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?

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?

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

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.

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.

Good point percy!! but all the ones that count will get it im sure!!

I can see the tumbleweed across many monitors!

I'm going to stick my neck out and say I'll agree with you.

Very subtle EL D!!

Andrew flintoff has announced his retirement from test match cricket After the ashes www.skysports.com/cricket/ashes/ ... 71,00.html

Andrew flintoff has announced his retirement from test match cricket After the ashes www.skysports.com/cricket/ashes/ ... 71,00.html

Anyone watching Yorksha?

We're doing quite good. So far!

How good are Yorkshire at getting into a really good position to win a game, then collapsing emphatically and blowing it? Happening every bloody week at the moment!

He's on Sky at the moment, playing poker in some "Ashes poker challenge" thing with the likes of Warne, Gough, Hoggard and Jeff Thompson. If anything, his neck seems more non existent then when he played back in the day, if that's at all possible!

I'm f-cking sick of it. I really am f-cking sick of our dire team.

125-0

Going well. Going very very well.

I hope you have not just jinxed them if they lose 3 quick wickets after lunch i will hunt you down

Hopefully Strauss & Cook just keep doing what they're doing - hitting Mitchell Johnson all over Lords.

I havent watched any of it yet because I was watching the golf so i think i should keep it that way for now otherwise they will blow it if i start watching just like yorkshire did last night when i turned that on

Lovely collapse there, 3 overs 3 wickets! Strauss second ball of the day!

England will be lucky to get a draw now, that is unless a miracle occurs and the bowling is pretty decent!

Well, some late hitting from the last wicket pair at least gets us over 400, even if they did just miss out on a 50 partnership. 425 all out.

Not sure that 425 is anywhere near enough on that wicket with our bowling as it was in the last test.

It's fine, Aus will get to 1190 for 3 and then decide to declare. Draw is on the cards it seems.