# The Ashes 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 4, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898 "2009-07-04T15:41:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/221 "2009-08-21T15:36:58Z")
133-8 at tea. No follow-on, but assuming the pitch continues to deteriorate that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If England get in shortly after tea, they’ve got till, say, same time tomorrow to run up a lead (say, another 150 for a c.300 lead) and then 2 days to bowl out the Australians in seriously difficult conditions. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/222 "2009-08-21T15:59:55Z")
So I’m watching the cricket the other day and this Aussie bowler had the cheek to get one of our guys out. Howver, his foot was over the line on delivery, shouldn’t this have been called a no-ball? ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/223 "2009-08-21T16:10:46Z")
Indeed it should. Mind you, Clark was just given out caught, which by the letter of the law should only happen if you’ve actually hit the ball. Asad Rauf not covering himself in glory this series, it’s fair to say. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/224 "2009-08-21T16:21:45Z")
160 all out, lead of 172. Will be interesting to see how England do in their second innings. Swann has had some assistance (from pitch and umpire), but I still don’t think it’s a bad pitch to bat on. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/225 "2009-08-21T16:22:19Z")
> [@amrussell](#): > > 133-8 at tea. No follow-on, but assuming the pitch continues to deteriorate that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If England get in shortly after tea, they’ve got till, say, same time tomorrow to run up a lead (say, another 150 for a c.300 lead) and then 2 days to bowl out the Australians in seriously difficult conditions. You are in dreamland if you think they will declare with a lead anything like that small. Strauss was even panned in some quarters for setting the Aussies a “reachable” target of 522 in the second test, which would have been a record by some distance. England are far too defensive when it comes to declaring. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/226 "2009-08-21T16:44:22Z")
What on Earth just happened? I go away for a few hours to find Australia bowled out for just 160. And no Freddie-effect either. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/227 "2009-08-21T17:07:47Z")
[Rorschach]Hurm.[/R] Well, there’s a turn-up and no mistake. A follow-on would have been stupid, though - the pitch ain’t gonna improve, and it’s not likely Australia would have obligingly collapsed again. Take the lead and build on it, and watch the weather forecasts. I’m still not counting one _single_ chicken until they’re hatched, mind - but it’s been a fun afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/228 "2009-08-21T17:46:28Z")
Three early wickets, there will be some nerves in the England camp now. This one certainly isn’t in the bag yet. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/229 "2009-08-21T17:48:34Z")
Yes, at this rate England will also be all out for something like 160, and we’ll have a real game still! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/230 "2009-08-21T18:02:30Z")
Collingwood’s wicket another no-ball. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/231 "2009-08-21T18:05:50Z")
> [@Captain\_Awesome](#): > > Collingwood’s wicket another no-ball. Yep. Can we get Hawk-Eye to track the bowlers’ feet too? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/232 "2009-08-22T06:43:22Z")
Surprises me that there are so many women followers of cricket. Shouldn’t they be at home cooking or cleaning or summink? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/233 "2009-08-22T10:37:38Z")
Rauf, just to buck the trend, gives an amazingly good decision first ball of the day when Trott appeared to have edged it but replays showed he didn’t. England’s lead past 250. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/234 "2009-08-22T11:35:21Z")
Really good partnership this, suddenly the scoring rate has jumped up. Hope we can get through to lunch without a wicket falling. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/235 "2009-08-22T12:04:32Z")
And the poster’s curse strikes again. A lead of 329 and counting means that England will have to do something really spectacular to lose. Have they got it in them? ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/236 "2009-08-22T12:58:47Z")
We’re not safe yet, Prior carelessly run out. I’ll feel much more relaxed if we can get the lead over 400. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/237 "2009-08-22T13:03:38Z")
This is what gets me- the English batsmen are showing that the pitch is okay. It was a poor display by Australia in the first innings (and probably by England after lunch on the first day). A lead of 400? I think England are pretty safe now. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/238 "2009-08-22T15:27:18Z")
Swann showing there is little wrong with this pitch. 🙂 I’m really glad we have the extra runs as a buffer, we failed to defend 387 in Chennai last year, on a dustbowl. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/239 "2009-08-22T15:28:30Z")
And now it’s past 500, Swann out for a splendid (and quick-fire) 53, Trott looking for his hundred. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898/240 "2009-08-23T10:22:02Z")
Dream start for England today - Aussies now 90/2 chasing 546. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ashes-2009/501898.md?page=13)