I'm pretty certain that you have followed a few Ashes series over the years. And, yet, you are still as involved with the action as ever. Your groans and cheers were replicated in many a household, mine included. My point, I think, is that sports like football and cricket are just perennial givers, despite the fact that we have probably seen everything we need to. Life would be so dull without live sport.
England's lack of a decent #3 is costing Foakes. I think it's got to the stage that Root just needs to be moved up to 3, Brook & Bairstow at 4 & 5, then Foakes back in at 7.
However, what is stopping that is Stokes inability to bowl. If he could still bowl, then we could make that move.
Until he is fit enough to bowl though, we need an extra bowler, which is why Foakes is not coming back in and we have four seamers and a spinner.
If Robinson is fit, he has to play so does Wood and Broad. You cannot drop Woakes after his performance at Headingley. I don't see how Jimmy comes back in for this crunch game, unless Robinson has not recovered from his back spasm.
Robinson - 10 wickets @ 28 in 3 matches. Anderson - 3 wickets @ 75.33 in 2 matches.
I suspect Hazlewood will replace Boland. I still can't believe they left Starc out of the first test.
He's had a tough day to be fair to him. That ball seems to ball like one of the plastic footballs with the heavy valve after it goes past the bat, he's caught a few on the end of his fingers. Amazing catch, I hope that is the spark he needs to kick on this series and prove his worth!
I have a feeling that Australia are going to struggle without having a front line spin bowler. While their pace attack of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood pose a serious risk, after that the England team must be targeting the runs. Smith / Head as a spinner will always give at least 2 bad balls in an over, while Green and Marsh haven't provided much help to the main steam attack.
(Now that I've said this, they will all get wickets!)
That would be extremely frustrating if the result continues to look as much like an England victory as it does currently but only Saturday looks like being a complete write off . More showery in nature tomorrow, Sunday and Monday.
Something extremely satisfying about watching someone just go on and on effectively doing the same thing over and over. Can't think of an equivalent in any other team sport.
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If there was no room for sentiment I’m not sure Bairstow would have been given the benefit of the doubt for as long as he has.
I'm pretty certain that you have followed a few Ashes series over the years. And, yet, you are still as involved with the action as ever. Your groans and cheers were replicated in many a household, mine included. My point, I think, is that sports like football and cricket are just perennial givers, despite the fact that we have probably seen everything we need to. Life would be so dull without live sport.
Amen
Even I found the last period as they chased the win exciting and I have no interest in Cricket at all!
I'll be getting interested in Tennis next...
Talking of tennis (thanks @Wendoverman !) I think I’m in love with Ons Jabeur.
Squad is unchanged
It's very harsh on Ben Foakes not to be considered. If he announced his retirement, do you reckon Ben and Brandon will call him up?
I wonder if they lost / drew the 3rd test, if we'd have seen lots of changes as the Ashes would have been gone?
Absolutely ridiculous not to call Foakes up
England's lack of a decent #3 is costing Foakes. I think it's got to the stage that Root just needs to be moved up to 3, Brook & Bairstow at 4 & 5, then Foakes back in at 7.
However, what is stopping that is Stokes inability to bowl. If he could still bowl, then we could make that move.
Until he is fit enough to bowl though, we need an extra bowler, which is why Foakes is not coming back in and we have four seamers and a spinner.
If Robinson is fit, he has to play so does Wood and Broad. You cannot drop Woakes after his performance at Headingley. I don't see how Jimmy comes back in for this crunch game, unless Robinson has not recovered from his back spasm.
Robinson - 10 wickets @ 28 in 3 matches. Anderson - 3 wickets @ 75.33 in 2 matches.
I suspect Hazlewood will replace Boland. I still can't believe they left Starc out of the first test.
Super entertainment tonight in the ODI.
Women's cricket has always provided the closest games.
I prefered watching the women's Hundred games over the male version
Fair play Bairstow, hell of a catch
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/64959407?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=64b80b3d506a9f4885dc1934%26Aus%20256-7%262023-07-19T16%3A15%3A07.122Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:99d69720-c80e-4b3f-be25-716861cbaf7b&pinned_post_asset_id=64b80b3d506a9f4885dc1934&pinned_post_type=share
He's had a tough day to be fair to him. That ball seems to ball like one of the plastic footballs with the heavy valve after it goes past the bat, he's caught a few on the end of his fingers. Amazing catch, I hope that is the spark he needs to kick on this series and prove his worth!
I have a feeling that Australia are going to struggle without having a front line spin bowler. While their pace attack of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood pose a serious risk, after that the England team must be targeting the runs. Smith / Head as a spinner will always give at least 2 bad balls in an over, while Green and Marsh haven't provided much help to the main steam attack.
(Now that I've said this, they will all get wickets!)
That Australian steam attack can certainly make our batsmen sweat.
Well as my old man says "The quicker they bowl, it comes off the bat even quicker"
The series is definitely coming to the boil.
Let's hope the weather doesn't decide the result
That would be extremely frustrating if the result continues to look as much like an England victory as it does currently but only Saturday looks like being a complete write off . More showery in nature tomorrow, Sunday and Monday.
Fingers crossed.
Day 5 Sunday @micra so not sure there will be any play Monday. Long gone are the reserve days!
I'm hoping the weather improves Sunday so I get to see some cricket, if we haven't walloped them by close of play tomorrow!
Let’s hope Stokes doesn’t declare with Root on 99 and Crawley on 199 !
This is truly remarkable Test Match cricket. And only two maidens in 50 overs. Incroyable.
Hate for the destination of the Ashes to be decided by the weather!
18 is a dangerous lead in cricket
Well played Crawley. It was a very tired drag on for his wicket but thats 189 to the total that was scored above a run a ball.
Something extremely satisfying about watching someone just go on and on effectively doing the same thing over and over. Can't think of an equivalent in any other team sport.
I've got a spare ticket for Monday if you can make it @micra
Sorry to hear that, @LX1. I don’t think there’ll be much play, if any, on Monday.
But a kind thought.
That’s a little demeaning, @ReturnToSenda !
Whoops! Could have sworn the match started on Thursday. Then realised today (or, rather, yesterday) was Thursday.
There’s no hope.