The Ashes 2015 - Spoilers

[Ganymede]

Sounded like England had plenty of edges too but they played them softer or something and they weren't carrying and generally left the ball better.

True about playing softer (or slightly later?) - and England also didn't have to bat against such an aggressively placed field. The England slip positions in the Aussie innings were like a barricade. Also, watching that catch again by Stokes made me think again how young the England team is - he simply doesn't give a fack in the field, he just hurls himself into space with his eyes on the ball like heat-seeking missiles. I think that sort of catching confidence leaves you when you get older as you know how much it will hurt you when you hit the ground.

Agree about Jimmy - his face at the end was a battlefield of envy and respect. Also agree that Australia could still pull something out of the bag.

 

[rich p]

I was caught out about Broad getting to 300 wickets. I hadn't appreciated that he was that close at 29 years of age*
Similar in some ways to Cook scoring more Test runs than anyone else at a better average than anyone since Boycott.
There were calls for both of them to be dropped recently.

*(copyright Paul Sherwen).

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

"Ganymede, post: 3841109, member: 33330" Also agree that Australia could still pull something out of the bag.

Possible but improbable - particularly in this series. I can't remember one where the team that takes the initiative from the start goes on to win just about all the sessions and the match to boot. This series has gone like that.

 

[rich p]

@Dayvo. I don't watch so much cricket these days, as it's not on terrestrial, but Bairstow has done pretty well.
Having watched the highlights, I agree that his footwork is suss. I'm not convinced yet that he's test class.

 

[psmiffy]

I'm not convinced yet that he's test class.

yup - but in the same breath im not convinced that Lyth, Bell (the aging batter) Stokes (the bowler and sometimes the batsman), Wood, Buttler (wicket keeper and batsman) Moeen (the bowler) Finn (reincarnated fast bowler) are "test class"

 

[rich p]

yup - but in the same breath im not convinced that Lyth, Bell (the aging batter) Stokes (the bowler and sometimes the batsman), Wood, Buttler (wicket keeper and batsman) Moeen (the bowler) Finn (reincarnated fast bowler) are "test class"

Me neither.
Buttler seems to be a better keeper than I suspected but he needs to bat better and cleverer to become an Adam Gilchrist.
Wood, really dunno
Moeen, good batter (good enough?, dunno) but iffy bowler.
Finn has the potential - I'd stick with him.
Lyth - no idea
Bell - stick with him until there's someone shouting for his place

 

[psmiffy]

yup - agree all- however - they are a better team than their component parts - until better replacements emerge from the mediocrity that is county cricket (or we can recruit some more saffers ) they will have to do

 

[benb]

Australia could still pull something out of the bag

Haha, what planet are you on?

 

[nickyboy]

yup - agree all- however - they are a better team than their component parts - until better replacements emerge from the mediocrity that is county cricket (or we can recruit some more saffers ) they will have to do

I think the team is pretty close now. There are a couple of weaknesses of course. Lyth either has to show he has the quality or we have to find someone else to partner Cook. Our spin option is a bit weak and for that reason I'd like to see Rashid given an opportunity at some time. Apart from that it seems OK. Even the great test teams had a few guys that you wouldn't call really top quality but they did a job

 

[Ganymede]

Haha, what planet are you on?

Ha ha! Planet Fear! To be clearer I meant they could in theory bowl us out cheaply today and bat a decent second innings - they are often characterised as sore losers but their soreness can lead to them stepping up to the plate (eg after Cardiff). And we are not beyond suffering a major batting collapse in our second innings either. I guess I distrust any overconfidence in anyone, especially the commentators.

 

[psmiffy]

Fourth Ashes Test – Aussies all out 60 – England 274 for 4 Lead by 214

It was difficult to comprehend the events of yesterday morning – Stuart Broad taking two in the first over followed by a procession of Australian batsmen until 10minutes from official lunch they were all out in 18.3 overs – not bad considering they started 5minutes late due to light rain – Broads 8 for 15 was brilliant – not just the pitch talking – Wood and Finn bowled almost the same number of balls between them – they bowled well but only took one wicket each – England’s catching was pretty good – especially by Cook and Stokes – I cannot remember the last time England deployed six slips or any England player at sixth slip ever taking a slip catch

If England were humiliated in the second test then Australia were triple humiliated in this one (thesaurus doesn’t reveal an adjective strong enough)

England reply started before lunch and they lost Lyth 14 who started well and Bell 1 in short order not long after lunch to good balls from Starc shortly after lunch – definitely had the feel of a not very much for 3 coming on but Cook and Root took the score onto 96 before Cook 43 missed a straight one from Starc – Bairstow got the predictable fast short one from Johnson but showed that he had worked out how he had worked out how to get away from them – Root and then Bairstow batted on to get their 50s playing well but with occasional good fortune – Root’s eighth Test century came up before Bairstow 74 got carried away and chipped the ball to square leg – Wood comes in and survives to close

A wicked days test cricket if you are an England supporter (I assume Marmy is feigning disinterest to the whole thing) The conditions were definitely helpful to England but not so much that it took away the element of skill that Broad exhibited. The Aussies bowled well in patches – Starc early on and Hazelwood towards the end – Johnson showed occasional that he could make the ball really lift – There was nothing there for Lyon but sensibly nobody took liberties with him - A nightmare day for the Aussies though

The Aussies are bowling well enough in patches – there is still enough in the pitch that England cannot afford to take them for granted – Wood has to stick around for a few overs to take the early sting out of the Aussie bowlers – Root has the opportunity to make a really big score – has often been out early on after making a 100 the previous day - Stokes, Buttler and Moeen have got to bat positively without being reckless –England do not need to be brittle in the middle order – there is plenty of time and England need to put up a big score – The Aussies will not be knocked over so easily a second time (Actually I hope they will be) – If they get it right they go to the Oval with the Ashes won

 

[User482]

Not wishing to be antagonistic – RE: Bairstow

1. He is not there to have as good a technique as Lyth – he is there to score runs freely in the middle order

2. If he did have as good a technique as Lyth they would have picked him as opener instead of Lyth

3. He is a quicker learner than Lyth – Lyths dismissal today had the same symptoms as his previous six dismissals against the Aussies – yes it was a good ball – but he is miles too late getting into place to play - on the other hand - Bairstow has learned what the short fast ball looks like and has come up with a method to get out of its way

Yours

Unperturbed of the East Midlands

I thought Lyth looked far more solid yesterday, and was a bit unfortunate to get a really good delivery just as he was settling in to his innings. I think he deserves a bit more time.

 

[psmiffy]

I thought Lyth looked far more solid yesterday, and was a bit unfortunate to get a really good delivery just as he was settling in to his innings. I think he deserves a bit more time.

I agree that he started well he seemed to have more time - as if he was putting into practice some fix he had worked on in the last week - maybe repeating it in his head as he batted - but as Starc started to put pressure on him it seemed that he had less and less time till he got the good one and he looked the same as before

I tend to agree that he needs more time - with the dearth of fast fast bowlers in the domestic game the only place he is going to face that challenge is Test cricket - Pakistan in the UAE though may not be ideal preparation for the likes of Steyn and Morkel in South Africa

 

[Wafer]

The night watchman (Wood) has just hit Johnson for 16 runs in 2 overs...
Even Vic Marks is asking why Johnson isn't giving him a bouncer?

 

[User482]

Root's out.