The memory that haunts me is of 1989, when England held the Ashes and were widely expected to retain them, and got absolutely slaughtered (4-0, I think). That shouldn't happen this time - Pietersen has quite impressed me as captain in the very limited time he's had so far - but I am a little apprehensive about Lee.
Having said that... they have no McGrath, Warne or Gilchrist any more, and nobody who I can see being as good as any of those by 2009. They're still a very good team, but I honestly don't think they deserve to be called great any more. England aren't great either, but our batting lineup is good and the bowling is coming on. If only Panesar would learn the damn arm ball!
No disrespect to England, but we don't rate them enough to put in the same effort as we do the Aussies.
Good. We win surprisingly often because our opponents do that! The real question for me is how much I'm going to care anyway. Of course I want England to win, but England's calendar between now and the Ashes is one I'd not miss too much if it disappeared entirely. This bloody Stanford thing, 879 ODIs (along with two Tests that somehow got left on the schedule) and then Sri Lanka Z, West Indies Casuals or perhaps Afghanistan before the real stuff begins.
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Having said that... they have no McGrath, Warne or Gilchrist any more, and nobody who I can see being as good as any of those by 2009. They're still a very good team, but I honestly don't think they deserve to be called great any more. England aren't great either, but our batting lineup is good and the bowling is coming on. If only Panesar would learn the damn arm ball!
No disrespect to England, but we don't rate them enough to put in the same effort as we do the Aussies.
Good. We win surprisingly often because our opponents do that! The real question for me is how much I'm going to care anyway. Of course I want England to win, but England's calendar between now and the Ashes is one I'd not miss too much if it disappeared entirely. This bloody Stanford thing, 879 ODIs (along with two Tests that somehow got left on the schedule) and then Sri Lanka Z, West Indies Casuals or perhaps Afghanistan before the real stuff begins.