God damn, McGrath is already out of the side after stepping on a ball in a warm up. Kasper s in to replace him. What a blow to the aussies. Anyway, match is starting right now.

p.s. it's on SBS for those not in the know

heres to hoping kasper gets some wickets and cements his place in the side and that mcgrath comes roaring back into fitness for the third test :) (an aussie win wouldnt be too bad either, but i spose we can hold out for a draw ^_^)

wtf mate just got home from work and mcgarth is injured

useless f***er :/

pommies are cutting sik at the moment :(

1 x dropped catch and 1 x wicket off no-ball

we'll still win though

This match will be a draw.

hahah crickets gay...
gay gay gay.

so why bother to
1. click the thread
2. read it and
3. post in it

at least kat being a turdburger is original, you're just a cheap imitation annoying slut

1, 2, 3
all so someone would get annoyed that i did, you made my day.

You're a f***ing loser.

You're a f***ing loser.

Gotta agree.

yeah i agree too

Warne looking dangerous.

all so someone would get annoyed that i did

Why would you do that in my thread?

Anyway England at 4/289 hopefully get them for less than 400 and we're still in with a chance.

Holy s*** a cricket thread that Fpot didnt start!

I was at work :(

game on

i dont mind a half fight from the poms
makes it more interesting

some spirited batting

we sure missed mcgrath though

warney looked awesome
some great turn, and its only going to turn more

if the aussies get within 50-70 runs, ill be selling the house and betting it on us (hope the owner doesnt mind, we rent)

As if they aren't resting/saving Mc Grath. He's turning 36 or something !?!? Save the best till needed.

407 is a pretty decent score by the poms. will be interesting to see if we can get some (550+ fingers crossed) on the board, and then bowl them out cheap!

As if they aren't resting/saving Mc Grath. He's turning 36 or something !?!? Save the best till needed.

u r dumb

^^ seconded

that flintoff is a decent batsman, smashing it round like it was nothing.

lol GG Hayden, golden duck :/

so good start to our batting

did an indian bookmaer slip punter and martyn some cash? thats the only possible explanation for those s***house dismissals

sorry I was just trying to sound hopefull, I like McGrath.

Pathetic work from the Aussie top order (except for Langer), that was a decent batting pitch and they didn't really look like they valued there wicket.

Martyn was disgusting the way he ran that single.

I dunno what the Aussies are doing, but it's not particularly good bowling from the English that's bringing them undone. It's poor shots, stupid running and poor batting in general. It's just not like the Aussies to see 3-4 batsmen score decent runs and not go on with it.

Also, jeez you'd want to hope between Gillespie/Kasper and Lee they do some damage, otherwise the selectors should be thinking of dropping 2 out of those 3 and replacing them with McGrath (obviously) and perhaps Tait (you couldn't get much worse than the way Lee bowled with the new ball in the first innings).

last edited by eK at 13:00:14 06/Aug/05

nobody has scored a century in the series yet.

That's right, what a strange series it's been so far!

Yeah thats my main concern, in the first match I'd put it down to the pitch and some great bowling (although Langer/Clarke keep looking like they should go on and get one and then fail....)

But this pitch is screaming out for some centuries and yet.....

it was a good pitch day 1, not so good beyond drinks of the first session day 2 and crumbling fast. We just played into their hands on day 1. We bowled far too short for such a slow pitch.

yes, we missed mcgrath terribly

Can someone explain why Ponting sent England in to bat on a flat pitch with half his bowling attack out injured?

how about that strauss ball from warnie?!?!!!?!?!?!??!

havent seen it yet spook

waiting to see it on the pre game talk tonight

matey, its right up there with the gatting ball

u wont believe it

yep, just saw it

f***en hell, what a delivery - was even better then gatting (maybe) because it was a lefty... but then again gatting delivery was behind his legs...

awesome!

hope he rips through then today

/off to watch, drink beer and eat the bbq i've just finished cooking mmm scotch fillet steak :D

Nice bang Lee! GO AUSSIE

4/31

f*** yeh!!

game on bitches

It isn't just game on, it's heavily swung in our favour. Of course it could swing back with just one good partnership, but if the Aussies can keep the foot on the throat then the game is ours to take.

f***en hell, what a delivery - was even better then gatting (maybe) because it was a lefty... but then again gatting delivery was behind his legs...

i've had this argument on this forum before. The gatting ball was NOT behind his legs. It pitched outside leg, gatting went forward and played a regulation defensive shot and watched incredulously as it spun past his pads and bat and clipped the top of off stump.

Hat trick warne! plus flintoff rip 2x 6 off kasper

Hat trick warne!

Warne was ON a hat trick, then bowled his worst ball of the innings to NOT get it.

Wtf is Brett Lee doing, does he realise how much harder he makes it for the aussie batsmen by bowling rubbish deliveries and giving away free runs?

Full and straight to Flintoff, get Jones on strike and get him out. Not this s***.

last edited by eK at 23:35:03 06/Aug/05

Lee sure has bowled a lot better in the 2nd dig.

Btw when was the last time the Australian TOP ORDER set up a 500+ score for australia?

tell u what though, that pitch isn't doing that much yet....

also the rough really aint gonna help giles that much.

It's still only day 3 and that's why all the fourth innings stats from history they flash up mean a lot less these days. They score runs so quickly that the fourth innings doesn't tend to be on nightmare crumbling variable decks that are well past their prime for batting.

yeh giles doesn't spin it much :p

f*** flintoff is a cainer, he was injured and all...

eK don't be too harsh on Lee without him this morning getting the first 2 wickets we'd be up s*** creek - he did get tonked about in the last few overs he bowled, he honestly gets smashed about far too much for my liking, but if he takes wickets ya can't complain...

282 to win and a 3rd day pitch, I think it's do-able, but to be realistic I rekon the poms might get us :( the batsmen will choke

really the only danger is harmison, flintoff won't bowl that well with injured arm, jones hasn't done much and giles doesn't spin it - he relies on batsmen mistakes to take wickets :po

Yeah perhaps a tad critical, however I really think Lee needs to learn how to bowl balls that won't get hit for six when England are 9/150 odd.

well i f***ed that didn't i - flintoff ripped when he bowled, the bastard :p

hopefully no more wickets for a bit

Australia's batting really is pathetic lately, it hasn't been great bowling taking a lot of wickets, its lasiness and not taking enough pride in your wicket.

Much more of this and Australia will need some kind of shakeup, maybe bring in Hodge for someone who's repeatedly screwing up.


Martyn this match = lasy singe full run out, lasy shot for wicket at a crucial part of a test match.

Anyone who saw pontings 5 balls would know he looked absolutely clueless out there to.

yeah it's like the batters think 'they've got this covered' and are playing arrogantly, but it seems both teams batsmen are

trying to score to quickly

only 150 odd to get... it'll go down to the wire I rekon, altho we lose a wicket or two and its Englands game...

well we're f***ed now :(

Clarke just got bowled by Harmison we are 8/175 still need another 108 I think it is for victory

england will win :(

Just pathetic really, I can't believe I stayed up to watch that rubbish.

wish i stayed up to watch it :o

Batting was digusting. But I bet the aussie selectors won't even consider dropping someone.

Hayden and Martyn are right up there IMO atm for a wake up call.

ALthough Martyns batting looks ok its his attitude that needs to be readjusted.

If I were Haddin and Hussey i'd be spewing at the moment, surely at least one of them deserves to have a crack, Hussey in particular held the aussie batsment together in more than one of the ODI's. Hayden or Martyn need to go as far as im concerned, and perhaps a different structure of the batting order, perhaps a Clarke or Katich to come in with Langer to open, followed by Hayden/Martyn (whichever isn't dropped) then Katich/Clarke (whoever isn't opening) and Ponting in at 5th followed by Hussey & Gilchrist.

ODI form counts for s***, just take brett lee for example.

I could go in to bat in the 25th over of a ODI and knock up 40 or so. All you'd have to face would be symonds bowling nude balls at 130 clicks and bradd hogg bowling pies from the other end. Singles galore too, with everyone on the boundary.

Lee actually played really well in the non-ODI tour matches though.

lee shouldn't be allowed to bowl at tailenders.

how ponting justifies pulling kasper out of the attack after being hit fo two sixes, only to watch lee gets smashed for consecutive overs is beyond me. It is absolutely criminal that lee bowled 18 overs in that innings while kasper and dizz bowled 10 or so between them. Don't get me wrong, Lee bowled brilliantly with the new ball, but when the ball is old he has nothing.

Martyn is in great touch but needs a rocket up his arse to make him take it a bit more seriously, and ponting and hayden need to stop slogging.

this is definately the kind of test match where we miss one S. Waugh immensely.

Could still win it, but no problems if we don't I sort of had England to win this one before a ball was bowled :P

last edited by fpot at 17:20:20 07/Aug/05

I totally agree Spidz, once Langer got out I was deeply worried.

Think back people, the last truely big score we had was the Gabba vs NZ and that was because Gilly and McGrath scored 50s. Otherwise it was a 400 score vs a very average bowling attack.

The entire Pakistan tour was Langer standing tall with occasional help from Gilchrist and Clarke.

I don't think Haddin will get picked (for whoever said that) but for damned sure Brad Hodge or Hussey deserve a chance.

Also I'm still a bit stuck as to who to pick between kasper and gilly as the 3rd pace bowler. I think Kasper is a better old ball bowler.

Basically if Australia wants to beefen its batting line up AND get a decent 3rd bowler, pick BICHEL!

GG Warney, the idea is NOT to stand on the wickets.

30 runs to go!

f***ing go Aussies

this is beyond awesome

please win australia

dammmit

england win!

OMG 2 runs left game over

oh nos :(

:( gg England and the Aussies

very exciting

omg that was awesome, omg omg omg omg

yaaaaaaaaaaay

someone embed mariah carey's 'heartbreaker' up in here kthx

good game, bl to aussies. OH SO CLOSE!

DUCK UNDER THE BALL KASPER YOU f***.

Seriously cut at that, Lee played so well and copped it hard when he had to, but Kasper gets a short one he had no reason to think about playing and waves the gloves at it. Very f***ing SOFT after all that hard work.

Mind you, the aussie top order is useless.

Well, was a lot closer than it should've been. If only out top-order could bat like our tailenders.

but if that ball had landed a foot shorter, it would have bounced under the gloves and gone for either four / three runs for the win.

gimme a break, lee nearly broke even from the 1 for 117 from day one he took.

Lee and Kasper were both brilliant, nobody was to blame but the top order.

As with all thse last wicket stands, they always get close and then lose. Because they get close by playing a few shots, then when they realise they can win in they get all nervous and are scared of hitting the ball because they might get out. Lee should have dispatched that full toss to the boundary first ball of the last over, and he would have had we had 30 to win, but because it was 4 he tightened up. Thats cricket I'm afraid.

Aussies to win series 3-1

I'm just annoyed, and lee did bowl like arse on day 1, and kasper shouldn't be expected to win the game when the top order f***ing fail, but his dismissal was soft, and its unfortunate because noone's gonna remember the f***ups from day one as much as the f***ups from day four... just like you can bet the Jones' would be thanking their lucky stars right now.

Also, Greg Matthews smokes pole.

but if that ball had landed a foot shorter, it would have bounced under the gloves and gone for either four / three runs for the win.

Yeah, let's forget about the inside edge for four and that loft out to fine leg which were both almost dismissals!

what a good game

freddie flintoff was the difference, with both bat and ball

You can dissect these things forever (e.g. Lee had Jones as LBW as you can possibly be last night but it was given not out vs Pietersen probably not hitting his) but in the end that's the result and the Aussie tail did damn well to get as far as they did. The most interesting thing now will be to see the attitudes of the teams next test on thursday. Who will take the most momentum out of this? (England winning vs Australia finishing strong and nearly coming back from the brink) Will England get a bit complacent or will Australia be stung into action? It really sets up a massive third test.

You can dissect these things forever (e.g. Lee had Jones as LBW as you can possibly be last night but it was given not out vs Pietersen probably not hitting his)

peiterson didn't hit his, but he was out first ball anyway...

I think we'll take great confidence out of this match, knowing we couldn't have played much worse and everything went against us and we still lost by only 2 runs.

3 runs hahaha....

Australia's top order fails miserably, warne / lee hold the bowling together.

No McGrath at all and we still came within 2 runs of winning.

Langer is doing ok I think he will come good soon, Clarke has done pretty well.

Ponting looks like he's playing 7th grade in the Brisbane league and has been sent in to face the English attack.

Haydos has done some really retarded things to get out in this series and so has Martyn.

We need a rock to build an innings around, only three men are capably of providing that for Australia lately.

Langer
Gillespie
Bichel!

i think cricket was the winner this time
closely followed by the poms

its that top/middle order that keeps letting australia down. ponting shuffling, hados playing stupid shots, martyn not judging well, gilchrist, hrmmmm

just watched the end of this then on fox :S

poor kaspa

i love watching fast bowlers pretend they can bat in the dying stages of an ODI

I don't think you can say that Flintoff was the difference with the ball when he took 3 less wickets than Warney.

The difference was the s***house batting from the Australia top order.

How many guys got starts and then failed for Australia?
4 guys in the 30s?

100 runs came from 8, 10 and 11. 45 runs came from sundries - the batsmen aint doing there job...

besides Langer, there seems to be an air of 'oh well someone else will score a ton, they always do' attitude

Does anyone think they'll actually change the team though before the next test? I'd say unless McGrath is fit that they won't, and yet again we'll watch a whole bunch of players "play themselves into form", *sigh*.

looks like katich and kasper out and macgill and watson in for trent bridge.

isnt the next one at old trafford?

http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/AUS_IN_ENG/AUS_IN_ENG_JUN-SEP2005_SCHEDULE.html

yep 4th one is at trent bridge (maybe you meant the 4th one on purpose spidz?)

nope i meant old trafford - got mixed up with where next test is. Both are decent turners, but old trafford is the more reknowned turner of the two.

yeh, i'd love to see warne and mcgill bowling in tandom, I rekon mcgill will have the cocky bastard pieterson's measure.

Thats one thing about freddie flintoff that I like, he is not arrogant, he knows he is good, but just goes about his business and is humble...


also that reminds me

/rant

how about the pommie f***ers (do you know any) I work in a large firm 550+ people, and I know a fair share of them, well we have people from all over the world, quite a few ex-pats from everywhere, yes including poms. The f***ers don't say s*** about cricket till they actually win a game and then I get (not s***) 10 calls today, ohh heardy I don't suppose you watched the cricket over the weekend... the part that s***s me is i didn't bait them when we won the first test - but mark my words I will f***en ram it home to them when we win teh ashes.

don't get me wrong I am not a sore loser the game was awesome, it just pisses me off that they only want to talk about a game, be it league or cricket or for that matter when they won the union world cup - they go outta their way to make a mention of it.

bastard heads!

lee is in hosptial this morning with a knee infection

most likely out for the next game

this is a good development

Go Tait.

what i saw was quite textbook, stupid shots early in the innings for top order, middle order crumbles, small fightback, collapse, tail wags.

when the top/middle order actually get a good innings, australia are unstoppable. knock a couple over cheap and the rest fall like dominoes, and it has consistently been the tail that has stopped australia from massive defeats before (big kudos to them)

i hope england follow through in the 3rd test, and i hope they fkn either stop bowling giles or he improves a f***load for it, i can turn the ball bowling left arm orthodox twice as far as he can :/

If MacGill plays England don't have a chance >:D

If MacGill plays England don't have a chance >:D

They can if we dont score any runs again, MacGill aint much of a batsmen :P

Gilchrist seems to think that McGrath and Lee will play.

hes "positive" they will

Down with Cricket!

tiny stinx and is unaustralian
most likey an unco also

Everyone see that Australia have got Stuart Clarke in the group now incase Lee can't play?

WTF happened to Tait?

I think Clarke is a backup for a backup. Do some net bowling and if more disasters strike in he goes.

Then again maybe they think Tait is a bit raw and just wanted hime to experience a tour. They shouldn't have taken as a backup for an ageing attack if that was that case.

P.S. If they wanted an experienced bowler to go straight into the attack they should/would have gotten Bichel, I'd guess he'd be playing County cricket over there at the moment.

and i hope they fkn either stop bowling giles or he improves a f***load for it, i can turn the ball bowling left arm orthodox twice as far as he can :/

you men the guy that removed out key batsmen in both innings. he copped alot of flack before this game and shut alot of people up with his performance. I still don't rate him much though.

P.S. If they wanted an experienced bowler to go straight into the attack they should/would have gotten Bichel, I'd guess he'd be playing County cricket over there at the moment.

got it in one, it's bulls***. He is over there, he just took 7 wickets and scored a ton in his most recent county match actually!

Apparently they went for Clark because he is a similar style bowler to MacGrath and they want to replace 'like with like' ie. tait is their reserve lee, kasper their reserve dizzy and clarke the reserve macgrath. they seem to think bichel is too similar to kasper and dizzy which is actually quite true, and at this point that style of bolwing isn't making alot of in roads.

If MacGill plays England don't have a chance >:D

im liking your insight on cricket here f***oed. the last ashes thread you came up with a few truths. i reckon you are spot on.

he seems to me like a tosser but he does the job when he is asked to.

he got wickets because the aussie bowlers just did stupid shots, I don't really think he earned the wickets as much as the batsmen gave it away.

Bichel = the win!

Apparently they went for Clark because he is a similar style bowler to MacGrath and they want to replace 'like with like' ie. tait is their reserve lee, kasper their reserve dizzy and clarke the reserve macgrath. they seem to think bichel is too similar to kasper and dizzy which is actually quite true, and at this point that style of bolwing isn't making alot of in roads.

I see the McGrath - Clarke and Tait - Lee comparisons, but Kaspa - Dizzy - Bichel I don't buy. Kaspa and Bichel are similar swing bowlers whereas Dizzy WAS a bit quicker and uses the deck more for movement. Dizzy was a quicker less accurate version of McGrath but now that he's lost pace he's kind of nowhere. Not very quick, accurate or a big mover of the ball. Sure Kaspa is a little low on form/confidence at the moment but I don't see why adding Bichel wouldn't work.

^^ i have to disagree.
i reckon kaspa is closer to the mcgrath type bowler. little more wayward but he hits the pitch harder rather than a skiderer. bichel and diz i see as more a parallel because of the fuller swing/nippy style.

macgill i see as very unlucky to not have concreted a spot over the last 5 or more years. pity for him warne is such a good bowler. i repeat WARNE IS SUCH A GOOD BOWLER. (quick touch on his off field antics... i hope people shut up about him being a man slut now because he has nothing to answer to now ole lady warney and him have split)

to me cricket comes down to firstly skill/ability and performance, management and strategy but also maybe the most important thing CONFIDENCE!.
the england team now has a dash of it. they have won a test match early in the series. they have won a few one day games. winning attracts winning. confidence attracts confidence. being a through and through aussie and a lover of cricket in every way shape and form i have no doubts aus will come home strong and make england remember its our world and they are just visitors in the winning circle. but at the same time. for those who jump sides and jump bandwagons. be scared because cricket has rolled over another wrong'n' and you need to choose your side now.

p.s.

TERRORISTS......? f*** 'EM !!!!!!

p.p.s god i love the ashes.. secondly only to the bledisloe cup (saturday night 8 pm i thinks). even then its a close one between the two. then it kinda goes down a long list of favs...... >>>>

^^ I agree with you in terms of the relative bounce they get and the lengths they bowl, but I think the major difference is the lines they bowl and they way they move the ball.

fair call. me, if i was a pom id rather face dizzy than kaspa or bichel.
omg i need a chem bath .. i just pictured i was a pom. no wonder they all where sunnies all the time. that pasty whitte skin is even too hard to imagine. oh my eeeeyes!!!

kasper in his early days was a swing bowler, as was bichel. These days they are out and out seamers. Though Bichel still bowls a bit of swing when he gets the new cherry in his hands. Kasper circa 1997 and Kasper 2005 are very different bowlers. Kasper used to be a bussling new ball bolwer off the long run, now he bowls off 7 paces and hits the pitch hard gets it swinging irish. Though I do agree, that dizzy is a bit different and relies on nip off the wicket while kasper creates his own movement.

When Dizzy first came on the scene he was a tearaway quick, bu injury after injury forced him to become the bolwer he is these days. Personally I'd go with kasper out of everyone behind Glen. I don' think his form is bad, he was the best of the bolwers in the first dig and ponting only gave him 3 overs in the second.

The thing that I really like about kasper is that he's far and away the best 'old ball' bowler in Australian cricker, thats been a pretty usesless skill over the past few years because the ball rarely gets old. But thats will come in handy in the coming tests with the poms bats showing some form. Thats why he is so good on the subbie because the ball gets worn very quickly.

The forgotten man in my eyes in Matty Nicholson, he had a ripsnorter of a shield season last year, has genuine pace and whilst not in Glen's league - is definately that metronomic style of bowler.

That said, in this coming test I'd go with an attack of Lee, Kasper, Warne, MacGill and Watson with Dizzy and Clarke or Katich to miss out.

i'll put my 40 cents on

langer, hayden, ponting, martyn, clarke, katich, gilchrist, lee, warne, kaspa, macgill.

Kaspa hasn't lost that much pace off the short run because you can see it all comes from his shoulder. Sure a few km/h at that pace can make a difference, but it's not vital and the shorter run probably allows him to bowl more overs as he gets older.

As for his ability to move the new ball in the air, I haven't seen him with the new ball in his hand (close up) for quite some time (a red ball that is, anyone can get the white ball to move so that means nothing). That goes with his ability to move the old ball I guess, because that's when he is mostly used. However I think that with a new ball both Kaspa and Bichel would still get a lot of movement, maybe not as much as Bracken (at his pace you'd expect he'd need and get a lot of movement), but enough to really trouble the batsman.

hehe, I remember when Bracken was in the test side and Waugh threw the ball to Martyn for a trundle and according to the radar Martyn was sending them down up to 10km/h quicker than Bracken!

Kasper doesn't even take the new ball when he plays for QLD anymore, so I think that says it all. He used to be alot quicker imo. Did anyone notice when kasper and lee were batting together, just how f***ing big kasper is? I always knew he was a big f***er (Australian Schoolboy #8 ahead of Toutai Kefu no less) but jesus he made Brett Lee look like bruce reid with his legs cut off.

I've seen Kaspa come down to one training session at uni and I was completely overwhelmed by the size of the man. Being so tall and strong means he doesn't need a massive run to generate pace (like Lee) it all just comes from strength operating at a great height.

that must have been after bruce rude shnapped in half. and before they called for the 2 stretchers and the sticky tape ?!

I faced him in the nets once (one of the scarier moments of my life) and he didn't seem as big. Then again I was a tab blinded by the tears of fear and I'm 6'3" and 105kg myself. But he was considerably bigger than me and pure muscle. Probably would have been a Wallaby for sure had he chosen Rugby.

kaspa got back
i seen him down fairfield gardens

I was a card carrying, registered lower grade #11 at the time so there was no way I would have faced Kaspa even though he was just mucking around at the time. Since then he's spent so much time playing for Australia that we don't see him (which is probably a good thing for the majority of people at the club who are too s*** scared to face him).

i had just graduated from taverners at the time and Watson was batting in the other net and belting kasper around (at the age of 16) I was in the next net and much to my dismay kasper came over and sent a few down. After 5 or so deliveries he soon realised he might be up on manslaughter charges and went back to the other net.

s*** hey, I didn;t know bichel was over in England, he would have been my first choice replacement without a shadow of a doubt.

He is probably one of the most unluckiest cricketers ever, played so many games as 12th man and had so much potential, always gave 110% when playing.

Champion

not only that, he scored a f***ing centruy a couple of days ago and took 5 for.

he soon realised he might be up on manslaughter charges and went back to the other net

Hahahahaha, I prefer seeing that sort of skill disparity more when it's someone who has just finished talking themselves up and then they're suddenly brought crashing back to Earth. Other times like in your case it's just unfortunate.

I was a genuine #11 in my own age group, so there was no crashng back to earth for me. I had enough trouble facing my teammates. Having said that, to this day I sware a few of my teammates got in kaspers ear and told him to send some down to me. I did get bat on 3 out of 5, one was an edge and one was a forward defensive. One other delivery rattle my stumps, one hit me up around the mid riff and to be honest I really don't know where the 5th one went I just remember picking it up and chucking it back to him after it hit the back of the net. I honestly didn't see it, may have been short pitched, may have been a yorker - guess I'll never know!

The worst thing I've seen is video of one of my mates taking a non-cricket playing friend of his down to the nets, turning the bowling machine up to Brett Lee pace and peppering the body with stuff just short of a length. I'm not sure what's worse, repeatedly targeting a friend like that or getting it on video and showing to people the poor guy doesn't even know!

http://members.iinet.net.au/~blillie/mcgrath.jpg
look out f***ers

Great that Lee will play, even more exciting that McGrath might too!

Heh how good would it be for Ooh-Ahh to come back tonight!? I doubt he will though - at least if he isn't fully fit I hope he doesn't come back too early and do more damage. I think this deserves a new thread!

Also, yay for being on holidays watching cricket!

Spidz that would have been unreal, always wanted to face someone of state or better quality, just to truely understand what its like (FYI I'd be happy getting bat on ONE ball).

Also always wanted to find out what pace I actually bowl at just for comparisons sake....

bowling machines are pretty scary

we used to use them at indoor practice back when we played at lang park

the rotors had speeds of up to 160km/h

with both rotors at 130, it was pretty much unplayable (and im guessing substantiantally faster than 130km/h

what was even scarier was when we turned one rotor up to 140 odd and left the other at 80/90 km/h

got mind numbing pace combined with spearing swing?!
unplayable

i have faced a bowling machine at 150 kph and its nowhere near as scary as kasper at 130 kph, not even close.

We clocked our speeds at state training in grade 12.

Jon Olzard was sending them down at 135, Watson was around 130, MacKenzie was around 135 and I just cracked the 120.

Having said that, people who bowl over 100 seem pretty quick to me and to put that in perspective Warney sends them dow and 80-90.

I find facing medium pacers at 100 tough, imagine someon sending them down 85 and turning!

It all depends on bounce and variation when it comes to a quick vs a bowling machine. A person can drag their fingers down the back of the ball to get steep bounce where a bowling machine can't do that. I think that's also the difference between a McGrath vs a Watson. Aside from the accuracy, McGrath gets more bounce but Watson seems to whip his wrist down the line generating more pace. It means that although Watson (or a bowling machine) may be faster out of the hand, after the ball has pitched it is easier to play.

the higher the ball is delivered from the harder it is to play imo.

thats what makes harmison and flintoff so dangerous.

Yeah, that make a big difference, but other than that - "it's all in the wrist".