OFF TOPIC: box rec official ashes thread

[J]

While it was amusing to see Australians lose to Bangladesh I thought Sundays game was more telling.

While England won, there were signs the Aussies were finding their form.

Its good for confidence to keep winning and sure you would rather win than lose, but make no bones about it, this test series will be a different proposition with Warne and Lee back, the aussies used to the conditions and in form.

We can win it, but dont delude yourself, the one dayers mean little more than a confidence boost, and a way for finding form.

Few too many people in the press getitng over excited me thinks.


Anyway feel free to keep this thread going for the summer as we have done for the lions so far, the highs lows, selections dilemmas and general chat, good look to both teams, its gonna be EPIC, this year.

may the best team win.

[Coconut]

may the best team win.

I ruddy hope not.


That first Gillespie over was brilliant.


We were in the shit without that Saffer import. I have a good mate who works in cricket who tells me that Pietersen is, by a healthy distance, the biggest twat in cricket.

You can't have it all, I guess.

[J]

HAHA yeah he has a rep for being a dickhead. he walked form notts for that reaosn but i cant belive that Vaughan would put up with any prima donnas to be honest.

I also dont agree that he should be playing for england but nor should keppler wessels have played for Oz, i dont condone it but it seems to be one of those things in sport these days.

(i dont mind that Jones or strauss play mind they have blood ties which is different.).

Anyway its gonna be an interesting summer.

Gillespie looked a forlorn figure by the end of the day. Am sure he will bounce back though.

they always do.

[Goz]

The Aussies will come good, just probably enjoying themselves at the moment and shaking off a bit of rust.

Who do we think has more chance of winning their test series?

The Lions or England?

[J]

BOTH UNDERDOGS MATE.

at present i have to say england.

[Coconut]

I'd give the England cricketers more chance of winning the Lions series.



Incedentally, Iain Sutcliffe, Lancashire batsman, used to box at my old club, before I was there. Apparently he was quite handy.

[J]

I'd give the England cricketers more chance of winning the Lions series.
.

YOU NEVER KNOW THO !!!

[stujones]

Talked to some New Zealanders yesterday who played a good level of Rugby - listening to him (and they are usually pessimistic about their team) I have to say, England have a much better chance.

I give England a good chance here, their form has been tremendous - just peaking. They'll miss Gough for the tests, but I think the young players of a few years back are now coming through nicely.

Aussies' are the favourites, but I do think this is the best chance England have had in years.

[Loftgroov]

I shall look forward to seeing more of Pieterson at Hants this summer.

[J]

HAHA yeah he has a rep for being a dickhead. he walked form notts for that reaosn but i cant belive that Vaughan would put up with any prima donnas to be honest.

I also dont agree that he should be playing for england but nor should keppler wessels have played for Oz, i dont condone it but it seems to be one of those things in sport these days.

(i dont mind that Jones or strauss play mind they have blood ties which is different.).

Anyway its gonna be an interesting summer.

Gillespie looked a forlorn figure by the end of the day. Am sure he will bounce back though.

they always do.

pieterson has an english mother

so no probs with him playing i take that back

[J]

can anyone explain to me why that west country twazzark Trescothick decided to bat second in a day nighter?

unbelievable as a captain he makes a good tiddliwinks player.

[red dragon]

come on australia

[s9s]

Its Englands best chance for many years due to the following.

1) India V Australia, In the 2 recent series, both cracking, ended in draws, but India did get to Australia and shook them up, softend them up a little and brought them back down to earth.

2) Age, many of the aussie players have been going at it for years, but theres no real exciting player in reserve, esp bowlers who will have any immediate impact. So if england can control the regulars, who knows?

3) Englands best and most talented team for years.

[bollox]

3-2 or 4-1 to Australia

Can see England starting off excellently and even winning the first test. Australia will comeback in the second ferociously and the difference between the teams will become apparent. England will suffer a slight mentally collapse which will follow them for the remainder of the series. But they'll be a better for the experience for future series 8)

[J]

anyone see the game on sat?

ITS THE ONLY GAME IVE EVER SEEN WHERE BOTH SIDES THREW IT AWAY TIME AND AGAIN!

good for excitement but our top order is starting to concern me, tres is still a rabit in headlights, they seem to have worked out strauss and if vaughan wasnt captain he wouldnt get in.

Mind you same can be said of the aussies but you just know they are going to come good. Im not so sure of our guys.

That aside i was chatting to freddie last thurs at that 7 a side tournament, genuinely funny bloke but Mark Butcher had me in stiches.

he should be on a stage, bloke is hilarious, faced Adam holliake, Ricky clark and irfan pathan, you could say the team we played had a few ringers.

the rest of the side was made of saffie pro's including the opening bowler for Northern transvaal whose name ive forgotten but he was quite rapid.


Top scored for our side, we managed 35 of 5 overs and i got 17, though to be fair the rest of lads were there to meet the stars more than to play, and got a few nice shots to go with my foto of me and goughie and gatiting from previous years Gus fraser was our pro!

top day out, got bladdered with butch in the bar afterwards and ended up staying at a mates up til 5 am. Firday i took a a half day and slept.

must be getting old

[states]

J, your feet must be killing you with all these names you're dropping.

Just kidding, sounds like a top day. And yes, the top order concerns me. Especially with Mcgrath unrestricted in terms of overs. And Warne to come back as well.

I think Harmison has the Aussies pretty rattled, though. More so than I've seen in a while.

[J]

yeah he is bowling well mate, sorry for the name dropping but i was like a little kid. was special to talk to these guys let alone get on the piss with some of them.

couple of years ago tuffers was there, i cant really post what went on!

[J]

so it starts tomorrow fellas.

fingers crossed we can perform to the best of our abilities and good luck to both sides.


p.s. anyone going to the Oval test let me know we can catch a beer im there thurs fri and sun

[Liam Williams]

I hope England win the series but unfortunately Australia have found a bit of form near the end of the ODI series.I hope it's 2-1 to england.

[Collins2000]

Be good to hear the barmy army making all that racket again. Now if only England could play like those lads (and lasses) can drink.

Australia to smash 'em. Again.

[jomothepure]

Bloody hell boys, you're bloody ripping them!

Just wait till you meet the Auld Enemy in the world cup. Oh yes, you'll be for it

[Coconut]

Bloody hell boys, you're bloody ripping them!

Just wait till you meet the Auld Enemy in the world cup. Oh yes, you'll be for it

Is Andy Goram still keeping wicket for the Jocks?

[DavidPayne]

Welcome to England.

How's the cheek Ricky?

[jomothepure]

Bloody hell boys, you're bloody ripping them!

Just wait till you meet the Auld Enemy in the world cup. Oh yes, you'll be for it

Is Andy Goram still keeping wicket for the Jocks?

Nah, think he was too good.

He used to play for the town my Mum and Dad live in a couple of years ago. You'd see him down Willie Hills' 20 minutes before the game. Absolute legend.

[Coconut]

Just had a bunch of 'best ever' sledges sent to me. Some of them might be slightly apocryphal but the sentiment is there:



1. Rod Marsh & Ian Botham:When Botham took guard in an Ashes match, Marsh
welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words: "So how's your wife &
my kids?"

2. Daryll Cullinan & Shane Warne:As Cullinan was on his way to the wicket,
Warne told him he had been waiting 2 years for another chance to humiliate
him. "Looks like you spent it eating," Cullinan retorted.

3. Glenn McGrath (bowling to portly Zimbabwean chicken farmer Eddo
Brandes): "Hey Eddo, why are you so F**ing Fat?"
Eddo Brandes: "Because everytime I F*** your mother, she throws me a
biscuit"

4. Robin Smith & Merv Hughesuring 1989 Lords Test Hughes said to Smith
after he played & missed:"You can't f**king bat". Smith to Hughes after he
smacked him to theboundary: "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can't f**king
bat & you can't f**king bowl."

5. Merv Hughes & Javed Miandaduring 1991 Adelaide Test, Javed called Merv
a fat bus conductor. A few balls later Merv dismissed Javed: "Tickets
please", Merv called out as he ran past the departing batsman.

6. Merv Hughes & Viv Richardsuring a test match in the West Indies,
Hughes didn't say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after
deliveries. "This is my island, my culture. Don't you be staring at me. In
my culture we just bowl." Merv didn't reply, but after he dismissed him he
announced to the batsman: "In my culture we just say f**k *ff."

7. And of course you can't forget Ian Healy's legendary comment which was
picked up by the Channel 9 microphones when Arjuna Ranatunga called for a
runner on a particularly hot night during a one dayer in Sydney... "You
don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c**t!!!"

8. James Ormond had just come out to bat on an ashes tour and was greeted
by Mark Waugh....... MW : "F*ck me, look who it is. Mate, what are you
doing out here, there's no way you're good enough to play for England" JO :
"Maybe not, but at least i'm the best player in my family"

9. McGrath to Ramnaresh Sarwan: "So what does Brian Lara's d*ck taste
like?"
Sarwan: "I don't know. Ask your wife."
McGrath (losing it): "If you ever effing mention my wife again, I'll F*ing
rip your F*fing throat out."

10. Mark Waugh standing at second slip, the new player (Adam Parore) comes
to the crease playing & missing the first ball. Mark "Ohh, I remember you
from a couple years ago in Australia. You were sh*t then, you're fu*king
useless now".
Parore- (Turning around) "Yeah, that's me & when I was there you were going
out with that old, ugly sl*t & now I hear you've married her. You dumb
c*nt".

11. Yet another Australian witticism with this time porky Sri Lankan
batsman Arjuna Ranatunga the victim. Shane Warne, trying to tempt the
batsman out of his crease mused what it took to get the plump character to
get out of his crease and drive. Wicketkeeper Ian Healy piped up, "Put a
Mars Bar on a good length. That should do it."

12. Ravi shastri v/s the aussie 12th man (don't remember who, and don't
want to slander anyone ) shastri hits it to this guy and looks for a
single...this guy gets the ball in and says "if you leave the crease i'll
break your f***ing head"
Shastri: "if you could bat as well as you can talk you wouldn't be the
f***ing 12th man"

13. Malcolm Marshall was bowling to David Boon who had played and missed a
couple of times. Marshall : "Now David, Are you going to get out now or am
I going to have to bowl around the wicket and kill you?"

14. Fred Trueman bowling. The batsman edges and the ball goes to first
slip,and right between Raman Subba Row's legs. Fred doesn't say a word. At
the end of the over, Row ambles past Trueman and apologises sheepishly. "I
should've kept my legs together, Fred".
"So should your mother" he replied.