The Ashes - official thread

[KP_fan]

First topic message reminder :

Cummins was out no doubt about that, not sure what he was complaining about to be honest, a clear noise and deviation off the bat.

why were there 2 deviations?
one clearly before the ball had passed the bat and nothing seemed to be touching anything then...and the second when ball passes the bat.
Both deviations looking similar...put a question mark over the correct functioning of Snicko

that said 3rd umpire could have done nothing different than upholding the onfield ump

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Bairstow gone and anyone with Warner as their fielder in the tipping comp can be very happy.

This is not amazing cricket by Australia and England should not be rewarded by pretending such. This is horrible batting and so very Bayliss.

[Duty281]

Another top take from Warner. Magic day in the field for him.

It's going to be 0-4, isn't it? The one good thing is that a humiliating defeat will instigate a proper review of what's going on with the test team. As I said at the time, the win over India last summer was a terrible one because it papered over the huge cracks.

[compelling and rich]

pathetic batting, another one well outside off being played at

[Afro]

I'm going for 67 all out..

As many as that? I like your optimism

[Duty281]

Wow, the very top of off stump. Magic delivery from Broad.

England back on top.

you have seen us bat havent you?

Back on top until sometime tomorrow afternoon, when England slump to 50/4!

You were too optimistic

Alas, I was. The dream has expired.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Bairstow gone and anyone with Warner as their fielder in the tipping comp can be very happy.

This is not amazing cricket by Australia and England should not be rewarded by pretending such. This is horrible batting and so very Bayliss.

Actually, that’s unfair, they’re bowling very well, it just doesn’t mean this isn’t inexcusable batting. Has anything middled?

[owen10ozzy]

I'm going for 67 all out..

As many as that? I like your optimism

Did you hear that Duty? ...always maintained I'm optimistic!!

[Afro]

Right, I have a plan.

I think what we need is Roy and Denly to crash into each other head first in the field during the Aussies second innings. Then we can bring in Sibley and Pope for the second innings.

Only solution I can see

[alfie]

Now six. Bairstow edges and Warner suddenly can't miss a catch

The worst of this is at each wicket we get Ian Healy in the channel nine studio getting a short interval to gloat... I am not going to stay tuned at lunchtime !

It is really good bowling , no question. Wickets were bound to fall. But having several of them gifted has made it worse than it might have been.

Can the tail see this to 100 ?

[Afro]

Roy deserves some credit too. His 9 is looking a good score, plus when we draw and the game is decided on number of boundaries. Roy scored twice as many as anyone else so far

[Pal Joey]

Now six.  Bairstow edges and Warner suddenly can't miss a catch

The worst of this is at each wicket we get Ian Healy in the channel nine studio getting a short interval to gloat... I am not going to stay tuned at lunchtime !

It is really good bowling , no question.  Wickets were bound to fall. But having several of them gifted has made it worse than it might have been.

Can the tail see this to 100 ?

That's that trade off for me having to listen to Boycott and Gua in the wee hours when the Aussie wickets were tumbling.

Jolted me out of a deep sleep... more than once!!

[Gooseberry]

On the plus side at least we have seen off the new ball now.

[alfie]

Now six.  Bairstow edges and Warner suddenly can't miss a catch

The worst of this is at each wicket we get Ian Healy in the channel nine studio getting a short interval to gloat... I am not going to stay tuned at lunchtime !

It is really good bowling , no question.  Wickets were bound to fall. But having several of them gifted has made it worse than it might have been.

Can the tail see this to 100 ?

That's that trade off for me having to listen to Boycott and Gua in the wee hours when the Aussie wickets were tumbling.

Jolted me out of a deep sleep... more than once!!

Fair point !

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Another top take from Warner. Magic day in the field for him.

It's going to be 0-4, isn't it? The one good thing is that a humiliating defeat will instigate a proper review of what's going on with the test team. As I said at the time, the win over India last summer was a terrible one because it papered over the huge cracks.

And thankfully for the test side, Bayliss is off after this series...for as good a coach for the ODI team he has been, he's been as bad for the test team...

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Now six.  Bairstow edges and Warner suddenly can't miss a catch

The worst of this is at each wicket we get Ian Healy in the channel nine studio getting a short interval to gloat... I am not going to stay tuned at lunchtime !

It’s the first time I’ve been over my jetlag enough to really watch their coverage, albeit usually it’s not going back to the studio every five minutes for wickets.

It. Is. Unbearable. I think the most national pride I’ve ever felt is watching their coverage and comparing it to ours back home.

[alfie]

Another top take from Warner. Magic day in the field for him.

It's going to be 0-4, isn't it? The one good thing is that a humiliating defeat will instigate a proper review of what's going on with the test team. As I said at the time, the win over India last summer was a terrible one because it papered over the huge cracks.

Can't agree with this. Win over India was full of merit : but everyone knew it was achieved basically by the bowlers (who did quite a lot of the batting too !). Trouble has been the efforts to improve the batting have been misguided. All they've really done is switch back and forth between picking players from the ODI squad and randomly moving the players already in the team around in the order. The real problem seems to be that there are no players around that the selectors think worth even trying at the top of the order. So they will just keep shuffling the deckchairs...
Unless we get a completely new set of coaches and selectors nothing will change for the better. But the management are too busy introducing The Hundred.

[Afro]

Halfway through England's best 40 minutes of the day.

I hope there's something good on the menu

[No name Bertie]

It would have been far worse if Steve Smith was in the team - so it is good to see England taking their chances. Maybe both Smith and Labuschagne will be in the fourth test - what a great find Labuschagne was for Australia - at least for these English conditions.

[Pal Joey]

Now six.  Bairstow edges and Warner suddenly can't miss a catch

The worst of this is at each wicket we get Ian Healy in the channel nine studio getting a short interval to gloat... I am not going to stay tuned at lunchtime !

It’s the first time I’ve been over my jetlag enough to really watch their coverage, albeit usually it’s not going back to the studio every five minutes for wickets.

It. Is. Unbearable. I think the most national pride I’ve ever felt is watching their coverage and comparing it to ours back home.

You poor thing.

Don't worry. Life goes on. I was on holiday in Berlin on a beautiful summer's day. Thought I'd nip into a sports bar for a quick update. Big mistake.
I was sat there with huge beer stein watching Australia disintegrate. Awful feeling. The only good thing was the Germans didn't really care.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I just don’t see where “he might work” with Roy ends up being a group decision, especially when “the CC means nothing” is the other decision.

There literally appears no one else capable of being captain of this side, either, so any notion of Root not being captain is mad. Stokes and Jof are the only other definites. Give it Jof, f*** it. You could never hate him

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Now six.  Bairstow edges and Warner suddenly can't miss a catch

The worst of this is at each wicket we get Ian Healy in the channel nine studio getting a short interval to gloat... I am not going to stay tuned at lunchtime !

It’s the first time I’ve been over my jetlag enough to really watch their coverage, albeit usually it’s not going back to the studio every five minutes for wickets.

It. Is. Unbearable. I think the most national pride I’ve ever felt is watching their coverage and comparing it to ours back home.

You poor thing.

Don't worry. Life goes on. I was on holiday in Berlin on a beautiful summer's day. Thought I'd nip into a sports bar for a quick update. Big mistake.
I was sat there with huge beer stein watching Australia disintegrate. Awful feeling. The only good thing was the Germans didn't really care.

To be fair, that’s the exact response I’d expect from an Aussie not an introspective lot! I am baffled that a doubles tennis player is presenter but it’s such a bold choice that however sure I am that he slyly touches up the girls in production (he’s got that kinda smarmy look to him) I have to respect it.

I’m fully hoping now to see Stuart Macgill presenting the tennis

[Pal Joey]

Wouldn't mind hearing MacGill presenting the tennis.

I don't mind Todd but I agree it is a little baffling. He sounds a bit like Tony Squires (the comedian sports show guy) if you don't look at the screen.
Lisa S. grinning like a well fed house cat is a bit much though. Quite whiney.

Guess that's better for me than Isa Guha wetting herself over Archer's delivery... right on off stump! Yes!  She needs censoring!

[Duty281]

Don't think Sky are advertising this KP documentary often enough, if I'm honest. Only seen the trailer about a dozen times today.

[Duty281]

Wicket first ball after lunch. I love this cricket lark.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

And you thought the morning was bad...

[Afro]

First ball after lunch.....

[Afro]

Jofra time

[Pal Joey]

Geez.. not much behind the line. The curvature of the heel looked short but maybe it cast a shadow over the line from what I could see. Just over?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Buttler for 5.

How many can be dropped? Arguably, the best thing for the under fire batsmen here is everyone failing and hiding their woes

[VTR]

So bad you can only laugh. Thankfully this will lead to a clear out. Bayliss, thanks for the World Cup but atrocious Test coach is going of course. Root, atrocious captain, take it off him. Get rid of Denly and Roy. It's going to be a long process but this is now the low point to rebuild from.

[Duty281]

Very generous of Buttler to just spoon it to the man deliberately and obviously placed in that position for that very shot.

Won't even make 100. Another humiliating debacle to add to the list over the past couple of years. This might be second only to the Ireland humiliation.

[Soul Requiem]

It's time to clear out the dead wood

Burns
???
???
Root
???
Stokes
???
Woakes
Archer
Broad
Leach

Burns has earned himself a little bit more time with a century and another 50 but Roy, Denly, Bairstow and Buttler are all looking down the barrel.

[alfie]

Geez.. not much behind the line. The curvature of the heel looked short but maybe it cast a shadow over the line from what I could see. Just over?

If it's anywhere near close they go with the bowler. Fair enough I think. Though I'd suspect a lot of no balls go uncalled these days.

Denly might top score here with 12 !

Hazlewood having a fantastic day !

[Gooseberry]

Yeah so about those " why arent they picking Starc" posts

[compelling and rich]

confidence boosting innings high score for denley at least

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jof is gonna go down swinging. And quickly.

Oh he goes ducking the ball as the face of the bat edges it as he ducks

[Duty281]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

[Soul Requiem]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

I said before that it's time to split the test and ODI team entirely, we need to get players playing first class cricket before being thrown into an important test series, how many FC games has this team played between it this year?

[Duty281]

Only one batsmen has actually made double figures and it's beautiful for batting out there. It's staggering. And they've all given their wickets away, with the exception of Root and possibly Bairstow.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Realistically, Roy is the only one who gets dropped. Buttler May rest, if those earlier rumours were true.

Suspect no one will go and the embarrassment spares them all.

[Duty281]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

I said before that it's time to split the test and ODI team entirely, we need to get players playing first class cricket before being thrown into an important test series, how many FC games has this team played between it this year?

Pope's only played two due to injury. Other than that, the top three and Foakes are regularly playing FC stuff for their county.

[compelling and rich]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

I said before that it's time to split the test and ODI team entirely, we need to get players playing first class cricket before being thrown into an important test series, how many FC games has this team played between it this year?

so your not playing stokes and archer in your test side?

[Duty281]

Ideal batting conditions today. If England can't bat the day on this, they don't deserve the Ashes.

Lasted 28 overs.

[alfie]

This is what , the fifth score of under 100 in two years ? Trouble is they've had several different lineups ...all of which have failed.

Have to make a couple of changes I guess ...however they pick can't do any worse ! Complete panic won't achieve anything , of course. Getting Root back to four is the key move - if it isn't too late and his confidence isn't irretrievably shot . New opener surely. Pope might feature. Will look at it after the game...

Truth is the changes the two sides made - or didn't - between matches reveals the difference in decision making. Australia saw Bancroft was shot and swapped in Harris. Didn't help , yet ...but showed intent. And they brought a fresh pace man back.

England sat on their hands ...kept the failing top order ; and pointlessly switched Bairstow and Buttler despite both doing the job quite well where they were last week...

All smacked of an attitude : Smith is out ; this one is in the bag.

Get what you deserve.

[compelling and rich]

Only one batsmen has actually made double figures and it's beautiful for batting out there. It's staggering. And they've all given their wickets away, with the exception of Root and possibly Bairstow.

Australia will crack on here in these conditions, bowlers only given 27 overs rest

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

Think it's probably for the best for this team (or a similar "revolution" type batting lineup) to be implemented for the NZ series onwards. No point really sending them out for the final two tests here and risking ruining them before they even get a shot coming into this current setup. Might as well continue and use Denly/Roy etc as the proverbial sacrificial lambs

[compelling and rich]

all this root back to 4 doesn't make too much difference to me. 3/4/5/6 really isn't too much difference with this batting line up

id relive him of the captaincy. looks like a player being swallowed up by the burden of it

[Duty281]

Only one batsmen has actually made double figures and it's beautiful for batting out there. It's staggering. And they've all given their wickets away, with the exception of Root and possibly Bairstow.

Australia will crack on here in these conditions, bowlers only given 27 overs rest  

Could be a big defeat. A thoroughly demoralised England having to bowl again on this lovely track. Australia could bat for 200 overs and still have enough time to win comfortably!

[Duty281]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

Think it's probably for the best for this team (or a similar "revolution" type batting lineup) to be implemented for the NZ series onwards. No point really sending them out for the final two tests here and risking ruining them before they even get a shot coming into this current setup. Might as well continue and use Denly/Roy etc as the proverbial sacrificial lambs

Yes, would agree with that.

[Soul Requiem]

If we're having a clear out, I would like to see this team going forward.

Sibley, Hain, Northeast, Root, Pope, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Broad, Archer, Leach.

Leach will have to suffice for now, but I don't think he's a long-term choice. Anderson could come in for Woakes if the former is fit enough though, even if he is, it is perhaps time to think about the future. Give the captaincy to anyone but Root.

I said before that it's time to split the test and ODI team entirely, we need to get players playing first class cricket before being thrown into an important test series, how many FC games has this team played between it this year?

so your not playing stokes and archer in your test side?

I should have made it clear that was in reference to the batting only, Archer stays but Stokes is a tricky one, far better player than his average suggests but is prone to ridiculous shots that get him out; Roy, Buttler and Bairstow shouldn't be anywhere near the test team.

[Sponsored content]