don't think I was remotely surprised at any point. This is just Cook being Cook. It's why we love him so dearly. Wonderful stuff.
It was hard to explain on Tuesday (watching cricket on my birthday never happens) to non-cricket colleagues down the pub that just because they've got 500, doesn't mean we're rubbish and it's all over.
Sheffield Shield rules and a bonus point for the first innings lead, please. Might add a teensy bit of interest to middle-eastern/sub-continental batting tracks like this one. Wow, as pitches go this is a shocker.
Imagine if Bell had held those two catches on day one.

I'm sure we'll see a draw tomorrow, but I look forward to belated-birthday dinner and presents at my folks house with the first two rugby quarter finals!
Come on the northern hemisphere! Apart from France. But I won't mind if they beat the All Blacks.

Brave Blossoms

Is anyone else pooing themselves with excitement over the Rugby World Cup? Japan v SA, ay. Cor, blimey!
And the NRL (and SuperLeague) Finals?
Andrew, are you up for Hawthorn's second chance in WA? My friend very recently moved to Perth from here and has been overwhelmed by the sports coverage. Wall to wall NRL and AFL. They don't even have an NRL team out there. Him and his boy are going to their first AFL game to watch their new local heroes; against your mighty fighting Hawthorn.

Good to see Hales in the Test squad, finally. I'm a little surprised his lack of runs at international level in the ODI series didn't put them off, but that is surely a good thing.
A month to go before the attempt to avenge our last disaster trip to the UAE. 3-0 reverse when we were best in the world.

Stay in touch.

Victory or Die!

Ok, so that might be over-selling a series decider on Sunday, but it does allow me to let you know the new Motorhead album is awesome and it opens with this.

That was a cracking day's cricket again. Ebb and flow that 20 overs doesn't allow, after a big (start from) Willey, the Aussies fought back in a match winning way - I thought at the time.
England had a little wobble to keep us all interested.

England's third highest ever successful run chase; the highest total on an ODI defeat for the Aussie's against England (I think, I worked that out based on a pre-series stat that they never lose to us if they score 300+).

Maxwell is some cricketer. Bat, ball and field.

There was even almost a tense finish. Nice big (hit from) Willey to seal the deal.



Hales has "hit a bad run at the wrong time" according to Cricinfo. OR, he's struggling against the World champions. I hope he has a big(ish) one on Sunday.

In other news,
Yorkshire won the title again. I don't mind this, in fact it's quite impressive especially when you consider how many chaps they've had off with England for much of the season. It's quite galling though to me on a training course with the most Yorkshireman man I've ever met loving every minute of their decimation of Middlesex to rack up the few bonus points they needed on day one as their next nearest rivals (after Middlesex), Notts, fell apart against..... Graham Onions. Remember him!?!?! Awesome, chap.
Speaking of which, where's old Chris Jordon gone? He was good before the world cup, right?

Anyway, Back to Manchester... Same pitch as t'other day. Twin spinners a-hoy!!!!

Finally, a big argument on the field!

Listening on the radio when it happened, it sounded outrageous.

Watching on the highlights it looked like Stokes used his hand to 'obstruct the field'.
OK, maybe he didn't intend to stop himself from being run out, but he did stop the ball. Shane Watson had no reprieve for LBW, even though he didn't mean it.

Here I go defending Steve Smith again: the spirit of cricket should only come in to it if the ball was thrown deliberately to hurt Stokes, which is wasn't.
Sorry everyone, but I'm actually on Smith, and Australia's, side for this one.

Here's hoping for an England win this afternoon to keep the series alive.

1st ODI - we'll have a bit of that thanks

I thought England would cruise to victory - only needed 6 an over, a few more games to go lets hope the tempo picks up.

Gutted we lost the Ashes.......................................

Hang on, Gutted England 'Won' the Ashes back..............................

International T20

Is a bit of a farce, no? The odd one off match and a World Cup every 2 years. Bonkers.

Steve Smith is a dead tidy batsmen, isn't he. Nice to get him out short of his century, so we don't have to see that smile.

If there was a time Watson wanted to get his leg before the wicket. Well worth looking up his wicket. I couldn't stop laughing.

So 5 ODIs, here we go..

5th Test - are we there already

Good to see the Aussies pushed Northants...LOL, Did you also hear that the Aussie girls beat the Kiwis in Netball...amazing

Perhaps Boof should step down and one of the women cricketers in the current Australian squad might do a little better coaching - they don't seem to have that many issues in the conditions.

So lets line up for a final spanking at the oval, perhaps our good friend the weather can delay another embarrassing performance.  To be honest, all the hype in the Aus media about dry + green dodgy pitches, off field distractions, etc. are a little rank, I would like to read a story here about how well England have played, yes Australia has been poor, but this shouldn't detract from a great English performance on show.

As far as the rugby goes, Gee, how much of a surprise was that, still we are improving, its about the 5th most popular sport in two of the Australia's states.

Well done Australia

So the women win when the men lose. The only time the England women beat the Aussies this summer was when the men lost.

Anyway, I'm hear to say how pleased I am that the Wallabies following in the baggy green wearers footsteps by following up a splendid win with an embarrassing defeat.
I had started to get worried ahead of our fun dates in the World Cup, especially when the first scrum pushed the All Blacks all over the place. Good to see you back on your recent form. We'll have none of this 'peaking for the World cup' nonesense from you southern hemisphere types, thank you.
South Africa had the right idea, losing at home to Argentina last week. I can't wait to see the follow up in Buenos Aires this afternoon.

There's another cricket match isn't there. I hope it's soon. :)

The Darkest Time I can remember in Australian cricket for the last 20 years.......

The feeling here is still disbelief at just how poor our team was, we went into this series with an expectation and it has been torched.

I wonder what the old guard think of this limp performance - no evidence of playing proudly for you country from what I saw.

They should hold their heads in shame, I can't wait to see how they feel coming back here, the public has had enough.

England no doubt will be on a well deserved high, our only chance at the oval is if the England players are hung over, even then they would be hard to beat.....

Everytime I wake up I wished this was just a bad dream, what a shocking mess.......................

Ashes... England have won the Ashes.

As a young boy growing up, I knew not was it was like to defeat the Australians in a Test series. I'd heard about it from Dad and GrandDad; I'd seen highlights of previous quite famous victories which include the wonderful line of commentary I reference in the title. Now we know. Now we know many times. I'd have to sit down and actually work out how many times it's been since that wonderful summer of 2005 (has anyone mentioned that recently?). Ah, 5. Yes 5. (That's ironic, given they've been interspersed with a couple of shocking 5-0 reverses; shame those). That's a lot, isn't it. I'm looking forward to chatting with our Aussie developer again. I last spoke to him after the Lord's Test and he was all smiles and typical Aussie bad winning attitude (present company excepted, Andrew). The thing that REALLY bugs me about the Aussies being bad winners is that they tend to be really good, magnanimous, losers. It's incredibly frustrating when you want to rub their noses in it. Speaking of rubbing noses in it, let's hammer home a 4-1. It's not 5-0 but hey, it's the best we've got from here. PS - welcome back, Monty! http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2015/content/story/907957.html

4th Test

I will be happy for a tail end cameo from someone, and a few overs from MJ getting the England middle order and tail sniffing the leather.....

'ave that.

Bell end?

I'm not sure Bell at number 3 is the answer. Especially with openers that keep dropping early. And Root was doing just fine at 5.
I like Ballance. And even though he has been struggling of late be still averages nearly 50 in Tests. And knocked 67 in the domestic 50 overs yesterday. I know its different but it doesn't scream out of form. For all his jumping and dodgyness in recent Tests he still scored a half century.

I'm hoping for a green top and a bit of 'weather' about.
I've never been sure why people say that; there's ALWAYS weather.
Lose the toss so we get a bowl at them. It won't be green or grey enogj to put them in if you win it.

Here we go again...... Can't wait. I think.

Are you enjoying the silebce, Andrew?

That was properly shocking, even for us. Even considering we keep following wind with defeats.
Green top in Edgbaston...

Lords day 2

Amazing stuff, but I always feel that until both teams have batted + bowled hold off on any opinions. Some tools in the media here were gloating after day 1 even though England hadn't had the opportunity to bat.  Lets see if Cook and Co. can dig in and make a decent knock.

Broad bowled really well for long periods, Clarke just looks like a player scratching around - in need of a good bit of time in the middle. (Like Balance - no foot work)

The Aussie bowlers look much sharper - but this is a pig of a pitch, I am sure England don't wan't it either.  A corporate pitch?

I love the scenes of the players especially the batsmen having to wander out through the members - Lords is such a great place.

Some of these deliveries are staying very low, despite coming in at 90mph - very un 'Lords' like...

Looking forward to Day 3 - hope we can level this series....

Shut up, Andrew

That was a long day. I hope it rains all weekend.

It won't. Blazing hot sun is forecast.

I meant to say we have had a habbit in the past year or so of following up good wins with shoddy defeats.
Bit late to say that now...

Is Peter Siddle coming to Lord's?

Surely he would have done a better job that some in Cardiff?

And what about our mate Shane? Mitchell Marsh did well in the warm ups.
I did love Watson in the second innings, after calling for the review, turns to his partner and quite clearly says "Faaaaaaaack" as he shakes his head.
For the first time I actually really felt for him, instead of laughing at him for getting out the same way again. Can you imagine what that must feel like.

Also, can I take umbrage with the DRS 'umpires call'. Now I understand that umpires call is there for half a ball clipping the stumps. It's predictive technology and, therefore, they have a margin for error. This I like. What I don't like is saying that this particular LBW was umpires call when you could see about 9/10ths of the ball hitting leg stump. How is that umpires call? That's OUT! Surely they trust their technology more than that. If the seam is hitting, it's hitting, right?

Anyway, I can't wait until Thursday. I'm starting early so I can have the last hour of the morning in the canteen on the big screen, then the last 40 minutes of the afternoon in the Moon with some rum.
Friday: repeat.
Saturday: work, but there's a TV in an office at the end of the corridor which will be empty.
Sunday: won't it be all over by then? I hope so, the baby's getting christened. Handily at 1pm for half an hour. Maybe I can swing it. I hope the bar the missus hired for afterwards has Sky Sports!