anyone see the mighty

[fela fan]

All the aussies i know (and i've been going there almost every year for a decade) don't mind losing if they've been beaten by a good team. They love to win, but there again so do i. I often despair at the english attitude towards sport, and it's no surprise that we won the ashes with a team that recognised the worth of the aussie attitude, in no small part due to an aussie, rodney marsh.

I fucking desperately want to win in sport, but once defeat has occurred, end of. Get up and fight another day.

Don't worry about snowypat, he'll be congratulating us again shortly after christmas...

Why? Coz our team have the psychological edge now, plus we have some very fine skillful cricketers with an attitude. The proper attitude. The two winter tours will have added some extra teeth to our team.

The aussies really are gonna see the poms upfront next time, real close, and it's going to be sport at its best.

 

[Flashman]

Lee has shown signs of improvment before but I expect him to drop off again, Symonds (disappointingly) doesn't look test class, Gilly is still having trouble and I reckon his eyes are going. Clarke I'm still not convinced by, Langer is getting on, Haydos still looks clueless against swing (if the bowlers are good enough consistently, SA's aren't).

Warne is still magic of course, as is Drunky, and Hussey is looking very dangerous (early days though). Will McGrath play? Is Clark as good as his figures suggest (not seen him bowl yet, snowypat??).

If we have our best 11 fit and able, I'd expect us to retain the Ashes, and I think a drawn series will be favourite (just).

Just to add, if you do win them back again snowy I'll be the first to say 'stuff mate.

 

[liquidlunch]

Lee has shown signs of improvment before but I expect him to drop off again, Symonds (disappointingly) doesn't look test class, Gilly is still having trouble and I reckon his eyes are going. Clarke I'm still not convinced by, Langer is getting on, Haydos still looks clueless against swing (if the bowlers are good enough consistently, SA's aren't).

Warne is still magic of course, as is Drunky, and Hussey is looking very dangerous (early days though). Will McGrath play? Is Clark as good as his figures suggest (not seen him bowl yet, snowypat??).

If we have our best 11 fit and able, I'd expect us to retain the Ashes, and I think a drawn series will be favourite (just).

Just to add, if you do win them back again snowy I'll be the first to say 'stuff mate.

I will let you into a little secret flashy.Here is a link you might like to have a look at old son.If you already know about it you can admonish me for thinking you are not up with things
www.baggygreen.com.au/
Lot of info you may find enlightning

 

[fela fan]

I will let you into a little secret flashy.Here is a link you might like to have a look at old son.If you already know about it you can admonish me for thinking you are not up with things
www.baggygreen.com.au/
Lot of info you may find enlightning

From this link:

Former England captain Tony Greig has accused the Australians of the worst sledging he has come across during the second Test at Durban earlier this week.

"I have never heard anything like it," Greig told a lunch at a Johannesburg cricket club on Wednesday.

and their ex-coach speaking:

Bob Simpson, the former Australia captain and coach, has stated that Australia's dominance in the past decade might have a detrimental effect on their future. Following their victory against South Africa in the second Test at Durban, Simpson has rejected claims that Australia are back to their very best, while adding that the regular absence of players representing their state sides is harming the domestic competition.


I think it a certainty that england will not just retain the ashes, but thump the bastards in the process. Aussie cricket fans are quite simply unprepared for the huge psychological damage they will be faced with end of the year. To lose to the poms is bad enough, especially after being used to winning for so long, but to then lose again on your own turf...

... ah, i dunno, i just hope you can escape with your health intact mate!

 

[liquidlunch]

that was the secret FF well done.When old backyard Bob comes out and bags us things are looking grim.However a lot of Aussies could not give a shit what simpson thinks and i am one of those eternal optimists.Caaaaarrrrrrrnn Australia

 

[fela fan]

that was the secret FF well done.When old backyard Bob comes out and bags us things are looking grim.However a lot of Aussies could not give a shit what simpson thinks and i am one of those eternal optimists.Caaaaarrrrrrrnn Australia

Now then mate, try retaining that optimism after about 15 years of losing to us...

... i managed it! In fact the last four or five series i've had slabs of vb bets with a mate in brisbane. I've yet to enjoy my first winning beers, maybe end of the year. After we won he even sportingly doubled the bet to two slabs telling me i deserved it. I didn't argue with him.

You'll know all about the value of psychology in sport, so i'm not sure how much optimism is going to counter that! I have these images of 2006 being an iconic year... arsenal win the european cup... england with the world cup... england beat the aussies in their own backyard... me scoring under a 100 in golf for the first time...

What the fuck is life like without sport and dreams of glory??

 

[Flashman]

that was the secret FF well done.When old backyard Bob comes out and bags us things are looking grim.However a lot of Aussies could not give a shit what simpson thinks and i am one of those eternal optimists.Caaaaarrrrrrrnn Australia

Depends how you define "grim". Any side in history would miss three legends of the game retiring around the same time; Gilly, McGrath and Warne (hopefully Warne will go on until his arm drops off, I could watch him bowl forever).

Those players are inimitable, move on. Australia won't "do a West Indies" in my view, rather other teams will catch up and the Test table will even out, but I expect Aus to still be up around #1/2 for a few years yet.

So not grim, just inevitable change.

It'll be a sad day when Great Triumvirate go, and even I as an Englishman might shed a tear when Warney himself goes.