[tomtom]

The problem with Nick Bryant is that he seems to regard the Murdoch-owned Sydney papers as the sum total of the "Australian media!" I have neither seen nor heard any of the "Great Ashes Heist" stuff he refers to in the Melbourne press. 

I suspect he's not the only Australian correspondent from overseas media who is guilty of rarely straying more than 50 miles from the comfort of his Sydney harbourside apartment.

Yeah - I wondered how 'sensationalist' his article is - its partly pitched at what brits may want to hear. At the last min I changed article to blog in my post....

Was listening on the radio this AM, and by the sounds of things the Oz team cannot drop someone from being captain without dropping them from the team - which seems a bit harsh??

[DaveC]

The talkback radio here today has been interesting. Oddly it's been a mixture of ex-pat Brits and British journos & ex-cricketers who reckon England stole this one when they were clearly not the best side, while the locals have been surprisingly magnanimous.
As for the Australian captaincy, traditionally it goes to a senior batsman (or all-rounder) and stays with him until he retires. There have been a few exceptions (the last being Kim Hughes in 1984) but this has been the generally successful formula going right back to the days of Bill Woodfull and D.G. Bradman. Ponting's stats as captain have been inflated up until now by the successes when the likes of Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, Warne & McGrath were in the side but they must be in freefall now after losing three of their last four series. The view here seems to be that he'll keep his job for the time being but there is a fair bit of agitation to change the selection panel and reduce Ponting's power to choose his team.
It will be interesting to see whether England build on this series win and avoid the nasty wake-up call the last side to visit Australia got 18 months on from winning the old urn!!
PS If Strauss isn't confirmed in the captaincy for the next couple of seasons I'll know your selectors are pretty much as stupid as ours BTW!!

[GraemeA]

Unfortunately we visit the Saffers in the winter so I doubt if we will be building very much on this victory.

Although we did beat them last time we visited (2005 I think). A lot has changed since that visit, including us winning the Ashes twice :-)

[SA Chris]

given the current english side,
they should get through customs REALLY quick on the upcoming tour of South Africa. should be cheap on accomodation too. lots of Mum's favorite dishes.

i'm sure there'll be of plenty of new british passports on offer. 

Is all Australian Whine made with sour grapes?

[Aussiegav]

I'm not sour at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed the series. If you read my other posts you'd of  noticed.
Try your spam jokes somewhere else.

[SA Chris]

Not spam jokes, just wind up jokes, same as yours. Thought you guys had a sense of humour, sorry.

[Aussiegav]

sorry chris, misinterpreted
just hoping for something a bit more original than the usual winging aussies sore losers blah blah, 

[tomtom]

I dont think the Aussies whinge Oldfella (well none that I've met do.. though you're press seem pretty harsh/petty - though that might just be a Murdoch thing), just that I've been called a whinging pom a few times when over there (never in a malicious way..) and so its fun to finally get a chance to use the saying back 

[SA Chris]

I dont think the Aussies whinge Oldfella

Apart from Ponting, moans like an old fishwife.

Reminds me of an old joke though.

How do you know when a planeload of Brits has landed at Sydney airport?

You can hear the whining  long after the engines have been shut down.

[DaveC]

ALright Chris, Oldfella, stop it!
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[tomtom]

ALright Chris, Oldfella, stop it!

 ??? I wanted to tell the one about the Brit arriving at customs in Australia and being asked if he had any criminal convictions...... 

[butters]

Unfortunately we visit the Saffers in the winter so I doubt if we will be building very much on this victory.

We have two big problem areas at the minute - that of the No. 3 position and the overall make up of the bowling attack.

To resolve the No. 3 position I would drop Cook down a position and bring in a right handed opener in his place. He is a player that has quality (he scored a century on debut in India after arriving 24 hours earlier when he was plucked from the England A team IIRC) but he seems to have lost his way a bit so I would send him back to County cricket for the rest of the season. Get him back to Essex and let Gooch sort out his footwork which has been rather lacking for a good while now and when that is sorted he can come back. It is probably a bit late in the season to be doing this but if anyone can sort it out Gooch can.

The bowling is a bit more of a problem area - Broad is nailed on as the all rounder and Swann as the 1st choice spinner but the rest is open to offers as far as I can see. Anderson is probably secure in his place for the tour and when he is on form and has rhythm he is more than worthy of his place, Harmison was making some very non-committing noises about the tour of SA yesterday and I suspect that he will end up going but he is always a hit and miss sort of bowler (even more so overseas). Other than that the two obvious contenders are Onions and Sidebottom with Rashid as a probable replacement spinner - no one else appears to be tearing up any trees in either the first or second division in the County game.

[tommytwotone]

I'm a very happy (and a very hungover) man today - I was at the Oval yesterday, a mere 6 rows from the rope and also sat right next to the 'green and gold' of Merv's Aussie barmy army.

What great stuff - these are the days that make shambles like Headingley worthwhile.

[Jaspersharpe]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/aug/25/ashes-twitter-cricket-england-australia

[Falling Down]

Good article 

[n_man]

sorry chris, misinterpreted
just hoping for something a bit more original than the usual winging aussies sore losers blah blah, 

Given they are national characteristics you can't really be surprised that people have a go at them.

More importantly I've had a brilliant few days watching the Aussies lose at sport 

1. The Ashes - beaten by an indifferent England side - say no more
2. All Blacks beating Aussies in Oz (despite two good tries being ruled out for the All Blacks)
3. Tall Blacks basketball team beating the Aussies by the biggest ever margin tonight


 

[Jaspersharpe]

Nice to see SA Chris reach his ton of wad points. He's the Geoff Boycott of UKB having faced 7608 balls in making his century.

[tomtom]

Nice to see SA Chris reach his ton of wad points. He's the Geoff Boycott of UKB having faced 7608 balls in making his century.

well... that bear gag was well worth it 

[BB]

Nice to see SA Chris reach his ton of wad points. He's the Geoff Boycott of UKB having faced 7608 balls in making his century.

Well deserved. He's been on tip top form of late.

[SA Chris]

It's been emotional.

[butters]

Tim de Lisle posts yet another quality article.

[loz]

This is funny classic tomo

[Jaspersharpe]

Tim de Lisle posts yet another quality article.

Good article that.

[Plattsy]

Tim de Lisle posts yet another quality article.

Laser guided precision.

Hope they take Rashid to SA. Boy in form.

[Jaspersharpe]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/england-slightly-less-appalling-than-australia-200908242003/