For the last six weeks we’ve been scrutinising the form of the English and Australian players. In newspapers and blogs, no stone has been left unturned as we endlessly analyse how the two sides have shaped up. But what about the performance of an equally important squad of participants – the ex -players and pundits who keep us company through those lonely small hours of the night. We thought it high time we considered how the commentators are shaping up in this, the most crucial...
So that was 2010 …
The Sydney Test is not a cricket blogger’s friend. 2010 has finished and we’re desperate to write a ‘review of the year’ art icle. However, it’s almost impossible to reach any solid conclusions until the fifth test has been completed. Couldn’t they have moved the Ashes forward a week? ;-) On one level the result at the SCG shouldn’t make too much difference to this review. England have made progress in all formats of the game during the last twelve months. We’ve won the T20 World Cup and...
KP goes back for Moores
If there’s an elephant in the room, don’t expect Kevin Pietersen to ignore it. He’s more likely to pull its trunk and cause a stampede. Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower have been getting a lot of praise since England retained the Ashes. So much so that many people have forgotten the circumstances in which they were appointed. KP isn’t one of them though – and yesterday he relished the opportunity to remind everyone that England wouldn’t have been so successful if Peter Moores was still England...
An Ashes composite XI
Which Australians would get in the England side? Or to put it another way – if you were to pick a test XI from both sets of players, who would you select? To get the ball rolling, here’s the Full Toss’s own choice – what’s yours?
1. Andrew Strauss (captain)
2. Alastair Cook
3. Jonathan Trott
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Mike Hussey
6. Ian Bell
7. Brad Haddin (wk)
8. Graeme Swann
9. Ryan Harris
10. James Anderson
11. Chris Tremlett
Does it matter if we win at Sydney?
We’d like to hear your thoughts today about the significance – or otherwise – of winning the final test at the SCG. But before we get on to that, a quick word on Ricky Ponting, whose broken finger has now ruled him out of the match. In his absence, Michael “what ever happened to my runs?” Clarke will captain, while Usman Khawaja will take his place as a batsman. In some quarters, there may be a little sympathy for Ricky Ponting. His team drubbed, and his captaincy...
The Englishman’s Guide to Ashes Gloating
There’s no point analysing on-field matters too much today. The Ashes have been retained! The important thing to do now is go and get drunk. I don’t care if you’re at work – you shouldn’t have gone in today. Make an excuse and find your nearest boozer. If there’s a Walkabout pub nearby, we recommend going there. You might not like the beer particularly, but you’ll get to poke a few Aussies in the ribs while you drink it. You’re also guaranteed a seat. If the bar is busy when you arrive, put the...
