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I'm not really a cricket fan but -

Yes, you beat us soundly in all facets of the game and thoroughly deserved to win. And with the current media driven 'hooray patriotism' surrounding our sports stars I'm actually happy to see us get a thrashing.

Over recent years many of our sporting teams and players have become so arrogant and overly confident I feel like we're turning into something from the U.S. or France. The idea that we will automatically win goes against the grain of old Australian values which, probably like most values, have been scattered like nine-pins in the rush for money.

But I don't think I'm alone in this feeling as I remember seeing Leyton Hewitt (Aussie) playing Andre Agassi in Australia several years ago and noticing the mainly Aussie crowd started cheering Agassi because Hewitt was such a rude little shit. Agassi was modest, polite and played a great game and won people over easily. Hewitt was like a boxer - trash talking his opposition and utterly full of himself.

I hope this loss quietens down the chest beating for a while.

Having been a "Pom" myself as a kid living in Oz, I can only imagine the absolute and total joy, todays poms must be feeling at having watched the Aussies getting crushed so convincingly.

They have no sense of humour when it comes to sport and even less when it comes to competing against us, which makes it even more pleasurable to see them squirming in defeat! !laugh!!laugh!!laugh!

Well done lads!

...but I can't resist this:-

Where do the England Cricket Team stay when touring South Africa?

With their parents.

Q, What do you call an aussie cricket fan with a bottle of champagne?

A, A waiter.

What's the difference between an Aussie batsman and Cinderella?

Cinderella knew when to leave the ball!

What do you call an Australian with a bottle of champagne.

Waiter.

itfilm wrote:

> Q, What do you call an aussie cricket fan with a bottle of
> champagne?
>
> A, A waiter.

Yeah yeah....alright.

As an example of media driven 'hooray patriotism' this will take some beating...

The Aussie team weren't that bad. Maybe not as good as the days of Warne, Lillee, McGrath, Hughes, Marsh and Border etc, but they were comprehensively outplayed by a better side. That does not make them bad.
Our side get stick from the media when they fall over, so, the Aussie media is far more virulent than ours.
Ponting is still the best captain they've had since Richie Benaud, who was to my mind the best captain and all rounder they have ever had. A brilliant player, tactician and diplomat. A joy to listen to,and I have in this series.
Some of the Aussie comentators blame the selectors and their system.
England went through a period in the doldrums but changed the system and selectors and now we can see what that has done for our game.
Sarf Africa and India had better look out, becouse Strauss and his boys will beat them.

BGAFD Admin wrote:

> As an example of media driven 'hooray patriotism' this will
> take some beating...

Fantastic! This is what makes me cringe. I love the hypocrisy of ridiculing England for "Penning their victory speeches" halfway through the series in an article titled "Ten Reasons why Australia will win the Ashes".