Cricket

[TheGayTent]

Another ODI series against the convicts next summer? £££££££ Zzzzzzzz

[TheGayTent]

Doesn't look like this test will make day 5....not unless we get a lot more rain anyway...

[kaosmark2]

8 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Another ODI series against the convicts next summer? £££££££ Zzzzzzzz

Completely agree. 5 Tests against India as well. All about the money. While Pakistan only have 2 tests.

49 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Doesn't look like this test will make day 5....not unless we get a lot more rain anyway...

And I doubt we'll find out anything about any players.

[kaosmark2]

Promotion and relegation going down to the final round of games.

Sadly I don't think Warwickshire can rectify last season's injustices and help relegate Hampshire. I'd find it quite funny if Somerset and Middlesex managed to set up a Yorkshire relegation.

[TheGayTent]

If Agnew's "leaked" squad is true I think we're in serious trouble. 

[mjsell]

1 hour ago, TheGayTent said:

If Agnew's "leaked" squad is true I think we're in serious trouble. 

I was going to say the same thing. Weak is an understatement

[kaosmark2]

James Vince! James goddamn Vince! Of all the batsmen to go back to James Vince is going to be batting at 3 in Aus!

Rest of the squad is much as expected really. I'd have gone with Leach/Rashid over Crane, but everyone knew which was happening. Shame Wood isn't fit enough but I think Overton is the right style of bowler. Foakes has had a good season and Butler hardly encounters a red ball nowadays.

I just still can't believe that James Vince call-up. Go back to Sam Robson or Nick Compton if you want someone with Test experience. Shove Moeen/Bairstow up. Take Hales if you want someone to whack a pretty 20/30 then get out stupidly. Give a debut to someone like Dan Lawrence or Liam Livingstone. Utterly crazy.

[TheGayTent]

3 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

James Vince! James goddamn Vince! Of all the batsmen to go back to James Vince is going to be batting at 3 in Aus!

Not necessarily, he'll be competing with Ballance and Malan for a spot. 

It did amuse me they kept quoting Foakes average in the county championship this season but then failed to mention Vince's....

Anything better than a 4-1 defeat and I think we'll have done well. The only way I see us doing better is if injury strikes their bowling department (which isn't that unlikely). 

[TheGayTent]

The Stokes video isn't good viewing...even if the other guy came at him with a bottle....needs to learn if he wants to go for a beer he needs to do it in a sterile environment.

You can argue he shouldn't have to, but that's the reality. 

[mjsell]

11 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

The Stokes video isn't good viewing...even if the other guy came at him with a bottle....needs to learn if he wants to go for a beer he needs to do it in a sterile environment.

You can argue he shouldn't have to, but that's the reality. 

Just seen it, it's not good at all is it. He'll seriously struggle to get past that. I think if it was just the first guy he might have just got away with it. It's the guy that was backing away that'll do him in. 

Hes got a punch on him though. Not that that's surprising.

Edited September 27, 2017 by mjsell

[TheGayTent]

So the talking is almost over. England go with Ball over Overton, could cause an issue if he isn't really fit...

Predictions people? 

I think the two sides are probably as bad as they've each been for maybe 20 years, with Australia slightly better than we are. 

4-1 Australia

[kaosmark2]

3-2 Aus.

I think Ball probably is more suited to Aus pitches than Overton, but it does depend if he is fully fit.

I fancy us at Adelaide assuming we don't lose by an innings in Brisbane, particularly with it being a D/N, and and I think Aus have enough problems in their batting that we'll eke out another result somewhere, but their attack should prove too much for us over the series.

If we can have one long innings in the first 2 tests to tire out their bowlers and make one or two of them struggle, there's a chance for the series, but being dependent on their bowlers getting tired/injured is a bad thing. I just feel that we've got the situation that if neither Cook or Root make a century, we'll be all out under 300 every innings.

[Comfy Bean]

England win the toss and get to bat. Good start.

Don’t imagine I’ll get to see much of the ashes but looking forward to the next couple of hours and whatever else I manage to watch.

[TheGayTent]

Missed opportunity today.

[kaosmark2]

Still a good day. And positive that scored some runs without Cook or Root.

Vince has doubled his test best, can everyone else achieve that this tour  

[kaosmark2]

Not that we're out of it, but I feel like this Test is Aus' now. That Smith century and those early wickets make this a hard task. Need some big partnerships to make them have a tough chase.

[mjsell]

This test has simultaneously proven that England could both cause Aus some problems during this series, or completely collapse to a 5-0 whitewash.

And the aussies ability to mop up the tail end is the glaring difference between the two sides 

[kaosmark2]

I think our inability to kick on and secure centuries is a serious worry. And despite every batsman other than Cook contributing, noone is actually coming out of this Test with a big fat amount of runs across both innings.

I still fancy us in Adelaide. I think Jimmy will get the pink ball talking. We need Cook scoring but I have faith. If we lose in Adelaide then it's hard not to see it being a 5-0 short of a Stokes appearance in the final tests.

[kaosmark2]

5-0 looking on the cards.... That last session today aside, this test has been a disaster.

Desperately need some batting form in the final innings and Wood fit for Perth, and even then I doubt we can retain them now.

[LJS]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

5-0 looking on the cards.... That last session today aside, this test has been a disaster.

Desperately need some batting form in the final innings and Wood fit for Perth, and even then I doubt we can retain them now.

One good thing about a dismal England performance is we get to hear Geoffrey at his ranting best.

[Comfy Bean]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

5-0 looking on the cards.... That last session today aside, this test has been a disaster.

Desperately need some batting form in the final innings and Wood fit for Perth, and even then I doubt we can retain them now.

Thought the last hour odds was great sport.

No idea why England were bowling but they kept themselves alive I think......just.

Might end up being in vain but there was something to cling onto that they can avoid a 5-0.

[TheGayTent]

The crazy thing is, if Cook and Root were in form this series would currently be fairly even. 

Worst quality Ashes for quite a while 

[mjsell]

1 hour ago, TheGayTent said:

Worst quality Ashes for quite a while 

Agreed. Just imagine if Australia were actually good. Games wouldn't be lasting 3 days.

 

[LJS]

So, unexpectedly, a cricket match has broken out!

However, as the lights come on in Adelaide, will it be lights our for England?

[KingPin]

We need Vince and especially so Root to survive until the end of the day hopefully getting us within ~200-220 runs of the target.

EDIT: FFS cursed it.

Edited December 5, 2017 by KingPin