Cricket: The 2006/2007 Ashes Thread

[patrick]

Good stuff by our bowlers late on.

England 2/51 at stumps on day one

BTW...why are you laughing at me Jenny?

[Robbie_Dee]

Good stuff by our bowlers late on.

England 2/51 at stumps on day one

BTW...why are you laughing at me Jenny?

yea Stuart clark was looking promising! So good that last over!

[Capital_Shark]

Can someone tell me has Hayden cracked the 50 this Ashes? He seems to be going absolute ----house! to me.

[Williams]

I dont think so He needs some form , NOW!

[jenny]

FOX
The Ashes
Monty Panesar

Cuddly ... Panesar ends up in the arms of Andrew Flintoff. Pic: AFP
England Sikh and destroy

By Robert Craddock and David Davutovic
December 15, 2006

ENGLAND cult hero Monty Panesar claimed he had lived out his Ashes fantasy after surfing a tidal wave of support to rock Australia yesterday.

Panesar's deft finger spin and the hostility of rejuvenated paceman Steve Harmison, who took 4-48, proved a lethal ****tail as Australia was overwhelmed for 244 on the first day of the third Ashes Test before the WACA's largest Test crowd.

But Australia had its swagger back by stumps with England 2-51.

The loss of Alastair Cook for 15 and Ian Bell for a duck to new-ball edges and the sight of Stuart Clark seaming past Paul Collingwood's bat three times in an over took some gloss off England's day and suddenly upgraded the merit of Australia's total from miserable to mediocre.

There is already growing expectation that another classic Ashes contest could be brewing and bookmakers last night refused to believe England could sustain its charge, posting Australia $1.65 to win with England at $3.05 and a draw at $8.

"These are the things you dream of," 24-year-old Panesar said after his Ashes debut produced his third five-wicket Test haul.

"Playing an Ashes Test and taking five wickets - I was quite pumped up. I was jumping and dancing and didn't know what to do."

Left-arm spinner Panesar, who finished with 5-92, made a nonsense of England's decision to leave him out of the first two Tests by using all the key elements of his craft - spin, flight and bounce.

He bowled steadily rather than brilliantly but, like Shane Warne, the force of his personality seemed to drive his results.

The English-born Sikh with the spinning fingers the size of large sausages, was the subject of a nationwide push - including several British radio petitions - to play in this Test. Finally, England's selectors relented.

His fans were overjoyed at the outcome and every wicket only made the decision to leave him out for the featureless Ashley Giles in the first two Tests more astounding.

But he wanted no part of the selection debate after stumps. "It's all ifs and buts," he said.

Celebrating each success like a six-year-old taking his first wicket in the game, Panesar extracted Justin Langer for 37 with a ripping off break, Andrew Symonds for 26 and Adam Gilchrist for another disappointing duck before tea.

He then ruined Shane Warne's afternoon, dismissing the man that baited him in the week about pressure, for 25, and Warne's fellow blond bomber Brett Lee for 10 after the break.

The tone setter for England came last ball before lunch when Panesar bowled Langer with his seventh ball of the day after the opener played down the wrong line and had his off stump rattled.

Suddenly, England fieldsmen were smiling again as they chased Panesar on his joyous victory lap of the square.

Panesar ended up leaping into the arms of captain Andrew Flintoff and England's Ashes campaign had finally regained its vigour.

Australia had a brief revenge against Panesar when Symonds belted him for 17 in one over, but Panesar kept his nerve next over to get Symonds, caught behind to a reckless edged cut.

The pitch yielded some seam and occasional bounce and England bowled well.

Harmison, so unimpressive in the first two Tests, also regained his mojo by bowling with sustained menace on a pitch tailored for his rib-rattling bounce.

It all makes for yet another intriguing day today.

[Titanium_BD1103]

Well, as I thought they would, Australia has fought back once more with some superb fielding, and fantastic bowling especially by Clark and Symonds...

England has gotten frustrated, they tried to play shots when restricted and wickets like in Adelaide fell... 6/114...

Great work by Simmo especially who has bowled straight and without any fullness and made the English play and then get out off what they felt they could smack to the boundaries...

It's a great game, Clark is back, 4 bunnies and Petersen, lets see what England can do.

[Williams]

England just blew their chances of retaining the Ashes
Simmo is bowling great!

[~Wild Child~]

England just blew their chances of retaining the Ashes
Simmo is bowling great!

I'm really happy to see Simmo back in the side. He deserved his oppourtunity..and might now silence his critics
Go Simmo

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

The english tail is wagging her. the two bowlers that cleaned up australia's batsmen are now making valuable runs.

i like this monty character.

[Poida]

lee and warne are both struggling for form with the ball.

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

omg, Langer was cleaned up by one of the best deliveries i have seen from a english pacemen.

[Go_The_Doggies]

I lovee Monty Panesar..hes my new fav Englishman. I kinda expect to hear an Indian or somekind of Middle Eastern accent come out of him ..and then its a english accent

Who got Langer out?..we missed it..we were watching Scrubs.

[patrick]

I lovee Monty Panesar..hes my new fav Englishman. I kinda expect to hear an Indian or somekind of Middle Eastern accent come out of him ..and then its a english accent

Who got Langer out?..we missed it..we were watching Scrubs.

Hoggard took Langer for a golden duck

Yeah, Monty's a really nice bloke. He was born and bred in England too if you didn't know. Really entertaining player!

[Poida]

England just blew their chances of retaining the Ashes
Simmo is bowling great!

lol dont speak too soon ponting will get out lbw like he did in the first innings .
he is stupid playing across his stumps all the time . fair enough if he played to the offside but still isnt worth getting lbw so many times for.

england have far from blown their chance.
they could win tomorrow.
who knows how this match will go.
but warne and brett lee like i said have been struggling for form. last test match for warne doesnt really count despite the fact he bowled ok.

[Robbie_Dee]

OMG i thought Australia's total was pretty bad! But England made Australia's Innings look great!

I hope for a better 2nd innings from both teams, and Australia are well on the way to doing that! I was like ooooh crap when langer got out first ball!!! But it was a great ball, I'll give the Pommies that!