England A vs Australia @ Worcester

[am Bays]

Oh ffs...again with the "no Warne" crap and so on. I still say we're going to click into gear come the first test and the poms will be made to look stupid.

The stupid commentator just then on Hughes: "I don't like to judge a man on one innings but I didn't see anything that would frighten me".

The Hughes bagging has started early this tour.

Yeah, but the fatal flaw in your argument was that it was the one commentator who does know a thing or two about spotting technical flaws against short pitched bowling - Micheal Holding....

[NFC]

Oh ffs...again with the "no Warne" crap and so on. I still say we're going to click into gear come the first test and the poms will be made to look stupid.

The stupid commentator just then on Hughes: "I don't like to judge a man on one innings but I didn't see anything that would frighten me".

The Hughes bagging has started early this tour.

Yeah, but the fatal flaw in your argument was that it was the one commentator who does know a thing or two about spotting technical flaws against short pitched bowling - Micheal Holding....

One innings. One.

I can seriously imagine Hughes at 33, 10k runs, 30 centuries and people will still be questioning him and wondering how he succeeds.

[FD88]

Binga....booooowwwwlleeeeedddd him.

[FD88]

And another! Bell LBW for a duck.

Have to say he's looking good is Lee from the little I've seen here. Still have a lot of doubt but credit to him, getting the ball to move around and at pace. On a hat-trick...OH and very nearly through!! So, so close, a 152kmph delivery that one.

2/176

[am Bays]

When he pitches it up and lets the ball do the work he will be very dangerous - it is when he gets carried away with teh short stuff and drifts with his line that he becomes cannon fodder.

152 Km/h - thats good wheels...

[jackpot jim]

How unlucky was Lee not to get the Hat Trick? Perfect Hat Trick ball to bowl and Solanki some how Frech cut it for 4

[FD88]

Oh wow, couple of absolute beauties from Lee. That ball to finish the over before tea very nearly got through.

[NFC]

OK looks like Lee is in form, none of our others bowlers are though!

Where is Siddle? Surely Hauritz isn't going to be considered.

[CoverKing]

Well well well..

First ball Lee bowled was PLUM. NOT OUT. moore makes a ton. Wasnt a good start for Lee.

He has bowled extremely well. Reverse swing and conventional swing AT PACE. exactly wat we need from him. lee has 5/43 off 16 overs.

Lee a monty for first test now.

His yorkers are as good as any the way he is bowling at the moment.

THe hat trick ball was a cracker and deserved the wicket. It was a cracker.

And he is also bowling a long spell. Good fitness shown aswell.

[Gozu]

Stumps-Day 2

Australia 358

Hussey 150 (234)
Hauritz 15 (59)
Clark 10* (5)

Harmison 4/80 (25 overs)
Bresnan 3/48 (17)
Onions 3/74 (23.4)

England Lions 6/302

Moore 120 (176)
Denly 66 (131)
Davies 53 (68)
Rashid 36* (70)

Lee 5/53 (20)
North 1/16 (5)
Clarke 0/15 (4)
Clark 0/30 (14)
Hauritz 0/80 (18)
Johnson 0/101 (20)

[Gozu]

OK looks like Lee is in form, none of our others bowlers are though!

Where is Siddle? Surely Hauritz isn't going to be considered.

Siddle's being rested because they've already said he's a lock for the first test. I dont know if Hauritz would be right out of calculations yet because supposedly Cardiff is turning a fair bit and England are considering playing two spinners. Right now I'd be leaving him out and dropping the extra batsman (North) and playing all five quicks. Put the onus on the rest of the batsman to stand up and with how non-threatening our quicks are looking I think we're going to need to bowl them in shorter spells.

It was disappointing to see Haddin put down that relatively easy catch off of Stuart Clark at about 0/80 odd.

[Rik E Boy]

So what you are saying is, we have 'non threatening quicks' and your solution is to play one less batsman?

regards,

REB

[Gozu]

That's right what else can we do? I suspect we'll play North but that just mentally bails out our batsman. Our batsman seem to play like it doesn't matter if they personally get out because someone else will get the runs. Plus Johnson's doing a good impersonation of a batsman anyway and Lee can bat. A fifth quick is something slightly different for the poms to look at not that I'm that impressed with Hilfenhaus and it allows us to bowl them all in shorter spells in the hope they don't get too used to anyone.

[Rik E Boy]

You never know Goz, North might shock us all and actually..er....score runs?

regards,

REB

[FD88]

Well well well..

First ball Lee bowled was PLUM. NOT OUT. moore makes a ton. Wasnt a good start for Lee.

He has bowled extremely well. Reverse swing and conventional swing AT PACE. exactly wat we need from him. lee has 5/43 off 16 overs.

Lee a monty for first test now.

His yorkers are as good as any the way he is bowling at the moment.

THe hat trick ball was a cracker and deserved the wicket. It was a cracker.

And he is also bowling a long spell. Good fitness shown aswell.

What astounded me was just how quick he was bowling. Consistently throwing down 150kph+ deliveries, over after over, and with control. He hasn't maintained that sort of speed for years, let alone with any accuracy. Has that specialist twitch muscle training he was doing to get back for the Ashes done the job after all?

[Pup]

That's right what else can we do? I suspect we'll play North but that just mentally bails out our batsman. Our batsman seem to play like it doesn't matter if they personally get out because someone else will get the runs. Plus Johnson's doing a good impersonation of a batsman anyway and Lee can bat. A fifth quick is something slightly different for the poms to look at not that I'm that impressed with Hilfenhaus and it allows us to bowl them all in shorter spells in the hope they don't get too used to anyone.

When will people realise Haddin is not a number 6 and Johnson is not a number 7 and Lee's last 18 months has been terrible with the bat. If we went with this line up and we were 4/100 then we are in big trouble.

North has to play simple as that.

[am Bays]

Spot on Pup.

[rod_rooster]

ROFLMAO, the English commentators are comparing Onions to Glen McGrath and Shaun Pollock. Then they go on to say he bowls very similar to Siddle but Onions has more class than Siddle. Next ball is short and wide and smahed through point for four.

[mal]

Our opening batsman for the first test
THE KAT
SCARDY CAT

[FD88]

ROFLMAO, the English commentators are comparing Onions to Glen McGrath and Shaun Pollock. Then they go on to say he bowls very similar to Siddle but Onions has more class than Siddle. Next ball is short and wide and smahed through point for four.

Oh wow, that bolded part is vomit-inducing.