Ashes 2025-26.

[Durhamfootman]

Haven't looked this up, it's just my vibe. But I think of Steve Smith and Ponting as filling their boots when the Aussies are winning 5-0, but not so much when it's close. And Mike Hussey the other way around. I'd have had Mr. Cricket higher than 60.

You could swap him with Mitch (I had one good month) Johnson, if anyone considered it more than an exercise in futility

[sussexpob]

Haven't looked this up, it's just my vibe. But I think of Steve Smith and Ponting as filling their boots when the Aussies are winning 5-0, but not so much when it's close. And Mike Hussey the other way around. I'd have had Mr. Cricket higher than 60.

I honestly think that you could make a case that Ponting's innings with Matty Elliott in Leeds in 1997 was a significant Ashes moment and came to define the order between teams for the next near decade. England had thrashed Australia in the first test, had fought back for a draw at Lords (scored 300/4 to save the game on day 5), had been beaten in OT... and after 3 games, it was 1-1 and England for the first time in the 90s felt like they were in the series. In tough conditions, England got bowled out for 200 odd, but then ripped out the Aussie top order in no time and Ponting coming in at six under huge pressure played an absolute blinder with the ball zipping around everywhere, Australia turned 40-4 into 500/something declared and England never really ever recovered their mojo for another 8 years after. I remember the sense of deflation, which was completed at Trent Bridge the week after when Australia romped to victory.

Easy to remember as well that the 2002/03 series was seen as a close series with England having high hopes.... I think Punter scored 3 back to back hundreds in each of the first 3 tests?

And then in 2006/07 when the curse was broken, its easy to say he scored runs kicking a dead body..... but I think he scored 400-500 runs in the first two tests, so you could argue he is the reason for the dead body in the first place.

OT 2005 was another legendary innings from Punter at a time his team desperately needed it.

[sussexpob]

As for Mr Cricket, I guess people would argue that his record in England was bad. He had that innings at the Oval at the end of the 2009 trying to save the series with an epic rearguard, but that came after a stonker of a series. But again, his innings at Adelaide sticks out in my memory in 2006/07 as another game changing moment. I guess on paper it looks meaningless, but the pitch was falling apart, the Aussies lost a couple of wickets quick, and Hussey stepped in and played an uncharacteristically stroke laced innings that snuffed the game out quickly. There was something in his confidence and sheer arrogance of his innings that showed to me as an England fan were were utterly done.... it was the moment you felt England were not only going to lose, but they were going to get utterly trashed.

As for Smith, well his record is outstanding enough to not even bother with a indepth analysis. 3500 runs at 56, 13 x 100s and 13 x 50s.... yeah, I dont care how orwhen you score them when you score them in that number

[sussexpob]

England substitute Carse and Bashir into the game, who do most of the bowling today, with the rest reduced to one short spell. Bashir apparently bowls like an absolute drain, which might do Jordan Cox's chance of being called into the squad some good, and has given Bethell some confidence if he plays, but its not solving anything for England in the spin territory. Carse also does his best impression of Josh Tongue by bowling all over the shop but taking a few wickets in between being tonked around.

Lions declare leaving a sporting target..... Duckett out first ball. Crawley follows him a few balls later.

Be nice to see Root remain through this last session and get some miles under his belt.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A bit surprised sites are still posting the scorecard, now it's revealed as nothing more than a training exercise.

[bigfluffylemon]

Hazlewood is out too.

England may never have a better chance to go 1-0 up. So doubtless they'll collapse in a heap again.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Whereas Wood is temprorarily fit to play...

[Arthur Crabtree]

Michael Neser addd to the squad. Cummins and Hazlewood missing out gives England a boost. Especially if they miss out in Brisbane too. The first two Tests seemed to be lined up as home gimmes. And I suppose they still are. But losing half the attack, and such great players, is a boost.

Rewatched the 10-11 Ashes tour recently, to put me in a positive state of mind! That was a much stronger England side, but I doubt anyone gave them much of a chance.

Stopped smoking in the middle of that series, so I always know how long it has been...

[Durhamfootman]

Whereas Wood is temprorarily fit to play...

nothing says fit to play like 8 overs in 9 months followed by a hamstring scare

he might last longer than the first morning if England bat first

[Durhamfootman]

then again, with Australia two first choice seamers down, maybe this is the least damaging time to lick a finger and hold it up in the air to test his fitness for a 5 day game

[sussexpob]

The winner of the last three days is Ollie Pope, who has surely guaranteed himself for the start of the series now, despite Bethell cleaning up the tail and then slogging Bashir out the ground. McKinney, Cox and Rew might be asked to stick around after the Lions finish up next week after solid showing. Matty Potts bowling seems to have caught the eye in both innings.... and has Jacks flurry with the bat and removing both England's top batters put him ahead of Bashir, who had a stinker playing for both teams.

Considering Bashir's form and Jacks not being a front line player, you have to ask in a game where people played for both sides and players came in and out the game, why England wasted overs having Root being slogged around when it would have been more useful to check Hartley's bowling out.

England cant have a clue which spinner will play, so I'd have thought this was a priority.

But I guess Rob Key will tell you thats boring old fashioned common sense, and not Rock Star stuff

[alfie]

It was always going to be centre wicket practice rather than a proper match so hopefully the time several bats got in the middle and the overs for the main bowlers have done some good. Bit pointless to complain about the lack of a proper contest with , say , a State side , as the programmes just don't allow for those any more. (And anyway in recent times the home teams never put out a decent strength team to play the tourists so such games were of little use)

Will be very surprised if England bother with a spinner unless the pitch is nothing like general expectations. Though I guess there could be some sort of a case for Jacks , if they are confident Stokes + Archer/Atkinson and one other are enough pace , because he would extend the batting.

Australia are surely going to miss Hazlewood. With Cummins out as well they are going to be hoping Doggett is up to this rather than leaving it all to Starc and Boland. Does seem to offer England some encouragement going into the important first game. And I suppose it makes Green's ability to do a full shift - or not - more important.

Good that Crawley Duckett and Pope got solid time at the crease , even if conditions were not very similar to what they will encounter next Friday...

[andy]

Huge blow with Hazelwood being ruled out all of a sudden the Aussie attack looks human again...lot of responsibility on Lyon to keep control now with England almost certain to try and hit Boland and Doggett out of the optus

[Arthur Crabtree]

I feel sure that like Warne on his first tour of England in '93, Bashir is not bowling his variations in the warm ups, so he will make a bigger impact in the Tests.

Anyone who hasn't, please visit the fantasy league thread and have a go at winning the armchair Ashes.

[sussexpob]

...lot of responsibility on Lyon to keep control now with England almost certain to try and hit Boland and Doggett out of the optus

Scott Boland averages 12 a wicket at home, not sure I would single him out as a weak link.