The Ashes: Australia in England 16th Jun - 31 July

[Durhamfootman]

stark viewing

2 names keep cropping up. Neither had much cricket in the build up to the series

Some of those weren't gimmees though and there will always be missed chances

[Arthur Crabtree]

Anderson comes in for Robinson.

Mo will bat at three.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A lot of rain expected over the weekend, so England will want to get as much of this game done in the first three days as possible.

Bowl first?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Mo feels like a stand in, just there to keep everyone else in their preferred position. If the Aussies don't run straight through him they're going to feel very disappointed.

On the other hand, if he gets a quick 30 he'll have done a job.

[sussexpob]

Ali averages 13 in the top 3 slots in as many innings... with that record, probably have been better beaming the Nighthawk silhouette into the sky and having Broad step up

[bigfluffylemon]

Even with Lyon missing and Warner's form, feels as though the odds are stacked against England here. Why do we always always always go into Ashes series with niggles, muddled selection and insufficient preparation?

For once, it would be nice to field a fully fit, settled XI.

[bigfluffylemon]

Australia bin the spinner to fit Marsh and Green into the XI. It means they will bat very deep - Cummins at 10. And the conditions look favourable for seamers. But OT has historically been a good ground for spinners.

Guess we'll see.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Not much play likely after day 3 though. So maybe reasonable to leave out the spinner.

Green hasn't looked like someone about to make a lot of runs.

[bigfluffylemon]

Weather is surely going to favour Australia, given a draw means they retain the Ashes. England will need a result, and I have no doubt Stokes will do everything he can to manufacture one, even at huge risk.

Seems no question England would bowl first if given the choice, given they need a result, and the overheads.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Looks like a wet first morning now. Seems the Aussies will win the Ashes in the changing room.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yes, England win the toss and bowl.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Wood takes the ever crucial wicket of Smith. Hard to say who is on top though.

[sussexpob]

Wood takes the ever crucial wicket of Smith. Hard to say who is on top though.

I think that is the 2nd time this series that Smith has been out stepping across his stumps and missing the ball. For years in his career, people always targeted that supposed weakness, and found out Smith's hand eye co-ordination is just too good. And the stats I think show that teams that have really tried out that tactic have found out to their peril its a false weakness (his averages when targeting those types of lines go astronomically high).

At 34 years old, is this a small hint Smith's eye's arent what they once were? Tend to find those types of hands/eyes players decline quicker.... could be an outlier, but interesting for me nonetheless.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Wondering what Anderson's thoughts are after another dry day, so far.

Especially as this game is at his home ground.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well done to Stuart Broad for his 600th Test wicket.