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

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think they'll pick the same side if Robinson's fit. Tongue or Anderson if he's not.

[bigfluffylemon]

Have a feeling it's going to be that kind of chase - whenever it looks as if England might put together a partnership and getting the chase under control, they'll lose a wicket or two.

Phew, they never make it easy, do they? Brook played beautifully, the situation needed someone to take control, and he did just that. Shame he couldn't be there at the end.

The result the series deserved, thankfully. Putting aside England support, we've had three good test matches and three close finishes (ok, England were never really in the game at Lord's bar some Stokes heroics, but still). It would have been pretty poor if an entertaining series so far was decided after three games. Interestingly, I don't think England have been at their best in any game, so they do have at least one more win in them if things come together. That said, Australia have probably not been at their best either, at least in games 1 and 3.

Both sides carrying injuries and loss of form - does make the 5 back to back tests even more challenging. So many selection questions. Starc and Cummins had to do the heavy lifting in that game with the ball - can they continue through 5 tests? England have lots of bowling questions of their own - Robinson and Anderson are both question marks. Has Jimmy finally had it? Boland hasn't made much impact yet (I take credit for that - made a late change to shove him in my fantasy team ). Both sides lost their main spinner and the backup options haven't yet impressed. Who bats 3 for England? Does Warner keep his spot? Do Australia try to shoehorn two allrounders in to the side? Could they conceivably play no spinner?

And just quickly, a shout out to Stuart Broad, who is quietly having an excellent series. Not as flashy as Starc or Wood's contributions, but he's the leading wicket taker at a pretty good average, and has hung around a couple of times with the bat too.

And just to say, for all the stick Zak Crawley gets, he's got more runs than Steve Smith after 3 tests...

[sussexpob]

And just to say, for all the stick Zak Crawley gets, he's got more runs than Steve Smith after 3 tests...

Crawley is having the most Crawley series imaginable. Comes in, plays some wonderful shots, you start to get excited, and then he edges before converting. Ok, in the context of a low scoring series so far, the average of 32 isnt a disaster, but he's basically adopted the role of a pinch hitter this series. Got 50 balls, see how many you can get.

It amazes me that Duckett is averaging 40... he looks forever a ball away from curtains, but then he edges a few and finds a lucky gap, and in the 6 balls it takes for another false shot to come, he's made 50..

[from_the_stands]

Good match for Cummings and Starc, but Boland not contributing again. Maybe a change there.

I would think so. Hazlewood comes in there. The other change I would make to the Oz side is dropping Warner for Renshaw. Warner just isn't going to do anything against Broad, and I'm just not convinced about Marcus Harris.

And on the other side, England should definitely replace Bairstow with... anybody.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Would have been a tour game between the Tests once upon a time. Match practice no longer seems desirable.

[Durhamfootman]

Both sides carrying injuries and loss of form - does make the 5 back to back tests even more challenging.

ECB don't want anything trivial like the ashes distracting people from watching the Hundred nonsense.... sorry..... the oh my gawd what have we thrown all this money at nonsense

much better to pack the ashes tests into as short a window as possible so that it doesn't interfere with mission 'revenue recovery' later

[Durhamfootman]

Crawley's doing okay

I didn't think I'd be saying that a month ago

[alfie]

Took me a day or two to recover from that one ! Talk about nail biting experience...

Every time they put up that WINVIZ thing showing England 75% winning chance I'm thinking "Are they mad ? Two balls and it's game over". More calmly later I realise that of course the calculations are basically correct : while the batting team has "X" wickets in hand they are indeed statistically likely to succeed. The two wickets don't exist - until they are lost , and then it all changes. What the algorithms don't factor in are the perennial fears of a long term England supporter that something is bound to go wrong

Brook and Woakes played really sensibly - until young Harry's rush of blood. But Wood settled any nerves almost immediately to cap a fine match and a well deserved PoTM award. Probably not a lot more Australia could have done to stop them , to be honest. Only two effective bowlers and they were both pretty much shot well before the finish. A little surprised Cummins wasn't game to try Murphy at any point in the innings , barring that Hail Mary over when the game was pretty much up. Obviously Lyon would have been a different matter ; but it rather suggests the skipper doesn't have a lot of confidence in his young replacement : which might not have done Murphy's confidence much good either.

I am not sure some of the Aussie tactics have worked as well as they'd like. This business of setting deep fielders both sides right from the start , and increasing the boundary riders fairly early as well , might seem to limit the danger of the batsmen getting away at speed ; but as it seems to make gathering singles very easy and still doesn't prevent boundaries from loose balls I'd tend to question its value.
The run rates of the English innings still generally tick along very quickly ; and I note that on Sunday there was just one maiden over bowled - and only six in the whole match , as against 16 bowled by England. Is the lessening of dot ball pressure on the batsman worth the questionable reward of avoiding a few easy boundaries ?

Both teams have a bit of thinking to do regards selection for Old Trafford. Key players not firing ; bowlers work loads : and I guess we have to wait and see what the weather and the groundsman are going to give us in the way of pitch conditions.

Am happy to be able to relax and anticipate another fascinating contest next week ; and am very glad indeed that the series remains alive. It would have been something of a travesty had the whole thing been over already , given the margins between the teams have been wafer thin in each of the matches so far. Nice to be able to get some civilized sleep times for a few days too...

[bigfluffylemon]

And just to say, for all the stick Zak Crawley gets, he's got more runs than Steve Smith after 3 tests...

Crawley is having the most Crawley series imaginable. Comes in, plays some wonderful shots, you start to get excited, and then he edges before converting. Ok, in the context of a low scoring series so far, the average of 32 isnt a disaster, but he's basically adopted the role of a pinch hitter this series. Got 50 balls, see how many you can get.

James Vince Mark 2. Or Twatto, with nicks outside off replacing plumb LBW.

[Durhamfootman]

no call up for Foakes, so Young Jonny Blameless must be doing a cracking job behind the stumps whilst also scoring a shed load of runs.............

maybe that's just me turning into Nostradamus for OT and the Oval

[Arthur Crabtree]

Jonny's not scoring runs or taking all his catches, but he is successfully walking towards the danger.

[Durhamfootman]

Jonny's not scoring runs or taking all his catches, but he is successfully walking hobbling towards the danger.

[andy]

No idea how bairstow keeps his spot it's ridiculous from the selectors...no suprise that he is out of form after so long out of the game but his keeping is horrendous....it's gone backwards

[sussexpob]

No idea how bairstow keeps his spot it's ridiculous from the selectors...no suprise that he is out of form after so long out of the game but his keeping is horrendous....it's gone backwards

Bairstow's form in 2022 was based on T20 like SRs, and even the one innings this summer he played well in, he went at a plus 100SR. To play that way successfully, I guess the margins are thin, and you have to be seeing it like a beach ball.

But really, tis not the batting that's the problem.... way, way too many catches have gone down.

[Slipstream]

No idea how bairstow keeps his spot it's ridiculous from the selectors...no suprise that he is out of form after so long out of the game but his keeping is horrendous....it's gone backwards

Bairstow's form in 2022 was based on T20 like SRs, and even the one innings this summer he played well in, he went at a plus 100SR. To play that way successfully, I guess the margins are thin, and you have to be seeing it like a beach ball.

But really, tis not the batting that's the problem.... way, way too many catches have gone down.

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/ ... catch-woes