It's pretty much 50-50.

Lets face it, Australia were playing at around 80% and were completely outplayed in the match yet they came within 2 runs of victory. If Iwas a pom I would make sure I celebrate long and hard this btest match becuase Australia will still roll them.

last time we played at Old Trafford, we won by 268 runs...Warne had match figures of 9-111, and McGrath 7-86. Steve Waugh hit two hundreds, and Warne got a fifty!

The time before that we won by 197 runs, Warne with match figures of 8-137

3 runs makes a big difference. If we had won last night, England would have been totally demoralised and the series would probably have gone 5-0. But now they've got a big emotional high and will be damn hard to beat from here on.

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/s...storyid=3576622

Two great bowlers our saving grace
By JON PIERIK in Birmingham
August 9, 2005

FORMER Australian captain Ian Chappell believes Australia's second Test loss to England proves they are overrated and just a "very good side with two great bowlers". And he has also taken aim at struggling opener Matt Hayden, saying he has shown England's bowlers a lack of respect and symbolised what was wrong with Ricky Ponting's team........







That's pretty much what I've been saying all along. The australians are overrated and they're arrogant and complacent because of all their previous results.

I'm used to heartbreaking losses like this one with the Australian team. In fact, as I said, I just can't remember us winning a close game. We ALWAYS lose them.

Those old enough will remember a VERY similar scenario back in about '92 when the West Indies were still number 1 and we were trying to take that ranking away from them. We had a lowish total to win in Adelaide, but we collapsed. It was up to Tim May and Craig McDermott who put on a great last wicket partnership and they took us to 2 runs from victory. Then, Craig McDermott was given out caught behind, when to this day, I still believe the ball came off his helmet, not the bat.

Well, the same thing has happened here. The ball that dismissed Kasprowicz certainly hit him on the glove, but that glove wasn't holding the bat at the time and as such, he was technically not out. Don't really blame the umpire in either case as they both looked out and they were put under immense pressure from the fielding team on both occasions.

Came across another forum last night whilst havin a bit of a surf.

As luck would have it was our English counterpart, a similar styled sports forum, except theirs was bigger, better, faster etc etc eh hem excuse me. Anyways within those hallowed halls of infinite wisdow i managed to procure a very interesting thread related to the third test.

Well spank my ass and call me Betsy if they weren't already picking out a spot to mount the Ashes trophy - all inche and three quarters of it, if ya get my meaning. The Aussies are this and that, no good this and that and it droned on and on and on and on and on.

Well god help us all if they ever win the thing because i'm telling you now it will be unbearable, what's worse imagine the fall-out if they lose. We may have to implement tighter controls here just in case they try to migrate over to this forum to tell us all how they feel.

__________________
I like Bing Lee.

That's what I've been saying for ages. If England win the Ashes, you will seriously never hear the end of it!!! I can't stand the thought of it happening, but it's looking like a very good chance.

i thought it was very funny when i saw matthew hayden say about a week ago, "England have been talking themselves up and the media has been telling everyone how good they are, and yet they've won nothing! we won the one day series and the first test. What have they got to show for the tour?"

That's a good point chuck!

To listen to them though, i hope beyond all hope that the aussies get up. When they do i'm gonna drop into their forum and give em all a spray - hahahaha

What would be real good is if they Poms won another one and THEN with Mcgrath and Lee back, Hayden, Ponting and Co to hit form, the Aussies sweep the final tests to win the series. Woo Hoo, i could have some fun with that!

__________________
I like Bing Lee.