First test starts tmrw in Brisbane. Was thinking of going down there with a pal but there was only the possibility that we could have got tickets for just one or two days play so isnt worth the 8 hour flight. If we could have got tickets for three or four days play then would defo have gone coz flight prices were reasonable and could have stayed with my sister n family who live only a 30 to 40 minute drive from the Gabba..Anyway, looking forward to the series but wont get to see too much of it coz I will be at work when the games are on. Not feeling too confident about Englands chances but would be magic if we can kick those aussies backsides. Bit disappointed not to be going, chance in a life time and all that but for just 1 or 2 days play and with the possibility of the Queensland weather being stormy at this time of year and maybe a weather affected match it isnt worth it.

PS .. if the aussies have the first test wrapped up within 3 days then defo would have made the right choice in not going lol.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 22/11/2017 01:40 by hong kong rover.

England have as much chance of winning this series, as Rovers getting promoted this season. Stokes absence is as huge as the press are making out. With him, we could have squeezed a few draws out, without him, no chance at all.
At least the dire cricket will take minds off our dire performances. Cant wait!

6:15am here and have just woken up, about to send a text message into work to say that I can't make it in today and then its off to the 24 hour McDonalds for my breakfast and then back home in time to spend the whole day watching the cricket, it starts at 8am here.

England have a decent chance of winning. Moeen Ali is much improved with the ball and Anderson and Broad on their day are the best bowling pairing in the world and as for Cook and Root, they can certainly anchor the batting, but any loss of Stokes is a huge problem, because he is an all-rounder, but Mitchell Johnson is not in their team anymore and with I think a wicket keeper who has not played for 7 years at international level, he could be a weak link for them with the bat.

---

Then I ate his Liver.......... with some baked beans and a can of coke.

Overdid the gym yesterday and fell asleep at 9 , i must be the only person who has an early night on a week off, always tough to win a series in the prison ( 2 in 50 years) , drawn series me thinks

Brisbane.... our batters win it for us

Adalaide ... batting paradise draw

Perth... aussie quicks will love it there

Melbourne.... batters pitch england win

Sydney... aussies will prepare a pitch that turns square from day 2 hoping to winn the toss and bat, lyon is better then ali and our number 2 spinner is a young lad... convicts win

2-2

Not a bad day. Day 2 could be the most important. Either we post a decent first innings total, or we collapse!

Hkr has the advantage he will know the score hours before us.

englands 2nd innings not off to a good start, if we lose early wckts tmrw then will be in big trouble.

200 will be tough to get on that track

Oh dear

Hard luck England , long list of excuses already , 2 poor teams with England being worse of tye 2

If we lose the 2nd test in Adelaide then we are screwed.

I dont get this, can someone explain..I thought ben stokes was supposed to be grounded pending this investigation, yet he has flown out to New Zealand on a family/private trip..??? If he is allowed to leave the country to fly to NZ, then why cant he fly to Aussie to play in the ashes???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 28/11/2017 08:43 by hong kong rover.

AFAIK Stokes has not been banned by the ICC. So it must be those idiots at the EWCB.. I wonder how much of a say that pr*ck Andrew Strauss has in this. Got my doubts about him.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 28/11/2017 15:46 by hong kong rover.

I don't know why it is taking so long to get the whole Stokes thing sorted. I would have taken & played him

Quote:

PeteTRFC
I don't know why it is taking so long to get the whole Stokes thing sorted. I would have taken & played him

I agree, why is it taking so long and why hasn't a court date been set.. this is the way I see it..

a) It is the England n Wales Cricket Board that have suspended him and not the International Cricket Council.

b) If he hasn't been banned by the ICC then surely he is eligible to carry on playing international test cricket, thus meaning he can play in the current ashes series.

c) The British authorities and British police have not prevented him from leaving the country. so if he can fly all the way to NZ then why cant he fly to Aussie?

d) The England n Wales Cricket Board have given him permission to fly to NZ but are not paying for his trip.

e) The Aussie government have not prevented him from entering Australia


to me, this smacks of the EWCB just wanting to make an example of him...well if that's the way the EWCB wants to play it then they might as well hand the little urn over to the Aussies right now and say to them ' its your ashes. we will see u again in 2 years time to try n regain them.'.. Stokes is our most valuable, important n best player.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 28/11/2017 15:49 by hong kong rover.

How funny was Cameron Bancroft's press conference on ''headbuttgate''-comedy gold.

Who can remember back in the 80s when on the eve of a tour to the Carribean to play against the West Indies, Sir Ian Botham had an assault charge hanging over him but it was decided that the hearing and case would be adjourned until the West Indies tour was over ,thus allowing him to go on the cricket tour. The assault charge came about when Botham was playing footy for Scunthorpe Utd just before the cricket tour to the Windies. Botham and the then Scunny goalkeeper Joe Neenan ( a good pal n teammate of Bothams ) had been involved in a brawl outside a Scunthorpe nightclub. I think this happened about Xmas time and the Carribean tour was to start in the January...I actually saw Botham play for Scunny at Prenton on New Years Day 1985. He came on as a sub for the final 15 mins but the big Rovers centre back John Williams had him in his pocket. Botham was actually a centre back but that freezing cold new years day at Prenton he was brought on as a centre forward to try n get something out of the game for Scunny. I think we won 2-0 or 2-1. I remember it being absolutely freezing that day, lol.. Botham was born on Telegraph Rd in Heswall and I still regard him as Englands greatest ever sportsman.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 28/11/2017 15:26 by hong kong rover.

Have England given themselves a very faint chance of rescuing the 2nd test??? Its gonna be hard after yet another England batting collapse but they've got the Aussies in some trouble at the beginning of their 2nd innings after the Aussies didn't enforce the follow on. I think the damage has already been done with so many of the England batsmen failing but at least the England bowlers have bowled a better length today at the start of the Aussies 2nd innings ( why couldn't they bowl like that in the 1st innings? ) Still a big defecit ,but who knows, if England can take quick early wckts tmrw then there is a faint glimmer of hope.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2017 15:06 by hong kong rover.

I'd say no. I can't even see a faint glimmer. England's pitiful 1st innings was Always going to make it a struggle. We are more than likely going to be chasing 350+ and I just can't see it.
Be bloody epic if we did though

Stokes,s ban is moral equivalence for Warner's been for punching Root. What goes around comes around

We have enough crims in Oz without adding Stokes to the pile 😆😆

Jimmy......

Quote:

Stewsydney
We have enough crims in Oz without adding Stokes to the pile 😆😆

Lol

Quote:

the kav
Jimmy......

Bowled em out for 138 kav.. given ourselves the slimmest of chances.. if we do this then we will have climbed the everest of mountains.. latest - we need 285 runs with 8 wckts intact.. we needed cook n stoneman to be getting us underway with half centuries but not to be..big big ask but cmon root bairstow n moeen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2017 08:37 by hong kong rover.

Bloody work gets in the way of everything. Would luv to be watching this at home or down the boozer. Will miss all of todays play. Damn work lol.

Well well well.. we have a chance. I am taking another sickie at work tmrw. I am not gonna miss the final day. England need 178 runs with 6 wckts Intact to achieve the unthinkable and what could maybe one of their greatest ever test victories. So important for Root to stay in. Cmon England, it can be done. Meeting a couple of pals in a 24 hr sports bar at about 10:30am tmrw for a fried breaky just before the start of the cricket on the tv in the pub and then on to the beers not long after lol.. Cmon England.

Quote:

hong kong rover
Well well well.. we have a chance. I am taking another sickie at work tmrw. I am not gonna miss the final day. England need 178 runs with 6 wckts Intact to achieve the unthinkable and what could maybe one of their greatest ever test victories. So important for Root to stay in. Cmon England, it can be done. Meeting a couple of pals in a 24 hr sports bar at about 10:30am tmrw for a fried breaky just before the start of the cricket on the tv in the pub and then on to the beers not long after lol.. Cmon England.

The last two hours today was Ashes cricket at its very best. Great bowling[particularly Cummins and Lyon] and a superb gritty courageous stand between Root and Malan

England are looking GOOSED now. could be a series 5-0 whitewash. Aussies have scored 346 runs today for the loss of just 1 wckt. a thoroughly miserable day. it will just be the footy and world darts championship I will be watching now over the festive period, bollox to the cricket.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 16/12/2017 10:38 by hong kong rover.

The rain will save England , forecast showers nect 2 days , scorchio in Sydney tho 😃

please close this thread down lol.. absolutely no more to be said..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 18/12/2017 14:03 by hong kong rover.