Ashes 4th Test Day 3: Australia win by innings to go up 4-nil
After a bad loss, England are fond of saying you can't turn into a bad team overnight. Well, it didn't happen overnight but it did happen. England capitulated within 3 days, losing the 4th Test by an innings and 99 runs. At least they reduced the margin to double figures.
Somehow, one of England's strengths in Pietersen's batting has been turned into a source of division and controversy. Apparently, the management have been trying to persuade Pietersen to move to #4 but he's resisted the move. Says Duncan Fletcher:
"We've been trying to get him to four but he just feels very, very comfortable at five. Then Kevin discussed with us that he was batting with the tail a lot and he wanted to bat four. We said 'Are you sure you want to? He said he'd rather do that than be caught with the tail that we've got at the moment."Gracious words from Pietersen and I was gratified to see him bowled by an absolute peach from Clark that wouldn't have looked out of place in a Glenn McGrath career highlights reel. Looks like damned if you do, damned if you don't, huh, Kevin?
Warne started the Test with 699 Test wickets and he starts the 5th Test on 999 international wickets. Okay, this mysterious script writer of his is starting to get ridiculous - can't Warne get through a Test without breaking some milestone? Glenn McGrath deserves some attention in Sydney!
So the Test is over in 3 days - my only consolation is that being on holidays, I haven't missed out on 2 days of cricket. Still, maybe I should stop predicting draws. I've resisted predicting a clean sweep for fear of jinxing it (the irrational tradition of a cricket tragic who thinks his own actions will affect the outcome of a game he has no actual involvement with). Now with Australia completely dominating England in every department, it's hard to see momentum switching the other way.
| Posted by JC on Sat 30 Dec |  6 comments |
Don't Pietersen's words sum up the man? Pietersen plays for Pietersen. If I was an English selector I'd drop him for a bit, till he learned to understand what a team game is all about.
Have perused various English blogs and other websites regarding the "debacle". The media aside, isn't England a country full of apologists? Our boys are doing their best, we are putting in but getting beaten by a better side etc etc. Codswallop. Bring on Bangladesh or Kenya. Let's play a side that plays to its ability.
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-30 17:45:03
Have perused various English blogs and other websites regarding the "debacle". The media aside, isn't England a country full of apologists? Our boys are doing their best, we are putting in but getting beaten by a better side etc etc. Codswallop. Bring on Bangladesh or Kenya. Let's play a side that plays to its ability.
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-30 17:45:03
"The irrational tradition of a cricket tragic who thinks his own actions will affect the outcome of a game he has no actual involvement with"....
That certainly puts me in the same boat, JC. I always have it my tiny little brain that if I watch a run chase there will be a huge batting collapse. So I don't watch. Because I don't watch, we chase down the runs, and I'm the hero!!
By the way, have you been willing Roy to fail? If so, please keep doing so!!
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-31 15:54:37
That certainly puts me in the same boat, JC. I always have it my tiny little brain that if I watch a run chase there will be a huge batting collapse. So I don't watch. Because I don't watch, we chase down the runs, and I'm the hero!!
By the way, have you been willing Roy to fail? If so, please keep doing so!!
Posted by Dan Tas on 2006-12-31 15:54:37
Okay, maybe I have kinda been willing Roy to fail. I was pleased for him when he got his hundred (not to mention it was a match winning partnership with Haydos) but knew I'd get burned for it after all the bagging of Symonds I've posted on this website. I've got nothing against the guy - he's a genuine superstar in the one day arena, I just doubt he has the tools for Test cricket. But maybe I'm wrong - I'll be happy to be wrong if he goes on to be successful at #6 which will set up our middle order for the next half decade.
Posted by JC on 2006-12-31 22:52:50
Posted by JC on 2006-12-31 22:52:50
Quote from Kevin Pietersen:
""You can't say anything more insulting to any sportsman," Pietersen said in the News of the World about Buchanan's comments. "It's horrible, humiliating and, most importantly, not true. I am a huge team man. Ask anyone in this England squad. I give everything I have for this England team — on the field, in the dressing room and in the nets."
...in the dressing room?
Posted by TA on 2007-01-01 17:56:52
""You can't say anything more insulting to any sportsman," Pietersen said in the News of the World about Buchanan's comments. "It's horrible, humiliating and, most importantly, not true. I am a huge team man. Ask anyone in this England squad. I give everything I have for this England team — on the field, in the dressing room and in the nets."
...in the dressing room?
Posted by TA on 2007-01-01 17:56:52
As a "huge" team man, maybe he means the showers!!
Posted by Dan Tas on 2007-01-01 21:09:34
Posted by Dan Tas on 2007-01-01 21:09:34
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