LET THE CRICKET BEGIN

[Bomba]

anyone know why Martyn has retired?

 

[Realist]

perth is surely going to be a result (as against a draw) (my guess - fast bowler's paradise and all that - but maybe someone who knows what they are talking about can comment

Actually Perth is not the bouncy fast bowlers paradise it was.

There's every chance it could be a draw, particularly if England bat first and bat well - ala Adelaide. And obviously there wont be any generous declarations.

If Aus bat first and bat well, then Warne is the key. Perth does turn these days and does have extra bounce which suits the spinners.

Aus winning is the most likely option. A draw is very possible, and I find it hard to see England not only batting well but also getting 20 wickets.

The odds seem about right to me.

 

[Realist]

anyone know why Martyn has retired?

Apparently he got sick of being under the spotlight. He did not like the criticism you get when you are not scoring runs. That and he knew the writing was on the wall, had he made the team in Perth he'd have needed probably a century to hold his place, it was his last chance. Dropped now, gone forever. So he left on his own terms.

Such is life at the top of sport, must be quite stressfull.

 

[chops_a_must]

Apparently he got sick of being under the spotlight. He did not like the criticism you get when you are not scoring runs. That and he knew the writing was on the wall, had he made the team in Perth he'd have needed probably a century to hold his place, it was his last chance. Dropped now, gone forever. So he left on his own terms.

Such is life at the top of sport, must be quite stressfull.

But he's also had some shocking injuries. He had a finger reconstruction that put him out for a year. Apparently he could barely hold a bat towards the end. His hands were a mess. A related elbow injury kept him out for a WA game before the last test. So that's my guess.

Before that first finger op, he was one of the best slips fielders in the world, and after he came back, it was soon realised he couldn't catch at all. So yeah, his hands are the real reason I think.

I'm surprised he didn't retire at the Perth test. Although, I guess it doesn't mean much, apart from him playing for WA. Born in Darwin, played here and for many years lived in Melbourne.

His shy nature will probably stop anyone from finding out the real reasons. But the way he had been getting out recently reminded me of how he used to play in his dark years for WA. So I'm speculating these injuries have caused him to have that career ending depression, and hence the return to the depressed form.

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.sportingbet.com.au/uipub/sport.aspx?l1id=11&l2id=513055 might as well post this while I think of it
aust 1.50
draw 3.75
england 7.75
perth is surely going to be a result (as against a draw) (my guess)

Note to myself...lol - just a casual comment, but if draw is 3.75 (>2.12) - then its bludy obvious the bookies think a result is more likely than a draw, you idiot.
latest:-
aust 1.60
draw 9.00
england 3.10
(so the chances of result gettin better, and england firmed a bit) - but you were right realist - it will be a spinners paradise as well.

 

[2020hindsight]

further note to myself... bookies commission comes of the odds not added.
so that if it was a simple bet of "result" or "no result" - and if these were equal chance - then the odds at sportingbet would be 1.88 each I guess.
Hence i bet 53 result, next bloke bets 53 draw, end of the day, one of us gets 100, and the bookie makes 6. Sorry to labour this one - just not used to betting. I think the TAB works on 110% percentage instead of 106%.

anyway implied in the first set of available odds was
3.75 draw and 1.26 result , hence result was always "4-1-on" favourite , unless i've made another mistake

 

[greggy]

further note to myself... bookies commission comes of the odds not added.
so that if it was a simple bet of "result" or "no result" - and if these were equal chance - then the odds at sportingbet would be 1.88 each I guess.
Hence i bet 53 result, next bloke bets 53 draw, end of the day, one of us gets 100, and the bookie makes 6. Sorry to labour this one - just not used to betting. I think the TAB works on 110% percentage instead of 106%.

anyway implied in the first set of available odds was
3.75 draw and 1.26 result , hence result was always "4-1-on" favourite , unless i've made another mistake

Wasn't it good to have a contest finally yesterday. I enjoyed watching " Monty" bowl. He was full of life and clearly enjoys playing. He should have been playing all season. I still hope that the Aussies will win again in the end.

 

[Realist]

Yeah good game so far.

Aus are still favourites at $1.65, England obviously a chance at $2.75, a draw is $8.

England have a woefully long tail, 2 quick wickets this morning and they could collapse very quickly.

 

[2020hindsight]

conspiracy theorists would be saying that the players had a percentage of the gate at Sydney and Melbourne

 

[Realist]

5-0 is still very very likely.

As I said that English tail is long and crap.

2 quick wickets today and England could be rolled, game over 3-0.


Or is that wishfull thinking?

 

[Ranger]

5-0 is still very very likely.

As I said that English tail is long and crap.

2 quick wickets today and England could be rolled, game over 3-0.


Or is that wishfull thinking?

I think you are right Realist, especially if one of those wickets is Collingwood.

 

[Jay-684]

I think you are right Realist, especially if one of those wickets is Collingwood.

Dont forget the other batsmen who dominated us last test - Pietersen

but I'm sure most of us all agree on the vunerability of Englands tail, especially now that Giles has been replaced with Panesar...... he was the only hope of a tail ender having the skill to hang around with a batsmen (like Lee and Warne do all to often).

And I think Ponting should be dropped...... his form has dropped the last 24 hours. It can be seen in his average for the series, dropping from 149 to 112.25....

 

[Realist]

And I think Ponting should be dropped...... his form has dropped the last 24 hours. It can be seen in his average for the series, dropping from 149 to 112.25....

Yeah and Hussey to.

74* is just not good enough!!

 

[Realist]

6/122 at lunch.

It is all over now.

 

[2020hindsight]

latest:- http://www.sportingbet.com.au/uipub/sport.aspx?l1id=11&l2id=513055
aust 1.12
draw 11.00
england 12.00

 

[Bomba]

great day for the ozzies today.

lets hope they can build a big lead tomorrow.

 

[Jay-684]

Plan to be partying in the Sydney CBD Monday afternoon (possibly earlier!)

 

[Jay-684]

Interesting stat - Ponting has scored 2 centuries and amassed 524 runs in 6 innings at an average of 104.8

meanwhile Hussey has batted for only 5 innings, scored 394 runs but his average is 131.33

very impressive!

all the attention has been on Ponting comparing him to Bradman... Mr Cricket is doing damn well himself!

 

[2020hindsight]

well if we get the ashes back - we will have urn-ed it

 

[Jay-684]

well if we get the ashes back - we will have urn-ed it

its definately looking good for us!

they'll have to break the record for the highest ever 4th innings chase to win