TRI SERIES COMPETITION

MrsTarrant · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 1:41 pm

I don't know how these guys played today in the heat! They said it was 46 degrees on the ground so I think that might have something to do with England playing so poorly! Australia bowled extremely well today and like you said Donny Gilly captained the team brilliantly! I look forward to watching Australia score the runs for victory!

MrsTarrant · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 1:42 pm

By the way to all of those who criticise Brett Lee take a look at his figures posted by Donny! He was very very impressive!

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 1:43 pm

Its a pity that Bracken was not selected in the World Cup squad as he would have added some variety.

Great to see Brett Lee bowl well. He is ideally suited to bowling in the middle overs of a one day game. He bowled a great line and length and pitched the ball up

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 1:43 pm

England off to a perfect start

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

Donny · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 3:45 pm

Was that your little smiley face, m8? Come on, out of the closet, JLC. Admit it. Why not just say you're a Pom through and through.

Oh, hang on, maybe you're really a Kiwi. Well you want the Aussies to meet the Black Caps in the semis of the World Cup becoz you reckon NZ will beat them.

Oops, I was forgetting your comments about how South Africa's class pace bowlers will rip through our batting order becoz of the vulnerability of Gilchist,Martyn,Lehmann,Watson etc. AND no Steve Waugh!

Aww, I'm lost, m8. Come on. Tell us who you're going for coz we sure know who you're NOT going for! Lol.

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 3:57 pm

Its simple i like Australia and i have supported them all my life, but i am going for England as i don't agree with the Australian selectors and the team they have picked. Michael Bevan used to be such an exciting one day player yet now a days he is dead set boring and pretty damn selfish with his approach to batting. That is just one of my frustrations at the moment!!

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 4:06 pm

Another frustration is Symonds......how embarrassing.

I just can't comprehend his selection. How the hell is he better than Ian Harvey?? Please Trevor Hohns tell us. If by a miracle Symonds does something it will be like winning russian roulette.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 4:49 pm

Great knock by Michael Clarke. First game and i think he showed a few of the top order up. Looks to have a cool head under pressure. Fielded quite well and can roll his arm over. It makes you wonder why he wasnt chosen in the 15 man squad ??

Congratulations to Nathan Bracken Man of the Match in his first senior game this summer. He too should have been in the world cup squad as left armers add variety to the attack.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

Donny · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 6:46 pm

It was disappointing, the way the Aussies chased the megre England total. I haven't heard from Gilly or the coach, yet, so although it seemed obvious the Aussies wanted to play the Poms in the final series and didn't play for the bonus point, that might not have been the case.

After losing both openers cheaply, maybe they (Bevan and Martyn) were just under instructions to win and take no chances.

But realistically and tactically, they had no reason, other than entertaining the crowd, to take any risks for a bonus point that would've given Sri Lanka an outside chance of passing England. It's clear which team represents the bigger danger.

JLC, I agree with much of what you wrote in your 3 previous posts. Symonds: fundamental and embarrassing mistake. Rather Harvey, any day. Bevan: I've always found him boring with exasperatingly negative body language but he's still just about the ideal foil for the more adventurous batsmen around him and has played some excellent, winning hands for Oz.

Williams and Bracken were superb tonight and either looks a better prospect than Bic. I thought it a great move by Gilly not to open with Lee. Sort of a wake up call. He came on as second change and bowled his best spell of the series.

Clarke looked the goods.

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

MrsTarrant · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 7:43 pm

LoL JLC you sound like me I hate the selectors for dropping Slats and I dislike Langer for taking his place but hey I still go for Australia! JLC I definately agree with you when it comes to Michael Bevan, he sure is boring but like Donny says he can win a game for Australia when needed and I think they have him in the team for security! I also agree with you about Symonds, Harvey definately is better than him but I guess because Harvey plays for Victoria then that rules him out of being selected! Michael Clarke oh isn't he fantastic, he's young, he's cute, he's talented, I have wanted this guy in the team for some time now! He played a great game today and should be really pleased with himself! Bracken should be very pleased with himself also! Donny do you really think that the Aussies tried not to win the bonus point to ensure they would meet England in the final? I hope that's not the case because I can tell you I got a bit worried they were going to loose however they didn't which was good! How's your mate Hussain Donny LoL the guy is so lost when he was dismissed today he was walking out the wrong gate, maybe he just wanted to leave the ground altogether! I thought of you when I saw that because I know how much you love the guy LoL! Unfortunately I won't be able to make the one dayer in Melbourne on Tuesday as I am working but I doubt it will be much of a game anyway but I could be wrong. Hopefully the finals will be good!

Donny · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 8:00 pm

Yeah, RIGHT!! Mrs Taz. I wouldn't even use a photo of that bloke on my dartboard! It'd probably just bunt the dart back for me to catch. It wasn't so much that he couldn't find the right gate. He was looking for a hole to disappear into!

Yep, they did risk losing by stringing it out (if that's what they did) and if Watson or Clarke had gone early who knows? England could've won the unwinnable. Lol. Obviously they wanna play JLC's mob in the final series becoz Sri Lanka could beat them.

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

JLC · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 1:25 am

Ummmmm hello thats a bit of a worry if you ask me. The $2.80 favourite for the World Cup is scared of playing Sri Lanka in their HOME country?? Hardly inspiring stuff leading into the World Cup. Obviously Australia don't have too much confidence going into Tuesdays game at The MCG. Australia should have gone out their and shown why they are the World Cup champions. The fact that it appears Australia don't want to play Sri Lanka should give the Sri Lankans a bit of an edge come World Cup time.

Also why send out a pinch hitter??

My other worry is that you cannot turn on your form like a tap!!! I don't think Maher has proved himself yet so surely he was wanting to make runs. When was the last time Bevan scored a quick innings? He appears to be in a very negative mind set with his batting which isnt good going into the World Cup.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

JLC · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 5:14 am

Nah i think I will risk the aussies winning

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

Donny · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 2:35 pm

Actually there were 6 of the Oz A team out there - Maher,Clarke,Symonds,Hogg,Williams and Bracken.

It would be interesting to take out the three best bowlers and batsmen from the other frontline World Cup contenders and play them against England. I think we'd find the Poms winning a few.

With Vaughan and Hoggard in, they had their best possible team on the park and yet were humbled (certainly in the batting) by the 'weakened' Aussies.

I don't think the Aussies are 'scared' of any team. I just said, "It's clear which team represents the bigger danger.."

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

MrsTarrant · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 4:54 pm

This is scarey but I actually have to agree with JLC that if the theory Australia would rather play England in the finals is correct then that is sending out a bad message and will definately give Sri Lanka some confidence! I don't think Australia is scared of any team as such but prefering to play certain teams doesn't make them look too powerfull! Of course Australia denied the report that they were avoiding the bonus point but we all have our doubts! I also agree with what JLC said about Australia not being able to turn on the form like a tap when needed which is why I was against that post stating all players in the World Cup should be rested in this series! However, I still think the Aussies will win the World Cup!

I hope they do anyway!