The Ashes 2019

Rjd2

Head has been poorly treated, they would have lost the second test without him. It should have been Wade gone. I also think Harris is lucky to be opener instead of Khawaja.

SharpshooterTom

I think England have been a bit harsh on Roy. He's only had one test in his prefered position as he was never an opener, transferring an ODI specialist to test cricket is going to take time, playing him against the best bowling attack in the world is not easy either. England aren't exactly queuing with world class batsman knocking on the door so I think patience is needed to help some of these batsman acquire skills necessary for test cricket and some can only get that with time out in the middle. I would have given Roy this test and the two tests against New Zealand, he needs a proper run.

Jos Buttler averages just 33 and has only made one century in 62 innings. He's picked up some form recently in the last test, but he's
a pretty mediocre test player and he's lucky to be given the extended run he has had in the side.

Mysterypunter

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

I thought Archers attitude or the way he carried himself was pretty poor in the last test match. You could see Beefy wanted to let rip at one of the Intervals but bit his lip why he was bowling mid 80's.

The single he ambled was worse than schoolboy stuff and you could hear from Pontings voice when Archer had his jumper wrapped around his waist that he thought it looked really poor.

He'd want to knock that laid back Carribean persona out of himself pretty quick because the love in with him won't last too long

Beefy didn't let rip too much against West Indies, he beat up on rubbish teams, laid back me bollix, Archer is frighteningly good. He was overbowled and tired, that's Joe Root's fault

Stevieluvsye

Mysterypunter wrote: »

Beefy didn't let rip too much against West Indies, he beat up on rubbish teams, laid back me bollix, Archer is frighteningly good. He was overbowled and tired, that's Joe Root's fault

Really?

The same guy who said he is used to bowling 40 over spells.

And if he can bowl 90+ in the second Innings and mid 80's in the first your argument is null and void.

But the commentators reckoned that was because it was "Cold"

Mysterypunter

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

Really?

The same guy who said he is used to bowling 40 over spells.

And if he can bowl 90+ in the second Innings and mid 80's in the first your argument is null and void.

But the commentators reckoned that was because it was "Cold"

People are not machines, can't just turn it on and off. He has only played 3 tests. He was over bowled at Lords, England bowled 142 overs and Archer bowled 44 of them.

Stevieluvsye

Mysterypunter wrote: »

People are not machines, can't just turn it on and off. He has only played 3 tests. He was over bowled at Lords, England bowled 142 overs and Archer bowled 44 of them.

I agree.

But rationale would tell you he should have been bowling 90+ in the first innings and not the second innings.

No doubt he has great potential but far from being a great bowler right now.

And more worrying id the number of niggles he has picked up in his short(ish) career.

If he wants to become a top test bowler he may forget about the big bash and IPL for the next few years and focus on his core

Mysterypunter

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

I agree.

But rationale would tell you he should have been bowling 90+ in the first innings and not the second innings.

No doubt he has great potential but far from being a great bowler right now.

And more worrying id the number of niggles he has picked up in his short(ish) career.

If he wants to become a top test bowler he may forget about the big bash and IPL for the next few years and focus on his core

The last paragraph here is absolutely correct, I think T20 cricket is completely different, its why so many teams get bowled out cheaply in the longer format, trying to bash their way out of trouble. Way too much of it played, and its the same heads playing in different colours. He played through injury in the world cup.

y0ssar1an22

aus win the toss and bowl

y0ssar1an22

re jason roy. if he wants to be a test opener he will need to focus less on the cash on offer in t20 and play a proper first class season

Surprised Paine chose to bowl first. Not sure I'd want to be batting last on that pitch. Pressure on the Aussies now to bowl England out cheaply.

Anjobe

Aus win the toss and bowl - interesting choice, influenced by England's selection I wonder?

y0ssar1an22

burns given LBW. gone to review.....

y0ssar1an22

not out

y0ssar1an22

denly gone. 27/1

Adamcp898

Opening partnership of 27................highest of the series for either side.

kmart6

Didn't last long...

y0ssar1an22

Adamcp898 wrote: »

Opening partnership of 27................highest of the series for either side.

thats a bonkers stat!!

kmart6

England should be able to put up a respectable score here.

Siddle really justifying his selection...

Anjobe

...and Paine. Pity about the result at OT otherwise we could be quipping about them dropping the ashes!

Anjobe

Anjobe wrote: »

...and Paine. Pity about the result at OT otherwise we could be quipping about them dropping the ashes!

Very sloppy. Paine should have left it for Warner in fairness.

BarryD2

Disappointing from the Aussies - putting Eng in and then dropping catches... Seems they've taken their eyes off the ball & series a bit. But still early days I guess.

Anjobe

Good session for England. Cummins bowled excellently as usual but the others were a bit short, and the drops were poor.

SharpshooterTom

Aussies just chucked away any hopes of a series win. Daft decision to bowl.

Rjd2

Ashes retained but odd stuff from Australia since, Head dropped, bowling first today and Siddle in for Starc,,,,what is the point of Mitch Marsh again?

Test not lost yet, but need a few wickets this session.

Butterfingers! That was the toughest of the chances to be fair.

y0ssar1an22

not watching yet. so it seems there's been a few dropped catches. not looking like a great decision to put england in, but 2 quick wickets could change everything. on the flip side of that, if eng post a good 1st innings score and smith doesn't perform (he's due a low score) the series could very easily end 2-2. Should be 3-0 going into this though

Rock Lesnar

I know its probably not, but it feels like a real 5th test ashes are retained match

Anjobe

7000 Test runs for Root. Smith only needs another 130 to join him.

y0ssar1an22

Rock Lesnar wrote: »

I know its probably not, but it feels like a real 5th test ashes are retained match

burns gone now. The collapse is on, i can feel it!!

Adamcp898

Burns gone for 47. One of the positives England can take from the series.

y0ssar1an22

Adamcp898 wrote: »

Burns gone 47. One of the positives England can take from the series.

indeed, he has been impressive

Anjobe

Rock Lesnar wrote: »

I know its probably not, but it feels like a real 5th test ashes are retained match

Australia should have been motivated to win this one as they have not won a Test series in England since 2001, and England would very much have wanted to bounce back after a disappointing performance, but I guess its been a long summer of cricket for everyone.

Rock Lesnar

Terrible shot by Stokes

Adamcp898

Neither team been great and yet here we are. Aussies will be delighted 130/3

y0ssar1an22

Rock Lesnar wrote: »

Terrible shot by Stokes

exactly what the commentary from cricinfo said! looking forward to the highlights tonight

Rock Lesnar

Anjobe wrote: »

Australia should have been motivated to win this one as they have not won a Test series in England since 2001, and England would very much have wanted to bounce back after a disappointing performance, but I guess its been a long summer of cricket for everyone.

Both teams are motivated obviously for the reasons you mentioned, it just feels flat to me, probably down to the atmosphere, sounds more quiet then the previous tests.

Strumms

Yes it’s flat for an Ashes game, though it’s pretty much a dead rubber in terms of the status of the series.

y0ssar1an22

this is building nicely now. 176/5. 2 new batsmen with butler and curran

Adamcp898

They're falling now

or not

Conchir

Brilliant setup of Bairstow by Marsh, 5 outswingers wide of off stump and then the inswinging yorker.

And now Curran gone, another inswinger, plumb lbw. This one from Cummins.

And it’s a no ball! Curran survives.

Strumms

Must have been a centimeter in that

Conchir

Shame for Cummins because that was a textbook lbw. Don’t overstep the line!

Strumms

It was there to be hit a wide half volley just didn’t get enough bat on it.

Rjd2

Rjd2 wrote: »

Ashes retained but odd stuff from Australia since, Head dropped, bowling first today and Siddle in for Starc,,,,what is the point of Mitch Marsh again?

Test not lost yet, but need a few wickets this session.

Marsh earning his keep to be fair to him!

Strumms

Lots of starts for England but the inability to get a century on the scoreboard is really a problem.

Marsh is getting the ball to do all sorts

Rock Lesnar

On that pitch, Smith will bat for days, ha

Beasty

Leach has done all that can be asked of him already....

Strumms

Think England will just be the more satisfied after that...

Anjobe

Rock Lesnar wrote: »

On that pitch, Smith will bat for days, ha

He has to fail some time, doesn't he? Hopefully the ball will swing for Woakes and Curran too and we'll at least get a competitive match.