The Ashes 2023

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741138#Comment_120741138

Yes, he was the difference two sixes and a four off Root opened it up for them.

aside from the early declaration, not putting more runs on the board in their 2nd innings also did for England.

lbunnae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741174#Comment_120741174

Yeah I mean they probably shoulda been bowling for a win or at worst a draw. Declaration was a long time ago so bit hard to just blame that. Some ridiculous shots in their 2nd innings. The Aussies winning that with Smith and Labuschange playing crap is ominous.

Furze99

Great win by the Aussies, all four results possible near the end but they held their nerve and deserved the victory. Looked like Cummins and Lyon were settling for the draw at one stage, then Cummins launched Root for two 6s and they believed again. Khawaja rightly MOTM, a proper test batsman.

Think the Aussies will be disappointed though in some of their batsmen and surprised they didn't clean up the English tail a bit quicker yesterday.

kowloonkev

Atherton at the end suggesting England dominated the whole match as if they were robbed. He thinks aggressive and reckless equals dominance. In reality it ebbed and flowed for the five days. I think that could be as close as England get to winning a match in this series.

dohboy

Delighted to see the Barmy Army sickened. Their sh1te chants would wreck your head.

lbunnae

Jaysis Stokes confirming after he just wants to entertain. Not sure if they'll win one.

Jack Daw

Anyone else see the Kerry GAA jersey Circa 1998 in the stands near the end.

Odd thing to see at a cricket match.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741124#Comment_120741124

Bad captaincy all around. Stokes for some reason went funky in the head during that match. Think all of this bazball bôllocks needs to be put to bed asap. you play the conditions and match situation. These cartoon buzzwords are great for press headlines and entertaining the kids but as regards basing test cricket in the middle on it, forget it….

his interview in the aftermath is pure spoof, can’t recall verbatim but… “not too disappointed and if we can keep people on the edge of their seats we’ll be happy”. You lost you ****.

Desperately needing wickets and having no close catchers or slips….none, I’ve been watching and studying cricket for over 30 years and that baffles me to bits. Like absurdly bad captaincy.

the declaration at the time it came, utterly pointless and clueless. Joe Root was at the crease 118* 👀… just get him and Robinson to swing the bat, get another quick 30-40 from him and the tail. Why declare ? A sub 400 score and declare in the very first test of an Ashes series ?

James Anderson 38 overs in the match, 1 wicket. Looked incredibly tame, gentle and pedestrian….swung the ball impressively well, but he’s 41… so why is he being backed up as a frontline bowler by an almost 37 year old….?

dohboy

Tbf England under Stokes and McCullum have a lot of credit in the bank so expect a plenty of "it was a cracker of a Test, on we go, let's win the next one" kinda stuff from the media and fans. If they lose the next one though, the knives will be out...

iffandonlyif

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741248#Comment_120741248

I can’t believe people are genuinely taking him at his word. An insanely competitive cricketer and we’re expected to believe he’s now just in it for the fun.

lbunnae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741541#Comment_120741541

His decisions have been baffling, seems like hes happy to be different and entertaining to me. It'll end in tears.

dohboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741742#Comment_120741742

I mean they've won 11 out of 14 tests under him, lost one by 1 run, and were very close to winning this one. It's not like there hasn't been a method behind his madness.

lbunnae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741807#Comment_120741807

Fair enough, altho he's lost the most important one

Strumms

England missed a load of chances too….six dropped catches, one missed stumping and a wicket off a no ball… add that to captain insensible.

so when the Aussies are sitting back with their beers tonight, they’ll be happy but they know they got an awfully sizeable helping hand from the England team here.

also they go to Lords knowing the English don’t have seemingly much in reserve from a bowling point of view. Mahmood, Fisher, Carse all have had opportunities..at varying formats and to varying levels but haven’t set the world alight or close.

Archer is injured I’m not sure if he can be considered for later in the ashes series..actually he’s confirmed gone from the entire series…. But I’m sure he’ll be globetrotting again in no time for the various franchises £$£$£$£$£$. 8 clubs / franchises globally in his short cricket career, he’s around 27.

not exactly surprising he’s injured. He’s admitted playing through injury in the IPL… injuries include two stress fractures… the only catalyst to a stretch fracture….repetitive force / overuse…the only reason for that ….money.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741248#Comment_120741248

I agree, the Aussies batting didn't really fire in this match. And their bowling line up is strong. If Stokes carries on with a ODI hit & hope mentality, they could be well take big losses yet.

Gillespy

It was a two wicket defeat. Do you not remember England before Stokes took over? Had they caught better and didn’t miss easy stumpings, they win that game comfortably.

Today’s not the day to celebrate the death of Bazball. Third loss in a year is not proof the concept doesn’t work. Having watched nearly every over I thought they were the better team.

The Khawaja edge Anderson took goes to hand in his first over of the last innings and then the conversation is about how un-Australian conservative Cummins was.

MFPM

It was an excellent test match, compulsive listening while trying to work, though I managed to grab the final overs on tv and watch the winning runs. England had the game, at one stage and will be kicking themselves but fair play to Australia particularly Cummings, Lyon and Khawaja who held their nerve in a testing environment.

I'm not a supporter of either team but would lean towards the Aussies and I think it's good for the series that they won.

I find the 'bazball' hyperbole a tad tedious, you'd swear no one has ever played aggressive test cricket! It'll be interesting to see if results go against England whether Stokes sticks to his guns, they've been able to do so predominantly because they are better than most test teams at the moment but playing Australia and India is a different proposition to South Africa or the West Indies.

England need Mark Wood in the side. Irrespective of his finger I don't think Ali can play, yes he can get an odd wicket but he will go for plenty. interesting to see what happens with Anderson, was this match just an off few days (he didn't bowl badly but never looked like taking many wickets), bad pitch or is it more than that? I think Bairstow will play at Lords but if he drops any there, they'll have to make a change.

Starc will probably come into the side for Australia but for who, Boland? Warner deserves to be dropped but don't think they will.

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120746154#Comment_120746154

i think wicket keeping is England's biggest problem. The few missed stumping opportunities are unforgivable at this level.

Gillespy

Bairstow is a far better keeper than he showed in that game. I’m basing that on old evidence though, when he was younger and leaner. I think they’ll be hoping he was just a bit rusty and will improve.

Woakes for Lord’s maybe? Has a fantastic record there. Weather looks to be more unsettled so that might let them kick the spinner question down the road. Moeen Ali is unselectable now I think.

Strumms

Bairstow is 34 in a few weeks. Dunno but from what I saw if I’m McCullum I’d be concerned…… …..That’s not young for a wicket keeper, or a cricketer…over the last 3/4 years he’s had a few injuries including surgery last year on I forget what exactly….

again, another busy globetrotting IPL merchant, plus he’s played franchise cricket in Pakistan and Dubai, plus domestic club cricket and…

91 tests, 95 ODIs and 66 T20 internationals….

I like him as a cricketer but that’s a fúcking ridiculous schedule, that’s all in about 11 years.….

players have to make money and make the best of their careers but I dunno….

pick another wicket keeper, keep Bairstow in for his batting and experience and ninja Moeen ? for the new keeper ? No perfect solution….

Strumms

The fûck are players who are actively playing in the Ashes, writing articles in the cricketing media ? Straight away in the aftermath of the defeat. Giving up insights to their thinking and mindset ?

it’s a chronic lack of good decision making from Robinson he comes across as an absolute idiot and the English leadership for allowing it, rubbish… 🤪. Not surprised at Stokes but McCullum… he’s been around…..

https://wisden.com/series-stories/ashes-2023/ollie-robinson-we-were-surprised-by-australia

Tom Mann Centuria

One thing Ollie Robinson should have learned from his enforced abscence was to keep his mouth shut, and just play cricket, but clearly he didn't learn that lesson.

Gillespy

Not surprised a lot of ex Australian players are hitting back. Hayden the worst I’ve seen, bit less by Ponting, by being even more stupid and questioning Robinson’s ability. He’s averaging 21 in 16 matches. He’s obviously a very good bowler. Edgbaston gave him zero assistance and he still did alright.

Pretty sure it’s not a new thing for players to write for papers during series. What they choose to say is another matter. You have to think England are giving it the ok first. Any country other than Australia and I might care more about it. They’re the experts in lines and the crossing of them.

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120754208#Comment_120754208

I think there has been a bit of a culture change under Cummings, far less sledging and players shooting their mouth off. Robinson's send off to Khawaja in the first innings was pathetic, the guy had scored 140+ and some of his follow up comments equally stupid.

Gillespy

Culture change and Australian cricket would make you dizzy. Get ready for a broken arm, sandpaper gate, to elite honesty and whatever this version is. A fast bowler celebrates a wicket with a few words and all of a sudden it upsets them. They’re complete hypocrites.

MFPM

The responses I saw from the Aussies players to Robinson were quite muted I thought.

dohboy

It's not like the players are sitting down actually *writing* these pieces. They spend 20 mins on the phone chatting to a journalist who puts a few of their thoughts in some kind of order.

Strumms

It’s the optics. You should be remaining in your own bubble, engage minimally with the media…broadcasters on tv, before and after ok….forget about the rest.

Strumms

Seamer Josh Tongue replaces Moeen Ali. That’s come from left field a bit…

took a five for against Ireland and was seriously economical in both innings.

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/12910324/the-ashes-josh-tongue-replaces-moeen-ali-as-england-name-all-seam-attack-for-second-test-at-lords

Don’t think it’s a bad decision as reverting to Mark Wood wouldn’t have been very inspiring…..

dohboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120774277#Comment_120774277

Big call on Tongue. They're saying Wood wasn't quite ready. Matthew Potts seems to have fallen down the pecking order. Woulda thought they might have needed Woakes in for his batting, but his pace isn't really up there.