dee-luded

I just don't can't watch it. sorry but it just doesn't turn me on. I put it on last night for 10 minutes & thats all I could take, then switched over.

I reckon the turnaround has happened, & they are playing for one another & their country again. next for boof & the selectors is to grow the talent into the list over the next few years; particularly to transform the batting. Our bowling stocks look strong with many young players getting themselves right. its an enjoyable ride again following the team.

In a leadership vacuum, you end with lieutenants pulling in differing directions, because one isn't respected by All; that the team will willingly follow. enter the coach who has the respect, the plan in mind, & the guile to implement it; then the support of the players... the disharmony & individual competitiveness between leaders, created by noOne really leading & without Real support becomes a fragmentation. loss of focus & output. Boof has taken back the Rudder from Clark, & freed Clark to do what he's good at, to the benefit of all & the rebuilding of team Unity. focus returns & form follows. we're still pretty much the same list, the same squad, but with less worry about each-other, & about their own positions, within natural reason. They can start to smile, & start to play good cricket; & sledge the opposition, rather than one another behind their hands.

I was wondering IF not talking about him much on here was something you perceived as a put down of his abilities? I think he's been great but I can't claim him as 'one of my hombre`s', because I wasn't on his bandwagon in passed years. I didn't stick by him, but he's been a bright surprise packet this summer for sure. Pup has been ordinary off-field in the past years, but now with the right sort of support around Him in the team, he's able to do what he does best, bat & direct the field. Imo he's learning from Boof, & is being more generous with his team-mates, & I think this is hugely important for team harmony & the teams onfield output.

all in all we are on our way with momentum. SAfrica will be a big hurdle for us. but I hope we keep our strong competitiveness.

the poms have played a bit like we played over there 6 months back. the camaraderie has allowed our players to play closer to their abilities, & form is returning to our side. IMO, the Poms main issue is Cook. he's too conservative & unsure of himself & I reckon the poms are resembling his leadership, dropped catches & all, bickering, going home, etc. I think they need a more outgoing leader, with utmost confidence in himself. I think Ian Bell could do the job, & I don't see any others in their lineup who could.

I suspect Boof has been working to a plan, since just before he started in England, to right the culture & the competitiveness, plus morale. this may have been part of his selection Ideas. it looks like it has come together quicker than anyone may have dared imagine. I guess the next part of any plan would be to slowly overhaul the team between now & the next ashes tour. I'm unsure of their ages.

the agar thing, doesn't that now lock him to our test team? that he cannot now go off to play Tests for another country in the future, like some of our homegrown lads have, or can? will?

really boof cost us the ashes in england you say by dropping Lyon... the same guy that sent Warner to Sth africa. hmmn the same guy who Mitchell has starred under, as well as Haddin & Warner. maybe all part of his dastardly inner workings??? its his hippy pills, they work, or they don't. but they seem to be.

HaHaHa its the new hippy pills WYL. just a bit of silliness & class distinction, against the bare rrsed poms using one of their own working class hero's to deliver the message. the same sort of shitt that cost them their losses. less silver tongues & more Ian Bell grit is what they lack. so let's steal their Icon like we stole the Ashes back off them, like thieves in the night, 1, 2, 3, 'boof', its gone. its a relief to be able to enjoyTest Cricket again. & have a laugh whats more.

we're not a top side Yet. but on the right track, thanks to smart decisions by Robin Boof & Co. they had this one right as well. they summed up the wicket better than anyone else & played the right cards from our current hand. I think we can have more belief in (Robin - the earl of hunting-ton) Boof, & his Merry Men, than the onfield team itself. Next test - SCG prepare to be shorn Englishmen. lookout for our next Ashes visit back to Nottingham, & Sherwood Forest.... ode to Boof > http://www.televisiontunes.com/Adventures_of_Robin_Hood_(The).html Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood He called the greatest archers to a tavern on the green They vowed to help the people of 'Our' king They handled all the troubles from this English Country side And still found plenty of time to sing! Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men Feared by the bad, loved by the good Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood He came to Sherwood Forest with a feather in his cap A fighter never looking for a fight His bow was always ready, and he kept his arrows sharp He used them fighting for what was right Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men Feared by the bad, loved by the good Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood With Friar Tuck and Little John they had a roguish look They did the deed the others wouldn't dare. We captured all the money on the English Country scene And still found plenty of time to sing Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men Feared by the bad, loved by the good Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood signed kerrry O'Keeeffe

happy WYL? justified imo.

totally agree with your future *3's skillset. I think its a special mindset for that pivotal spot, true grit is a must but also grafting runs as well as being able to be a fluent stroke-player all around. Warner has all the shots but has to prove his temperament for the spot. IMO he has the mojo for the role but needs to mature into it. I think Watto plays his best as opener against the quicks. but he's starting to look better balanced on his feet. however I'd rather him finish in the middle order,,, but play now @ *1. I'd prefer Warner to be exposed to the spinners @ *3 & later, than Watto. my order for the next 2 Yrs would be > Watto Rogers* Warner Clark Smith Bailey* Haddin Johnson ********** ********** ********** * openings for future kids

I'd look at openers as Rogers & also Bailey are short termers,,, as is Clark, in real terms with his back. Our middle order is sound, so I would look at the very top of order first. And have Warner as a 3rd opener to support any fails,,, with Clark, Smith & Bailey to follow up. .. however I think Watto will be OK, & it may be Clark who needs to rest his back before O/S. then move everyone down one spot, up to Smith.

The only place I'd consider Hughes now is in the middle order maybe a replace Bailey, but I think bailey brings a sturdy competative attitude to the team, as a mature leader in the team, Re culture. Hughes maybe is too much Gen Me??? Hoadley's violet crumble. Hughes only offers quick scoring, I'd rather Watto, Johnson, & Warner.

re watching & reading cricket, I stopped since late in Pontings time as leader. I just didn't like the way the team was heading, there was a lack of aussie-ness & aggression or something, which turned me off. lost me. but now I'm back onboard, it has to be something Re the leadership.

I think they've said Harris will Not play all Ashes tests, so he'll miss in Sydney, & Faulkner is ready I think. @ 12th man. they may rest a Watson or Clark If necessary. health? Hughes to me has run his race, as has khawaja for a while. they don't seem to have the grit for a 5 day game IMO. Is there an opener around Macca... if Watto is unfit, they could bring in a untried opener & play Warner at first drop. the next test is the right time to try out a kid bat Pre Africa. I like Smith atmo at 5, & Clark @ 4 for the moment, but in maybe 12 months or so's time, they could maybe be switched? I get the feeling Smith can bat higher some day.

I think Faulkner's coming in for Harris. And maybe now, Watson or even Clark may miss, depending on fitness. but Not both at once. imo there is no coincidence Watto is @ 1st slip. I sense he's a highly valued thinker, & get breakthroughs with the ball. he seems to be well thought of, by this clever team management. IMO 3 isn't his natural spot, but he's the best atmo, as long as Warner is opening. I'd switch them at some stage. the bowling attack is really blossoming under Boof & his entourage. I think the batsmen will to, but will take longer to recover from our recent past, than our bowlers have. Mitch Johnson is bowling great, IMO a product of a few things he's done. his core strength work, the mental & motivational things he's done, as well as the work he's done with DKL & Terry Alderman. not to mention the management of billy & boof. the core strength work seems evident in his runup, looks odd but is working. his endurance is key. Siddle is running in different imo??? reminds me a little of billy the kids runup? I think they have Sids doing a different role than his past. I like the thinking that seems to be going on in our strategies, the style our bowlers are taking, & their differing roles. working a treat.

great post macca. I think that if our weakness is our top order, & if the poms strength is their bowling attack on pitches that aid them (anderson), then this holding up pitch may have swayed the decision to Not bat first. also, our strength is having pommy bats on the defensive from our bowling attack... so we bowl first on a pitch thought to not suit our batsmen. the proof of all this now (batting 2nd) will show itself tomorrow, if we bat with composure & intelligence.

i think we have, he's opening.

bounce & the ball coming thru off hard pitches. the poms didn't like having less moments to (intuitively) play their shots, & australians prefer the ball coming onto the bat, instead of holding up off the pitch. this is why in our first session with the ball, the medium pace was king, & johnson struggled. after lunch as the pitch surface hardened up, the ball was more responsive off the surface. we got wickets again. Watson's been handy on the slow pitch. it seems that after lunch, this pitch has coughed up wickets. imo the poms prefer softer seaming wickets to bowl on, we like concrete. I doubt this wicket will brakeup inside the 5 days.

hiding our top order

I agree nasher, & in my mind the ball coming off the pitch slower with less bounce then the earlier tests is closer to English conditions, & suits them more than Brisbane. Our strength has been bowling them out cheaply & having them under the pump. but on this wicket where the ball isn't coming on as well, our bats look pressed to score freely. as well as their bowling strategy.. comes back to what Bill & Tubby say, keep rotating the strike & grab the singles, spread the field, & the runs will grow.

its not the wicket WYL, its the letdown of Australia's batsmen after collaring the Ashes. the bowlers were off yesterday in the first session as well. Warners dismissal? Watson's I haven't seen yet. & the others?

a very poignant image to keep lodged in mind, & those slightly out of focus, Re our teams future.