Australia v England | 2nd Ashes Test | Adelaide | Day 2

[James]

I would be.

Me too. Pitch is pretty flat, don't think it'll start becoming dangerous in the coming days. England have essentially two chances to put up a decent innings to draw it.

The pitch is dead and flat and based on the shield matches is still going to play well on days four and five.

England's main problem so far in their innings has being mental and having survived that session with only one down they can recover and get into the correct mind set.

First half hour today is critical.

It's the mental side of things. If your head isn't right it could be the flattest pitch in the world and you'd still be playing and missing. What matters is the resilience and the shot selection. They need to prove that they're not scarred after the massacre at the Gabba.

 

[OZGOD]

The Aussie fans are being humble IMO. My view is that partly because their team is high on confidence and also because of the home conditions, Australia is looking clearly the better side at the moment. I share Robert's suspicions.

Unlike you lot, this team hasn't really achieved anything yet. And it's far from being a perfect side. Seen quite a few false dawns even just in the past 3 or so years. It's a long series with a lot of twists and turns.

So far the performers are the ones I expected to perform - tried and tested players like Clarke and Haddo, and Harris and Siddle, as well as the newcomers who have that mark of quality about them, like Warner. Jonno has been the surprise packet, I didn't think he would perform at all, but the way he has played it's really made the injuries to Patto, Starc and Bird seem like blessings in disguise. The ones who have failed are the ones I didn't have much hope for - Smith and Twatto.

But yes confidence is a great leveler, and the OZ are definitely high on confidence right now. Saving that first innings in Brisbane and Jonno destroying the England top order has made them feel they can compete.

 

[ads101]

Unlike you lot, this team hasn't really achieved anything yet. And it's far from being a perfect side. Seen quite a few false dawns even just in the past 3 or so years. It's a long series with a lot of twists and turns.

So far the performers are the ones I expected to perform - tried and tested players like Clarke and Haddo, and Harris and Siddle, as well as the newcomers who have that mark of quality about them, like Warner. Jonno has been the surprise packet, I didn't think he would perform at all, but the way he has played it's really made the injuries to Patto, Starc and Bird seem like blessings in disguise. The ones who have failed are the ones I didn't have much hope for - Smith and Twatto.

But yes confidence is a great leveler, and the OZ are definitely high on confidence right now. Saving that first innings in Brisbane and Jonno destroying the England top order has made them feel they can compete.

You beat SA a few years ago that was pretty good. Beating SL in SL was impressive too.

I think Aus have got a pretty settled team now. Any of Johnson, Siddle, Pattinson, Harris, even Cummins if he's fit looks like it (looked good in the little he played) are good for the pacer slots. Even Bollinger's not bad to fall back on. Pace department's sorted. Lyon is the best spinner you have so stick with him.

Haddin's good enough as a wicketkeeper, and you need a bit of experience with Clarke. So he stays. Rogers from what I've seen is better than Cowan, so stick with him. Warner though inconsistent has had more success than any of the other Australians at the top for years. So stick with him.

Bailey deserves a debut given the performance in LOI. I know it's a different game, but it does show he has that mentality to deal with international arena pressure at least.

Only guys who's positions are really debatable are Watson and Smith. As I said, I kind of think Hughes is a better long term prospect than Smith. Watson is only useful if he bats and bowls. He plays spin pretty well too, and there's a chance he'd do better batting lower down anyway.

 

[Gigii]

Jonathan Agnew has suggested that Cook, in the not too distant future, might do an Amla and come in at 3, but begs the question, who'd open!? Carberry albeit who's done pretty decently so far, isn't a long term prospect in tests at least. Root has been shuffled but did score a big century in England but there isn't another hot opening prospect for England apart from Compton or someone completely unproven such as Chopra or Robson.

 

[Convict]

Robson is interesting. Word from NSW is that they rated him below some of their other young openers like Hughes, Maddinson and Silk. Of course that could be some backside covering there but his grade cricket performances never stood out from the pack.

 

[Gigii]

Robson is interesting. Word from NSW is that they rated him below some of their other young openers like Hughes, Maddinson and Silk. Of course that could be some backside covering there but his grade cricket performances never stood out from the pack.

He is an interesting case. He's highly rated amongst county cricket followers and he did score a century for the English Performance Squad already this winter/summer. But hes only made large strides over the last two years, before that he was a bits and bobs player for Middlesex, hence why he was probably never rated above the likes of those young Aussie openers.

Future openers for England in test matches is a big problem, I don't see any real contenders standing out apart from Root, maybe someone like Alex Lees from Yorkshire a bit further down the line.

 

[Convict]

He is an interesting case. He's highly rated amongst county cricket followers and he did score a century for the English Performance Squad already this winter/summer. But hes only made large strides over the last two years, before that he was a bits and bobs player for Middlesex, hence why he was probably never rated above the likes of those young Aussie openers.

Future openers for England in test matches is a big problem, I don't see any real contenders standing out apart from Root, maybe someone like Alex Lees from Yorkshire a bit further down the line.

I would put too much into the English Performance Squad results. Very much playing Grade Standard Teams.

Burns was the only player of any real class in the Queensland A lineup in the first match.

 

[Gigii]

I would put too much into the English Performance Squad results. Very much playing Grade Standard Teams.

Burns was the only player of any real class in the Queensland A lineup in the first match.

True but don't think Burns set the world alight for Leicestershire this summer.

Does that say anything about the state of young Australian batsman when he's one of the better prospects but who may be only middle of the class in terms of young English middle order batsman?

 

[Convict]

True but don't think Burns set the world alight for Leicestershire this summer.

Does that say anything about the state of young Australian batsman when he's one of the better prospects but who may be only middle of the class in terms of young English middle order batsman?

Probably says a lot about the technical differences young players experience. Burns has a lot of the Watson in his batting and is quite sub par when he's getting set and prone to lbws.

Looks great if he can get past 30 but so often he fails to.

Australian batting is in a very poor state at the moment. Silk is really the only youngster I think we can bank on succeeding. Someone like Maddinson should but at the moment he is a more talented Warner which will need to change if he is to become A grade.

I'll stick back Hughes to make something of his talent but so far his failure to come on is leaving a major gap in our batting.
Clarke is A grade and Warner and Rogers are test calibre with Warner really struggling with sideways movement.

 

[Kwremb]

Picking 2 spinners wasn't really a bad decision, it's their fault they dropped all those catches, day 2 is usually the best day for batting and Aussies took full use of it.

 

[Convict]

Two spinners was the obvious selection. Spinners have taken most of the wickets in the shield matches so far and Finn and Rankin were bowling shocking, Tremlett is quite military and Bresnan is coming back from injury and wouldn't do much on this surface anyway.

Figures of 1/157 don't reflect how Monty bowled in my opinion

 

[James]

Carberry's drop was an absolute howler, would have been a different story otherwise.

400 all out would have made it a contest, but now England would bite your hand off for a draw.

 

[Convict]

Yeah. Johnson, Siddle and Harris are useful tailenders but not genuine batsmen or even genuine allrounders and could have collapsed quite quickly.

 

[ali bubba]

You beat SA a few years ago that was pretty good. Beating SL in SL was impressive too.

I think Aus have got a pretty settled team now. Any of Johnson, Siddle, Pattinson, Harris, even Cummins if he's fit looks like it (looked good in the little he played) are good for the pacer slots. Even Bollinger's not bad to fall back on. Pace department's sorted. Lyon is the best spinner you have so stick with him.

Haddin's good enough as a wicketkeeper, and you need a bit of experience with Clarke. So he stays. Rogers from what I've seen is better than Cowan, so stick with him. Warner though inconsistent has had more success than any of the other Australians at the top for years. So stick with him.

Bailey deserves a debut given the performance in LOI. I know it's a different game, but it does show he has that mentality to deal with international arena pressure at least.

Only guys who's positions are really debatable are Watson and Smith. As I said, I kind of think Hughes is a better long term prospect than Smith. Watson is only useful if he bats and bowls. He plays spin pretty well too, and there's a chance he'd do better batting lower down anyway.

Take into account that Haddin recently turned 36. He won't be around for much longer and Clarke is 32 and his back may force him into an early retirement.

Australia will always be tough at home but away I expect them to be bowled out cheaply when they face decent opposition.

 

[Convict]

Haddin's done allright keeping since his return but he still is pretty average.

Yorkshire born Sam Whiteman who I played plenty of junior cricket against will be a great long term keeper for Australia though.

 

[James]

Poaching again

 

[OZGOD]

You beat SA a few years ago that was pretty good. Beating SL in SL was impressive too.

I think Aus have got a pretty settled team now. Any of Johnson, Siddle, Pattinson, Harris, even Cummins if he's fit looks like it (looked good in the little he played) are good for the pacer slots. Even Bollinger's not bad to fall back on. Pace department's sorted. Lyon is the best spinner you have so stick with him.

Haddin's good enough as a wicketkeeper, and you need a bit of experience with Clarke. So he stays. Rogers from what I've seen is better than Cowan, so stick with him. Warner though inconsistent has had more success than any of the other Australians at the top for years. So stick with him.

Bailey deserves a debut given the performance in LOI. I know it's a different game, but it does show he has that mentality to deal with international arena pressure at least.

Only guys who's positions are really debatable are Watson and Smith. As I said, I kind of think Hughes is a better long term prospect than Smith. Watson is only useful if he bats and bowls. He plays spin pretty well too, and there's a chance he'd do better batting lower down anyway.

The bowling has always been fairly settled, we've had plenty of depth there, other than in the spinner role. It's the batting that's been a problem, which is ironic because we've always been seen as a strong batting nation. IMO Rogers, Twatson, Smith and Bailey have a long way to go before they can be considered locks on their positions. Though Twatto's been given a rope so long it would reach Uluru from Sydney if you stretched it out.

 

[Bilal7]

I don't mean to gloat but ever since that 3:0 defeat at the hands of Pakistan, the English team has lost its mojo. They were looking like a side that was going to rule the world of test cricket for a decade or so but that thrashing just washed away that aura. They're still a top side but the Proteas have left them far behind.

 

[OZGOD]

Carberry's drop was an absolute howler, would have been a different story otherwise.

400 all out would have made it a contest, but now England would bite your hand off for a draw.

I mentioned in the Day 1 thread that England would regret dropping Haddin, not because Haddin was going to score a ton (which he did) but because a) it was an absolute sitter; and b) it would've given the Poms a crack at the lower order for the entire second day.