: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:02 am  

El Diablo wrote:

Can't we have:

Harmison
Hoggard
Jones
Flintoff
Giles

I'm getting all misty-eyed.

Thats what we dont have now, two sets of attack with the ball

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:04 am  

Lawrie L wrote:

Thats what we dont have now, two sets of attack with the ball

You make a good point actually.

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:10 am  

Bang wrote:

You make a good point actually.

We rely too much on Flintoff now, we know his knees arent great and havent been since the last Ashes in Oz. He cant bowl 20+ overs an innings and yet we are pushing him to do so

Back in 05, 3 other fast bowlers who could do the impact as well we freddie, who do we have now? Broad? Calling up Harmy is alright but we need more impact bowlers which there doesnt seem to be a great deal of at the moment

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:13 am  

Lawrie L wrote:

We rely too much on Flintoff now, we know his knees arent great and havent been since the last Ashes in Oz. He cant bowl 20+ overs an innings and yet we are pushing him to do so

Back in 05, 3 other fast bowlers who could do the impact as well we freddie, who do we have now? Broad? Calling up Harmy is alright but we need more impact bowlers which there doesnt seem to be a great deal of at the moment

This new knee problem is...well it's new. I guess. It's usually his ankle that is f-cked.

Sidebottom has a brilliant test record. For the games he's played anyway.

I'd stick Onions in. I'd stick Harmison in. I'd stick anything and anyone in. Why can't we just play everyone? Like a 30 man a side game?

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:11 am  

2005 was about more than the quality of the individuals, good bowlers that they all were. The highlight of the series for me was the way they all bowled to one plan as a unit and worked the Aussies over so beautifully together.

Joyous days.

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:13 am  

El Diablo wrote:

2005 was about more than the quality of the individuals, good bowlers that they all were. The highlight of the series for me was the way they all bowled to one plan as a unit and worked the Aussies over so beautifully together.

Joyous days.

Were they swingers?

[Wheels]

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:32 am  

819 points after the first test on the fantasy cricket league, boo yar.

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:06 pm  

El Diablo wrote:

2005 was about more than the quality of the individuals, good bowlers that they all were. The highlight of the series for me was the way they all bowled to one plan as a unit and worked the Aussies over so beautifully together.

Joyous days.

I'd agree, I thought it was about the quality of the bowlers as a unit. As you say, they all bowled to a plan, everyone of them knew their role and performed it to the letter. Of course, on certain occasions an individual produced a performance to put him above the others, but even that was shared around.

As an example, I'd use the West Indies with Walsh and Ambrose. Everyone knew if you saw those 2 off the rest of the attack were glorified pie chuckers. Teams simply saw them 2 off and then made hay while the sun shone. Both were great bowlers, no doubt about it, but in the later days they weren't getting the figures their talents deserved.

In 2005 Australia didn't have that luxury. If they saw of, say, Harmison, then there was Simon Jones waiting in the wings.

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:20 pm  

Wish Gladstone Small was still playing he was head and shoulders above the rest

: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:27 pm  

The Goose wrote:

Wish Gladstone Small was still playing he was head and shoulders above the rest

You know, I'm guessing half the people on here wont be old enough to get that.