Ashes 2021-22.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Pat Cummins agrees with you AC

Just wants to bowl at the England batting!

[Arthur Crabtree]

Why no Richardson?

Press says Boland is a ground specialist.

[sussexpob]

great start

[bigfluffylemon]

Hameed's technique looks pretty suspect, as others have said earlier on.

One way to get into this game and this series, and that's to make Australia regret bowling first and rack up 450+. Chances of that happening seem slim to none.

[alfie]

Why no Richardson?

Press says Boland is a ground specialist.

He is. But also Richardson has a minor injury so they weren't going to risk him.

[alfie]

Cummins' Session ! Outstanding bowling to do all the damage...

Root and Malan looked pretty secure against the other bowlers ; but Pat put a knife through English hopes with that Malan scalp on the brink of lunch.

61/3 ...here we go again ?

[bigfluffylemon]

Pretty much.

I feel so sorry for Root. He's completely carrying the England batting line up, and has been for years. How many might he have scored if he hadn't been invariably walking in after 5 overs in the last 4 years?

Sure, he's not a good captain, but he's also rather had captaincy forced upon him by virtue of being pretty much the only candidate with the necessary seniority and undroppability.

After Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hutton, Compton, Edrich, Amiss, Washbrook, Cowdry, Boycott, Gooch, Vaughan, Tresco, Strauss, Cook, the illustrious history of England openers, have we really sunk so low that the best four in the country can't even average 25?

I just looked up how bad it's been. In the last 2 years, out of 45 opening partnerships in tests (including this morning):
On 10 occasions the partnership hasn't even survived the first over
On 17 occasions the first wicket has gone down within three overs
The median dismissal is at the 27th delivery, and the median score is 10.
Just 11 of the 45 partnerships have lasted more than 15 overs

Is it any wonder we keep collapsing?

[bigfluffylemon]

And there goes Root. 50 but fails to go on, yet again. Tame dismissal, yet again. Game over, yet again.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Just about a par England score. England's batting isn't even as good as WI in the time of Lara, as they don't have a Chanderpaul.

Down to the bowlers.

[bigfluffylemon]

Just about a par England score. England's batting isn't even as good as WI in the time of Lara, as they don't have a Chanderpaul.

Down to the bowlers.

Always is.

Not a good start.

[sussexpob]

I got as far as witnessing hameed's footwork being AWOL and Zak Crawley playing one decent attacking stroke before his defensive technique was opened up like a can of beans, and my bed became too tempting.

Cut and paste criticism from any test for 4 years, it would fit for the rest no doubt

[alfie]

Groundhog Day at the 'G...

Good toss to win ; Cummins bowled brilliantly. But England still are complicit in their own downfall : that middle session essentially saw all three wickets given away. Root had played well as ever for his fifty but he just dabbed a ball softly to Carey ; Stokes played an odd sort of slap straight to point ; and Buttler had a total brain fade trying to hit Lyon out of the ground a couple of balls before tea...The Aussies really don't need that sort of help , chaps.

One late wicket not enough. At least Wood looks fired up ; but an unlikely super morning session tomorrow is needed or this is going the same way as the first two games - perhaps even more tamely. Think you fellows might as well prioritize sleep the next few days to get ready for New Year...

[bigfluffylemon]

I got as far as witnessing hameed's footwork being AWOL and Zak Crawley playing one decent attacking stroke before his defensive technique was opened up like a can of beans, and my bed became too tempting.

Cut and paste criticism from any test for 4 years, it would fit for the rest no doubt

It amuses me in a gallows humour sort of way how we're all too jaded to even be particularly critical.

The only thing I can't believe is that there were pundits before this series predicting 2-2 or similar scorelines.

[Durhamfootman]

Ah.......

bat first
collapse in a heap
win the game

sounds like a plan

[Durhamfootman]

The only thing I can't believe is that there were pundits before this series predicting 2-2 or similar scorelines.

delusional

I never doubted all this for one second