Am I the only one here who is watching the cricket (well, the highlights anyway)?

[MossletoeAndWine]

Well am I?

THAT'S a phrase I 'm going to bandy about and no mistake!

not entirely, Warne bowled amazingly well, reverse swing was going at both ends
Effing hard to bat against
Yes agree England have the weaker team bowling wise and that Oz do possess that certain something fightwise that England do not seem to.
It may be coaching/selection errors... Panesar should not have been left out - taking wickets is just as if not MORE important than making runs - as was shown

Piffle agree with you on selection errors! What do you think about Geraint Jones?

But a run out? and nearly another soon after. Agreed Warne is superb but there is no excuse for that in the situation that they were in. It was not a run chase. Still feel we lost it rather than the Aussies winning if iykwim

This is fab. I constantly have to make chit chat with city "chaps" for my job & I do rugby with enthusiam, football with a fixed smile & cricket has always eluded me. But now, thanks to Mumsnet - I may be able to make an intelligent comment!

Bugsy2 how funny cricket is the only thing that's ever caught my imagination, never really liked the footie and rugby is a foreign language to me!!!

See what a vital public service Mumsnet provides!

I'm watching the highlights too when I can. As I was off work sick for six months last year, and needed to lie down a lot, I spent a large part of my time stretched on the sofa watching the Ashes series then. The last time I'd got into cricket like that was through one-dayers when I was travelling in Oz years back, and then was in the SCC on the day the team lost the Ashes to Australia in 1994/5 - can't remember which side of New Year it was now. At that time I have to say I supported Oz more than England but having now been persuaded that it is England AND Wales' cricket team courtesy of the sorely missed Simon Jones, I'm prepared to back them. Also, I really like Hoggy and Harmy and a few others - not keen on Pietersen as a person but he's a great batter (usually.....!).

Sunnywong I'm very of you going to WACA - I LOVED Perth when I was there.

On the Monty front - Fletcher's just racist frankly, isn't he? Why else would you leave out the season's top performing bowler and someone with the sort of passion the team clearly needs to give them a boost at the moment. I second whoever suggested Brits have a mental problem when it comes to winning. Australians don't suffer from self-doubt when it comes to sport in my experience. It may make them occasional pains in the arse, but it also makes them winners. They didn't lose the Ashes last year because of mental attitude, just 'cos they were outplayed in the end.

It's such a pity because I really thought they were pulling it back after the Brisbane loss but barring a miracle or Warne and Ponting getting run over in the next week, the Ashes are not getting on the plane home.

I must say, I do love watching Warney. He's got such a devilish look about him - I'd hate to be his partner but he's a very entertaining sportsman.

true the run outs were crap choice. Boycott was going mad on radio 5 about it.
Geraint Jones, well last Ashes he was batting hero. Seems slightly off form as do Giles and Harmison and Anderson.
Also apparently a team has come from 2-o down and won the Ashes
Australia of course 1936-37 so the Times purports...

was flipping it on and off - dh watching it when he can or at least checking the news website at work for updates. INteresting in our pommy/aussie household.

LOL at suzy and promises to watch that day for the moony union jack!!

think of all the yummy food and drink - who cares about the cricket.

suzy dh has a boony and beefy that keep going off all the time saying funny things.

I opened the cupboard the other day to hear a male voice telling me - it was the cricket now go and get him a VB!! I got such a fright then I remembered I have boony and beefy in the cupboard.

boony and beefy

but being Aussie - I won't comment on the playing - suffice to say glad I am not dh going into work and such at the moment

I'm an expat kiwi and have many years of seeing my team humiliated by the lasted Aussies - lowest point being that bloody Trevor Chappell and his buggery evil brothers Greg an Ian all deciding that with one ball to go and NZ needing 6 runs off it, batter was no 8/9 Brian McKechnie (also played rugby for All Blacks)
So what did the sporting Aussies do
Bowl an underarm of course.
We always joke that's what put the yellow in their strip
Must say it's been a pleasure to absolutely PASTE the feckers at rugby this year, along with the rest of the world.
I am a true sporting wife

Callieco I did think about Fletcher being racist, firstly for not playing Monty, but also because, I mean I know Mahmood's erratic, but I do think he's better than Anderson.

But maybe I'm just seeing stuff that isn't there?

Fletcher's got form in this area, as I understand. I'll get DP to refresh my memory. I wouldn't accuse anyone of it lightly.

I'm dying to see the team line-up for round 3 anyway! Given the massive pressure in the media for Monty, it'll be interesting to see which way the selectors go now. Wonder if Flintoff is crocked.

Oooh, goody, a cricket thread...

Haven't watched much I'm afraid as it's at night, just a little of the highlights. Think Pietersen is actually good, but should lay off the celeb thing - it just distracts him, and likewise Flintoff. Can't see why Giles is playing instead of Panesar.

Main trouble with England team is they are always either injured or having personal problems, so just when you get a good team together (e.g. last summer), it doesn't last because half of them aren't on the team next time they play.

I quite like South Africa myself, though it hasn't been the same since Jonty Rhodes retired. Still like Shaun Pollock though. My ds is called Jonathan after Jonty Rhodes dontcha know! His favourite bowler is Makhaya Ntini.

Jseen a brief clip of today's game and an interview with Sajid Mahmood - didn't realise he was quite so tasty....

Oops, that should read 'just seen', of course

COME ON MONTY!

That's all I've got to say. In fact that's about all I can say after having got up ridiculously early to catch the cricket and now being knackered!

what's happening

I left the WACA at 1pm it was just too hot. They were a tad put out when their Captain was made out I can tell you.
and now I have lobster red shoulders and a flimsy dress to wear tonight at a do and I will look like a right Pommie div.

australia all out for 244

harmison got the last 2

hurrah!!

We are batting now

england 34 for 0 so far.

Being an England supporter though, you can never be sure that collapse won't happen. 9 wickets for 60 runs in the 2nd test wasn't it?

Anyway, I should try and be positive!

Hey - a cricket thread - cool! Should really be watching it instead of sitting in here surfing MN

we're a massive cricket watching family

in fact, I saw vast amounts of the second test because both kids were ill and I ended up vegging on the couch for hours in the middle of the night!

can't say the 2 wickets down are a surprise gggrrrr

2 already!! oh no.

Bugger - look what I have missed whilst being on the PC! Not that losing 2 wickets is any surprise at all.

bit scared, if Monty is getting the ball to move, what the hell is Warne going to do when he bowls?!?