England's Summer of Cricket 2023, Featuring The Ashes

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If Pope can't play I'd probably prefer Foakes coming in, taking the gloves, myself. Maybe:

1.Crawley 2.Duckett 3.Brook 4.Root 5.Bairstow 6.Stokes (c) 7.Foakes (wk)

It means a rejigging of the order but gets better players in the XI than Lawrence at 3 IMO. Particularly when I'm not that convinced by Lawrence against higher pace. Given the 15 man squad that isn't on the cards though.

If Wood is genuinely fit I'd like his pace in the attack but would probably ere towards the seam heavy attack again if the 4  below are good to go:

8.Woakes 9.Broad 10.Wood 11.Tongue

If Wood isn't fit then:

8.Moeen 9.Woakes 10.Broad 11.Tongue

Which does have a lot of batting depth on the upside.

Followed Duty's advice to bring Broad back...and he's done the trick. Pitched up and too good for Murphy. But he did a fine job for Australia adding that 41 runs

Just Boland now . One ball left for Broad...

How are they not learning?

That was actually closer than I thought ! Height made it just umpire's call. But on the right side of it.

Now : Head launching Wood into the stands...more valuable runs. How many will he add ? Six , six...this short stuff has cost , what ...fifty runs ? Terrific batting from Head

Duty281 wrote:Thank the lord for Stuart Broad.

I was getting a bit bored of how they were being put to the sword.

They never learn , Soul. And I know the stats actually say it works quite well "on average" against the tail. But in this sort of situation, I hate it and I reckon it is always a bigger risk that a more orthodox approach.

There ! Broad a "normal" ball and the job is done at last ...

251 to win.

Hats off to Head

251 to get. Right in the fun zone. England got a lot right and a lot wrong in that mini-session. I think Australia are marginally favourites, like a 51-49 margin.

20 or so minutes left tonight, so Australia will want at least one. Two or more and they're definitely favourites.

The one good thing about those late partnerships is that they probably haven't got time to be five down tonight

I guess this morning you'd have said 251 to chase is not a bad result ? But I do wonder if a bit more considered approach after Cummins got out might have kept it down to something more like 220. Can never know , of course. And at least it looks as if the pitch is pretty good for batting once you're in.

Good to see catches were held and very few extras in that innings. So they are maybe learning as they go ? Just hope the batsmen are going to use their heads now...

Five , six overs to come ? This is the nervous part - but at least the sun has come out.

Starc and Cummins will be roaring in...crossing fingers.

Duckett wisely taking some time out, he's having a bit of a struggle out there.

A very good five overs for England, puts them ahead. Duckett fortunate neither of those edges went to hand!

All set for a great concluding day tomorrow, where Australia retain the Ashes or England take it to a fourth test. Wouldn't like to call it from here.

Well done lads. 27 knocked off. Handy.

Tomorrow if the weather cooperates we will see a result.

WINVIZ fancies England , I see. I think it's closer than that but perhaps one might say the home team has the advantage...or one might if one weren't a nervous England supporter

Anyway good cricket again today so glad I stayed up

Think we're even for that mini session in the first test

Didn't expect play to really begin after all that rain. But thankfully we've had some action. Australia lost a lot quickly, before Travis Head, who really took his time early on, had a bit of a blast towards the end, dragging the total lead up to 250 that didn't seem on the card when Cummins was done in. England losing the plot a bit with all those short stuff. Think they returned the favor for that Cummins' Murphy gifts for Stokes.
England openers doing the right thing by looking to score. The likes of Crawley, anything he can get in bowling friendly conditions are to be considered a bonus. Maximize while you are there. And if you get set, play normal cricket and try and make it count. But I felel it'll be up to Root and Stokes, and a lot will depend on the overhead conditions. If the sun's out, England should be the clear favorits, if there is cloud cover, Cummins and co will fancy their chances.

Vaughan calling it a 'perfect day' for England. Not sure I'd go that far, England probably conceded 20-30 more than they should have, but it was a very good day.

Weather seems good tomorrow, forecast for some sunshine and light cloud. Shouldn't be as dark as today until the late afternoon...when it really should be over.

England are in front after those five overs, but there's a long tail and Cummins and Starc are perfectly capable of bowling a match-winning spell. What could be key for Australia is how Boland, two wickets @ 92 in the series so far, performs, plus whether Murphy can provide them any control at one end.

With all 10 wickets in hand at the close and a handy 26 runs ticked off the total that's very much England's session for me.

Amongst the harrumphing from England fans I thought Head batted very well. Bided his time playing carefully, when the ball was soft, he went after it. Stokes-esque in terms of managing how he played with the tail. Lots was made of England's tactics but when they went full to Head early in that flurry it looked like slot bowling in an ODI to me. Moeen would've been worth a try against him based on the stats but it would've been a gamble at that stage same as the short stuff.

For all the talk of England bowling too short against the tail they have the best record against the final 4 wickets since they started doing so. It's one of those unfashionable tactics that is forgotten when it works and lambasted when it doesn't.

It has felt to me for sometime now that when England are batting many fans expect the tail to put on significant runs in every single innings otherwise they're meek and stupid. But simultaneously the opposition tail must be routed every single innings otherwise the bowling is atrocious and moronic. Which doesn't seem the most balanced of expectations. But, ah well.

There's plenty in the pitch and the Australia seamers are very good. It should be a cracking conclusion tomorrow. I'd take England's position at this stage but once again it's only two wickets away from looking completely different. There haven't been many days of this series ending without the next one finely poised.

Duty281 wrote:What could be key for Australia is how Boland, two wickets @ 92 in the series so far, performs

Boland's series has been a perfect example of the good side of England's new batting. The tactics of regularly moving around the crease to alter what a 'good length' is has clearly knocked Boland. The obvious counter is Carey coming up to the stumps very early but at Boland's decent pace and the shear degree of seam movement he gets when the wobble ball 'goes' that's far from ideal.

Something to keep in mind is that across his career thus far Boland has a far better record in the second bowling innings than the first. Latter in the match his wobble balls has seamed more regularly and more drastically.

king_carlos wrote:For all the talk of England bowling too short against the tail they have the best record against the final 4 wickets since they started doing so. It's one of those unfashionable tactics that is forgotten when it works and lambasted when it doesn't.

Source? Last I saw was England had the highest bowling average to the tail (numbers 8-11) between 2019 and July 2022 of test nations who had played 10+ tests. And how England bowl to the tail is one of those tactics that England haven't altered under Stokes/McCullum.

I take more issue with the short tactics to Head. Don't think it's been overly successful

This game is still poised as "Anything can happen" as I view it.
Win Predictor shows Eng with 75% probability.
I do believe Eng is ahead but not so far at 75%

Eng negotiated 4 overs with edges flying over the slips and falling just short of slips every over.
Catches will go to hand sooner than later...as Aussies come more organized & tighter tomm morning.
Under Cummins they don't hit the ground running in midst of a session.

I believe Root will have to play an anchor inning ...of 70 odd to steer Eng through.
This edgy play will get Eng to only 140-160.
If Aus get Root for less than 30.....Eng will most likely fail in the chase

Duty281 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:For all the talk of England bowling too short against the tail they have the best record against the final 4 wickets since they started doing so. It's one of those unfashionable tactics that is forgotten when it works and lambasted when it doesn't.

Source? Last I saw was England had the highest bowling average to the tail (numbers 8-11) between 2019 and July 2022 of test nations who had played 10+ tests. And how England bowl to the tail is one of those tactics that England haven't altered under Stokes/McCullum.

I believe Zaltz during T2 from memory. Running my own statsguru stuff to check:

Numbers 8-11 from 2019 to July 2022 as you say:
https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?batting_positionmax1=11;batting_positionmin1=8;batting_positionval1=batting_position;class=1;filter=advanced;groupby=opposition;orderby=batting_average;spanmax2=31+Jul+2022;spanmin2=01+Jan+2019;spanval2=span;template=results;type=batting

England indeed the worst of nations playing 10+ Tests at 17.16 per wicket.

Then from June 2022-present (i.e. Bazball period):
https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?batting_positionmax1=11;batting_positionmin1=8;batting_positionval1=batting_position;class=1;filter=advanced;groupby=opposition;orderby=batting_average;spanmin2=01+Jun+2022;spanval2=span;template=results;type=batting

England third best (so not outright best, apologies) at 13.44 per wicket. Of those playing a decent number of Tests in the window Windies are second best, just ahead of England, at 12.97 per wicket. India are way out ahead at 10.85, which is impressive.
 
So not quite best outright as I remembered but still a significant improvement going from dead last to third best. Worth noting England have played on some dead wickets (and that dud batch of Dukes balls) in the period said improvement has come. For reference England themselves have averaged 17.05 for batters 8-11 across the same Bazball period. So very close to being as good as everyone else's tail was against us in the dark days!

Only re-reading that did I realise that start 2019 to the end of July 2022 takes in the beginning of Bazball. So a slight overlap between queries.

Out of curiosity I ran 2019 to 01 June 2022 (the day before the first Test of McCullum reign against NZ) for a comparison of the period directly preceding the current set-up without an overlap.

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?batting_positionmax1=11;batting_positionmin1=8;batting_positionval1=batting_position;class=1;filter=advanced;groupby=opposition;orderby=batting_average;spanmax2=01+Jun+2022;spanmin2=01+Jan+2019;spanval2=span;template=results;type=batting

England once again the worst of those with a decent sample size but it goes up even higher to 18.10 per wicket, rather than 17.16, if you remove the Bazball Tests in June and July 2022.

Returned from my own game to see we've got a chase of 251 to stay in the series - if you'd offered me that at the start of the Aussie 2nd dig, I would 100% of taken it.

Reading comments on here, sounds like Broad was really good again? He's having yet another superb Ashes series.

I'd say it's still 50/50 for me - we've seen throughout the test that the pitch is tough to truly get in on (reflected in the scores), and the Aussie attack is still potent. Would be handy if Crawley and/or Duckett broke the little hoodoo England seem to have where the overnight bats get out early the next day.

Also a word for the women - another t20i victory tonight! Just about hanging on in there in the series which is still alive going into the ODIs.
Aussie women are the clear class, but our girls have done very well to play them close in every game so far. Setup for a cracking few sell outs

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Returned from my own game to see we've got a chase of 251 to stay in the series - if you'd offered me that at the start of the Aussie 2nd dig, I would 100% of taken it.

Reading comments on here, sounds like Broad was really good again? He's having yet another superb Ashes series.

I'd say it's still 50/50 for me - we've seen throughout the test that the pitch is tough to truly get in on (reflected in the scores), and the Aussie attack is still potent. Would be handy if Crawley and/or Duckett broke the little hoodoo England seem to have where the overnight bats get out early the next day.

All three seamers were strong but Broad got those key wickets of Head and Murphy when Australia's lead had shot up from 200 to 250. With an old ball by that stage as well. Plus he got them rapidly after coming back into the attack. He's been the pick of England's bowlers by a distance across the series.

Wood's figures throughout this innings are significantly worse than his spells deserved I feel. His wicketless overs yesterday were largely fantastic. He had very good players looking uncomfortable but the wickets fell at the other end.

Whilst Woakes was doing Chris Woakes things. He's just very good at cricket.

I'd put it 55-45 in England's favour considering the pitch being a tough one. 250 is a decent chase no doubt but in that area where it doesn't necessitate a 4th innings centurion to have a chance. Though a ton tomorrow would be nice! Nor am I thinking, "we need a partnership to go really big for this to get close", as I was at Lords.

England's top order remains frail though and the Aussie attack is potent.

Pat Cummins has bowled superbly thus far this series in the big moments where his team needed him to. When he starts a spell I keep getting this horrid feeling we may be watching another brilliant individual series to look back on from the Aussie skipper. He took a phenomenal 29 wickets in 2019. He's taken 14 wickets after the first 5 innings in 2023.

Good work from KC to unearth all those stats ! I did think that the short stuff had largely worked for England recently - though of course we tend to remember , and grumble, about the times it goes wrong.

I wasn't altogether bothered by the use of the short ball against Head (even though the ball was moving around quite well for Woakes and Broad) up until Cummins got out. But I felt they then erred by making it more or less their exclusive tactic - and putting everyone on the boundary really left him to just hit fours or sixes and farm the strike with little or no risk. As he was obviously seeing it well by then I reckon the odds were in his favour.

Of course he might well have plundered more "normal" bowling as well ; but with the light not great and Wood bowling fast I'd have thought the chances of inducing an error were better. 54 for the last two wickets ; and Murphy made only 11 of them ; so Head doubled his score rather rapidly against those tactics. In the end it was trying to thump a delivery from Broad that was pitched too full to invite the pull he'd been mainly employing that brought about the end. Anyway done is done ; but I would prefer they trust Wood's ability to beat the batsman with his pace in a mix of deliveries rather than just rely on the one tactic. Maybe next time...

251 to get - well another 224 actually. Not likely to be easy : scores in this match have actually decreased each day ; though you'd think if the light is good and the pitch doesn't start playing tricks batting conditions might be as good as they've been at any point in the game. Key might be not losing wickets early ; because Cummins and Starc loom as the big danger men and they can't bowl all day. Not suggesting just defend to see them off ; but you can be busy without getting suicidal. If England's top order were to flourish and the ball start to age Cummins might have a problem keeping runs down on this fast scoring ground.

But who am I kidding ? England almost never do "calm professional chase downs". Will probably be chewing nails at some point. Would be nice if they don't leave all the work to Stokes for a change though...

While I think England are ahead at this stage, three things keep popping into my head:

1) Killer instinct. It's something Australia have shown at key moments, but England haven't, hence why the Aussies are 2-0 up.

2) England's tail. It's rather long, isn't it?

3) That chase against New Zealand a few months ago. England needed 258, started well at 39/0, but it all fell in an untidy heap despite Root's 95.

Apparently it's a bit more overcast and a bit more humid than anticipated this morning, so that's good for Australia. Quite a bit of overnight rain, also, may have slowed the outfield.

I wouldn't say England have a particularly long tail - Woakes at eight is not too bad !  And even Wood Broad and Robinson can all give it a whack...

But would prefer not to let the chase get down to them

Woakes at 8 isn't a problem, it's Moeen at 7 that bothers me!

Some big swing for Starc in that first over. Crawley saved by the merest of inside edges.

Duckett gone. And he's burned a review for no apparent reason, absolutely plumb. Quite fortunate to get as many as 23 in that knock.

I needn't worry about Moeen at 7, he's coming in at 3...

Terrible waste of a review !

Here's Moeen ...

eirebilly_01 wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Hear me out with this idea - Moeen should bat 3 in the 2nd dig,

Not because he’s suddenly amazing, but he’s basically going to fluff around for what 20 (34) wherever he bats, but this way we get Brook and Bairstow into more advantageous and natural batting positions for Brook (5) and Bairstow (7 - when keeping, allow him some time to rest). Bit of a sacrificial lamb type move

That's actually not a ad idea to be fair.

Some call Olly

Duckett out Ali at 3.

KPfan will love this. In his mind, Ali in at 3 means he is the only player Stokes and the management trust and is a sure sign that he will captain England in the next test to give Stokes a break....

THE DAY HAWK

Also, deep breaths Duty....

Zaltzman of course wrote:This is Zak Crawley's 18th Test at home and this is the first time he's scored at least 20 in both innings.

It's a bit like a nightwatchman. Similar to what Olly said. Moeen is there to ensure Brook doesn't have to face the most prominent Aussie duo with the ball. Interesting move, not sure of it though.

England have kept the score ticking over very well this morning. Already under 200 to get. Aussies are going to need Boland or Murphy or Marsh to deliver a top spell to win this one.

king_carlos wrote:Also, deep breaths Duty....

Zaltzman of course wrote:This is Zak Crawley's 18th Test at home and this is the first time he's scored at least 20 in both innings.

Time for Boycott, Hutton, Cook and Sutcliffe to move aside, I see, England's greatest opener has arrived.

As discussed with Olly yesterday this is a very rare case where I don't mind the promotion of a lower order player.

The best plan to Mo is short straight away but they'll want to stay full whilst the ball is new. Both to get movement and not ruin the ball. Headingley generally flattens out as Tests go on now which means the new ball period is so important. Then Australia don't have quite the same depth to their attack today. Lyon, Hazlewood and Green for Murphy, Boland and Marsh are all, with due respect, downgrades in bowling terms to my eyes. So these opening spells from their best two bowlers should be vital.

Moeen up the order can (theoretically) force them to change lengths early, whilst eating up deliveries from the opening bowlers and new ball.

Crawley is once again rotating strike well as he generally has in this series. He's of course got himself out playing silly shots after getting starts from rotating the strike. But rotate the strike he has.

I wonder what they do with the rest of the order now? Everyone down one? Or revert to:

4.Root 5.Brook 6.Stokes 7.YJB 8.Woakes

Well that's Moeen gone, stunning ball from Starc though.

Very neat ball from Starc. Moeen looked pretty hopeless in that short knock. That's generally why I wasn't sure of it, because Australia now have two quick wickets and are on a bit of a roll. If you pick Brook at 3, have the balls to back Brook at 3, not rely on a tailender to be shunted up the order.

Another poor test from Moeen, by the way. 26 runs with the bat and 2/74 with the ball. Complete passenger. But, irritatingly, those two gifts from Smith and Labuschagne ensure the cult of Moeen will stay alive.

Root at 4...and nearly nicks behind chasing a wide one first up! Nervy times, now.

Dare I curse things and say that Crawley is actually looking very solid today.

It'll be interesting to see what England do for the next test, because they've now made the admission that they don't trust Brook v the new ball at 3 (or Brook asked to be dropped to 5). So, England will likely have to make alterations for the next test. Whether Moeen will be made a permanent 3, or they try something else, we will see.

I actually appreciate that they have dropped Brook down the order, be it an admittance or not. It shows to me that they are adjusting to the match situation which is very positive in my view.

Or, as looks evident, YJB post injury is struggling with the workload of keeping so they wanted him at 7. Which then makes sense to have Brook at 5.

If Stokes isn't bowling then I think he's the best suited to number 3 from England's middle order. By putting Stokes up the order you'd likely lose his phenomenal ability to bat with the tail though.

king_carlos wrote:Or, as looks evident, YJB post injury is struggling with the workload of keeping so they wanted him at 7. Which then makes sense to have Brook at 5.

If Stokes isn't bowling then I think he's the best suited to number 3 from England's middle order. By putting Stokes up the order you'd likely lose his phenomenal ability to bat with the tail though.

Stokes/Root/Bairstow/Brook/Foakes in some order between 3-7. Should've been for this game, just makes too much sense really

I really do like Tubby Taylor as a commentator, him and Sanga are the best for me.

Uh-oh, ball change, that normally results in something.

Rootliving a charmed life out there, does not look comfortable.

Oh Crawley