So Cricket Australia has come up with an ad to promote the ashes.
Take a look.
What works:
Sure the technology isn’t quite Avatar, but it is better than I would do. Actual money and thought has gone into this.
Who wouldn’t want to see an all time XI of their players coming out on the field.
The nice looking sequence from Lillee to Lindwall to Johnson.
The editing in general, I like the flow, the build up, etc.
Dickie Bird.
What doesn’t:
Cricket Australia knows cricket, so don’t play down to the fans, Beefy and KP opening? Come on, Boycs, Gooch, Athers or Strauss all could have batted there and the Aussie public wouldn’t have been confused. Strauss holds the Ashes at the moment, Gooch’s moustache is unmistakable, Boycs or Athers getting sledged by Warne makes sense.
Ponting leading the team out. Please. Look at that fucking team. Richie, Bradman, Border, Waugh and Chappell. Richie should captain the side, but Border and Bradman would probably get in a punch up to take that side out, Ricky isn’t in the frame.
While the sequence from Lillee to Lindwall to Johnson is well made, Johnson? According to mumbrella (an Aussie Advertising blog), “The players featured in the spot were selected by Cricket Australia based on the contribution they made to the outcome of an Ashes series in which they participated, and on the availability of archive playing footage.” Johnson’s contribution to the last Ashes was mainly laughs. His bowling was less than shit for 3 tests, and his batting never even arrived in England. I understand wanting current players in this ad, but putting Johnson in a team without Miller or McGrath, or even Gillespie, or Alan Davidson, or Max Walker, is bullshit pandering. Don’t make it an all time XI with a work experience kid in it.
The commentators, Nicholas and Slater, hmmmm, not exactly two of the great commentators. McGilvray? Arlott? Richie? That dude who tapes the pencil as Bradman hits runs in all those old Videos… Don’t pretend it woldn’t have been cool for Richie to commentate on Richie.
Miller? The dude did play after Bradman, there must be footage. If I made this ad it would just be Miller and Warne. Not even out on the ground, just at a bar trying to crack onto two women, Miller with the hot one and Warney with her friend, then have Beefy and KP sitting in the corner looking pissy.
I do like the ad, but it could have been better. That said, Cricket Australia do make some nice ads.
Cheers to P Kiddy for first showing it to me.
“If I made this ad it would just be Miller and Warne. Not even out on the ground, just at a bar trying to crack onto two women, Miller with the hot one and Warney with her friend”
that is highly funny
KP? K fucking P?
There is NO WAY he would agree to open the batting in a million years, even if he were asked.
And he’s not even bloody English.
Ponting needs to bat better. Otherwise Ashes will remain with Poms .. oh way to go Soph .. India is not the only team where they hate their own players after all. Aaahh thats just great. I don’t feel disappointed anymore.
You’re right, they should’ve had Gooch and Boycott facing up to start the series, KP is a middle order bat! No use having Johnson, they could’ve used Hilfenhaus if they wanted a current player who made a contribution in the Ashes. That said, it’s still a thousand times better than anything the BCCI has come up with so far. Really awesome idea even if some minute details left a bit to be desired.
The sun shines in Perth
And the Aussies take the field
One look at Lillee’s ‘stache
And the English fate is sealed.
Why’s KP the opener?
Asks Jarrod unassuming
Because Goochie’s afraid of Lindwall’s wrath
And Boycott is still peeing.
“We need courage” says the English skipper
Looking at a bunch of faces weepy
“To make things happen, at the other end
Let me put in Beefy”.
Says Richie, “Ricky shall captain”
With a twinkle in his eye
“These bastards are too easy for me
I ain’t even gonna try”.
“On-field coach” yells Chappell
“Why not give me a shot?”
“Of course I would” says Richie
“If I were high on pot”.
Mark Nicholas has an orgasm
Thinking who will bat at three
Will it be Ricky or the don?
“I am glad kleanex here is free”.
And so the match was underway
Amidst a lot of cheer and betting
How sad it all ended abruptly
When Bob Willis was called for chucking.
Deep Cower, writing all this,
Realized he is wasting a lot of time
He should be doing physics research
And not worrying about rhyme.
Deep, well played.
Didn’t like the idea of Ponting leading the team out.. its like making Johnson bowl when you have all your greatest fast bowlers (oh they did that too, at least they’re consistent). Just kidding, its a GOOD ad.. BCCI’s too busy counting money to make ads like these..
Maybe they chose Johnson as he was the only one they thought would be fit come the next Ashes?
That sequence with Lillee, Lindwall and Johnson was lovely, but purely in terms of aesthetics, Siddle’s bowling action as he comes into the crease would have looked far more pleasing than Johnson’s weirdness.
cant believe ppl forgot about LEE THE MAN :(
What are you talking about? Johnson had a major impact on the outcome of the 2009 Ashes. Pity for Australia that it wasn’t a postive impact…
As I type this message, somewhere BCCI is signing a deal to clone this Ad with Indian and Pakistani faces.
It’s not bloody relevant who opens the batting in this ad, or who earned merits last summer; KP is a symbol, he’s the bloody enemy, Johnson is a symbol, simply because he is, and Strauss is bloody not, and that’s what the *ad* is about for Christ’s sake, it’s about emotions, not about the English batting order or any other bloody sort of order
Deep Cower – superb!
NOW GET BACK TO WORK
The idea behind showing johnson could be cos he might bowl the first over of Ashes’10
After watching that ad again, that sequence with the bowlers at the end is really quite something. Really nicely cut.
The whole ad is made to appeal to real test cricket fans.
It also has some of the most hated cricketers ever in it what with Waugh, Punter and Warne in it.
I assume that is why Botham is opening with KP for England.
The only thing missing in the ad is Pidgeon doing his teapot stance and mouthing off. Well played Deep Cover.
Hiya
I work with the Barmy Army and saw this video, thanks for putting it up. For an advert the effects are pretty good!
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