The Ashes

[Aperitif]

Tossing - a recent survey

In the summer 2013 tests, England won 3 tosses which they went on to win and lost 2 tosses which they went on to draw.
In 2010-2011, England won 3 tosses, winning, drawing and losing once, while Aus won 2 tosses which they lost
In 2009, England won 4 tosses, winning twice, drawing once and losing once, while Aus won 1 toss which they drew
In 2006-7 England won 3 tosses and lost 2 tosses. They lost every game.
In 2005 England won 3 tosses, winning once and drawing twice, while Aus won 2 tosses, winning once and losing once

Add to these the current series of 3 toss wins and 3 test wins to Aus and we get over the past 6 series:
England : win 16 tosses, winning 7 times, drawing 3 times and losing 6 times
Australia : win 12 tosses, winning 6 times, drawing 3 times and losing 3 times

So overall, England are slightly better at tossing (16/28) and if you do win the toss, you're more likely to come first (13win/6draw/9lose).

We also see that Aus are better at converting a won toss to a victory than England are, which perhaps means that England's recent successes are related to the luck of the toss. However, if we remove the current series (and just accept England are currently a team shot to pieces), then actually while England would have an even better tossing record, there would be a very weak link between toss winning and game winning (10win/6draw/9lose). Which goes to show, none of the analysis above is that significant ;-)

Anyway, hopefully England will find their rhythm in the New Year and achieve better outcomes.

Maybe Dave Cameron could be selected and 'bat for England'? He's a prize tosser.

 

[Beebo]

Oh dear Swann has quit all form of cricket. Including County matches with immediate effect.
It was good whilst it lasted but I can't help feeling that the wheels are coming off a bit too quickly and we could be left in the international backwaters for a few years.

 

[rich p]

That's a weird decision that he surely should have left until the end of the series. There's either more to it than meets the eye or he comes out of it as a rat leaving a sinking ship.

 

[Aperitif]

That's a weird decision that he surely should have left until the end of the series. There's either more to it than meets the eye or he comes out of it as a rat leaving a sinking ship.

Swann upping sticks.
Cushy number in the IPL followed by a long-term contract with Radio 4 Long Wave AKA the Beeb as their jocular interest to understudy Blowers perhaps.
Strictly Come Two will follow, the odd appearance on TV sport gameshows and a few Tweets of him being pissed in public.(Unlike Monty P. his successor )

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

He should have at least waited until the end of the series,that's ridiculous to leave now
That just leaves us with monty.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Trott swans away and now Swann trots away.

 

[thom]

He should have at least waited until the end of the series,that's ridiculous to leave now
That just leaves us with monty.

If he had already decided he would retire at the end of this series, if he had discussed as much with Flower, if due to his ineffectiveness they had decided that they had to replace him with Monty for the rest of the series, it is the right timing.
He'll be back home for christmas most likely.

Retire with his tail between his legs or be dropped - as ill-timed and inelegant as this seems, perhaps the reality is he didn't have much to choose between.

 

[Aperitif]

Time for a Swannsong then...it can only be

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

great match on sky sports at the moment south africa chasing 458 to win need 40 runs to win with 4 wickets left.
would be highest score to win from a side batting last

 

[Inertia]

If he had already decided he would retire at the end of this series, if he had discussed as much with Flower, if due to his ineffectiveness they had decided that they had to replace him with Monty for the rest of the series, it is the right timing.
He'll be back home for christmas most likely.

Retire with his tail between his legs or be dropped - as ill-timed and inelegant as this seems, perhaps the reality is he didn't have much to choose between.

Maybe its just me but wouldnt it have been better for the team to let them drop him? Take one for the team as it where, one last service.

 

[Aperitif]

great match on sky sports at the moment south africa chasing 458 to win need 40 runs to win with 4 wickets left.
would be highest score to win from a side batting last

Could have been good! Sporting Life write up.
I fancy being called 'AB' but not so sure about being a bit of a 'Faf' - good cricket!

 

[Accy cyclist]

4-0 down and heading for a complete humiliation!! Time to bring these dingbats home,forfeit the last test and get them back from this holiday they seem to think they're on!! There's nothing more sickening than an Australian who knows he has the upper hand,and boy do this lot of big headed Australians have the upper hand thanks to our wimps out there!

 

[gavgav]

4-0 down and heading for a complete humiliation!! Time to bring these dingbats home,forfeit the last test and get them back from this holiday they seem to think they're on!! There's nothing more sickening than an Australian who knows he has the upper hand,and boy do this lot of big headed Australians have the upper hand thanks to our wimps out there!

I think the writing is on the wall for a whitewash. When your captain (who is supposed to lead by example) drops a catch off both openers, what chance do we have!

 

[Beebo]

Looks like a 5 - Nil whitewash is on the cards.

here is an amazing statistic, which sums up why we have lost.
If you take average of Australia's first 5 wickets across all 5 matches they have average of 141 - 5, not bad bowling from England.
The second 5 wickets have averaged 214 - 5. Meaning that England have let it slip away, and by the time they bat they are on the back foot everytime.
How can the tail average more than the top order?

 

[thom]

Looks like a 5 - Nil whitewash is on the cards.

here is an amazing statistic, which sums up why we have lost.
If you take average of Australia's first 5 wickets across all 5 matches they have average of 141 - 5, not bad bowling from England.
The second 5 wickets have averaged 214 - 5. Meaning that England have let it slip away, and by the time they bat they are on the back foot everytime.
How can the tail average more than the top order?

Brad Haddin… - yes indeed the lower order runs for Australia coupled with the ability of Mitchell Johnson to polish off the England lower order is a marked difference between the sides.