posted Dec 19, 2006

Pietersen would bat 4 moving Hussey to 5 and Clarke to 6. Flintoff would bat 8 in place of Lee and eventually McGrath.

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posted Dec 19, 2006

England's cricket is ok they just need to brush up on the way they appeal for a wicket. Maybe after every ball is bowled, stamp their feet, cuss and curse and put more pressure on the umpires. The unpleasant australians have it down to a tee!

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posted Dec 19, 2006

Australia did under perform in 2005 and England over achieved. This is evident by Englands form since the 2005 Ashes - average at best, compared to Australia's as back to its ruthless best. 5-0 baby.

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posted Dec 19, 2006

Alexsacco (from an Aussie supporter) you cannot seem to separate performance from reputation and by extention talent.

Putting aside reputation my combined side for the series would read (7 Aussies 4 English):

Cook (is only 21 plus his 100 under pressure was quality and Hayden and Langer's time is past)
Hussey (can play opener for this exercise)
Ponting
Collingwood (Has been a revelation in this series thought he was just average previously)
Pieterson
Clarke
Gilchrist (as you need a wicketkeeper and Jones has been average)
Warne
Hoggard (continues to impress)
Clark
McGrath

Couldn't find room for Flintoff on form although you would pick him.

After 2005 my combined side would have read (7 English and 3 Aussies - note the keepers were both rubbish so neither were selected)

Strauss
Trescothick (though have never really rated him)
Vaughan (c)
Ponting
Pieterson
Flintoff
Any keeper (Gilchrist and Jones were equally rubbish)
Warne
S Jones
Hoggard
McGrath

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posted Dec 19, 2006

Oh come now. Do you really think that Australian are unpleasant? Or is that glass of sour grape juice geting to you?

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posted Dec 19, 2006

As an Aussie supporter, I think that our over appealing at times was ridiculous. Warnie, legend that he is, was over the top when turned down on a couple of occasions.

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posted Dec 19, 2006

Davo 3231. I would just like to say I agree entirely with both your combined teams for the last two Ashes series'. Australia might have won three out of three in this series but England were missing some key players and had others who weren't fully fit. That's the real reason why England have lost the Ashes. Australia have beaten an under strength England team.

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posted Dec 20, 2006

I think that Australians are incredibly unpleasant in the main. Bad winners and very sour losers. "Order has been restored" - who does McGrath think he is? When we lost to the Windies in the 80s, at least they played cricket with a smile and were a friendly bunch of people. Give me Viv over Steve Waugh any day.

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posted Dec 20, 2006

Sorry, unpleasant was a bit unfair. How about arrogant and win at all cost merchants.

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