Australian Test Cricket Team for the Ashes Series v England 2010/2011

2010/2011 ASHES SERIES

AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND

1st Test - Australia Drew England

2nd Test - England defeated Australia by an Innings & 71 Runs

3rd Test - Australia defeated England by 267 Runs

5 Test Series Tied 1-1.
1st Test Review
2nd Test Review
3rd Test Review
4th Test Score Page

Australian 12 Man Squad for Fourth Test - Named December 19 Click here for the 4th Test Page

Ricky PONTING (c), Michael CLARKE (vc), Shane WATSON, Phillip HUGHES, Michael HUSSEY, Steven SMITH, Brad HADDIN, Mitchell JOHNSON, Ryan HARRIS, Michael BEER, Ben HILFENHAUS, Peter SIDDLE + Usman KHAWAJA (added Dec 21)

December 26 Update: 

Australia cleared Ricky Ponting to play and decided not to play a specialist spinner in Michael Beer - with Peter Siddle holding his spot in the team.

England were pleased to see Jimmy Anderson declared fit, while Tim Bresnan was preferred to Steven Finn.

December 21 Update: 
Australia have added Usman Khawaja to the squad as cover for Ricky Ponting (finger). Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus & Michael Beer are fighting for two bowling spots.

England will sweat on the fitness of Jimmy Anderson (side) who is in some doubt for Boxing Day. Tim Bresnan would come in if England's best bowler this summer was ruled out.

December 19 Update: 

Australia make no changes to their 12 man squad from Perth. Michael Beer remains in contention to play at the MCG on Boxing Day if Australia decide to go in with only 3 quicks with Peter Siddle the likely casualty. Speaking of casualties Ricky Ponting is in serious doubt with a broken left pinkie finger - a standby player has not been named but it is likely to be one of Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson or David Hussey. But Khawaja is the clear favourite.

England are expected to stick with Chris Tremlett as their 3rd seamer after he was their best bowler in Perth. And while Paul Collingwood should keep his spot ahead of Eion Morgan, it looks like he will drop down to Number Six with Ian Bell moving up a spot to Number Five.

A dedicated Fourth Test Page will be available before Christmas.

Australian 12 Man Squad for Third Test - Named December 10 Click here for the 3rd Test Page

Ricky PONTING (c), Michael CLARKE (vc), Shane WATSON, Phillip HUGHES, Michael HUSSEY, Steven SMITH, Brad HADDIN, Mitchell JOHNSON, Ryan HARRIS, Michael BEER, Ben HILFENHAUS, Peter SIDDLE.

December 16 Update: Austrlalia went without Beer and took four quicks into battle. England played Tremlett.

December 10 Update: Goodbye Marcus North, Doug Bollinger & Xavier Doherty. Of the three form related omissions - Bollinger has the best chance of wearing the Baggy Green again. Simon Katich is injured and won't play again this series. In come Steven Smith, Phillip Hughes, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson & rookie left arm spinner Michael Beer. The final bowling spot looks to be a battle between Siddle & Hilfenhaus, as Australia's selections suggest they'll take two spinners in with Smith batting at #6 or #7 and Beer as the left arm option.

England are expected to replace injured fast bowler Stuart Broad with one of Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan or Ajmal Shahzad.

THIRD TEST REVIEW - CLICK HERE

It includes Scorecards, Twitter Commentary & Winners & Losers From Each Day's Play.

State of the NFL - Week 8: Cactus Cowboys Prop Up NFL

STATE OF THE NFL

WEEK 8 - 2010

CACTUS COWBOYS PROP UP NFL

If I told you that after just eight weeks of the 2010 NFL Regular Season the Dallas Cowboys were no chance of playing in Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2010 - would you believe me?

If I added that the game itself was going to be played at Cowboys Stadium - I'm sure you'd find it even harder to believe me that Dallas have won just one of their first seven games this season.

But the fact remains - the mighty Dallas Cowboys are 1-6 on the 2010 season - after going 11-5 and reaching the Divisional Playoffs in 2009.

Was it the pressure of hosting a Super Bowl that caused the 2010 Cowboys to implode or did the title window shut on this edition of the Cowboys when they lost in the playoffs last year to the Minnesota Vikings?

Either way - this 2010 edition of the Dallas Cowboys stink.

2010 Melbourne Cup Bluffer's Guide... Americain Wins the Melbourne Cup!

2010 MELBOURNE CUP 

RESULTS

Americain Wins the Melbourne Cup!

So You Think couldn't hold on to its lead in the straight as the French connection led Americain to its first Melbourne Cup win.
Maluckyday was 2nd, So You Think was 3rd, Zipping 4th, Harris Tweed ran a very strong 5th & Holberg was 6th.

The Victorious Americain

Here was the Pre-Race Preview: 
The Bluffer's Guide to the Melbourne Cup.
By W D Nicolson November 2, 2010

Last year Shocking took out the 'Race that Stops a Nation' but in 2010 it would truly be a shock if Shocking defended its title in the Melbourne Cup.

That's because a certain 'So You Think' is conquering all before it and is the raging hot favourite to win at Flemington this afternoon. If it wins - that'll be 13 Melbourne Cups for Bart Cummings... fair effort.

So You Think is at $3.40 on Sportsbet.com.au - and could be even shorter come 3pm, despite the track being downgraded to 'Slow 6'.

Whatever the heck 'Slow 6' means...

Welcome to the 2010 Melbourne Cup Bluffer's Guide... wdnicolson.blogspot.com's 3rd straight year of delivering nothing but dribble when it comes to Australia's biggest horse race.

Here are the Bluffer's Guides for 2009 & 2008.

Wrong and Wrong but entertaining reading I hope.

So here is the 2010 Melbourne Cup Bluffer's Guide - Where the Name Means More than Form.

- 2010 MELBOURNE CUP FIELD - 
(all prices at 11am on Tuesday 2nd November 2010)

1. SHOCKING - $11.50
When it won last year, then jockey Corey Brown proclaimed 'My dream has come true, I can’t describe it, it’s unbelievable.' If Shocking wins again in 2010 - Brown won't be upon it (he's on #7 Shoot Out) - even at $11.50, that repeat performance might take unbelievable to a whole new level.

2. CAMPANOLOGIST - $76.80
Every time I read this name I think it says 'Campaignologist' - either way I'm not voting for it at these odds.

3. SO YOU THINK - $3.40
It'll win... just like it has in 8 of its 11 career starts... a Horse with a 72.7 Winning Percentage - are you kidding me? The Short Odds on offer are the only reason people will punt on other horses. This quote from trainer Bart Cummings suggests it looks like a good thing too... "You couldn't find a nicer-looking horse if you went for all your life, I'd say."

4. ZIPPING - $24.00
Not the most awful roughie to consider as it has finished 2nd & 1st in the last two starts. Consider for a place.

5. ILLUSTRIOUS BLUE - $40.50
If this horse was actually blue - I'd consider it, but right now that's just false advertising.

6. MR MEDICI - $50.90
Whoever named this horse really missed the boat... if you're going with Medici why not call it Dr?

7. SHOOT OUT - $24.50
Will run with last year's winning jockey Corey Brown aboard... he'll 'aim' to win back to back Cups on this horse.

8. AMERICAIN - $12.50
Tempting considering it has four straight wins heading into the Cup. Will be in the mix according to Laurie Daley for sure.

9. TOKAI TRICK - $94.90
Long odds for a reason...

10. BUCCELLATI - $128.90
Longer odds for a reason....

11. DESCARADO - $9.40
The sexiest horse not named So You Think - just ask Bart. Can see it getting some love at the track as a result...

12. HARRIS TWEED - $19.30
My tip for the Melbourne Cup... well other than So You Think. Something about the Black & Red Stripe Tweed jacket that the jockey will be wearing makes it a sure thing to at least feature in a place - although distance may be an issue.

13. MANIGHAR - $22.70
Sounds like it was named after a character in the Lion King... some sections of the crowd may be roaring for it to get up.

14. MASTER O'REILLY - $74.10
Old Greybeard is back for another tilt... the price suggests retirement would be a good idea right after the race.

15. MONACO COUNSUL - $36.10
For a second I thought the owners had named it after a biscuit but someone informed me that no, that's the Monte Carlo... devastated.

16. PROFOUND BEAUTY - $37.90
Really? This horse is that good looking - better ask Bart for his opinion first.

17. ZAVITE - $84.80
Sibling of Zipping... no real runs on the board of late hence the price.

18. BAUER - Scratched
Finished 2nd in 2008 but has been scratched on the morning of the race.

19. HOLBERG - $42.00
Named after the fat goaltender in the Mighty Ducks Movies... or was that Goldberg?

20. PRECEDENCE - $22.60
Two wins in the last month allows me to let this name pass given its history. Note: Blake Shinn was injured in early race at Flemington and will not ride the horse.

21. RED RULER - $107.70
I always stuck with the wood finish rulers at school myself... didn't care much for the fluro plastic versions so will avoid big Red here - especially given the jockey won't be wearing any red at all!

22. LINTON - $67.40
Why couldn't it be called Lleyton or Lipton - those names I can use, what can you do with Linton outside of using it as a collective name for the stuff that gathers in your belly button?

23. ONCE WERE WILD - $37.70
Boring! Where's the fun now?

24. MALUCKYDAY - $11.80
A good mate likes this horse today... he's normally not far off the pace when it comes to tipping a winner apparently so it makes my Trifecta - the fact it has won three straight races coming in helps too.

MY 2010 MELBOURNE CUP TIPS
1st - SO YOU THINK
2nd - MALUCKYDAY
3rd - HARRIS TWEED
Rounding out the Top 6 will be....
4th - LINTON
5th - AMERICAIN
6th - SHOCKING

Note: As it turned out we tipped you 4 of the first 6 finishers... not bad, not bad at all.

If you plan on punting please be smart about it... after all it is only one race and I'm sure you can spend your hard earned on things that actually matter in the future - it's not worth ruining Christmas for a horse race.
Seeya next year with another stab in the dark.