The Ashes 2017/18

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Nesticles
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Nesticles »

Malan worth a word of praise too

Have only seen him in the shorter formats, but was impressed with his grit and determination. He dug deep to get in and try to make some runs. Swapping Malan and Vince in the line up might not be the worst idea as a short term measure

The bowling line up is going to require some severe surgery in the coming years, replacing Anderson is going to be near impossible.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by sendô »

steps wrote:I don’t think we can read too much into that series.

The ECB effectively tied one hand behind our backs by refusing to let Stokes play. Ok, you could say it was Stokes’ fault and he shouldn’t of got involved in a drunken brawl in the first place, but as commented on here previously, if Stokes was an Aussie there is no way Cricket Australia would of stopped him from playing. Winning is more important to them than some faux sense of morality. Other sportsmen have been allowed to carry on with their respective sports while having pending police / legal cases ongoing, and Stokes hasn’t even been charged yet, it’s pathetic if you ask me.

Also plagued by injuries, Mark Wood and Roland-Jones would of freshend up our attack a lot more than the likes of Woakes and Ball. Also it was a ridiculous idea not to take a decent spinner (or a second spinner), while Moeen was playing with an injured finger, he can’t be considered our mainline spinner. Rashid would of been the obvious choice after having a good series in India, but he wasn’t even considered.

Hard not to look past being more or less completely let down by our top order too. Cook done well for his double hundred by failed to do anything else. Did Root even make a ton? I can’t recall if he did but my feeling is he didn’t. Vince was poor, Stoneman also didn’t contribute enough.

We were outplayed in every facet, but in those conditions, and on those pitches, we didn’t have the personel. Mainly down to the selectors and injuries imo.
This is a pretty good assessment to be fair.

As a point of reference re Stokes playing, Adam Johnson carried on playing for Sunderland right up to when he was put away for nonsing.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Tenbury »

Given the overall poor batting performances, the paucity of our bowling in Australian conditions, the mistakes made in selection etc, which I completely agree with, in your opinions (and I rate a lot of you guys in that respect) how did Root ,as captain, shape up?
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Loftyhammer »

Tenbury wrote:Given the overall poor batting performances, the paucity of our bowling in Australian conditions, the mistakes made in selection etc, which I completely agree with, in your opinions (and I rate a lot of you guys in that respect) how did Root ,as captain, shape up?
It's a tricky one as he's a very new captain, and it's a bloody difficult job! He set some pretty imaginative fields at times, and I liked that he was prepared to give Crane a proper go, but he HAS to get better at converting those 50's. Can't stress enough how that eating him up will impact him as captain on the pitch....and off it. Looked a bit rabbit in headlights in press conferences etc. and I know you have to stay positive, but to think we were anything other than a distant second best is not accepting reality.

Interesting comment I read somewhere, that he needs to be able to pick his own team; with the implication he was being hamstrung by selectors.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by sendô »

Creative field selections aside he hasn't really looked the part for me. I hope I'm wrong as he's got the potential to be an England great but I suspect it's too much too soon for him - it's affected his batting and that seems to be hampering his leadership skills.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Tenbury »

Dreadful decision to bowl in third test,did he take that alone?
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by jacko »

Let's hope we can win at home and then build a better squad to travel with next time round.

Would be good to have a bit of pace and a decent spinner. The aussies are really not that good. Those Marsh brothers got lucky we had such a poor attack.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Loftyhammer »

Tenbury wrote:Dreadful decision to bowl in third test,did he take that alone?
Not so sure it was such a dreadful decision IMO....bowlers just executed very poorly. He’s not the most demonstrative of people....but he was visibly pissed off on that first day. I think that’s partly another issue....he’s not that visible out in the field....and aside from Stokes, no one else is either.

Hopefully he’ll learn from this, but as sendo said, it might be a case of too much too soon for him
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by smuts »

It's a tough job being skipper on an Ashes tour and it didn't help with Stokes not being there. He's definitely the best choice at the moment.

You can't grumble too much at anyone who averages over 40 in test cricket but his tendency to get out between 60 and 80 on a constant basis is bloody annoying though.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by westham,eggyandchips »

Bayliss confirms he wont be here after his contract expires in 2019.

If we have a dodgy summer, he'll be gone before that.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Nesticles »

westham,eggyandchips wrote:If we have a dodgy summer, he'll be gone before that.
Kholi and the Indian bowling attack have a reasonable chance of seeing him off in that case
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by jacko »

I like Bayliss. It wasn't his fault we lost the ashes. Personally I think it's about time people started questioning Strauss's position.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Yea Why Not »

Not a fan of cricket at all but went to the Ashes 4th day in Sydney and it was a belter. I had no idea the atmosphere would be so good made even better by the fact you can knock the beers back while in the stand
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Tenbury »

Interesting piece by Aggers on the BBC Sport website. The gist of it is that Test Cricket is in real trouble if travelling teams can't compete in foreign conditions.I find this hard to contradict.
I enjoy all forms of the game, but Test Match cricket is surely the pinnacle.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Tenbury »

Nesticles wrote:
Kholi and the Indian bowling attack have a reasonable chance of seeing him off in that case
Got Kane Williamson's lot first. Can't see that being a pushover.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Nesticles »

Tenbury wrote:Got Kane Williamson's lot first. Can't see that being a pushover.
I was thinking more it might be slightly forgiving if we lose in NZ

If we lose at Home to India over 5 tests it will be more damning
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Slacking student »

Slacking student wrote:I can see this being a heavy defeat with their pace barrage just blowing us away.

Cook - not where he was last time we won there but the best we have
Stoneman - relatively unproven, hope he does well but I have my doubts. Too airy fairy outside 4th stump
Vince - not a number 3, Aussies will nick him off for fun after he creams a couple of glorious cover drives
Root - Up there with Smith, Kohli and Williamson as best in the world. Needs a massive series
Malan - Too loose, will nick off repeatedly
Bairstow - Could be a big series for him providing he has sorted out his shortball problem from earlier in his career
Ali - will struggle against the pace and bounce with his shortball deficiency in his game
Woakes - may well end up our leading wicket taker, very dangerous in Adelaide
Broad - may struggle due to the pitches and kookaburra ball not offering much assistance
Anderson - will be dangerous as long as it swings, which given the kookaburra only does for 20 overs means he may not be as effective as he is in England

Overall lot of questions over the batting, KP should still be in the side. Bowling isn't as good as theirs and I can see nothing but a heavy defeat looming.

Really hope I'm wrong but looking at the players available I don't think I am

Prediction 4 or 5-0 Australia
Just looking back at this I got the score tight and the fact that their pace barrage will blow us away but was hit and mix with the players.

Cook - fairly accurate not where he was but still the best we had as he showed at the 'G
Stoneman - started well till that blow at Perth. Didn't contribute much after then
Vince - So so predictable
Root - Had a poor series by his high standards
Malan - Pleasantly surprised by Malan, adapted his game for the conditions. A good find and one for the future going forwards
Bairstow- Quite why he was wasted at 7 in the first 2 games is anyone's guess. Showed his improvement when up at 6
Moeen - Averaging 117 and 16.75 in both disciplines. Just a shame they're the wrong ones
Woakes - Never got into the series, down on pace. Disappointing
Broad - As predicted fairly innocuous. Needs jettisoning if the team is not to stagnate
Anderson - Bowled the best I've seen him bowl in Australia 17 @ 27. Will leave a massive hole in our attack when he retires
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Loftyhammer »

Nesticles wrote:
Kholi and the Indian bowling attack have a reasonable chance of seeing him off in that case
If that happens then it really will be time to pack up and go home. India are the most over rated team in the world IMO....really made me laugh when Kumble said they could be the best side in history when we were last there. They’ve played about 90% of their cricket at home in past few years...the minute they go away they struggle big time. Just got dicked by SA for example

In no way am I saying England are any different....it just pisses me off the way Kohli and India are fawned over so much!
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by sendô »

Slacking student wrote:Moeen - Averaging 117 and 16.75 in both disciplines. Just a shame they're the wrong ones
:lol: They'd be great figures if they were the other way around.
Loftyhammer wrote:India are the most over rated team in the world IMO....really made me laugh when Kumble said they could be the best side in history when we were last there. They’ve played about 90% of their cricket at home in past few years...the minute they go away they struggle big time. Just got dicked by SA for example

In no way am I saying England are any different....it just pisses me off the way Kohli and India are fawned over so much!
Agreed that India are massively over rated in tests. Great at home but terrible on tour. Losing at home to them would be akin to losing to Zimbabwe.
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Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Post by Centre Half »

India won't win over here, they can't face a swinging ball.

Pujara might bat for a bit but the rest will nick off, Kohli included
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