2023 Ashes Series Tipping Competition

First topic message reminder :

The 2023 Ashes Tipping Competition

The Rules:

1.
Pick 2 (two) batsmen and 2 (two) bowlers from both England and Australia who you think will score the most runs and take the most wickets.
You get both batting and bowling points per innings; so a bowler who scores runs has both batting and bowling scores added together.
e.g.
Root, Bairstow, Robinson, Anderson
Labuschagne, Head, Cummins, Boland

2.
Pick 1 (one) fielder from each team; excluding wicket keepers, for the most catches in the Series.
It can be a bowler (for c&b) if you want.
e.g.
Pope, Green

3.
Select which wicket keeper will take the greatest number of catches, stumpings and run outs combined for each Test.
If a wicket keeper is injured then the replacement keeper's figures shall be used.
e.g.
England (Bairstow) or Australia (Carey) or the same number of dismissals.

4.
Predict the Toss:
a) Who wins the toss?
e.g.
England

b) Winning captain's decision - bat or bowl/field?
e.g.
Bat

5.
a) Predict the Ashes Test result.
e.g.
England or Australia or Draw

Selections must be posted a minimum one (1) hour before the commencement of each Test. No PM reminders shall be sent.


Scoring:

1.
1 point for every run scored by your nominated batsmen. Add together for each Test.
Bonus 25 points for 100 runs.
extra 30 points for 150 runs.
extra 45 points for 200 runs.
extra 60 points for 250 runs.
extra 125 bonus points for 300+ runs.

Note: the batting & bowling score bonuses accumulate so;

Batting: (per innings)
100 runs = 125 points. A player scores 137 runs + 25 = 162 points.
150 runs = 205 points. A player scores 177 runs + 25 + 30 = 232 points.
200 runs = 300 points. A player scores 243 runs + 25 + 30 + 45 = 343 points.
250 runs = 410 points. A player scores 282 runs + 25 + 30 + 45 + 60 = 442 points
300+ runs = 585 points. A player scores 321 runs + 25 + 30 + 45 + 60 + 125 = 606 points.

Bowling: (per innings)
25 points per wicket with a bonus 50 points for a 5-fer.
An extra 30 points for 6-fer, 45 for 7-fer, 60 for 8-fer, 75 for 9-fer.
An extra 100 bonus points for a 10-fer.

5 wickets = 125 points + 50 = 175 points
6 wickets = 150 points + 50 + 30 = 230 points.
7 wickets = 175 points + 50 + 30 + 45 = 300 points
8 wickets = 200 points + 50 + 30 + 45 + 60 = 385 points
9 wickets = 225 points + 50 + 30 + 45 + 60 + 75 = 485 points
10 wickets = 250 points + 50 + 30 + 45 + 60 + 75 + 100 = 610 points

Caught and bowled = 25 points for the wicket + 25 bonus points for the catch = 50 points.

2.
Fielder catches: Your nominated fieldsman earns you 25 points per catch and 25 points for a run out.

3.
Wicket keepers: 50 points for the correct selection for the most dismissals across both innings.
Or if you think the wicket keepers will take the same number of total dismissals per innings - then nominate "the same" = 50 points.
If they take the same number of catches and stumpings (combined) and you've picked either one of the keepers - then you earn 25 points only.

4.
a) Correctly predict who wins the toss = 25 points
b) Correctly predict what the winning Captain decides to do = 25 points - only for those with part a) above correct; no points if your a) was incorrect.

5.
a) Correctly predict the winning team for each Test match = 125 points.
b) If you guess all 5 Test match outcomes correctly then there is a further 125 point bonus = 625 + 125 = 750 points.
c) Correctly predict a "Draw" = 125 points

If one (or more) of your selected players gets injured during a match or is dropped from the Test side after a match, then you’ll have the opportunity to select replacement players – either as it happens - for the injured player or before the next Test commences (for a player who gets dropped).
It doesn’t have to be the actual substitute player – it can be somebody else already in the team. However, you don’t receive any of their previous points up until the point of the replacement of the injured player from the field – you must start accumulating points from scratch with them.

*****

June 16 - 20, 2023: 1st Test at Edgbaston. Australia won by 2 wickets [0-1]

June 28 - July 2, 2023: 2nd Test at Lord's. Australia won by 43 runs [0-2]

July 6 - 10, 2023: 3rd Test at Headingley. England won by 3 wickets [1-2]

July 19 -23, 2023: 4th Test at Old Trafford. Match Drawn [1-2]

July 27 - 31, 2023: 5th Test at The Oval. England won by 49 runs [2-2]


*****

Good luck with your selections!

1) Australia: Smith, Marsh; Cummins, Neser
England: Root, Brook; Woakes, Anderson

2) Fielders: Green and Root

3) Carey

4) Australia to win the toss and bat first

5) Australia to win the test

Crawley, Brook, Wood, Anderson
Smith, Carey, Cummins, Green

Crawley
Green

Bairstow

Aus
Field

Draw

England: Root & Brook. Woakes & Broad
Australia: Smith & Labushagne. Cummins & Starc

Root & Green

Bairstow

England win toss and bowl

England win.

1: Australia: Warner, Marnus; Cummins, Neser
England: Crawley, Brook; Woakes, Broad

2: Fielders: Warner and Root

3: Bairstow

4: England to win the toss and bat second

5: England to win the test (if rain affected then draw of course )

Thanks for running this PJ!

1.
Root, Stokes, Woakes, Broad (Wood, Anderson)
Labuschagne, Smith, Cummins, Star (Hazelwood, Neser)

2.
Root, Smith

3.
Bairstow

4.
England, bowl

5.
England

England - Root & Brook, Moeen & Woakes
Australia - Smudge & Marsh, Starc & Murphy

Root and Smudge

Bairstow

Australia win toss and bat

England win

I've got a nagging feeling I'm not making a comeback in this one anyway.

Crawley, Brook, Woakes, Wood (Broad)
Labuschagne, Head, Cummins, Hazlewood (Starc, Neser)

Root, Smith

Carey

England, bowl

Australia win

Thanks everyone...  the last 5 miles of the gruelling marathon!

Hi PJ, here goes -

1) Australia: Smith, Labuschange; just on the odd chance they play - Abbott, Neser (subs in order: Starc, Cummins)
England: Root, Brook; Wood, Broad

2) Fielders: Smith and Crawley

3) Bairstow

4) Australia to win the toss and bat

5) England to win the Test.

Thanks as ever.

Root & Brook, Woakes & Wood
Smith & lambuschange, Starc & Cummins (marsh replacement)

Root and smith

Carey

Eng win toss and bowl first

England win

England: Root and Duckett, Broad and Wakes
Australia: Smith and Head, Cummins and Starc

Root and Green

Carey

England to win the toss and bat

Australia to win the test

Cheers Joey.

1) Australia: Smith, Head, Green, Cummins
England: Brook, Bairstow, Moeen, Woakes

2) Fielders: Warner and Root

3) Carey

4) Australia to win the toss and bat

5) Australia to win

If Green doesn't play, will take Marsh as his replacement again please PJ

PJ - if Green doesn't play can I have Warner as his replacement for fielder?

Thanks for running this , PJ . Not that I am going anywhere this time ...

Smith Labuschagne Cummins Neser (sub Starc , Hazlewood in order)
Root Stokes Woakes Broad

Crawley Warner

Bairstow

Australia win toss and bat

England win

Morning. I nearly forgot as I am currently sitting next to a pool in mallorca

Crawley, Root, Woakes, Mooen
Labuschagne, Head, Cummins, Starc

Root, smith

Carey

England and bowl

England win

Afro wrote:Morning. I nearly forgot as I am currently sitting next to a pool in mallorca

Crawley, Root, Woakes, Mooen
Labuschagne, Head, Cummins, Starc

Root, smith

Carey

England and bowl

England win

Sounds great, Afro. Enjoy yourself!

Warner, Head, Cummins, Murphy
Duckett, YJB, Moeen, Anderson

Smith, Root

Carey

Australia, bat

England

May as well try and differ! Diolch PJ

Duty281 wrote:1) Australia: Smith, Marsh; Cummins, Neser
England: Root, Brook; Woakes, Anderson

2) Fielders: Green and Root

3) Carey

4) Australia to win the toss and bat first

5) Australia to win the test

Will go for Hazlewood instead of Neser, thanks.

Australia: Khawaja, Head, Hazlewood, Starc
England: Root, Brook, Woakes, Broad

Fielders: Crawley, Smith

WK: Carey

Toss: too late...

Result: Draw

Duty281 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:1) Australia: Smith, Marsh; Cummins, Neser
England: Root, Brook; Woakes, Anderson

2) Fielders: Green and Root

3) Carey

4) Australia to win the toss and bat first

5) Australia to win the test

Will go for Hazlewood instead of Neser, thanks.

Who do you want for Green as fielder, Duty?

Pal Joey wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:1) Australia: Smith, Marsh; Cummins, Neser
England: Root, Brook; Woakes, Anderson

2) Fielders: Green and Root

3) Carey

4) Australia to win the toss and bat first

5) Australia to win the test

Will go for Hazlewood instead of Neser, thanks.

Who do you want for Green as fielder, Duty?

Good spot! I'll go for Warner.

Chris and Lowland - no Green... who do you want as your fielder and bowler (Lowland)?
Eirebilly - no Neser... so which Aussie bowler do you want?
Duty... see above re Green.

Still awaiting Soul's picks.

I'll have Maligned Todd Murphy for both please.

Pal Joey wrote:

Afro wrote:Morning. I nearly forgot as I am currently sitting next to a pool in mallorca

Crawley, Root, Woakes, Mooen
Labuschagne, Head, Cummins, Starc

Root, smith

Carey

England and bowl

England win

Sounds great, Afro. Enjoy yourself!

Thanks. Its really hard work, TMS on my headphones, beer and sun! Only down side, I went in the pool and 3 wickets fell!!!

If Moeen is injured, I’ll go Wood please

I'll take Marnus for Moeen please.

If Moeen is injured then Wood for me please.
Thx PJ

Points Table
5th Test, The Oval, Day 1:

4826 Compelling and Rich [356]
4666 Duty [276] *
4634 Tino [310] *
4558 Afro [299]
4541 Pal Joey [323]
4469 Guildfordbat [327] *
4426 Eirebilly [326]
4372 KP_Fan [278] *
4367 Superflyweight [285]
4285 James [253]
4280 Olly [259] *
4217 Alfie [228] *
4165 JDizzle [253] *
4159 Chris [239]
4132 King Carlos [435] *
4069 Soul Requiem [243]
3911 Marky [384]
3590 Lowlandbrit [260] *#

* denotes correct pick Australia win toss
# denotes correct pick Australia elected to bowl/field

Average score: 4315 [296]

First figure - accumulative score / accumulative average score
Second figure in [brackets] - daily score / daily average

Notes:
Compelling and Rich has extended his lead over Duty at the top of the table.
The top scorer on Day 1 at the Oval was King Carlos with 435 points.
Only Lowlandbrit got both the toss and the captain's decision correct.
Soul - I'm using your picks for T4. Let me know if you want to change Brook or Starc.
Eirebilly - I have you down for Cummins instead of Neser... or do you want Murphy or Josh?  
Changes for Moeen in the above posts noted. Nice one KC. Wood, Anderson or Broad?

Points Table
5th Test, The Oval, Day 2:

5122 Compelling and Rich [296]
4945 Duty [279]
4930 Tino [296]
4765 Guildfordbat [296]
4737 Afro [179]
4719 Pal Joey [178]
4663 Superflyweight [296]
4654 KP_Fan [282]
4601 Eirebilly [175]
4581 James [296]
4513 Alfie [296]
4482 Olly [202]
4452 Chris [293]
4385 King Carlos [253]
4337 Soul Requiem [268]
4289 JDizzle [124]
4124 Marky [213]
3841 Lowlandbrit [251]

Average score: 4563 [249]

First figure - accumulative score / accumulative average score
Second figure in [brackets] - daily score / daily average

Points Table
5th Test, The Oval, Day 3:

5380 Compelling and Rich [258]
5156 Tino [226]
5102 Duty [157]
5081 Afro [344]
5024 Guildfordbat [259]
4942 KP_Fan [288]
4889 Superflyweight [226]
4884 Pal Joey [165]
4867 James [286]
4809 Eirebilly [208]
4774 Alfie [261]
4713 Chris [261]
4713 King Carlos [328]
4622 Olly [140]
4577 Soul Requiem [240]
4571 JDizzle [282]
4375 Marky [251]
4038 Lowlandbrit [197]

Average score: 4807 [243]

First figure - accumulative score / accumulative average score
Second figure in [brackets] - daily score / daily average

Moeen is bowling again so I assume my selection of him is restored?

KP_fan wrote:Moeen is bowling again so I assume my selection of him is restored?

From whom? Moeen hasn't been replaced.

Pal Joey wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Moeen is bowling again so I assume my selection of him is restored?

From whom? Moeen hasn't been replaced.

Since he was injured and did not bowl in first inning wasn't he replaced ( wood was my alternative)

KP_fan wrote:

Pal Joey wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Moeen is bowling again so I assume my selection of him is restored?

From whom? Moeen hasn't been replaced.

Since he was injured and did not bowl in first inning wasn't he replaced ( wood was my alternative)

He batted yesterday so hasn't been replaced. Also bowled today. He was just resting in the pavilion chatting with Baz for an extended period of time.

So unless he gets stretchered off later today or tomorrow you're stuck with Mo. Then you can use Wood as a replacement but only start accruing points from Wood once that happens.

Ohh OK...so one has to be bad enuf to not bat and bowl to be replaced.
Moeen is OK for me  ...actually I wrote wanting him back in case he was replaced.

If Eng has to win from here, Ali might have to do a 5-for

Yeah, I kept him on for you especially. You got 29 points... so better than Wood yesterday.
If he gets 5 wickets you certainly wouldn't want to swap him with Wood, would you?

Pal Joey wrote:Yeah, I kept him on for you especially. You got 29 points... so better than Wood yesterday.
If he gets 5 wickets you certainly wouldn't want to swap him with Wood, would you?

Chance of his 5-for is about same as Aus winning.
And I think both are possible....so let's keep it as is⁶

Points Table
5th Test, The Oval, Day 4:

5380 Compelling and Rich [0]
5162 Tino [6]
5102 Duty [0]
5081 Afro [0]
5030 Guildfordbat [6]
4967 KP_Fan [25]
4895 Superflyweight [6]
4884 Pal Joey [0]
4873 James [6]
4873 Eirebilly [64]
4780 Alfie [6]
4738 King Carlos [25]
4719 Chris [6]
4654 JDizzle [83]
4622 Olly [0]
4577 Soul Requiem [0]
4450 Marky [75]
4063 Lowlandbrit [25]

Average score: 4825 [19]

First figure - accumulative score / accumulative average score
Second figure in [brackets] - daily score / daily average

Points Table
5th Test, The Oval, Day 5:

5731 Compelling and Rich [351] #
5471 Afro [390] #
5463 Tino [301] #
5431 Guildfordbat [401] # *
5321 Superflyweight [426] # *
5300 Duty [198]
5299 James [426] # *
5256 Alfie [476] # *
5254 KP_Fan [287]
5247 Eirebilly [374] # *
5191 King Carlos [453] # *
5103 Pal Joey [219]
5000 Chris [281]
4951 JDizzle [297] #
4934 Olly [312]
4783 Soul Requiem [206] *
4725 Marky [275]
4322 Lowlandbrit [259] *

Average score: 5155 [330]

First figure - accumulative score / accumulative average score
Second figure in [brackets] - daily score / daily average

# England win = 125 points
* Bairstow most dismissals = 50 points
(Bairstow: 6 caught behinds; Carey: 4 caught behinds)


Overall Team and Player Scores after the Fifth Test at the Oval [in brackets] are as follows:

England:
6285 [1413] - average player score 1712.20 [571.40]

Australia:
5855 [1271] - average player score 1643.20 [532.30]


Top 11 Individual Player Scores: (using the special formula for catches, run outs, w/k dismissals)

782 Root [186]
697 Starc [207]
660 Crawley [175]
652 Cummins [95]
628 Broad [115]
600 Stokes [105]
593 Smith [185]
574 Woakes [212]
536 Khawaja [139]
562 Bairstow [142]
501 Duckett [103]

Followed by: Carey (460), Head (452), Hazlewood (440), Wood (433), Brook (423), Ali (405), Marsh (365), Warner (365)

Notes:
Excellent work from Compelling and Rich who finished on top of the table with a 260-point lead over 2nd place Afro.
Alfie, Guildfordbat, Eirebilly, James, King Carlos and Superfly all correctly tipped an England win and Bairstow for most dismissals.
Nobody got the clean sweep and the bonus 125 points unfortunately... although Compelling was very close with 4 out of 5 correct results.
Congratulations to all you England fans for levelling the series 2-2 which was the fairest result I believe. Three cheers for Bazball!
Thanks for your participation everyone. The six weeks seemed to fly by with the usual twists and turns. It was great fun to run it as usual.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Overall Leader Board for All 11 Competitions:

Top 17:

42,839 Alfie: [11 Series] Ave: 3894
42,765 Guildfordbat: [11] Ave: 3888
42,248 James: [11] Ave: 3841
41,646 JDizzle [10 Series] Ave: 4165
41,526 Pal Joey [11 Series] Ave: 3775
40,124 Duty [11] Ave: 3648
39,820 Olly [11] Ave: 3620
34,822 KP_Fan [9 Series] Ave: 3869
30,276 Soul R. [8 Series] Ave: 3785
26,429 Tino [7 Series] Ave: 3776
23,453 Superfly [5 Series] Ave: 4691
23,443 Dolphin [6 Series] Ave: 3907
23,259 Comp. & Rich [5 Series] Ave: 4652
22,850 King Carlos [6 Series] 3808
20,442 Lowlandbrit [5 Series] Ave: 4088
16,539 Afro [4 Series] Ave: 4135
16,471 Gooseberry [5 Series] Ave: 3294

Total Points Scored: 593,163
Top 17 Points Scored: 528,952
Top 17 (above) Average: 31,115

Total Points Scored this Series: 92,782
Average Points Scored this Series: 5155

15 other members have scored 64,211 points (included in Total Points Scored) in addition to the Top 17.

cheers pj, really enjoy these so thankyou for doing it. i will endeavor to do the next one you do

compelling and rich wrote:cheers pj, really enjoy these so thankyou for doing it. i will endeavor to do the next one you do

My pleasure, compelling. Great times for you and the family! Hope you're coping well with the pub and the new baby... and the missus is fine.

compelling and rich wrote:cheers pj, really enjoy these so thankyou for doing it. i will endeavor to do the next one you do

Congrats on your handsome win , compelling ! Some good choices doubtless made as you got set for hours of lost sleep , to match what we have down this end of the world in an English Ashes series - though for different reasons

Many thanks to you , PJ , for running this fun competition again. And apart from congrats to compelling , a special word of praise for Afro with an incredible rise from dead last halfway through the Lord's Test to outright second : bit like England's series trajectory

Left my run far too late ; but I see I am somehow (just) ahead of guildford on that Overall Leader Board : does this mean I still hold the Ashes ?

alfie wrote:Many thanks to you , PJ , for running this fun competition again.  And apart from congrats to compelling , a special word of praise for Afro with an incredible rise from dead last halfway through the Lord's Test to outright second  : bit like England's series trajectory

Left my run far too late ; but I see I am somehow (just) ahead of guildford on that Overall Leader Board : does this mean I still hold the Ashes ?

The 606 Virtual Ashes Holograph Trophy, alfie.

A bit like the Waterford crystal one Pat was holding... but you can put your hand through your one. Well done!

Top work, PJ - thanks for all of the hard wok again.

I'm surprised by my average score on the Overall Leader Board - Graeme Pollockesque.

Top work PJ as ever - always enjoy these and the different tactics involved, definitely having Marsh on my team helped when he scored his hundred at Headingley!

And congrats to C&R - new baby, win in this, the only way is up

Cheers for running again. Will there be one for the World Cup?

Apologies for the delay in posting but the likes of Carlos, Olly and even Julius have been capturing my attention on the other thread!

An extremely well done to Compelling. From now on, a new baby for every one of PJ's competitions?

Shout outs as well to Afro and Tino for silver and bronze - even though they kept me off the podium (how could Boland be so useless? ).

Meanwhile, Alfie proving that form is temporary but class permanent as he continues to head the all timers' list.

Most of all though, many thanks to you, PJ, and your secretary for running this again and all the work involved. Much fun and massively appreciated.

Duty281 wrote:Cheers for running again. Will there be one for the World Cup?

Yeah, I may as well.
Might have to simplify the scoring system and not have the 4 tiers (margins) of winning. Just points for a correct pick win... or draw.

Just looking at the schedule of 48 matches.
I'll probably break it down into 3 blocks of 15 games for the 45 group games. Then the 2 semis and then the final. How does that sound?