2009 Ashes Series - England vs. Australia **Spoilers**

The good news is that England's abuse of substitutes may be coming to an end:


ENGLAND has been warned it could be forced to field with only 10 men, with umpires cracking down on the use of substitute fieldsmen. In scenes reminiscent of the 2005 Ashes, when the use of substitute Gary Pratt infuriated Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, England has tested the patience of match officials.

During the fourth Test loss at Headingley, England frequently took its fast bowlers off for breaks of several overs at a time, with Stuart Broad the main offender. Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf gave the young quick a stern dressing-down when he returned to the field after a break on the second day. Rauf also warned England captain Andrew Strauss about the substitute issue.

Match referee Ranjan Madugalle confirmed England had been warned it would have to do without a fieldsman if a player was off for more than two overs without a legitimate injury concern.
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(Source).
 
Evangelion said:
The good news is that England's abuse of substitutes may be coming to an end:


ENGLAND has been warned it could be forced to field with only 10 men, with umpires cracking down on the use of substitute fieldsmen. In scenes reminiscent of the 2005 Ashes, when the use of substitute Gary Pratt infuriated Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, England has tested the patience of match officials.

During the fourth Test loss at Headingley, England frequently took its fast bowlers off for breaks of several overs at a time, with Stuart Broad the main offender. Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf gave the young quick a stern dressing-down when he returned to the field after a break on the second day. Rauf also warned England captain Andrew Strauss about the substitute issue.

Match referee Ranjan Madugalle confirmed England had been warned it would have to do without a fieldsman if a player was off for more than two overs without a legitimate injury concern.
​

(Source).
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Haha, I love the way they go on about Gary Pratt. He was on the pitch for Simon Jones at the time who didn't play any more cricket for England from that point on! But anyway, I think everyone's glad they are cracking down on it, it's got silly, and it's not just England doing it!


azza21 said:
I'm not as big cricket fan as some of you guys but always watch the ashes series but from what i've been reading doesn't Rampakash play in the second division of the cricket leagues. Therefor wouldn't the standard of bowling be lower, the standard as a whole be lower then league 1. I mean i know rampakash has been superb from what i've read but shorly you cannot pick him over Key or Trott (both in the league 1?). His England test averages was only 27.32 as well so going on past records it was hardly a blistering average.

Which brings me to Trott i also read he bats at edgebaston which is a great batting pitch and renowned for batsman getting high averages, which would give trott better figures, wouldn't it...

Which leaves Key, it seems he is the man most deserving a place
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With regards to Ramprakash - Surrey have only been in league 2 for this season, and his averages have been as follows:
Year Avg 100s HS
2005 74.66 6 252
2006 103.54 8 301*
2007 101.30 10 266*
2008 61.75 6 200*
2009 100.75 5 274

And Rob Key is also playing in league 2, and his average is only 53.90 - but that includes a 270*. A certain GO Jones has scored more runs for Kent so far this season, although he has played in a couple more games.
 
Evangelion said:
The good news is that England's abuse of substitutes may be coming to an end:


ENGLAND has been warned it could be forced to field with only 10 men, with umpires cracking down on the use of substitute fieldsmen. In scenes reminiscent of the 2005 Ashes, when the use of substitute Gary Pratt infuriated Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, England has tested the patience of match officials.

During the fourth Test loss at Headingley, England frequently took its fast bowlers off for breaks of several overs at a time, with Stuart Broad the main offender. Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf gave the young quick a stern dressing-down when he returned to the field after a break on the second day. Rauf also warned England captain Andrew Strauss about the substitute issue.

Match referee Ranjan Madugalle confirmed England had been warned it would have to do without a fieldsman if a player was off for more than two overs without a legitimate injury concern.
​

(Source).
Click to expand...

That is good news if true...this time around England have taken advantage of the umpiring...time wasting in the first test and now taking bowlers off for a few overs then bringing them back on...bit silly and i havent seen the Aussies take that much advantage compared to what England have been trying to get away with.
 
Spawn said:
That is good news if true...this time around England have taken advantage of the umpiring...time wasting in the first test and now taking bowlers off for a few overs then bringing them back on...bit silly and i havent seen the Aussies take that much advantage compared to what England have been trying to get away with.
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Maybe because the Aussies are playing away and don't have the same luxury of substitute fielders? I don't recall England doing it too often when they are playing away.
 
oli collett said:
Maybe because the Aussies are playing away and don't have the same luxury of substitute fielders? I don't recall England doing it too often when they are playing away.
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True but anyways if they are clamping down on it then its good imho.

Great news for England that Flintoff is fit for the final test but i have a feeling he will break down unless they have given him some super duper medicine:p...but England definitely need him if they are to win the final test...

As for the Aussies, gonna be tough for them not to pick Lee as hes more or less fit then theres the problem of Clark, whether to drop him for Hauritz or not.
 
I can't believe that Flintoff being in the team is such a boost. Don't get me wrong, i've seen the evidence when they play but what will England do in the next series after he's retired?

Some players really do need to step up and if they can't do that without Flintoff being there, then maybe they shouldn't be international cricketers
 
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Spawn said:
As for the Aussies, gonna be tough for them not to pick Lee as hes more or less fit then theres the problem of Clark, whether to drop him for Hauritz or not.
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It's a tough call. I think our bowling attack should consist of Siddle, Clark, Hilfenhaus, Hauritz and Lee.
 
Evangelion said:
It's a tough call. I think our bowling attack should consist of Siddle, Clark, Hilfenhaus, Hauritz and Lee.
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Id agree with you but tbh the Aussies need Johnson..ok he hasnt had the best of series...he only really started to shine in the last Test where he took 5 wickets in the 2nd innings...like i said its a tough call for Merv and the selectors...id drop Siddle and keep with Johnson...or perhaps its time to drop Hussey as his form has been pretty much shot to pieces....i think he needs a break away from cricket so he can get that form back that made him one of the top batsmen in the world.
 
Spawn said:
Id agree with you but tbh the Aussies need Johnson..ok he hasnt had the best of series...he only really started to shine in the last Test where he took 5 wickets in the 2nd innings...like i said its a tough call for Merv and the selectors...id drop Siddle and keep with Johnson...or perhaps its time to drop Hussey as his form has been pretty much shot to pieces....i think he needs a break away from cricket so he can get that form back that made him one of the top batsmen in the world.
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We can't afford to bring in six bowlers, though, can we? Someone's got to sit out.

You're right about Johnson. It would be a wrench to have him in the pavilion all day, but we have to go with what works. Groundsmen at the Oval are saying that the pitch will favour spin bowlers, so I am hoping that swing won't be a problem for our batsmen.

oli collett said:
No Johnson? And who would you drop to play 5 bowlers? Hussey? I'd have Johnson instead of Siddle the way he's bowled in the last 2 tests, he'll be very handy at the oval.
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Like I said; it's a tough call. Johnson and Siddle have both been inconsistent. It all comes down to which of them would perform best on the Oval's surface. Yes, I'd drop Hussey to play 5 bowlers.
 
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y2viks said:
I can't believe that Flintoff being in the team is such a boost. Don't get me wrong, i've seen the evidence when they play but what will England do in the next series after he's retired?

Some players really do need to step up and if they can't do that without Flintoff being there, then maybe they shouldn't be international cricketers
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Tbh, I think the problem is more the continual 'will he, won't he' play.

I feel the whole preparation for Headingley was entirely wrong IMO, only deciding whether to play Flintoff or not or the morning of the Test, calling up a batsman so bringing in more uncertainty, changing the focus from all-out bowling to batting and back again, the injury to Prior 10 minutes before the toss - not making excuses but it was all adds up.

After the 1st innings, the Test was basically gone - our whole line-up was based on getting runs for the win, being all out for 100 there was no chance we were winning from that position, and with the tail starting at 6, a miniscule chance of saving the game.

We should pick the side to play now, no messing about, let the team focus on the job that needs doing. We're not in a bad position, 1-1 in the series, one win is all it will take (2-1 not being a 'good' win - lol, tell that to Aussie cricket team that they 'only' lost the 2005 series 2-1).
 
dirtydog said:
Gutted, I was really hoping he might be able to play.
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There was no chance he was going to play in any of the remaining Test matches after his surgery...unless he made some super recovery but i highly doubt England would have even picked him...they need a fit KP, not a recovering KP as he wouldnt be of any use to them.

Getting an infection after the surgery is not a good sign, just means hes out for a fair while longer.
 
Spawn said:
There was no chance he was going to play in any of the remaining Test matches after his surgery...unless he made some super recovery but i highly doubt England would have even picked him...they need a fit KP, not a recovering KP as he wouldnt be of any use to them.

Getting an infection after the surgery is not a good sign, just means hes out for a fair while longer.
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Yeah I know, my hope to see him play was ruled more by my heart than my head I guess.
 
Rich_L said:
Tbh, I think the problem is more the continual 'will he, won't he' play.

I feel the whole preparation for Headingley was entirely wrong IMO, only deciding whether to play Flintoff or not or the morning of the Test, calling up a batsman so bringing in more uncertainty, changing the focus from all-out bowling to batting and back again, the injury to Prior 10 minutes before the toss - not making excuses but it was all adds up.

After the 1st innings, the Test was basically gone - our whole line-up was based on getting runs for the win, being all out for 100 there was no chance we were winning from that position, and with the tail starting at 6, a miniscule chance of saving the game.

We should pick the side to play now, no messing about, let the team focus on the job that needs doing. We're not in a bad position, 1-1 in the series, one win is all it will take (2-1 not being a 'good' win - lol, tell that to Aussie cricket team that they 'only' lost the 2005 series 2-1).
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I think that is a good point. Picking the team sooner rather than later gives the team time to gear themselves up mentally for the task ahead. Waiting on Freddie until the last minute mentally sends the message to the team that you will lose unless he is in the team, which seems to have been the case at Headingley.
 
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