anybody want some of my sour grapes ???

[ozgooner]

* the f***ing umpires robbed us , we copped heaps more bad decisions than your lot
* your team is stacked with fucken seth efricans , between strauss , pietersen ,trott and prior they amassed a massive 1048 runs (40% of englands total runs)



now lets be serious ... well done to england , definetly most worthy winners of that famous little urn . 2 home series in a row proves that 2005 was no fluke . australia was simply not the better team . the series can be condensed into just a few points in my view
*it's still got me f***ked how we didn't close out that first test at cardiff . oh hang i remember ... it was our shithouse bowling .
*our batsmen capitulated at lords in the second
*our batsmen again failed in egbaston before we were saved by rain in the third test
*played our only good test in the fourth for a decisive win
*then in the fifth and deciding test we again fell on our swords

comprehensive series win to england i would say , you batted better , you bowled better and your team selection was better .

lucky i don't give a f**k about ashes cricket hey

[SE13]

Well, certainly the umpiring didn't favour Australia, but I'm not so sure we gained a huge advantage anyway because of it. As for The Oval, 20 wickets fell, it was the same for both sides, so that can't be to blame. Perhaps if Hauritz had replaced (say) Mitchell Johnson it might have been a different story (?)

Cardiff: England dug in, Australia didn't take the important wickets, England got away with it by the skin of their teeth.

Lords: The Andrew Flintoff show. If ever there was a better way of signing out of test cricket than being MOTM at Lords, then I have yet to see it.

Edgbaston: Weather ruined this one.

Leeds: Australia dominated from start to finish.

The Oval: Broad and Swann destroyed the batting in that first innings, and that was really the decider.

Ricky Ponting: One of the finest players of cricket we have ever seen. The talk is that he won't play an Ashes series over here again, but we will see him for the Pakistan vs Aus test next year. That's being played on a neutral ground (The Oval) due to the problems in Pakistan recently.

Perhaps the Aussie media can pick the bones out of my brief summary.....

[ozgooner]

the first 2 points were made in jest mate

your summary is spot on i would say , great series , great result and that is why i love test cricket (especially the ashes) it's hard to stay at the top forever . f**k , we've had a good run at being the official/unofficial test nation . it's time to pass that mantle onto others .

take nothing away from england the lads were fantastic . apart from the leeds test , you were the better unit . you always expect weather to stuff up at least one test in the motherland .

so , i'd score the series 3 - 1 to england really

[damo1583]

Oz mate, in all honesty I think there are some positives to take from the series....

I like the look of Shane Watson as an opener....
Marcus North looks a quality number 5, good solid performance all series....
Michael Clark was outstanding.....
Ben Hilfenhaus is a quality new ball bowler....
I also thought Peter Siddle looked good in spells.....

As this is a team in transition (given that the previous generation were the greatest side ever to play the game) It is a big ask to carry the gauntlet.....
a couple of suggestions for the Aussie team,

A new opening partner for Watson, Katich had a poor series IMO....
Brad Haddin did'nt cut it with the gloves for me......
A strike spinner is a vital although in fairness I thought Hauritz played well especially at Lords......
o

[SE13]

Add to that Damo, I don't think Johnson cut the mustard either. Yes he took some wickets, but his bowling was wayward at best. Wides, no-balls, far too many full tosses and he couldn't hit a length. There's a difference between varied bowling and downright awful.....

Brett Lee will be coming back, so a straight replacement there.