***The Official Cricket Lovers Thread***

pjfan31

Are we taking Australia A vs England?

Or the friendly? Who played?

theserialthrilla

oz a vs poms

pjfan31

My little dream may come true.

Well, Eddie Vedder then Ashes. beautiful

pjfan31

So who would have thought that Ian Bell could bat? not me that's for sure

pjfan31

Down to 13 news just in

Watson
katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
north
Haddin
Johnson
Doherty
Siddle Hilfenhaus
Bollinger
Smith

I would expect Smith and Siddle to go out of this 13

theserialthrilla

i rate siddle ..


3 days to go. :shock:

pjfan31

I rate Siddle too, but he is coming back from virtually a year off. He is the kind of guy that puts as much effort into his first ball of his first over as he would in the last ball of his 20th over. Very admirable.

Getting so excited.

MK1980

Yeah I'm getting exited we're gonna retain the ashes!!!

Judging by recent form, the aussie's are going down

pjfan31

MK1980 wrote:

Yeah I'm getting exited we're gonna retain the ashes!!!

Judging by recent form, the aussie's are going down

Welcome to the thread, but that's enough out of you....

MK1980

Just going by what I saw on tv Eng v Aus A... :roll:

pjfan31

Yeh, but that wasn't even our second string team. It was like 2 and a half. I must say though, who would have known ian Bell could bat??? The Sherminator did well.

There were a couple of Aussie bowlers in there who were so average. That Peter George made his test debut against India last month, and got Tendulkar out. He is soooooooooo average.

This is going to be a great series. England are the form team. If it was in England, I would back them, but Australia.... The urn is returning to our shores.

pjfan31

Superstar Khawaja a step closer to dream

Usman Khawaja's path to Test cricket remains uncertain but there's one thing for sure this week - he'll keep getting asked about his Muslim background.

The Pakistan-born NSW left-hander was called up on Monday as a standby player for Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke who is nursing a back injury ahead of Thursday's first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

Khawaja, who averages over 50 in first-class cricket, was named last week in the Australia A side to play England and struggled against the touring team's second-string bowlers, scoring 13 and a first-ball duck in Hobart.

The 23-year-old's maturity at the crease has however made a big impression on good judges around the country, including the Test selectors and former Australian batsman Darren Lehmann.

Poised to become the first Muslim to play for the national cricket team, Pakistan-born Khawaja smiles politely when asked about his background.

"I was born in Pakistan. I came here when I was about three and a half to Sydney," Khawaja told reporters in Hobart last week after being named in Australia's initial 17-man Ashes squad.

"It's always a good thing getting selected in a squad like the Australian squad, it's very exciting."

Asked about the historic achievement as a Muslim Australian Test player, Khawaja attempted to tickle the question down to fine leg.

"For me just being selected to play for Australia and getting a baggy green will be the best thing in the world," he said.

"I've dreamt about it ever since I was a kid and if I can ever get a baggy green I think I'll be as excited as anyone else would have been.

"None of the boys bring it (religion) up and the only time it ever comes up is from the media.

"If I'm meant to play for Australia in the Ashes, I'll play for Australia.

"I'm not too worried about that.

"As long as my mum and dad are happy, I'm happy."

Khawaja said his childhood idols were fellow left-handers Brian Lara and Adam Gilchrist.

Not quite sure he is a superstar yet, but I hope he makes it.

Good luck to him

theserialthrilla

good good the banter is starting..


ok just to point out i will not be hiding from you on thursday morining..its that i have 8 hours of cricket to watch that i have recorded before i coming into this thread.

pjfan31

You know, thursday morning is my one and only exam to end the year..... Fuuuuucccckkkkk

Not happy...

But sure sure.... I believe you.

See Warnie has said K.P feels like an outcast. The banter has well and truly started. Mostly ex aussie players

theserialthrilla

well heres hoping your pass the exam and fail the cricket

pjfan31

haha. Thanks....

Well if I fail my exam, and pass the cricket, I will still pass the unit (sitting pretty). So I think I will go for that

pjfan31

This just made me so excited. I love the talk. But I think this puts more pressure on Johnson than it does Strauss. But if it gets him thinking it's gotta be good

Spearhead quick Mitchell Johnson will target Andrew Strauss and says removing the skipper early could make England crumble.

Strauss has never truly shown his potential in Australia, averaging just 24.7, compared to his career mark of 43.11.

But the left-handed opener is undeniably world-class and there is plenty of expectation that this will be his break-out Ashes series.

Johnson, however, backed himself and his band of bowlers, claiming it'd be a traditional Australian approach of all-out aggression on day one at the Gabba on Thursday.

The really look up to their captain and it's that summer when we needed to target their captain, he said.

If we can get him to crumble, then hopefully their players start thinking negatively. So he's someone we'll definitely be going after, Johnson said.

Glen McGrath loved to pick a target for a Test series, but Johnson went even better, not only naming the target, but also sharing the plan.

Strauss was out to short balls twice at the Gabba last time England were in town, caught at fine leg in both innings and Johnson says he's still susceptible and will cop plenty of chin music.

"I had a bit of a look at some footage of him under the short ball. He can play one that's about chest height, but if you get one right on the money, he really does struggle with it. You've got to get your bouncer high to him."

If (a verbal attack) works, it's something that we'll keep discussing... I'm sure Ricky (Ponting) would probably want us to get into his mind a bit.

Much of the hype leading into the Ashes has been about the downslide of the Australians and the rise of the English, but Peter Siddle was another in the pace contingent far from sold on the supposedly powerhouse Poms.

I don't think they've improved at all," he said.

"Obviously they've got (Steven) Finn who's come in, but that's about the only thing that's changed."

"It's the same team we played over there and they're in our conditions now and it's definitely going to be a lot tougher for them."
"We had the three top leading wicket-takers in the last series and it's another challenge to perform well and show the world this attack ... is the best in the world."

K_jam

i frekn hate north and hussey is just too old and inconsistent these days they should be replaced by ferguson and khawaja RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

theserialthrilla

pjfan31

Agree somewhat. As much as I dislike North, I really hope he proves me wrong. But he was a last start centurion, and Hussey saved himself with the ton the other day. So we will see. They have to perform in Brissie or else they will be dumped.

pjfan31

Is that Atherton. Mcgrath normally got the edge of the bat with him, didn't he?

theserialthrilla

i can live with that.

deseption in the ranks already good good good

pjfan31

Surely there are more poms and aussies interested in this?

I haven't been this excited about an ashes since.... Well the last one.

Englands best chance to win a series in Australia.... Come on Aussie

clint72

I love the cricket, we need to start well in this series and Punter will need to score at least 500 for the series. Good to see Mitch Johnson back in form.

theserialthrilla

johnson in form :?

clint72

theserialthrilla wrote:

johnson in form :?

His last game he got 125 and 5/36 in the shield, good form one thinks

pjfan31

theserialthrilla wrote:

johnson in form :?

Didn't u see he got a hundred in the shefield shield haha

Also a 5 for.

But to be honest, his last one dayer I thought he bowled well, I don't think he took a wicket though, but the ball came out nicely.


TBH, I think he is the one England fear the most. Because if he turns it on, he is great. Even when he bowls shit, he still gets a few pearlers in there.

I will take a spell like this. 7for, including 5 for 2 in 20 balls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1z6P9LCRiU

Write him off at your peril. Tell your mates that too

pjfan31

How unlucky was Krejza not to play again. Have a go at this ball I found on youtube. Bowling Kawaja with a doosara. it is a beauty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miY4CnYX ... re=related

12 wickets one test, one the next and never play again? that is fuckin harsh

theserialthrilla

owww so one game makes you inform.. :?



as i said to you weeks ago he will win you one test if he plays well..but will he play well..


i agree he is the one the english hmmmm is fear the word.but would sooner not face

pjfan31

theserialthrilla wrote:

owww so one game makes you inform.. :?



as i said to you weeks ago he will win you one test if he plays well..but will he play well..


i agree he is the one the english hmmmm is fear the word.but would sooner not face

Your boys havent seen doug the rug yet.

Fuckin hell I am excited......