The Ashes

[thom]

Watson is Watts-on this morning - he gets a powerful 50 and has 58 from 65 balls.
Aus 81/1 and England using both spinners already in this game.

 

[brodiej]

I

England using both spinners already in this game.

Well - 1 spinner and Kerrigan!

Poor fellow's first 2 overs in tests conceded 28 runs. It's hard to see him getting a bowl again in a hurry.

Woakes is only an average 3rd seamer so we're basically going to have to rely on Swann, Broad and Anderson it would appear.

 

[thom]

It is staggering Watson has only 2 test hundreds to his name (before today at any rate)

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Definitely Aussie's session there. It could be over 300 by the end of the day.

 

[Durian]

A couple of quick wickets after lunch and things will look much better.

 

[Dayvo]

I like Darren Lehmann, but I think he has stepped out of line with regard to Stuart Broad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23778598

I don't approve of cheats in any form, or to put it another way, players who definitely know they are out or 'claim a 'catch', which goes against the spirit of the game and is ungentlemanly conduct. However, for Lehmann to say what he has, is effectively to 'invite' some drunken Aussie to have a go at Broad during the Ashes series Down Under this winter.

I remember in the 1970/71 series when John Snow was accosted by some ocker leading Ray Illingworth to take the team off the ground. I fear this could well happen again.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/image/380276.html?object=20282

What makes Lehmann's comments worse is that he is Australian, and Australians are reputed to be the worst walkers of the lot:
http://theramble.com.au/2013/07/to-walk-or-not-to-walk/


Anyway, I'm pleased to see Australia make a fight of it in this Test, although I'm not too sure about England's team selection.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Vaughan's going to be cycling to the ODIs. Kudos.
Aggers will be on an electric bike. Very disappointing.

 

[thom]

Vaughan's going to be cycling to the ODIs. Kudos.
Aggers will be on an electric bike. Very disappointing.

And they were talking about paying road tax for a moment too...

 

[User482]

I don't approve of cheats in any form, or to put it another way, players who definitely know they are out or 'claim a 'catch', which goes against the spirit of the game and is ungentlemanly conduct.

Given that there's nothing in the Laws requiring you to walk, I don't see how standing your ground is cheating. I think it's a bit different from claiming a grassed catch, which is an active attempt at deception. A better analogy would be a batsman, when faced with an LBW shout, points to his bat to try and make the umpire believe he got an inside edge.

 

[thom]

Leg Before Watson given a reprieve !
I'm glad he's getting his runs at this point of the series and not when it mattered.

 

[Dayvo]

Given that there's nothing in the Laws requiring you to walk, I don't see how standing your ground is cheating.

Then I feel that our interpretations of fair play and sporting conduct are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

You may, or indeed may not, care to peruse this: http://www.planetcricket.net/forums/cricket-discussion/not-walking-cheating-85034.html

There are opinions for both sides of the argument, but if a batsman, knowingly hits the ball and doesn't walk, then he his, IMHO, trying to con the umpire. And, in my eyes, that makes him a cheat.

But I respect your opinion, even though I don't agree with it.

 

[thom]

But I respect your opinion, even though I don't agree with it.

If you said that in CA&D you'd get pilloried and maybe banned

 

[Dayvo]

If you said that in CA&D you'd get pilloried and maybe banned

Hence my absence therefrom .

I know my place on this forum!

 

[DooDah]

I like Darren Lehmann, but I think he has stepped out of line with regard to Stuart Broad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23778598

I don't approve of cheats in any form, or to put it another way, players who definitely know they are out or 'claim a 'catch', which goes against the spirit of the game and is ungentlemanly conduct. However, for Lehmann to say what he has, is effectively to 'invite' some drunken Aussie to have a go at Broad during the Ashes series Down Under this winter.

I remember in the 1970/71 series when John Snow was accosted by some ocker leading Ray Illingworth to take the team off the ground. I fear this could well happen again.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/image/380276.html?object=20282

What makes Lehmann's comments worse is that he is Australian, and Australians are reputed to be the worst walkers of the lot:
http://theramble.com.au/2013/07/to-walk-or-not-to-walk/


Anyway, I'm pleased to see Australia make a fight of it in this Test, although I'm not too sure about England's team selection.

Darren Lehmanns comments sounds like incitement to violence and crowd trouble. However, it is just another case of an Aussie (Ricky Ponting springs to mind) whingeing like hell when they are losing. They call us whingeing Poms, but they are the worst losers in the world.

 

[User482]

Then I feel that our interpretations of fair play and sporting conduct are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

You may, or indeed may not, care to peruse this: http://www.planetcricket.net/forums/cricket-discussion/not-walking-cheating-85034.html

There are opinions for both sides of the argument, but if a batsman, knowingly hits the ball and doesn't walk, then he his, IMHO, trying to con the umpire. And, in my eyes, that makes him a cheat.

But I respect your opinion, even though I don't agree with it.

But given there's nothing in the laws about it, I don't see how waiting for the umpire to make a decision is cheating. It's in my view better behaviour than bowlers appealing when they know it's not out. That said I would prefer it if batsmen did walk, but they need to do it every time.

I'll read the link when I have a bit more time, thanks.