On why England will win the Ashes
1. Ricky Ponting's reverse reverse psycho-babble
Starting from questioning the schedule pre Cardiff through to questioning Jonathan Trott's place before the Oval Test, the Prick had an opinion on everything.
2. Fast Bowling depth
3. Spin Bowling depth
Two stats
Number of 5+ wickets in an innings
England - 4
Australia - 2
Number of times the side took 20 wickets
England - 2
Australia - 1
So, despite taking 84 wickets to 71, Australia's inability to take 20 wickets in a game cost them. And while England could call on Harmison and Onions from the bench, Australia had no fall back. And Australia's inability to get thier bowling order right ( except for Headingley) cost them.
4. Lee and Clark will be coming of injuries
Lee never played a test. Nuff said!
5. Match practice -
England were outplayed. Just look at the stats. And yet, when the big moments came, it was England that was able to put one over the Australians. There is merit in playing the West Indies in Tests, however weak the opposition. And there is virtue in lasting beyond the first week in the World T20 competition. England were pushed in the T20 Cup, and thus tested. Australia werent.
Therein lies the difference.
6. Home field advantage - Ask Malcolm Conn!
7. Because it is the Ashes
And it showed!
Truth be told, I am glad its over.. A dull series enlivened by the propensity of both teams to out do each other in the ineptness stakes.. So unlike 2005.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
2-1 England and a prediction, revisited!
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7 comments:
T-20 world cup that is stretching the logic!!! Both the squads have very few common players and they also were not very consistent. Its really a miracle because you can't think of any one from England who has performed decently on a consistent basis apart from maybe Strauss. But great win anyway !!
Indophile,
There is virtue of being put in tight situations in a live game, whether T20 or a Test match. And the ability to negotiate those tight situations goes a long way when faced with similar situations down the road.
England had that experience, Australia didnt, atleast not in recent terms.
Cheers,
Well Homer, your prediction turned out right (but do not forget the ghee shakkar :).
Frankly, after no match 4, I had no hopes for England and did not follow the match till I saw the papers after day 2 - 160 all out? The "only positive" from match 4, Broady's performance, was well and truly topped in match 5.
quite pleasing in the end.
Freddie will not be around any more - but Broad looked good enough towards the end.
Wat a corrrect prediction!!!
Naresh,
I dont think anyone anticipated the Headingley wicket, what with its swing and bounce. I certainly did not.
And when the basic assumption is that the wickets are going to be patta's, predicting the outcome was not too difficult.
Cheers,
Wasnt very difficult CPD :)
Cheers,
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