The Ashes 5th Test. The Oval. August 20-24.

[Aidan11]

Surprised Australia didn't take the extra half hour.

Time we stopped playing ashes tests at Lords and the Oval. Cardiff and Edgbaston should be regular venues.

I think it's God's way of telling the ECB that we should have more tests up North.

[Durhamfootman]

Surprised Australia didn't take the extra half hour.

Time we stopped playing ashes tests at Lords and the Oval. Cardiff and Edgbaston should be regular venues.

I think it's God's way of telling the ECB that we should have more tests up North.

except that the ECB will think that up north means more tests at TB, OT and E

[rich1uk]

I might have heard things wrong but on CWOTV they just made one of the most bizarre defences of ian bell I have heard , it would have been worthy of BfB

they seemed to suggest that bell gets out more often to good bowling because he is such a good batsman he gets edges on deliveries that "lesser" batsmen play and miss at

[rich1uk]

shows how poor this series has been in terms of quality cricket when shane warne's composite XI has 2 guys at #5 and #6 averaging 25

[Arthur Crabtree]

Any thoughts as to why Lyth is edging?

I thought Bell was getting bowled/lbw, or hitting the spinners in the air into the ring. So I'm not sure he's too good to miss the ball. Maybe BFB is on CWOTV this week.

[Arthur Crabtree]

shows how poor this series has been in terms of quality cricket when shane warne's composite XI has 2 guys at #5 and #6 averaging 25

There have only been four batters worthy of a composite XI in the series.

[rich1uk]

Any thoughts as to why Lyth is edging?

I thought Bell was getting bowled/lbw, or hitting the spinners in the air into the ring. So I'm not sure he's too good to miss the ball. Maybe BFB is on CWOTV this week.

I might have mis-heard them but that was what they seemed to be saying

a lot of the deliveries lyth has been edging seem to have been quite high from memory , deliveries that he could probably have left on height alone but may have been on a decent line , so is it a judgement issue ?

[rich1uk]

shows how poor this series has been in terms of quality cricket when shane warne's composite XI has 2 guys at #5 and #6 averaging 25

There have only been four batters worthy of a composite XI in the series.

the bizarre thing was and it kinda goes along with your ECB conspiracy theory to get the media to praise cook was that all three of the journos said cook should have been in the side and were actually picking him in front of rogers

[Arthur Crabtree]

They'll have picked Bell too, over other players not good enough to edge.

[Arthur Crabtree]

For me, apart from Broad and Lyon, the bowlers haven't been consistent. Most of them had one good bowling innings. My composite team has six players in it.

[ianp1970]

shows how poor this series has been in terms of quality cricket when shane warne's composite XI has 2 guys at #5 and #6 averaging 25

That is not a very good composite XI at all IMO, there are possible alternatives in half of the positions.

[rich1uk]

shows how poor this series has been in terms of quality cricket when shane warne's composite XI has 2 guys at #5 and #6 averaging 25

That is not a very good composite XI at all IMO, there are possible alternatives in half of the positions.

it was shane warne picking it

i'm surprised he didn't have haddin and Watson in it given how well they would have performed had they not been shafted by the selectors

[Arthur Crabtree]

Which means Michael Clarke is in it.

[rich1uk]

Which means Michael Clarke is in it.

he isn't actually

from memory it was

rogers
warner
smith
root (c)
voges
stokes
nevill
MJ
broad
Anderson
lyon

[ianp1970]

Cook (c)
Warner
Rogers
Smith
Root
Stokes
Nevill
Ali
Starc
Broad
Finn

Looks at least as good to me.