The Ashes 2017-18

[MarkyH]

Here we go, started last night and I can't be the only one following this on the forum.

23-27 November: First Test, Gabba, Brisbane (00:00 GMT)

2-6 December: Second Test, Adelaide Oval (04:00 GMT, day/night Test)

14-18 December: Third Test, Waca, Perth (02:30 GMT)

26-30 December: Fourth Test, MCG, Melbourne (23:30 GMT)

4-8 January: Fifth Test, SCG, Sydney (23:30 GMT)​

Australia
Australia 1st & 2nd Test Squad:
Steven Smith(c), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers, Glenn Maxwell
England
Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Joe Root(c), Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, James Vince, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jake Ball, Craig Overton, Tom Curran

Right, there's all your info. Hopefully I'm not the only one posting in here over the next few month or so

 

[MarkyH]

196/4 after the first days play. Pretty slow RR but wicket was a little slow. Australia bowling was tight and its evenly poised now. Vince was the pick of the batsmen while the Australian bowling attack bowled very well to.

I would say its evenly poised, but we lose an early wicket tonight its very much Aus in charge. If we can keep Mo and Malan in till lunch, or at least only lose 1 wicket then it will remain even. England need to get 400+ but I think that would be a struggle....

Prob stay up till the lunch session. Then up early to catch the last 20 overs or so.... Starting 30 mins earlier tonight to make up for overs lost yesterday

 

[squirrel]

havnt been watching cos of work but it seems like eng hav bowled a little impatiently to Smith, need to bowl dry to him and mentally fatigue him

 

[Rich Taff]

Oz should switch to GMT so we can watch this in civilised countries.
From the reports, this looks like a very even match so far.
England (imo) are a better team at the moment, but never underestimate the sledgers ability and determination when all the other sports are on a break, and they get to be shown on TV.
Yeah, bring it on, crims!

 

[MarkyH]

Smith just fantastic. Holding the Aus batting side together. Shame they've got 4 fantastic bowlers so we're never going to get to far ahead of them.... Still, if we can get a lead of 200+ we might be in a decent position

Cook failed again

 

[Big_Grumper]

Cook failed again

It's very worrying. He's been on the decline for a couple of years with no sign that he could turn it around.

 

[RoosTah]

Really interesting test. England easily had the better of the play for the first 2 days, but Smith turned our innings into something special with his unbeaten 141 and put England back in tired and a little loose. Changed the game and now Australia are doing it easy at 0/101. Very unusual for a side to come out and dominate a second innings by setting the record run rate whilst not losing any wickets late on day 4 of a test

 

[Big_Grumper]

It'll be all over tomorrow morning. The Aussies deserve it: they've been better with the ball and haven't thrown away their wickets when batting. Smith has been the batting difference. Credit to him.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. Stoneman and Vince have shown promise. Root, Bairstow and Moeen have more in them if they stop making silly mistakes. Cook, however is the major concern.

 

[MarkyH]

It'll be all over tomorrow morning. The Aussies deserve it: they've been better with the ball and haven't thrown away their wickets when batting. Smith has been the batting difference. Credit to him.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. Stoneman and Vince have shown promise. Root, Bairstow and Moeen have more in them if they stop making silly mistakes. Cook, however is the major concern.

This.

We're not as dangerous with the ball in Australian conditions. We can't score enough runs to tire out and put pressure on the Aussies.

Cook is the concern. Hope he goes big the rest of the series otherwise I would hope to see him dropped, problem is who would replace him... That's for another debate

 

[Big_Grumper]

There's a huge irony in that the selectors have spent the past few years trying to find an opening partner for Cook to replace Strauss. They're well into double figures now. With Cook's poor form it may take another dozen candidates to find a partner for Stoneman........................

 

[MarkyH]

We were never meant to win at the Gabba anyway... That's all I've got..

 

[TRF_heineken]

I have a love/hate relationship with the ashes.

As a South African, it's damn hard to pick a team to cheer on in the ashes, as I equally hate the Aussies and the Poms in Cricket. But this time around, I'm cheering on the Aussies because:

• Ben Stokes
• Stuart Broad is still a **** bloke

 

[RoosTah]

I have a love/hate relationship with the ashes.

As a South African, it's damn hard to pick a team to cheer on in the ashes, as I equally hate the Aussies and the Poms in Cricket. But this time around, I'm cheering on the Aussies because:

• Ben Stokes
• Stuart Broad is still a **** bloke

lol TBH I tend to share similar feelings when watching you guys play the poms in Cricket or Rugby, but almost always end up siding with South Africa because the England rivalry just sits deep in the bones and at least you lot wear green and gold too

 

[RedruthRFC]

We were never meant to win at the Gabba anyway... That's all I've got..

A lot of the BBC pundits are making exactly this point - nobody was expecting a win, so this is far from the disaster that some people are painting it as. Saying that, it's hard to feel too optimistic after that performance. I'm certainly regretting not lumping on Australia for the series in the wee small hours of Saturday morning (GMT) when there were question marks over Anderson's fitness. The price has gone from 4/6 then to 1/6 now!

 

[Big_Grumper]

Big decisions for the selectors with the day/night game in Adelaide.

I'd like to see Overton come in for Ball as the main change. I can't support the call for Crane to play just yet. In terms of the batting it's about the players not giving their wickets away, rather than making wholesale changes.

 

[MarkyH]

Big decisions for the selectors with the day/night game in Adelaide.

I'd like to see Overton come in for Ball as the main change. I can't support the call for Crane to play just yet. In terms of the batting it's about the players not giving their wickets away, rather than making wholesale changes.

If we are changing anyone it would be for Ball, so yes I'd give Overton a go. However, if Anderson hadn't shown a couple of injury issues in the last test I'd be tempted to drop Ball and bring in another Batter (not like we have anyone who's on form mind) and increase the workload on Anderson, Broad, Woakes and Mo.

Stokes off to play for Canterbury in NZ, hopefully all charges can be dropped asap and he can fly over for the 3rd test. #wishfulthinking

 

[TRF_heineken]

Stokes off to play for Canterbury in NZ, hopefully all charges can be dropped asap and he can fly over for the 3rd test. #wishfulthinking

Ha! Maybe he should pop over to Invercargill and visit Aaron Smith and get some tips...

 

[Hound]

Bucketed down with rain here just prior to the second test, resulting in flooding in places.

Fortunately Adelaide has pretty much the best groundskeepers outside of Lords, so I reckon the pitch will be OK... be interesting to see how it affects the pink ball though.

 

[MarkyH]

Can't see anything other than the Australians going 2-0 up. Hoping Anderson can make the ball sing during sunset, but we need to bat long. Not sure how the wicket is going to play mind..

Ali might not bowl, not looking good at all

 

[Hound]

You

Can't see anything other than the Australians going 2-0 up. Hoping Anderson can make the ball sing during sunset, but we need to bat long. Not sure how the wicket is going to play mind..

Ali might not bowl, not looking good at all

You get 2 or 3 days with rain delays intermixed and bat long and a draw becomes more than just a possibility.