England's Summer of Cricket 2023, Featuring The Ashes

First topic message reminder :

June 1st-June 4th: One Test v Ireland (four days)
June 16th-July 31st: Five Tests v Australia
August 30th-September 5th: Four T20s v New Zealand
September 8th-September 15th: Four ODIs v New Zealand
September 20th-September 26th: Three ODIs v Ireland

England try to wrest the Ashes back from Australia, in a series which could be the greatest since 2005. Australia have currently held the urn for just over five years, which is the longest spell of urn-holding since the 1989-2005 period.

Ireland also visit for a test before that, and then there's some limited-overs games squashed into the last days of summer.

Absolutely mammoth wicket to go to lunch with and tips everything in England's favour. Wonder if the ball change had anything to do with it? Would be justice, if so, for four years ago. I did think it was high, initially, and no doubt Smith did as well.

Khawaja has looked in excellent touch so far, and pressure on Head to deliver as he's the last of the big three remaining. Certainly the case that if Head stays at the crease for any length of time that scoring rate will increase.

Worth remembering that Australia were 76/3 against India and still amassed 469, albeit that was mainly down to Smith + Head, not Khawaja + Head. But shows there's plenty of work to do.

A very good session indeed for England.

There was swing but realistically the first two wickets weren't great batting. Warner's was a dire shot. Followed by Marnus playing a very nervy shot to a ball he'd usually be leaving.

The Smith dismissal was an odd one. I honestly thought high immediately. When Erasmus gave it I thought at best it might be just clipping, stay on umpires call. Then three reds from ball tracking.

Stokes wasn't close to his full pace but was getting a bit of shape and bowled better than I feared he may be able too.

I thought Mo bowled fairly well on the whole as well to his credit. There's a bit of turn and occasional bounce but the danger ball seems to be the one that skids through.

As whole England have done an excellent job of keeping the RR down, building pressure and rotating their options. I expect it will get better for batting so that bonus of Smith missing the straight one before lunch is absolutely huge.

That contrast of methods :

Yesterday , first session : 27 overs , 3 wickets , 124 runs.

Today : 27 overs , 3 wickets ... 64 runs.

Early yet ; but no prizes for guessing which style is ahead on points.

And yes , I get that the weather is a bit different. But I think the point stands.

Interesting point on Cricviz:

Steve Smith may feel unlucky with the lack of bounce on his dismissal. It bounced lower than any other delivery on a similar length in this match:

Average bounce  = 98.3cm
Bounce for Smith dismissal = 71.8cm

Warner's shot was dire, but England did tie him down well and forced the error. Labuschagne probably expecting the inswinger, perhaps a bit nervous as well and wanted to feel bat on ball (which he kinda did!).

Not sure it's worth comparing methods. Bowling conditions were much more favourable this morning than yesterday morning, which goes to underline how important the toss was to win.

It's done more than yesterday but I don't think it's been particularly threatening. Warner and Marnus rather gave it away a bit, and Khawaja and Smith looked fairly in control

Conditions might have played more into Australia's mindset. England have been able to build pressure if nothing else

alfie wrote:These two digging in . They've weathered the new ball period ....... Testing time for England now to find ways to keep taking wickets. Expect plenty more unusual tricks.

Here comes Stokes...

One of the best uses of the ...

Eng won the session in big way
They found a hint of swing..but more than that was a lot of clever planning from Eng and Aus showed no intent.....dug a hole for themselves.

Aus need to bat freely after lunch and I believe they will

England trying the short stuff v Head, but there's not really enough pace in the pitch, and England don't have a genuine pace bowler, so he hasn't been massively threatened by it. It's like the early days of Broad's test career where he's being used as an enforcer.

Then you've got Moeen at the other end releasing any pressure. Khawaja's ticked to 50. Just his second 50 in England in 15 innings. Nice innings, he's holding it together, but they need him to go on to three figures.

Not really much for England now. Mo taking some treatment from Head, but I suspect Stokes are just leaving it out as there as bait and hoping he chases the wrong ball

England's first dozy bowling review of the series.

Stokes is keeping mid-on and mid-off up for Moeen's bowling, which is probably right to try and force the false aerial shot, but both Head and Khawaja have used their feet very well. Still, Moeen's conceded around 50 so he must be due for a wicket around now.

Robinson's short stuff looking even more innocuous than C Overton on those dead pitches in the Caribbean.

Khawaja has played really well after a scratchy start. Has been very much the cornerstone of this Australian innings so far. Enabled Head to settle in without having to stress too much : this is building into a very useful partnership.

England still looking to attack rather than just sitting back waiting for mistakes. Worth trying a bit of short stuff to Head , without going too silly with it. Bit handicapped by the lack of a Wood/Archer type but they are keeping him honest.

Both bats looking to get after Moeen , gathering some nice boundaries down the ground. Stokes happy to let it go on for now at least. Could be a crucial period for the whole game , this.

England burn a review : not sure anyone was too sure what that hit - might show they're getting a little bit anxious for a break...

Still Moeen. 49 off twelve so not getting monstered yet anyway.

Hmm. The Moeen ploy is getting a bit too expensive now , as Head starts to go up the gears. For the first time in this innings , the bats are putting serious pressure back on England. Fifty from 60 balls is more like Travis's usual scoring rate

Think Stokes needs to make a change or two now. Wouldn't mind seeing him back on himself for a bit.

On this benign surface , there was sure to come a time when the bats got on top . Here's where England need to exercise a bit of patience and not drop - or lose - their heads.

Then again, Head rather gives it away against Mo

But aha !

Moeen does the trick ! Head tries one too many lofted shots and Crawley with a fine catch

148/4 . Timely for England after the Aussies enjoyed a very good hour

Ahhhhh Bairstow should've had that

Duty281 wrote:England's first dozy bowling review of the series.

Stokes is keeping mid-on and mid-off up for Moeen's bowling, which is probably right to try and force the false aerial shot, but both Head and Khawaja have used their feet very well. Still, Moeen's conceded around 50 so he must be due for a wicket around now.

Robinson's short stuff looking even more innocuous than C Overton on those dead pitches in the Caribbean.

Great prediction!

That's mighty poor from Head just as the Aussies were looking so in command. The plan of keeping the field up works in the end though.

Innocuous is the right word for the seamers currently though it must be said.

Prior to the XI being announced I was thinking Wood instead of Broad who of course got those two in two which opened the door. It's an England attack really lacking in pace though with plenty of deliveries well under 80mph. Now, I'm of the view that the speed gun is often given too much attention. Even so, it has looked very easy going at times.

Yep Moeen gets the wicket that he was due. Just one shot too many from Head, and he didn't quite get his feet to the pitch of the ball. Bit of a miscue and Crawley takes a neat catch.

Big frustration for Head as Australia are entering prime batting conditions, and he's missed out on a big century.

Just two away from the tail, England. Lead at 245.

It was good captaincy from Stokes to keep the field up. Reminded me of Flintoff's captaincy v Symonds with Panesar's bowling in Perth.

And Bairstow misses a huge stumping chance! And he's had such a good test with the gloves until then.

Arggghhh!

Jonny's first error of a fantastic match thus far.

I was just thinking that I'd get seam from both ends with Green in and Khawaja such a good player of spin.

GSC wrote:Not really much for England now. Mo taking some treatment from Head, but I suspect Stokes are just leaving it out as there as bait and hoping he chases the wrong ball

Good call, GSC. Good catch by Crawley too.

Having (deservedly) praised Bairstow, a bad miss then by him to get Green and Moeen a second wicket.

Ouch...first mistake for Bairstow. Couldn't gather the ball so a stumping goes begging !

So nearly two in an over for Moeen...wonder how costly that will be ?

guildfordbat wrote:

GSC wrote:Not really much for England now. Mo taking some treatment from Head, but I suspect Stokes are just leaving it out as there as bait and hoping he chases the wrong ball

Good call, GSC. Good catch by Crawley too.

Having (deservedly) praised Bairstow, a bad miss then by him to get Green and Moeen a second wicket.

Got to beware of praising keepers too much ! Seems to bring about errors quite often ...bit like saying someone is batting brilliantly and nailed on for a hundred

Anderson coming in now. Haven't seen much of him so far, started with a pretty poor new ball spell.

alfie wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:

GSC wrote:Not really much for England now. Mo taking some treatment from Head, but I suspect Stokes are just leaving it out as there as bait and hoping he chases the wrong ball

Good call, GSC. Good catch by Crawley too.

Having (deservedly) praised Bairstow, a bad miss then by him to get Green and Moeen a second wicket.

Got to beware of praising keepers too much ! Seems to bring about errors quite often ...bit like saying someone is batting brilliantly and nailed on for a hundred

And that's why in my earlier post I used the wods, ''to this stage'' immediately before, ''Bairstow is having a very good game''. Like you, Alfie,I've played this posting game long enough.

Duty281 wrote:Anderson coming in now. Haven't seen much of him so far, started with a pretty poor new ball spell.

He was a fair way off against the lefties but is on the spot and seems to have a bit more zip to the right-handed Green here.

Still not much wicket-taking threat from Anderson, but he's keeping it tight and that can be vital. Five overs, five runs.

Khawaja into the 80s. He's dominated the short ball today. Came into this with an average of 20 in England, so this has been a fine effort. But it's on him to get to 150+ if Australia are getting near England's total.

Lead 215, 58 overs gone. Going to be a hard battle for England until that second new ball.

Well, despite the loss of Head that does go down as Australia's session. 110 runs further along. Bairstow's miss, and he really should have got it, the key moment. Australia could have been well on the ropes.

The three main seamers are keeping it tight, but as many of us thought before the game, on these docile pitches with an old ball they're really not providing much threat. Robinson barely got the new ball in his hands so I think a chance was wasted there. Moeen has been Moeen, in that he's bowled like a leaky tap, but Head made one too many visits to the casino and bankrupted himself.

Khawaja has been firm, dominated the short ball, and Green has established a good, patient, watchful base for himself after surviving that stumping chance. He certainly has to be watchful with these peculiar field placings!

Lead at 205, 19 overs away from the new ball. You'd expect the lead to be down to 150, maybe even as low as 120, by the time England get their hands on said new ball. So even if England get just one wicket before that second new ball, they'll still be on top (especially if that wicket is Khawaja).

Not really much going on. Head rather gave it away with a chance to put Australia in the ascendency, while Khawaja is happily playing the anchor so far. Thought Mo did fine, asked to offer the carrot without any real protection, and in the end the plan worked.

England need to prize one of these fairly soon if they want a decent lead I think.

Real arm wrestle that last hour...or just old fashioned Test cricket .

Head and Khawaja threatened to take it away at speed until the former had a rush of blood to the ...head. And then if only Jonny had gathered that ball from Moeen and stumped Green it might have been a great session for England.... swings and roundabouts.

Australia (mostly) playing to wear England down. Will they continue like this or try a bit more adventure in the last session ? And what tricks has Stokes up his sleeve with still 19 overs to the new ball ? Staying tuned...

Hmm. Aggressive start after tea... Green looking to make England pay for that miss !

Australia missed a couple of chances yesterday ; but they didn't actually cost them many runs. Might turn out to be a significant difference.

I'm afraid both Stokes and Moeen have been a bit loose on resumption. Maybe reinforces the old mantra of "always start after an interval with your best bowlers" . First time in the match I've really felt England have lost the plot a bit.

I expected England to resume with Broad and Robinson for a few overs, then allow them to put their feet up before the new ball, but instead Stokes and Moeen have allowed a brisk start to the session.

Mo gets Green eventually!

Lyon won't mind seeing the turn Mo got on that one

Moeen !!

Gets his man ...much to YJB's relief I suspect

Great bit of bowling

That spun. England needed it. But again , a reward for Stokes' determination to keep attacking rather than just bowl dry.

GSC wrote:Lyon won't mind seeing the turn Mo got on that one

Indeed. But unless they somehow turn this into 600 or so , Australia will have to bat last.

Moeen has been a mixed bag today. But I think he's already shown calling him back in wasn't totally daft.

Great 100 for Khawaja, holding this innings together

Reckon Stokes should get off though. Not looking dangerous , leaking runs , no balls...

Hundred for Khawaja

Well deserved : has held this innings together and overcome his past poor record in England very decisively.

Timely breakthrough. Good bit of turn, but Green's technique to the spin has been dreadful.

Will Carey back up his efforts in the WTC in more challenging circumstances?

Khawaja gets his ton. Top innings, plus a huge outpouring of emotion (some England players looking at him somewhat bemused?). But he needs to refocus and go again.

Just one from the tail now. Starting to wonder how England will bowl to the tail, but they need another wicket first!

Have to love the BBC calling a 102 from 199 balls 'a patient knock'.

Carey did well against India ; and he's settled in well here too. Just starting to push for some runs now : which has forced Stokes to turn to Harry Brook the Secret Weapon again

Big maiden over from Brook

Pretty tight game as we come up to the new ball...England will need to do damage with it as there really isn't much happening for the pace men with the old one - not even for Harry B

75 overs today for 250/5. Bit of a contrast with day one but still a fascinating watch.

Brook is actually England's answer to de Grandhomme with the ball. Really tying an end down.

Bairstow misses another chance! Turning into a poor day for him, after that earlier great grab of Labuschagne.

New ball taken. England have done the minimum again and got one wicket since tea, but Australia's run rate has been good. 14 overs left in the day - looks like we'll actually get them all in - and this is a huge mini-session in the context of the test. Maybe Australia get shot out and England have a lead of 90? Perhaps these two bat through to stumps and put their team in a a decent position?

Aaaaaaahhhhh broad oversteps and Khawaja survives being bowled. Too many of those from England today and they've paid for it

And Broad does it!

Khawaja knocked over, huge breakthrough...oh, no-ball. Another missed chance.

Six no-balls from Broad today. That was obviously the most costly. You expect that from Stokes, but not Broad.

Oh dear ...afraid Jonny has missed another chance there...little nick on that from Root and Carey has a life ...

Would have been a great time to get one before the new ball . Afraid that is going to haunt Jonny after the earlier miss.

And it gets worse as Broad clean bowls Khawaja...only to get done for a no ball

Suddenly all falling apart for England. Danger time as this stuff can snowball and turn over the initiative to the opposition. Even Stokes not looking too happy...

13 no balls today. Not good enough.

Inevitable one was going to cost them sooner or later.

For the first time in this match , I'm struggling to stay optimistic. I hope England can handle these setbacks better than me !

'Feel as though England are a few mistakes away from dominating this game. The dropped catches, missed stumpings and the no ball. A few of the wickets yesterday were avoidable. Take those out the game and we’re flying.'

Brilliant observation from Jack on the BBC. If  England didn't make mistakes and avoided soft dismissals then England would be flying. Yes!

Khawaja's really hit the wall since he made his ton. Just 17 runs from 50 balls since that accolade. But if he squeezes through to stumps, he may be refreshed tomorrow and score heavily again.

Looking a bit too flat now. Understandable as both these batsmen should be out and the hutch door should be open...don't think you can afford to reprieve anyone on this unhelpful surface , much less both set batsmen.

Very disappointing after the way they've battled all day to keep the batsmen under control and whittle away the wickets. Could go seriously awry from here if they don't find a way to break this pair quickly. And they're both looking menacingly sound at present...

Lost the plot in the last half hour. Grafted pretty well all day but rather thrown away a good position now