How Australia won the Ashes
The UK press reaction to the Ashes result is predictable: England surrender Ashes. There are many factors in England's loss - injuries, lack of warm-up matches, shoddyline, inexplicable selections, lack of match fitness, negative tactics... the list goes on. However, England have decided one scapegoat for England's loss: Duncan Fletcher.
The UK Independent has ripped Fletcher to shreds, decrying his lack of preparation, support for his players, even his lack of emotion. And yes, Fletcher has done a poor job of masterminding England's defence of the Ashes. But it takes two teams to compete an Ashes and I think more credit should go to Australia than blame to England.
In 2005, England out-thought and out-prepared Australia. To ensure it didn't happen again, the Australian players and staff began planning how to win back the Ashes 10 days after they lost them. They'd barely got off the plane when a 15 month strategy was mapped out and then executed masterfully. I've never seen Australia play with such steely intent over such an extended period of time. Even when England dominated, Australia hung in there, bowling with discipline and the self-belief that the match would turn their way. And it always did.
The team is incredibly united. There's been more cuddling than at a chick flick marathon. Noone personifies Australia's new edge more than Ricky Ponting. Since the 2005 loss, he's motored along at the Husseyesque average of 85. And there were two moments in the field that have demonstrated his fierce concentration throughout the series - Geraint Jones' runout yesterday and Kevin Pietersen's runout in Adelaide. The KP runout was spectacular as he swooped on the ball and dived, throwing down the stumps from side-on. What is particularly impressive is he'd already spent a day and a half in the field being punished by the English batsmen - yet he pounced with the freshness and enthusiasm of the first hour of Day 1.
They're calling this series "Ricky's Redemption" or "Ricky's Revenge". I get the feeling Ricky's taste for revenge won't be satisfied until the series ends at 5-nil.
| Posted by JC on Tue 19 Dec |  17 comments |
Nice one JC. I doubt whether Symmo will be fit for the 4th test. He will probably be on his 436th ale in a Fremantle fishing town somewhere. Great to hear the Pommie cries for blood. I'm afraid that's all a losing side can do to salvage pride: find a fall guy, knock em to the ground, and lay in the boot. Meanwhile, Symmo orders another round and the rest of the Aussie team are feasting on a well-earned Chrissie dinner.
Posted by TA on 2006-12-19 12:25:30
Posted by TA on 2006-12-19 12:25:30
Whilst basking in the glory of our Ashes victory, I contemplated life without our two favourite cricketers, JC, and it wasn't pleasant. Both Gillie and Warnie will be calling it quits sooner rather than later, and Aussie cricket just won't be the same, ever again. What are we gonna do when this happens? The likes of these two come around not once in a generation, but once in a blue moon. I dread the day!
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-19 15:40:04
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-19 15:40:04
Unfortunatly thats how England deal with losing at sport. Its never the other team outplayed them, its always "Someone ****ed up and they must be sacked!!"
Happens every football world cup too, someone must fall on the sword. Last time it was Beckham.
Funny how last year Fletcher was an OBE-awarded hero, and now he deserves to be hung, drawn and quartered!
Re: Simmo... have you ever considered that for Symonds perhaps alcohol is performance-ENHANCING drug? :)
Posted by Timbo on 2006-12-19 15:44:42
Happens every football world cup too, someone must fall on the sword. Last time it was Beckham.
Funny how last year Fletcher was an OBE-awarded hero, and now he deserves to be hung, drawn and quartered!
Re: Simmo... have you ever considered that for Symonds perhaps alcohol is performance-ENHANCING drug? :)
Posted by Timbo on 2006-12-19 15:44:42
Re England dealing with losing, I think every team does that. There was much gnashing of teeth when we lost the Ashes last year and most of the blame was laid at Ponting's feet, with Buchanan also getting a spray. But England did play out of their skins for much of the series plus had great luck with injuries.
Posted by JC on 2006-12-19 16:55:31
Posted by JC on 2006-12-19 16:55:31
That said, Australia were dreadful in 2005 and if they played at the top of their game never would've lost the urn. :-)
Posted by JC on 2006-12-19 17:30:09
Posted by JC on 2006-12-19 17:30:09
Yeah, we really do have losing at sport down to a fine art in this country - probably because we are so very good at it! Pick a scapegoat, let them be the target for all the hate (you should see the stuff written about Beckham in 1998) and fail to address the actual problems. Then 2/4 years later we can promise a lot, perform badly, lose and pick a new scapegoat. Works like a dream.
Posted by EofS on 2006-12-20 00:46:52
Posted by EofS on 2006-12-20 00:46:52
I tell you what, though. I wasn't Michael Clarke's biggest fan before this series but he's looking pretty good these days.
Despite Langer saying that the older guys are thinking of pushing back retirement after Marto beat them to it, I think there should be a mass retirement at the end of this series. McGrath has flashes of his old self but he isn't consistent. Hayden stopped excelling when he toned down his agression. And Langer -- nothing wrong with him really apart from the fact that we aren't seeing too many 0/100 during the first session any more.
My new-look side for 2007:
1. Phil Jaques
2. Mike Hussey
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Michael Clarke
5. Brad Hodge
6. Brad Haddin
7. Shane Watson
8. Brett Lee
9. Stuart Clark
10. Shaun Tait
11. Dan Cullen
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 12:21:37
Despite Langer saying that the older guys are thinking of pushing back retirement after Marto beat them to it, I think there should be a mass retirement at the end of this series. McGrath has flashes of his old self but he isn't consistent. Hayden stopped excelling when he toned down his agression. And Langer -- nothing wrong with him really apart from the fact that we aren't seeing too many 0/100 during the first session any more.
My new-look side for 2007:
1. Phil Jaques
2. Mike Hussey
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Michael Clarke
5. Brad Hodge
6. Brad Haddin
7. Shane Watson
8. Brett Lee
9. Stuart Clark
10. Shaun Tait
11. Dan Cullen
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 12:21:37
It will be interesting to see if many guys retire after this series. I'm hoping so - it will be an interesting time to see new guys settle into the side. Jaques and Hussey opening - it would be so weird after Hayden and Langer for so long - but would certainly be worth watching. I'd say Hussey would more likely stay at #4 though - that little experiment is working so well (plus Clarke is going well at #5), the powers that be will be afraid to disrupt it.
Hope Warnie stays hungry though - we need him for a few more series although 2009 is a long, long way away.
Posted by JC on 2006-12-20 12:36:27
Hope Warnie stays hungry though - we need him for a few more series although 2009 is a long, long way away.
Posted by JC on 2006-12-20 12:36:27
Warnie stay hungry? Here's a little exert Henry's (Mr. Chin) weekly blog:
"Warne looks indefatigable. The quality of his output does not appear to be diminishing, long spells in very hot conditions don't worry him due to his superb training regime of pizza, smokes and tinned spaghetti. Imagine what he will be able to do when he follows the instructions of the fitness trainer and dietician!!"
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 12:51:46
"Warne looks indefatigable. The quality of his output does not appear to be diminishing, long spells in very hot conditions don't worry him due to his superb training regime of pizza, smokes and tinned spaghetti. Imagine what he will be able to do when he follows the instructions of the fitness trainer and dietician!!"
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 12:51:46
TA re that peculiar test side you have picked...
Who will be the 2 shadow players for Watson and Tait, for when they fail to make it past net sessions on Wednesday again.
Posted by Ian on 2006-12-20 13:25:12
Who will be the 2 shadow players for Watson and Tait, for when they fail to make it past net sessions on Wednesday again.
Posted by Ian on 2006-12-20 13:25:12
Re Ian: don't know if 'peculiar' is the right word. I've got a feeling that ACB preferences for keeper / batsman, an allrounder, agressive opening pairs, and a 'classy' middle order will mean things will probably end up this way in a year or so. Hussey bats anywhere and adjusts to the conditions -- a born opener!
A shadow player for Tait ain't a problem: Mitchell or one of the other up-and-coming quicks. The allrounder is the problem though...need to bat to 7 and yet field 5 bowlers. At the moment Symmonds is the spare but I would prefer to see someone else. How about this McDonald chap who's batting 100 and bowling 35 in the Pura Cup?
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 14:13:51
A shadow player for Tait ain't a problem: Mitchell or one of the other up-and-coming quicks. The allrounder is the problem though...need to bat to 7 and yet field 5 bowlers. At the moment Symmonds is the spare but I would prefer to see someone else. How about this McDonald chap who's batting 100 and bowling 35 in the Pura Cup?
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 14:13:51
Re the all-rounder issue, it may be the selectors are so obsessed with it to ease the workload of an ageing Warne and McGrath (Geoff Lawson touches on this in his blog). Maybe when we have some younger bowlers, we'll go with a proper #6 batsman.
Posted by JC on 2006-12-20 14:22:19
Posted by JC on 2006-12-20 14:22:19
Re TA's new look side for 2007.
No room for Stuart MacGill? Second best leg spinner in the world!
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-20 18:43:37
No room for Stuart MacGill? Second best leg spinner in the world!
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-20 18:43:37
Sorry mate. Thought about it but he's getting on a bit.
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 23:14:30
Posted by TA on 2006-12-20 23:14:30
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