Fifth Ashes Test: The Oval, 12-16 September 2019

[bigfluffylemon]

NZ first. Who will start favourites.

Without a doubt.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Quiet thread for an England-Australia game.

England v Ireland had twice as many posts. This had a dead rubber feel to it, even though it wasn't.

[Durhamfootman]

Bit harsh , Footman ? Bayliss did a fine job with the ODI outfit...if the Test side got a bit messed about I'm more inclined to blame Ed Smith for his overdone hunch selecting...
Agree it might have been better to have a coach who actually considered county cricket to have some significance...but I guess you could argue that all day...

Goes out with a win ; players seem to have enjoyed working with him...hope ECB do the right thing and appoint Paul Collingwood now. Think he'd be a good man going forward.

I am being harsh. The approach to test cricket has really annoyed me for 4 years. They sacrificed everything for a throw of the dice punt at the WC. They managed it and I'm very happy that they did win.... but they so very nearly didn't, and had the back of Stokes bat not got him 4 overthrows we'd have no World Cup and a shambles of a test team.

That we won the WC and drew this series had more to do with Stokes' brilliance against all the odds, than anything Smith and Bayleaf did.

I know I'm being churlish and ungrateful, btw, but I wouldn't be alone in thinking like this if NZ were the WC champions. Every pundit under the sun would be pointing the finger at those two. As it is, thanks to Stokes, they got away with it....... just!

I think Colly will be the man in 4 years time. Not sure he'll get it yet. I have no doubt that when he does eventually get the job he'll prove to be an inspired choice.

[Durhamfootman]

NZ first. Who will start favourites.

and will love the chance to repay their WC defeat