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England 2005 vs 2012

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posted on 11/1/12

Duncan.....Forget the England debate..they have done very well and deserve the status of No.1 ranking at this point, they have beat the teams put in front of them...

Shouldn't a team ranked No.1 play all teams home and away before the chest beating starts.
It takes a very good team to win away from home consistantly even a draw for that matter...but they should at least have to play everyone of the top nations H/A to claim No.1 as there own....

posted on 11/1/12

good extensive post there duncan and i agree that the current english crop still have a way to go in terms of quality to emulate the aussie side from 2003-7 who were victorious home and away (bar india). A real test of England's metal will be on show on the sub continent against pakistan and sri lanka first and foremost and if they can come through that unscathed they should look to push on with away wins but first up what a test to look forward to against the proteas!

comment by Jezzer (U4205)

posted on 11/1/12

i agree the great aussie team of the 90's into the 2000s was the best cricket team we have ever seen. I can't argue with that.

I do believe however that this england team can become as great as that Aussie team

posted on 11/1/12

Like any ashes series.....I can't wait for the next one with the anticipation of Australia having a quality team by then mixed with youth and experience and England at there best.....it will be a brilliant series.....

comment by Jezzer (U4205)

posted on 11/1/12

sorry rabbitoh, but it's THEIR best not THERE

posted on 11/1/12

Leeds, we won in India in 2004

Rabbitohs, I think you will find I fully agree England are the best side in the world currently, I think the only real tests they will have over the next few years will be the series at home to SA and Aus and an away series in India, can't see any other team pushing them hard.

Jezzer, I'm not sure about that, Australia had players like McGrath who didn't average over 25 in any of the test playing nations, that is an incredible feat and players like that make the difference between very good and great.

posted on 11/1/12

Sorry Jezzer.....I didn't realise an Oxford degree was part of the criteria for a sports forum...... I'll be back in 4 years to keep you happy....

posted on 11/1/12

You don't need an oxford to degree to know that Rabbitohs...

Jezzer, don't forget that this current England team didn't play all that well away against SA, a place Australia just toured reasonably successfully and were it not for a collapse may have come away with the series victory. Also this is largely the same England team that scraped an Ashes win against a poor Aussie side in 2009 after flukily/unsportsmanly drawing the first test in Cardiff.

England are much improved since then but don't think you are unbeatable. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if Australia gave you a good contest in the next Ashes.

posted on 11/1/12

Duncan.......time does go quick, but 2004 was nearly 10 years ago now...????

posted on 11/1/12

"the aussie side from 2003-7 who were victorious home and away (bar india)."

I was responding to the above comment mate.

comment by hazsa19 (U8480)

posted on 11/1/12

Well that's the first time i've heard the Cardiff draw being called a fluke...

posted on 12/1/12

Well you are a pom ...

comment by Jezzer (U4205)

posted on 12/1/12

fluke, pfft

talk about sore losers, its been its been 2.5 years and you still bring it up? you didn't even lose that match, it was a draw, and a thoroughly gritty and valient effort from the england tailenders. Do you really expect a team to throw their wickets away in a situation where they have no chance of winning? really!!? If Australia were in the same postion, they would have done the same. If you deny that, the only person you are fooling is yourself. The team plays for the best result they can, get, because it's all about results, and if the best result is a draw, then that is what the team plays for. it's not unsporting, its logical.

posted on 12/1/12

Sorry old boy, I meant lucky, what with the rain and all.

PS: I seriously doubt the Australians would frequently stop play to for such reasons as getting replacement gloves from the pavillion.

I expect the Australians would've done much the same as in the Old Trafford test in 05, by which I of course mean bat.

comment by Jezzer (U4205)

posted on 12/1/12

oh that nonsense, yeah i see what you mean. Although i wouldn't put it past the Aussies to conduct such tactics. there are no angles out there. However, i do agree that that kind of thing is unsporting.

posted on 12/1/12

I too wish to apologise, all I was really trying to say is that all teams have ups and downs and that the closeness of that series indicates that the gap between England and the rest may not be as great as some may perceive. I personally look forward to the next ashes as I have for the first time in years a good feeling about the direction in which Australian cricket is moving and am quietly confident a new look Australia team may be able to challenge for the top spot in the not too distant future.

posted on 12/1/12

thanks for correcting me duncan my bad. I was thinking of the great series at the start of the century. Will the likes of ponting (37) hussey (36) Haddin (34) still be key ingredients to your success in the upcoming ashes back to back series? Personally i dont think this squad or any squad at present is capable of dominating the sport such as the aussies and WI's did so brilliantly.
Even if you are able to as you put it 'challenge for the top spot' i don't believe your current squad has the capabilities to rule the roost.
You are rebuilding and that takes time i mean look how long it took england to reach the top. I do feel you will come back strong but i cannot see it happening in england though perhaps a stronger defence may be upheld down under.

posted on 12/1/12

I don't think Haddin will be that much of a loss and apart from this most recent series Ponting hasn't really contributed much in the last 2 years and Hussey should play for another 3 years (I hope). Batting is going to be the big problem for Australia for the next few years, I guess we'll just have to see who gets unearthed and I suppose there is always the possibility that Hughes and Khawaja may come good despite their problems. As we know Bell and Cook didn't have the greatest starts to their careers and struggled particularly against the Aussies and now they are phenomenal players. On the plus side the fast bowling stock seems in good order and I'd watch out for youngsters like Mitchell Marsh and James Faulkner as well as Pattinson and Cummins.

posted on 12/1/12

With Hughes & Khawaja being dropped doesn't mean they won't around scoring runs by the next ashes series and beyond....the Waugh twins and Chapell bros. and many more got dropped before showing what they are made of.
I hope Ponting travels to England, because if he does he will have a lot to prove and could be the difference between winning and losing, as long as he continues his current run I can't see why not.

By the time the ashes series in England arrives our up and coming young quicks will have another summer under their belt to correct the little things needed to make a very good bowler.

posted on 12/1/12

thanks for the comments guys! Was wondering if you could give me any feedback on the quality of the article and perhaps offer advice, improvements or criticisms as I am a young budding journalist so this would be very helpful thanks.

comment by hazsa19 (U8480)

posted on 12/1/12

Duncan, I don't know about you, but I see the 2009 England team as a very different one that plays now. Then we were still obsessed by Freddie, and many have strange theories as to how that impacted on Jimmeh's performances. Whatever the reasoning, Anderson is a different bowler since 2009. Bell, Cook, Broad, Prior, and Swann have all improved immeasurably, and we found Trott, Tremlett, Finn and Bresnan.

The Aussie team we played in 2010/11 hadn't moved on from 2009. England did. But, the Australia team of today has certainly moved on, and like you I don't expect a repeat of the 3-1 thumping in the next Ashes.

posted on 12/1/12

hazsa, I would even argue that the Australia team actually regressed between 2009 and 2010/11, whereas obviously England improved hugely in that period.

posted on 12/1/12

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comment by hazsa19 (U8480)

posted on 12/1/12

Clarke is maturing into the player everyone knew he could be, much like Bell. Would you write off Ponting and Hussey? It's not inconceivable that such an Ashes tour would be their swansong.

But, 1-3 look very weak, so you may be right!

posted on 12/1/12

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