Cricket: The 2006/2007 Ashes Thread

[travop]

australia will come back with a win just like qld broke to origin drought ya no

[~Wild Child~]

LOL - the only thing better than beating the Americans, is beating the Poms - at anything. Cricket is just even more fun!

:lol!: Could'nt have said it better :rotflmao:...Watching them loose...is such good fun cause...it's a long, slow defeat ....More painful for 'em..:satan: = More fun for us..:satan:
:lol!: Just joking..eace:....................*deletes the "just joking" part*...

[Brettymac]

Cant wait for the first time hayden puts Panesar deep into an Australian grandstand... and whilst Im on it, every subsequent time...

[Queenslander]

Tickets tip of the iceberg
By Adam Cooper and Laine Clark
August 31, 2006

CRICKET Australia expects to unearth more scalped tickets ahead of The Ashes series, and the organisation refuses to rule out mass cancellations and re-selling to fight the fiasco.

Already 1100 tickets for the five Tests have been cancelled after being identified as sold at inflated prices, but Cricket Australia cannot say how many other tickets are in the possession of scalpers.

Judging by the high volume of interest on auction website eBay, on which ticket packages attracted bids of up to $1000 today, Cricket Australia's investigation agency faces a big task before the series starts, in Brisbane on November 23.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland today warned that people who bought tickets from scalpers faced the prospect of having their ticket cancelled at the turnstiles.

"Where people purchase tickets from a scalper at a premium, they're in breach of the terms and conditions, and we will, where appropriate, cancel those tickets," he said.

The cancelled tickets were identified during Cricket Australia's online sales, which began in June.

Cricket Australia re-sold the 1100 tickets, but it is yet to decide what to do with 200 more tickets identified as being sold by scalpers.

The body will seek advice from other sporting codes, such as the AFL and the NRL, and concert promoters to determine the best course of action in dealing with scalped tickets.

Sutherland said it was "quite possible" that other scalped tickets had not been identified.

He also conceded that fans would be angry at having the tickets they bought at inflated prices cancelled - especially those travelling from England - but he said buyers had to beware.

"If you purchase tickets at a premium from other sources, you are at risk of that ticket (being) rejected at the gate," he said.

Sutherland accused eBay of doing little to help Cricket Australia while scalpers made a profit from sales.

"I can understand they're putting an argument to create a market, but from our position what we're trying to do is protect the ordinary punter who ... wants to purchase tickets, and scalpers have jumped in ahead of them," he said.

But eBay spokesman Daniel Fieler accused Cricket Australia of a failure to cooperate when the website site asked for the numbers of the cancelled tickets.

"Without Cricket Australia providing us with that information, we can't even take the first step to find out number one, if those tickets were sold on eBay, and number two, if those people are eligible for any form of recourse," Fieler said on ABC Radio.

"But if they were purchased on eBay, we have robust consumer protection programs in place and they may be eligible for a payment."

Fieler said Cricket Australia "only had itself to blame" for the ticket problem.

"They dumped hundreds of thousands of tickets onto the market place in one day, they set up this cricket family group which was an absolute free for all," he said.

Cricket Australia established the Australian Cricket Family to give registered Australian fans first crack at Ashes tickets, but many members were unable to get tickets.

It was also revealed that Cricket Australia failed to have the Boxing Day Test included on a list of major sporting events under which it is illegal by law to scalp tickets.

In Victoria, the AFL grand final, Commonwealth Games tickets and seats at next year's world swimming championships all fall under the Victorian Government's declared events.

The AFL, which has endured previous scalping battles, re-sells grand final tickets which have been scalped provided they are identified in time.

AAP

[Poida]

:lol!: Could'nt have said it better :rotflmao:...Watching them loose...is such good fun cause...it's a long, slow defeat ....More painful for 'em..:satan: = More fun for us..:satan:
:lol!: Just joking..eace:....................*deletes the "just joking" part*...

:lol!:

more better when warnie and macgill(hopefully) get into em

[Steve Dangerous]

This ticketing thing is great.

I loathe scalpers. They're a music fans number 1 enemy, and now they're trying to mess up our sport too!

[Poida]

whats scalping?

[Steelers]

The best way not to get caught if you buy scalped tickets (if you are that desperate) is to not buy tickets that have posted the exact seat number on ebay

[Steelers]

whats scalping?

Buying tickets to a popular event and then selling them for ALOT more than you bought them for

[Social Loafer]

whats scalping?

Scalping is when you buy tickets for a popular event with no intention of going and just sell the tickets for a marked up price..

I have no problem with people who buy tickets to event with the intention of going, and then sell them because of a valid reason- e.g. their side doesn't make the grand final. But people who buy tickets to sold out events with the intention of just making a quick $$$ need to be shut down.

[Poida]

thanks.

[Queenslander]

Freddie 'will lead England'
By Toby Forage
From: FOXSPORTS.com.au

September 12, 2006

ANDREW Flintoff will be named as England captain for the Ashes series tonight, if reports coming from the Old Dart hold true.

UK tabloid The Sun claims Flintoff will be given the job of defending the little urn ahead of Andrew Strauss, who led England to a Test series win over Pakistan in the absence of the injured Flintoff.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced in July that Strauss would relinquish the captaincy to Flintoff after his rehabilitation from ankle surgery, and is sticking to that statement despite Strauss's recent success in the job against Pakistan.

Regular captain Michael Vaughan, who led England's charge to Ashes glory last year, is no chance of making the tour because of knee problems.

Selectors believe Flintoff's inspirational character will be further enhanced if he is allowed to lead England in its first Ashes defence Down Under since 1986-1987.

All rounder Flintoff was the man of the series in 2005 when England reclaimed the Ashes after 16 years of Australia dominance.

But former England captains Mike Atherton and Tony Greig are not so sure he should be given the responsibility of leading the team as well as inspiring it with his play.

The ECB's chairman of selectors David Graveney has always wanted Flintoff to lead the squad Down Under, while coach Duncan Fletcher was leaning towards opening batsman Strauss.

Greig, who has experienced the brutal demands of leading a Test side and being its key all rounder, said: "I have a problem with making Flintoff captain if he may not be fit.

"He's got a huge adjustment to make if he has an injury and has to worry about captaining the side as well.

"I can relate to the Flintoff scenario. His whole mind has to be wrapped around making a contribution in all areas.

"My inclination would be to go with Strauss, so they would be in a position where he can make sure Flintoff doesn't overdo things if he is struggling with injury at all."

Atherton, who has watched Flintoff's career from close range, as they were former Lancashire teammates, is hoping Flintoff is chosen as a player only.

"Flintoff is not certain to be fit and he has played precious little cricket this summer," Atherton said in England's Sunday Telegraph.

"His focus, as the key man in the team, is to ensure his ankle is sufficiently strong to withstand the rock-hard surfaces in Australia, not just for part of the series, but the full series.

"His style of leadership is quite different from Flintoff's ? less up-and-at-'em, more thoughtful and considered."

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said in Malaysia yesterday he expected Strauss to be named captain, but it looks like he'll get a surprise later tonight when Flintoff is named top dog.

"There was a lot flying around when Flintoff captained some matches earlier this year, how much harder it was for him," Ponting said.

"He has a big job around the team anyway with bowling as much as he does and being one of their top-order batsmen."

England will announce its squad at The Oval on the anniversary of its Ashes triumph last year in a room - the Ashes Suite - named after the victory.

[Darren Lockyer]

he's good leader

[Larson]

Anyone else have tix? Myself and 3 mates have tix to Day 2 n 3 of the Gabba Test. I'm buzzing now, and yet we're 3 months away.

Got our tix the legit way too, which is great knowing, we'll be able to turn up at the turnstiles and not get the 'I'm sorry, but this ticket is invalid.' I'd be shattered

[Darren Lockyer]

i might go to the brisbane one