Its difficult to know which side took the most from the third test... England will feel they had Australia on the ropes after taking 77-7 in the first session on day two, whilst Australia can argue they fought back bravely and held on for a draw with relative ease in the end..... Who's to say what would of happened if so much time hadn't been lost to the rain.
Before the series the concept of watching the fifth day of a test match with one team going all out for a win, the other attempting to hold on for a draw would not of shocked many fans on either hemisphere.... what was surreal and pleasing (from an England point of view at least) that roles played by both teams were the opposite from what we expected!
So who has the momentum?- you'd have say Australia at this stage.
Sadly certain sections of the Australian media have again chosen to focus on anything apart from their own teams faults - again we've had the umpires integrity questioned, the England teams sportsmanship (well maybe Strauss shouldn't of let Ponting replace Haddin at the last minute then?) and now finally its all the fault of the big nasty bullies in Barmy Army for calling the Aussies horrible names..... Boo bloodly hoo - Have a spoonful of cement and hard up the f*ck up princess ! Do these people really think Ponting or Mitchell Johnson gives a toss if a bunch of drunk Englishman are booing them or cheering their mistakes??? Do me a favour.. !
If anything it probably inspires them to want stick back to the drunks and score a century, get that wicket, take that catch and lift that urn at The Oval in a few weeks time..... if these journalists think that's abusive they should attend an English football match... Arsenal v Spurs, City v United, Chelsea v West Ham, Villa v Birmingham, Gillingham v Fulham... - all make the cricket banter sound like a group of catholics on their way home from Sunday school!
Of course the same Australian media wouldn't dare think to themselves that perhaps when the cricket is played down here those lovable little bogans in Bay 13 at the MCG on Boxing Day would also engage in a little bit of banter and abuse an opposition player after a couple of Jim Bean and cokes? no of course not...... the little harmless angels with their yellow singlets, aussie flags and their casks of goon!
Although I am no fan of Ricky Ponting to put it mildly, to be fair to him he has come out and said this crowd/opposition banter all part of the game, its no worse now than it was in past tours and he admits the Barmy Army are one of the best sets of sports fans in the world... this type of journalism is more a symptom of the Australia media than it the cricket team- but that's for subject for another post..
So onto team news....... well for England any changes really all hinge on Freddie…… if
he is passed fit enough.. then Broad might be in danger of losing his place to Harmison (also depending on how the pitch looks). However if Freddie cannot make it Broad will keep his spot (as he can bat a little as well as bowl) and I'd expect us to go with Jonathon Trott to sure up the batting line up. Although I don't think a decision will be made on Fred until the last half an hour or so before the first ball is due to be bowled. England cannot afford to play Flintoff if there is a chance his knee won't last the game - simple as that...I think Australia will keep Hauritz in the team.. any Australian team without an recognised spinner would be unheard of wouldn't it?
Brett Lee or Stuart Clark could easily come in….. My money would be on Lee - as he is handy with the bat as well as the ball. Shane Watson has done much better than Hughes so I'd expect the Aussie batting line up to remain unchanged. (although I still think dropping Hughes so soon was very harsh on the young kid).
Considering before the series Australia started as clear favorites… now England have lost their best batsman in KP… and are in serious danger of losing their best bowler and quick fire batsman in Fred, whilst Australia can now bring back experienced first choice bowlers in Lee and Clarke….. then I'd expect Australia fancy their chances in a big way now.
Still its 1-0 to England with two tests to play…….. that’s a long way from the 0-5 Australian whitewash Glen McGrath and some of the Australian media predicated a month or so ago.
Humble pie anyone?
