The Ashes

[minijc]

Doubt anyone will be really interested, maybe a couple with betting interests but England are or were 5/2 to win the ashes, really think If KP gets his head sorted England will win with ease, they can bowl out any team on home grounds, the Aussies arn't the bowling side they used to be.

[madjockmcferson]

Ive got 4 tickets for the first 4 days at The Oval and 2 for the Friday and Saturday at Headingly....near the Western Terrace!...bring it on.

[Tord31]

Think they certainly have a chance if they can get good boost from maybe beating the West Indies 3-0 and looking like they actually have options to pick from going by Bopara's runs and the new bowlers looking reasonable. In the winter I would have assumed Aussies were gonna win the ashes again comfortably.

[Dynamo]

England will not win with ease.

[madjockmcferson]

England will not win with ease.

 

absoluately.

 

if anyone wants tickets for test matches then just join Surrey - it costs about

[Guest LondonScottish]

Doubt anyone will be really interested, maybe a couple with betting interests but England are or were 5/2 to win the ashes, really think If KP gets his head sorted England will win with ease, they can bowl out any team on home grounds, the Aussies arn't the bowling side they used to be.

 

 

Not a chance. I fear England are going to get trasehed.

[E-P-K]

Not a chance. I fear England are going to get trasehed.

 

I also think England will not win the series.

 

Their bowling attack is simply not good enough and they will rely on Flintoff far to much.

 

Take no notice of the humping they are currently giving West Indies as most of their team is not used to English conditions in May.

[madjockmcferson]

England will struggle but perhaps they will struggle a little less than I thought they would. The confidence of the bowlers and Bopara will give them a loft.

 

However, I fear that the Ozzies just have too much class and the fact that the team wont play another test between here and the first Ashes test is also a hinfrance.

[Guest LondonScottish]

I also think England will not win the series.

 

Their bowling attack is simply not good enough and they will rely on Flintoff far to much.

 

Take no notice of the humping they are currently giving West Indies as most of their team is not used to English conditions in May.

 

 

The last Ashes in England was a superb series. England's bowlers really got it together, Flintoff and KP were immense, and there were some other notable performances throughout the team when necessary.

 

I was at the last day of the Oval, and that was one of the best sporting events I've ever been to. Awesome, from start to finish. That won't ever be repeated.

 

I would imagine 3-0 the Aussies, with 2 draws due to bad weather, unfortunately.

[madjockmcferson]

The last Ashes in England was a superb series. England's bowlers really got it together, Flintoff and KP were immense, and there were some other notable performances throughout the team when necessary.

 

I was at the last day of the Oval, and that was one of the best sporting events I've ever been to. Awesome, from start to finish. That won't ever be repeated.

 

I would imagine 3-0 the Aussies, with 2 draws due to bad weather, unfortunately.

 

I was there too....great day. I was also there for the famous abandoned test vs Pakistan.....you cant really beat a whole day out at the cricket...you really cant...sunshine, beer, good chat, the thwack of leather on wood ...... nice.

[E-P-K]

Looking forward to seeing Australia's new opening batsman Phillip Hughes who by all accounts is sh*t hot.

 

The ECB has fuked up by letting him sign for Middlesex as an overseas player giving him the perfect warm up to the ashes by getting used to the conditions

 

He has scored over 517 runs in his last 4 innings for Middlesex

[madjockmcferson]

Looking forward to seeing Australia's new opening batsman Phillip Hughes who by all accounts is sh*t hot.

 

The ECB has fuked up by letting him sign for Middlesex as an overseas player giving him the perfect warm up to the ashes by getting used to the conditions

 

He has scored over 517 runs in his last 4 innings for Middlesex

 

You see ...I dont understand this whole thing about it being so bad of the counties letting the Ozzies play over here before an ashes series. It portrays a lack of confidence about the English set-up that they wine about it.

[E-P-K]

Australia's ashes team has been named -

 

R Ponting ©, M Clarke (vc), S Clark, B Haddin, N Hauritz, B Hilfenhaus, P Hughes, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, B Lee, G Manou, A McDonald, M North, P Siddle, S Watson.

 

 

No Andrew Symonds

[minijc]

Bret lee had a good day today 16 for 4 overs i think it was, think if England are to win they need to make some of the pitches in to proper spinner pitches as at this current moment in time England have a slight edge in that area.

[E-P-K]

Bret lee had a good day today 16 for 4 overs i think it was, think if England are to win they need to make some of the pitches in to proper spinner pitches as at this current moment in time England have a slight edge in that area.

 

 

The only pitch that will have turn on it will be Sophia Gardens in Cardiff where the first Ashes test is to be played.

[Guest LondonScottish]

Bret lee had a good day today 16 for 4 overs i think it was, think if England are to win they need to make some of the pitches in to proper spinner pitches as at this current moment in time England have a slight edge in that area.

 

 

England are going to get obliterated. The whole bowl attack is not up to standard, and KP and Flintoff will no doubt be injured for a good couple of tests too. With no Vaughan to hold the troops together, and a weak batting line up, I doubt any test will go to the 5th day (weather permitting), and the Aussies will probably win them all.

[minijc]

No faith, England will win, sticking

[Guest LondonScottish]

No faith, England will win, sticking

[E-P-K]

You obviously don't watch too much cricket then? Who do you reckon is going to take most of the wickets for England? And where do you see the majority of the runs coming from?

 

England are very very weak this time round; unless I've missed something.

 

The Australians are also much weaker than what they were in 2005.

[Guest LondonScottish]

The Australians are also much weaker than what they were in 2005.

 

 

Australian weak and England weak are two totally different things.

[minijc]

The now it is all about ifs, buts and maybe, Flintoff if fit which he will be (less bowling the better) will get torn in, KP in the right mindset will blow them away, he is the only batsman that I would put my house on for hitting a bowler for 36 off of an over and I reckon he could easily do this.

 

Onions looks to have alot of potential but can he do it against the big boys? Anderson seems to be getting back to his oldself.

[Guest LondonScottish]

The now it is all about ifs, buts and maybe, Flintoff if fit which he will be (less bowling the better) will get torn in, KP in the right mindset will blow them away, he is the only batsman that I would put my house on for hitting a bowler for 36 off of an over and I reckon he could easily do this.

 

Onions looks to have alot of potential but can he do it against the big boys? Anderson seems to be getting back to his oldself.

 

 

Australia are 14-1 for 5-0 . That's the bet; the only thing that can save England is the weather.

[minijc]

Best price for England to win it is 9/4, LS you are soo sure fancy giving me a better price or maybe even EPK?

[Batfink]

I can't see where your faith in England's coming from Mini. I don't think they got 20 wickets in any of the winter matches against the WIndies. Also the Aussies just won the series in South Africa, plus Phil Hughes is smashing his way through the County games in England which is making it look a stupid decision to let him play there for 2 months before the ashes.

 

If KP is out for more than 1 test England have no chance.

[E-P-K]

Best price for England to win it is 9/4, LS you are soo sure fancy giving me a better price or maybe even EPK?

 

Not this time, I do think Australia will keep the ashes but think it will be closer than what LS predicts.

 

And my only previous AFC-Chat bet has still to be paid.

[minijc]

England have the ability to knock any team out on home ground, fair enough they ahve done it against a poor uninterested Windies side but gets them up and going in time, alot of people are giving the Aussies the same respect they used to get when they were great, they are no longer great. Flintoff and KP will rip them apart.

 

LS, you not wanting to give me the better price then?

[E-P-K]

England have the ability to knock any team out on home ground, fair enough they ahve done it against a poor uninterested Windies side but gets them up and going in time, alot of people are giving the Aussies the same respect they used to get when they were great, they are no longer great. Flintoff and KP will rip them apart.

 

LS, you not wanting to give me the better price then?

 

 

Thats the spirit, Putting your faith in 2 injured cricketers.

[minijc]

Both will be fit in time, Flintoff needs to lay off the bowling, 20x your body weight on one knee is a bugger like, not natural and he will be at his best this summer, he is due a big performance.

[Batfink]

Flintoff always takes forever to get back to form after an injury. He'll do well to make 3 of the 5 tests

[dandydonsfan]

I've got tickets for all 5 days of the first test in Cardiff. Never been to an Ashes game before, nor been to Wales, so can't wait. Ashes 2005 was the best sport ever, albeit from my lounge watching on tv. Must admit i'm serously worried about this series. Just can't see England getting 20 Oz wickets. The English batsmen will click a couple of times so it's won't be 5-0, but there's no Simon Jones, (fully fit) Flintoff, Harmison Hoggard. Admittedly Oz don't have Warne or McGrath either but, as said before, average Australia isn't in the same league as average England.

 

Still can't wait for the series, particularly Cardiff. I'd take 5 dry days and England competing for most of that. Anything more will be a bonus.