for starters giving gillespie - hayden - gilcrest 3 months off

and the lack of warm up matches 2 3 dayers against county sides vs the traditional 5 warm up matches against countys

besides that england warmed up against sth africa and bangladesh in test matches whilst the aussies had several months off, apart from mcgrath its no suprise warne langer are doing well as they were playing for the counties pre series

great to havea break but nearly 3 months for such key players is not good

Probably because the Poms are scoring more runs than the Aussies

A century by any of the top six might help the cause, The bowling is not that bad even without Pidgeon bowling, but the first day was a batsmen's dream deck and the toss just did not go our way.

Maybe get Boof in to play the final test and drop Haydos and see what happens.

The Poms are taking every opportunity given to them, minus their Australian keeper Jones. They are catching everything (Strauss catch was awesome), they are making the run-outs and they are using the conditions bettter. They are batting way better.

Ok, they have won a few tosses which have helped. I'm thinking not taking Boof was a big mistake as the middle order is shakey (and let's face it he was the 2IC of the team), the opening pair is dodgy (see ya Haydo) and our first drop in batting like crap.

Personally I think it's a good reality check for the Aussie team, and maybe a glance into the future minus McGrath, Warne and maybe a few others. Time to blood some youngsters like Tait.

Their bowlers are killing ours, we only have 2 bowlers (only 1 has a permanent spot in the First XI) that can bowl 90mph+, they have 3. Their bowlers swing the old and new ball, and only person moving the ball for the Aussie's is Warne.

We have no all-rounder, Lee and Warne are doing real well with the bat, but they are not in the Freddy Flintoff league by any stretch.

Our only hope is that we win the 5th test and retain the Ashes since we already hold them.

I say bring back Boonie.........

Maybe bring Scott Muller in for a few overs.

Scott Muller, now that was a waste of a baggy green..........

Ponting was a good captain when he had Boof to fall back onto. Regardless of Gilly wearing the cap of vice captain, the job was really done by Boof. Punter has no idea without Boof to hold his hand.....

Warnie has the talent to be a great captain, problem is he has too many haters out there.

Maybe James Brayshaw is needed.

Reasons are all of the above.

But it's about time that we get to watch a decent series. It's been great thumping every nation over the last umpteen years (bar India 2001) but its become pretty bloody boring.
Competition is great and this series has been awesome. Its been very frustrating at time's(catches, batting, bowling, umpires, coin toss') but nevertheless entertaining from the first ball.

Aussies will win the fifth test with Gilly hitting a six with one ball remaining and five runs needed.

I think the bowling is to blame aswell. Gillespie and Lee not moving the ball at all (Until Lee in the 2nd innings at Trent Bridge). Even McGrath, in the 3rd test, didnt really move the ball at all. Yes i forgot to mention the umpires they are slightly to blame, but you gotta take the good with the bad with those idiots. I think the Aussies are finally starting to hit some form. A good 2nd innings score and almost bowled England out for 120.

The Aussies are losing for several reasons:


England have prepared better for this series

Aussies went in overconfident (Mcgrath saying we will win 5 nil)

Aussie batsman not firing

Not enough bowling support for Warne and Lee.

Ponting elect to bowl in the second test which has potentially cost us the Ashes.

For once the English have blokes playing aggressive cricket and taking it up to us.


The following changes need to be made for the Oval

Hussey in Hayden Out
Hodge in Martyn Out
Mcgrath in Kasporiwcz out
Magill in Katich out

It remains to see if the selectors have the guts required

I dont see why youd drop Katich, he hasnt done much wrong. He was batting brilliantly in the last test, on 50 odd and got given out to the worst LBW in history. He could've potentially won that game for Australia off his own bat. We only needed 50 odd more runs i reckon.

Something has to be done ... The team is struggling in all aspects of the game ... The australia used to be break teams with trash talk and just there over whelming conferdence now Australia is the team being broken by the poms ponting out burst a prime example of that..

good point dr probally a bit of a tuff call to drop katich ... but changes need to be made .. Gilchrist , hayden , Martain , Clarke all have not really performed this tour

good point dr probally a bit of a tuff call to drop katich ... but changes need to be made .. Gilchrist , hayden , Martain , Clarke all have not really performed this tour

Maybe sending Andy Symonds over to do some fielding why we rest our bowler's in the change rooms will help slow the run rate.
Stinking spotted dick eating cheats.

except Pieterson cos he is South African of course. ( lucky he can't catch )

Strauss is also South African, and Jones is an Aussie. He use to play in QLD but couldn't beat Seccombe for the state possie.....

Keep Clarke, he hasn't had a great series, but he's young and we need some young'uns in the squad. Same as Tait.

Give Haddin a go, sh*t he can't do any worse than Gilly. Haydo should make way for Hussey.

Does anyone also think we have to many left handers in the team now...

against this team, i'd agree TR.

I think Martin Love needs a recall. He has done nothing wrong over the past decade, but given the exceptional form of other players he's been stuck with the bulls.

We also need another swinger, Brad Williams maybe? Rofe would be a good option, but really, he's just another Glenn McGrath.

And what about Symonds, his batting alone should warrant a 5/6 spot, plus he's an exceptional fielder and can roll his arm over.

There was talk of bringing Watson in from the county, but i'd disagree because he doesn't bring anything we don't already have (except maybe some youth).

Fingers crossed Jones doesn't quite make a recovery in time, but G.McGrath does. Unless Casper can work out how to reverse swing be should step aside.

Katish has been one shinning light, and going on form would be one of the first picked, to say drop him is not taking current form into consideration.

No Watson,
He's right arm rubbish.

No Watson,
He's right arm rubbish.

Kasper needs to go, he only has one delivery against the left handers, and he doesn't swing it an centimetres and he's not quick enough to scare anyone. He's got no zip and/or uncanny bounce.

We have a line and length bowler in McGrath, we have the pace in Lee and Tait, the spin in Warnie, what we lack is a nice swing bowler/all rounder aka Freddy Flintoff (Watson ain't the answer, but he's the best of the bunch we have). Mind you at the moment I'd say that Lee is a better allrounder than Watson. Some of those sixes he tonked....damn...

Remember when Terry Alderman killed the spotted dick eating freaks all those years ago. He wasn't express, but he swung the ball. That's what is killing our bunnies at the moment, swing. Oh a little patients from them would be handy as well.

That last point is a great one TR.

The Aussies have forgotten that test matches are a 5 day game! The only five dayers they play are when two days are rained out.

I didn't like the way Mark Taylor batted because it was dead boring, but sometimes you need a guy who can bat for two days without looking like getting out!

That used to be langer, but he has changed his game. THe point about swing i think is the major one. We cant beat the bat, let alone get an edge. Trademark aussie cricket has alot of catches in the slips, and how many of those have u seen this series?

Some changes need to be made for the final test, but no need to go beserk.

I would frop Hayden for sure, he can't play swing and is horribly out of form at the top of the order. Promote Katich to open and include Hussey lower down the order.

Mcgrath comes in for Kaspa, and depending on the pitch for the last test then we could either replace tait with McGill or leave tait in.

Something has to be done. If Marto got the arse I wouldn't be shattered either, even though he has got two bad decisions.

Having said that, I will be very surprised if they make any changes to the batting lineup.

About Martyn, yes hes copped bad decisions, but he wouldnt be in that position if he didnt stand infront of his stumps and go back to pitched up balls. He is in rotton form, even worse than hayden's in my opinion. Id say simple answer is bring hussey/hodge in for martyn. Ofcourse McGrath is going to replace someone and i hope to god its kasper and not tait becuase tait showed alot of promise.

Australia needs to work that bit harder like the Poms have to reach the level of the Aussies.
From all reports the training ethic of the Aussies has dropped off. My team for the last test would be.
1. Langer - Looked solid just found ways of getting out
2. Hussey/Hodge - Hussey killed them in the One dayers still over there bring him in or Hodge normally bats 3. Langer made the change from 3 to open last time in England
3. Ponting - Only batsman to make a hundred if had not got run out would have two.
4. Martyn - Just holds his place due to dodgy decisions in last two tests.
5.Clarke - Has showen the confidence and arrogance of youth. Just needs to play with a bit more control
6. Katich - Holds his spot after a solid second innings knock. Once again umpires interviened to end his innings
7. Gilchrist - Must just play positive and have a go.
8. Warne - If he keeps his head could make his maiden Test Century, his bowling speaks for itself
9. Lee - Gutsy with the bat great effort with the ball.
10. Tait - Good first up effort must be given another chance
11. McGrath IF FIT - Will help keep it tight at one end with Warne and let the two quicks go for it.

And now the end is near and may I say not in a shy way..

England have done it Freddies way.

It's the end of an era for Australia and by the time the next Ashes series starts it seems atleast half of the Australian team will be different to the current list.