Cricket Thread

KS55 said:
We’ll need the top three to occupy the crease long enough to make life easier for Root. If he has to face a newish ball and fresh bowlers we will be done for.
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Agreed. Our number three spot is my biggest concern. I can’t see Pope scoring many runs unless it’s a batting paradise and Bethell should probably be coming in at 5 or 6 at this stage of his career.

On a more positive note, Australia’s tail seems long without Cummins in the team. Hazelwood, Lyon and Boland are all really number 10s or 11s.
 
Hazelwood has now been ruled out of the first test as well. England will never have a better opportunity to start off the series with a win.
 
This morning I got a notification in my feed that SA won the test vs India where India was favored heavily to win as they had only 124 to chase in the 2nd innings.

Obviously weird stuff can happen in tests.. I wouldn't count out getting results in the ashes just yet.

IMHO tests are about testing you over a long period of time and Aussies being older (as is reported) might just be their achiles heel.
 
TinFoilHat said:
The lack of prep bothers me.

I'm sure they used to play some Aussie reserve team in a test/ODI before playing the real ones.

Bazball seems to be about little prep and spawn the win on the day.
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Totally agree about the lack of prep mate but I think that’s down to the modern day overcrowded schedule more than anything else. Some of the best players in the test squad were playing ODIs in New Zealand just a couple of weeks ago. Arranging a one day series so close to an Ashes series doesn’t sit right with me, and those players would’ve been better off playing two or three warm-up matches in the longer format against quality Australian sides in the run up to the first test.

For all the critics of Bazball, I honestly think Stokes would’ve had the team acclimatising in Australia a month before the first test if he’d been allowed. He clearly values test cricket more than any other format and the Ashes is the pinnacle of that. Unfortunately, the bloated schedule governs what he can and can’t do.
 
M18CTID said:
Totally agree about the lack of prep mate but I think that’s down to the modern day overcrowded schedule more than anything else. Some of the best players in the test squad were playing ODIs in New Zealand just a couple of weeks ago. Arranging a one day series so close to an Ashes series doesn’t sit right with me, and those players would’ve been better off playing two or three warm-up matches in the longer format against quality Australian sides in the run up to the first test.

For all the critics of Bazball, I honestly think Stokes would’ve had the team acclimatising in Australia a month before the first test if he’d been allowed. He clearly values test cricket more than any other format and the Ashes is the pinnacle of that. Unfortunately, the bloated schedule governs what he can and can’t do.
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All fair points.
 
M18CTID said:
Totally agree about the lack of prep mate but I think that’s down to the modern day overcrowded schedule more than anything else. Some of the best players in the test squad were playing ODIs in New Zealand just a couple of weeks ago. Arranging a one day series so close to an Ashes series doesn’t sit right with me, and those players would’ve been better off playing two or three warm-up matches in the longer format against quality Australian sides in the run up to the first test.

For all the critics of Bazball, I honestly think Stokes would’ve had the team acclimatising in Australia a month before the first test if he’d been allowed. He clearly values test cricket more than any other format and the Ashes is the pinnacle of that. Unfortunately, the bloated schedule governs what he can and can’t do.
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That's the issue. There's no time to properly prepare when we're also trying to prep ourselves for shorter format tournaments in the not too distant future. It's a real balance. To be fair, England have approached a number of overseas test series in the same way and won the first test - it's been the rest of the series that's the issue! Playing more matches only leads to more noise as well. Brook took a bashing for his batting against the Lions. Root didn't score many runs. Unless the warm up games go well it can be as much a negative as a positive. Time in the middle is always beneficial but nothing can fully prepare you for playing in the hostility and occasion of any ashes test match.

My head is telling me it's illogical to think England win this series. We haven't won a five test series in how long? Our bowling attack is okay, nothing more. Our batting is strong but not infallible. Australia have world class bowlers and inevitably will find some form with the bat and close the gap there too.

Then there's my heart telling me this first test is a great opportunity. No Hazlewood, no Cummins...we have to make it count. Ideally a Root century is included. That leaves their media lacking ideas for what to go at next. It puts the pressure on them and maybe we can turn the screw.

Ultimately this is either something I dedicate my whole life to over the next 8 weeks or something I pretend isn't happening!
 
I went to watch the warm up game Friday & Saturday at Lilac Hill. It really was friendly. You have to remember that the Aussie do not and never have helped the touring side. The Sheffield shield equivalent of County championship is being played and they do not play the touring sides. Not like us dafties providing in England county sides to play.
Its a tough tour and no favour is given, come on boys dig in fight hard and bat bat bat
 
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