The Ashes 2019

Strumms

martingriff wrote: »

Your making sound like the English are Gentlemen but I do agree this is fair play f*** fair play

I’m not making them out as gentlemen but they certainly have no record of being pure cheats, overly aggressive, intimidating anti-sporting bullies... Australia, on the other hand...

I’m all for playing hard but playing fair..

StringerBell

Em, England are certainly no saints and have had plenty of nasty, aggressive players down the years and wouldn't be completely free of scandal themselves now TBH. Not sure where anybody would draw that conclusion from even...

Anyway as has been said, great to see Stokes walk. Captain in waiting right there.

SharpshooterTom

Lyon looks like he's finally turned up.

Strumms

Have to say more suicidal batting and beginning to look like an Australian win is very possible. Lyon turning the ball feet rather than inches.

SharpshooterTom

Pitch isn't doing anything. Just absolutely dead.

Strumms

That’s it, all over.

Strumms

Umpiring this series has been terrible out on the field.. that debacle showing that they are no more competent in the third umpire chair, Jesus.

Rock Lesnar

Australia struggling a little now, Buttler and Overton seem quite settled, need to get 1 of them out soon enough

SharpshooterTom

Strumms wrote: »

That’s it, all over.

This has been said quite a few times this series, but its not over till its over.

Australia could well blow this again.

nice bit of green

It’s an attritional day of cricket but it’s just adding to what has been a great series. Please, please hang on to keep next weekend alive.

Portsalon

The changed ball is swinging and there's a new ball coming in 16 overs so that, plus Cummins and Starc should sort things out.

SharpshooterTom

Personally I think if England draw here they'll win the Ashes at Oval, certainly if they win the toss. So this might it right here.

namloc1980

Australia making hard work of it now.

SharpshooterTom

The stars and planets are aligning for England this summer, if Australia don't win this they'll just think its not meant to be for them.

Rock Lesnar

That should be it, huge wicket, terrible leave though

Strumms

One hell of a delivery that, some serious late swing. Not great from Buttler but he did get a seriously good delivery there.... disappointed he decided just to leave.

SharpshooterTom

Archer gone now.

Aussies surrounding the batsman here, should've done that 30 overs earlier.

Strumms

Only one half century and 53 at that on the England score card. Not the sort of batting form that’s going to have you challenging for the ashes or even staying alive in the ashes....

Rock Lesnar

Strumms wrote: »

Only one half century and 53 at that on the England score card. Not the sort of batting form that’s going to have you challenging for the ashes or even staying alive in the ashes....

And yet they're somehow still in it, unreal when ya think of it, Australia nearly 700 runs and 2 decs and they still haven't won it

BOHtox

England using every trick in the book here to waste a bit of time

Rjd2

BOHtox wrote: »

England using every trick in the book here to waste a bit of time

Its crappy, but everyone else would do the same thing.

The lack of yorkers here especially from Cummins must be infuriating for Aussie fans.

Starc is in the side for this ffs.

BOHtox

Rjd2 wrote: »

Its crappy, but everyone else would do the same thing.

The lack of yorkers here especially from Cummins must be infuriating for Aussie fans.

Starc is in the side for this ffs.

For sure, I don't blame them one bit.

Rock Lesnar

Rjd2 wrote: »

The lack of yorkers here especially from Cummins must be infuriating for Aussie fans.

Maybe its me, but i find we dont see many yorkers in cricket now, the days of Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh, Courtly Ambrose steaming them in are long gone

Strumms

Leach had started well but he didn’t need to be anywhere near that ball with bat or hands.

Labuschagne looks like a very handy part-time spinner to have.

Rjd2

All up to Overton now, can't expose Broad to Starc or well any bowler tbh.:P

SharpshooterTom

You could argue England are due to lose one of these tight tests. Cardiff 2009, Headingly 2019.

martingriff

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

You could argue England are due to lose one of these tight tests. Cardiff 2009, Headingly 2019.

Its one thing you about England they are good at holding out ans as I write this it may be bye bye

Edit: bye bye should have been done last test.

SharpshooterTom

Ashes retained.

SharpshooterTom

England dug in well but ultimately too much to do in the end.

Australia deserved it.

Rock Lesnar

Over the 4 games, Australia deserved it, England can have no complaints

Rjd2

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

England dug in well but ultimately too much to do in the end.

Australia deserved it.

Astonishing knock from Stokes aside, Australia have been the better side all series.

England along with India has proved to be the most difficult country to win a long series in over last decade so its a remarkable achievement indeed for Australia.

BOHtox

England might as well make a few changes going in to this. Good few players not performing with bat and ball

martingriff

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

England dug in well but ultimately too much to do in the end.

Australia deserved it.

Australia should never have made it this hard on themselves. Should have seen the draw at least last Test and had plenty of opportunity this test. They seem to freeze and go into a different mode when it comes close

Conchir

Well done Australia. I’m up for them in the Ashes but I was torn between them winning here and keeping it alive for next week.

Will this be known as Smith’s Ashes in the years to come?

Tom Mann Centuria

Well deserved Australia,the better team generally and Smith different class, England relied too much on a Hail Mary every game.

SharpshooterTom

England boo boys still at it with Smith.

Just give over for once would you.

nice bit of green

Conchir wrote: »

Well done Australia. I’m up for them in the Ashes but I was torn between them winning here and keeping it alive for next week.

Will this be known as Smith’s Ashes in the years to come?

The Smashes.

decies

Delighted for Aussies it’s made my summer them retaining the ashes . The silence at end from the boo boys at end was glorious . I hope the Aussies win or draw at the oval if not fair enough , ashes retained .

Richard Hillman

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

England boo boys still at it with Smith.

Just give over for once would you.

We're witnessing history and when their children ask them about the time they seen the great Steve Smith, they will have to tell them they booed him

Harry Palmr

As good as some of the bowling was Smith is the real difference between these sides.

I made a point of not checking the scores so could watch the highlights and England got closer than I expected to be honest.

BarryD2

Good competitive match with a bit of everything in it, but the Aussies always essentially had the upper hand. Won the toss and took advantage of it. Declared twice, would have been a travesty if they hadn't pulled it off.

If anyone saw it, what was with the non lbw decision against Overton I think, who was caught on the back foot with a yorker? And yet ruled missing?

BarryD2

BarryD2 wrote: »

Good competitive match with a bit of everything in it, but the Aussies always essentially had the upper hand. Won the toss and took advantage of it. Declared twice, would have been a travesty if they hadn't pulled it off.

If anyone saw it, what was with the non lbw decision against Overton I think, who was caught on the back foot with a yorker? And yet ruled missing?

Hawkeye showed it was missing leg side. Very late swing obviously!

BOHtox

Why do they not use Hot Spot any more? Everybody bar the third umpire saw Overton's huge inside edge onto the pads for an LBW appeal. Now luckily in the end the contact was outside off stump but it shouldn't have come to that.

StringerBell

Never mind that, was that the one that was hit outside the line while playing a shot? Never should have gone beyond that check, took an age. It was ridiculous

BOHtox

BOHtox wrote: »

Why do they not use Hot Spot any more? Everybody bar the third umpire saw Overton's huge inside edge onto the pads for an LBW appeal. Now luckily in the end the contact was outside off stump but it shouldn't have come to that.

I don't think it was conclusive that there was an inside edge. Bat definitely hit the pad as the ball was passing which may have caused the spike in the snickometer or whatever you want to call it.

But as Stringer said, these reviews would take a lot less time if they just checked the lbw first. If it shows that it's out then go back to see if there was bat involved.

BarryD2

Ward J. Littell wrote: »

Hawkeye showed it was missing leg side. Very late swing obviously!

Sounded quite unusual, must have been some swing

Ward J. Littell wrote: »

But as Stringer said, these reviews would take a lot less time if they just checked the lbw first. If it shows that it's out then go back to see if there was bat involved.

It's a progression of events in time isn't it - no ball, any bat involved and then LBW. I guess if you have a system, you just stick to it for clarity.

The final test will be interesting, will Eng capitulate or the Aussies take it easy.

jobeenfitz

BarryD2 wrote: »

Sounded quite unusual, must have been some swing



It's a progression of events in time isn't it - no ball, any bat involved and then LBW. I guess if you have a system, you just stick to it for clarity.

The final test will be interesting, will Eng capitulate or the Aussies take it easy.

Probably a bit of both, England massively deflated so would go with an Aussie win if weather is decent.

Stevieluvsye

jobeenfitz wrote: »

Probably a bit of both, England massively deflated so would go with an Aussie win if weather is decent.

The weather is to be fine for the full 5 days

https://www.bbc.com/weather/6545174

England i'd imagine will make a couple of changes.

I'd bring back Moeen as he has been in great form the last few weeks and i feel he is a confidence player. Leach bowled terribly and doesn't offer much with the bat.

I'd drop Overton also and bring in Sam Curran at his home ground.

Not sure how Australia will go starting 11. I'd probably bring Mitchell Marsh for Wade and drop Harris for Bancroft/Khawaja

BOHtox

Surprised they named the same squad. Possibly the turnaround was too short for them.

Denly was getting decent runs as an opener but long term he won't be around and in general I don't think he's up to it. Handy part-time leg spinner but there was a chance for Sibley to come in to open.

Buttler and Bairstow have both been dreadful with the bat. Give one the gloves and drop one for Ollie Pope and give him a go.

I think we'll see Curran come in. Broad has been bowling well. Archer has been bowling quite well. I wonder does he have the mentality to bat at this level though. He seems disinterested, he slogs a lot. England needs players down here that will hang on and let the lower order score runs. Leach can hang on although he's been mediocre with the ball. I'm not even sure who their next spinner would be.

I'd have gone for
Burns
Sibley
Root (C)
Roy
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
Curran
Archer
Broad
Leach/ AN Other