The Ashes - official thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Seeing as this starts next week, I'll kick it off - the Aussies have selected their 17 man squad


Australia's Ashes squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

Main takeaway there is no specialist spinner selected behind Lyon, with Neser included suggests they don't anticipate many, if any, spinning wickets...

[eirebilly]

How could he not see that inside edge... Even if he didn't see it, the noise was very clear...

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Another shocking and pathetic decision

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Fair to say the umpires are not having the greatest time out there

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Whys Erasmus not doing the Ashes? Geezer is different class

[compelling and rich]

think the umpires have been on the lash last night

[compelling and rich]

good news is, liddle looks like a walking wicket at the minute. smith really has to take all of the strike and start playing some shots

[Soul Requiem]

After my earlier defence of the umpires I must now retract that statement after what has been a shocking display; Dar is normally pretty good but Wilson is just awful.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Smith the best Test batsman of his generation way ahead of everyone else

[eirebilly]

Fair play to Smith for getting another 50, especially given the circumstances and the position his team have left him in. A quality knock

[eirebilly]

Is it me or is it looking very cloudy out there?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Smith the best Test batsman of his generation way ahead of everyone else

Averaging 61 despite for the first 15 tests of his career averaging 30, last four years he averages 75 (!)

[alfie]

17 for 102 between Woakes and Broad this summer. 

If Jimmy is done then its not the end of the world is it. 


Oh jeepers the umpires. Even the commentators are after them.

Woakes and Broad have been brilliant. I agree England can cover for Jimmy - though of course they'd rather have him - but their immediate problem is being one bowler light in this match.

The umpires are having the day from hell...

[compelling and rich]

too many 2's out there for smith at the moment. given our track record of getting him out id quite happy give him a single and try cut the 2's and work on siddle

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Smith the best Test batsman of his generation way ahead of everyone else

Averaging 61 despite for the first 15 tests of his career averaging 30, last four years he averages 75 (!)

It's totally ridiculous
Baby Bradman

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Since his elbow surgery Smith doesn't seem to have the power hitting anymore

[Gooseberry]

good news is, liddle looks like a walking wicket at the minute. smith really has to take all of the strike and start playing some shots

Peter Lidl?

[compelling and rich]

siddle even

[Soul Requiem]

Give me Kohli or Williamson any day of the week thank you.

[Gooseberry]

siddle even

Moeen Aldi bowling again

[compelling and rich]

siddle even

Moeen Aldi bowling again

id take ian Sainsburys over moeen aldi in his current form

[alfie]

Useful runs from Smith and Siddle...150 was looking a long way off when Cummins got out.

England will want to wrap this up : really won't want to let Smith take them to 200. But the ball is old and the key bowlers have had a busy day...still work to do.

[eirebilly]

Its good to see Steve Waugh there, he was such a great player.

I always remember listening to a tape that my Aussie friend played for me back in the day (cant remember what it was) of a parody of Aussie cricket. Steve Waugh woh woh woh, what is he good for was a song or something like that.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Give me Kohli or Williamson any day of the week thank you.

Said no one ever...

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Its good to see Steve Waugh there, he was such a great player.

I always remember listening to a tape that my Aussie friend played for me back in the day (cant remember what it was) of a parody of Aussie cricket. Steve Waugh woh woh woh, what is he good for was a song or something like that.

Stephen Waugh’s century on one leg still one of the most iconic cricketing moments

[Soul Requiem]

Give me Kohli or Williamson any day of the week thank you.

Said no one ever...

I'm guessing a fair few hundred million feel the same way on the former.

[eirebilly]

Give me Kohli or Williamson any day of the week thank you.

Said no one ever...

I'm guessing a fair few hundred million feel the same way on the former.

There is merit for all 3 to be honest.

Smith and Williamson are very much alike for me, so concentrated and just battle. Kholi, well he is something all together special. I would have to lean towards Kholi myself.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Give me Kohli or Williamson any day of the week thank you.

Said no one ever...

I'm guessing a fair few hundred million feel the same way on the former.

Even the most delusional India fan would know 61 is greater than 53. But it’s all irrelevant.

[compelling and rich]

good timing for tea, siddle was starting to look comfortable. hopefully after the break he will have to start all over again

[Soul Requiem]

Is that the simplicity of your argument, comparing averages?

When the going gets tough, Williamson is the one I want batting and easy to forget how many runs Smith has made on roads and how many times he's failed when it really matters, looking at the numbers doesn't tell you the whole story.

[Duty281]

Smith showing his abilities in trying circumstances. The difference between overall humiliation and perhaps getting a team score that is competitive. Not bad for someone out of test cricket for nearly 18 months! Bodes very well for the Australians for the rest of the series that their main man has hit the ground running.

[Gooseberry]

It's raining in central Birmingham now .... Aus may survive the day

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Is that the simplicity of your argument, comparing averages?

When the going gets tough, Williamson is the one I want batting and easy to forget how many runs Smith has made on roads and how many times he's failed when it really matters, looking at the numbers doesn't tell you the whole story.

Go check out Williamson’s record vs England and India. Very poor. In fact his career is somewhat boosted by minnow bashing Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

It’s funny this talk of ‘roads’ why can’t anyone else score runs then?

[eirebilly]

I am really looking forward to this KP interview series to be shown during the Ashes. I was not a huge fan of his personality but was a massive fan of his ability. Should be a good watch.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It's raining in central Birmingham now .... Aus may survive the day

Might not be the worst thing for England either...let Broad/Woakes rest up, can go again tomorrow morning and don't have to bat in clearly cloudy, fresh conditions when they do clean up the tail

[compelling and rich]

I am really looking forward to this KP interview series to be shown during the Ashes. I was not a huge fan of his personality but was a massive fan of his ability. Should be a good watch.

yeah always come across as a d1ck to me, but we'd all like someone of that ability in this team currently

[eirebilly]

I am really looking forward to this KP interview series to be shown during the Ashes. I was not a huge fan of his personality but was a massive fan of his ability. Should be a good watch.

yeah always come across as a d1ck to me, but we'd all like someone of that ability in this team currently

Miss managed badly for me.

Will ye head to Old Trafford for the test there? I live in Formby so will make 1 or 2 of the days.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

siddle even

Moeen Aldi bowling again

id take ian Sainsburys over moeen aldi in his current form

Don’t disparage the great man’s name! Salisbury is a legend

[Gooseberry]

It's a shame Marcus Tescothick is retiring at the end of the summer. I fancy we have seen the last of M&S Dhoni outside ipl too

[VTR]

Never judge a pitch until you've seen England bat on it. Wonder if this could be a decent score!

[eirebilly]

Fairness to Siddle here, he is doing a grand job.

[Duty281]

Siddle chipping in with some valuable runs. Genuinely can't see England scoring more than 250, so 200 will be a competitive score.

Looks like more rain set to hit this evening, and intermittent showers throughout the duration of the test. Unlikely to be enough rain for a draw though!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Umpires now can't decide if they're taking them off for rain. Shambles

[Duty281]

Umpires can't even get the bring-the-covers-on decision right!

[VTR]

This is where your Archer/Wood/Starc types are worth their weight. Siddle threatening to become this year's Ashton Agar. Or this week's Jack Leach I suppose

[Duty281]

Siddle proving to be an inspired selection. He's only got two test 50s in his career - both in the same match against India, six and a half years ago.

This is looking like it'll be the biggest partnership of the innings.

[guildfordbat]

Fairness to Siddle here, he is doing a grand job.

Hiya Billy - bang on, mate. I like Siddle - whether batting or bowling he always tries to give value for money, battling hard and playing sensibly. As I mentioned to Alfie earlier, he's a popular guy on the county circuit. No airs and graces - just gets on with the job.

A good knock from him here and a very handy partnership with Smith. I see that Siddle is averaging 32+ with the bat in the Championship this season for Essex - very respectable and more than some bigger batting names (including Sam Curran, Stoneman, Elgar and Foakes of those closeish to my home).

[eirebilly]

Howya Guildford, Siddle is just one of those players who ye never think too much about but my god he gets Shoite done.

A very likeable chap by all accounts too.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

This is where we're missing Anderson - Broad/Woakes visibly tired, Stokes not on his game today not helping. No spin on day 1 for the spinner hardly a surprise either

[compelling and rich]

I am really looking forward to this KP interview series to be shown during the Ashes. I was not a huge fan of his personality but was a massive fan of his ability. Should be a good watch.

yeah always come across as a d1ck to me, but we'd all like someone of that ability in this team currently

Miss managed badly for me.

Will ye head to Old Trafford for the test there? I live in Formby so will make 1 or 2 of the days.

ticket for the first day, first ashes match so looking forward to it. knowing my luck it will rain all day

[Duty281]

This is where we're missing Anderson - Broad/Woakes visibly tired, Stokes not on his game today not helping. No spin on day 1 for the spinner hardly a surprise either

Yep, England looking tired and lacking inspiration. Australia ticking toward a half-decent score now; certainly the momentum that was generated earlier has evaporated.

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