The Ashes 2017/18

[smuts]

Australia 3 England 2
Root
Woakes

[swash]

Obviously BT have the rights for this, but is there anywhere we can catch highlights on Sky or terrestrial?

Highlights only seem to be on the BT website or app, but apparently are free even if you haven't got a subscription

[steps]

Obviously BT have the rights for this, but is there anywhere we can catch highlights on Sky or terrestrial?

Don’t think so. BT Sport are showing the highlights free-to-air on the days of play at 19:00 though.

I think I’ll try and stay up for the first Test but there’s no way I’ll get up for the 3:30am starts, I’ll just get up a bit earlier and catch a couple of hours play most mornings.

[swash]

Don't rate either batting line up but their bowling attack looks far stronger.

Think they will make mincemeat of Ball, and Jimmy has struggled Down Under even in his prime

[Slacking student]

4/5-0 Australia

Can't stand most of the England team, Cook aside and feel we'll get absolutely blown away by their pace attack should it stay fit.

[Nesticles]

. I think I’ll try and stay up for the first Test but there’s no way I’ll get up for the 3:30am starts, I’ll just get up a bit earlier and catch a couple of hours play most mornings.

Falling asleep at my desk tomorrow morning is definitely on the cards

[SoulCircus]

Going for 3-1 Australia. Think our best chance of a victory is at Adelaide with the pink ball swinging. Otherwise I agree with Slacking, think their pace attack will be too strong.

[smuts]

Ball selected.

2 wickets in 3 tests so far. Hopefully he can show what he's got.

[NottingHammer6]

Ball selected.

2 wickets in 3 tests so far. Hopefully he can show what he's got.

Not a lot - straight up and down bowler without blistering pace. His uncle is the wicket keeping coach, makes me think this has something to do with his selection. Even so I hope i eat my words and he produces the goods

[smuts]

Our lack of a real aggressive pace bowler is a real issue. I think our main problem is that they can potentially blast us out quickly with pace and short stuff while we will probably just chip away at them.

Heart says a plucky 3-2 series loss or even 2 all if there's iffy weather (unlikely). Head says 4-1 If Starc Cummins and Hazelwood stay fit.

[sendô]

Don't rate either batting line up but their bowling attack looks far stronger.

Think they will make mincemeat of Ball, and Jimmy has struggled Down Under even in his prime

This is my worry. I'd feel a bit better if we had Stokes as second alternate, or Finn, but Jimmy has never done particularly well down under, where the Kookaburra tends not to swing, and we don't have their sort of pace.

Australia are nothing if they aren't flat track bullies.

[Slacking student]

I'm like a kid at Christmas here, so excited. Thank God I booked late sessions at uni tomorrow

[aaronhammer]

Early on but I’m enjoying the BT coverage so far. A lot of the BBC/C5 lineup but there are a few younger recently retired players unlike the old guard which is mainly on Sky now - although I do like them too.

Toss in 10 minutes and could be interesting with The Gabba not being the scorching venue we usually expect today. That said, we’ve not won there for 30 years so it will be tough.

2 fairly evenly matched teams but they have the better bowling attack for Aussie conditions, therefore a 3-1 loss for me.

[sendô]

I saw a 21st Century combined Ashes team earlier on facebook.

Cook ENG
Hayden AUS
Ponting AUS
Clarke AUS
KP ENG
Gilchrist AUS
Flintoff ENG
Warne AUS
Gillespie AUS
Anderson ENG
McGrath AUS

More convicts than poms. I'd probably only swap in Brett Lee, most likely for Gillespie. Flintoff is probably only there as there's not been much all rounder competition (Stokes might oust him in future).

[aaronhammer]

We’ve won the toss and elected to bat! Come on England!

[Slacking student]

Time for a bit of self imposed Jetlag

[aaronhammer]

Ah dammit Cook!

[Slacking student]

Bugger 1/2 Cook out

[Up the Junction]

Was looking forward to a long night. Might be rather earlier at this rate...

[jevs]

Woke up at 3am as the weather was blowing a hoolie and thought i'd go and watch the Ashes, only to find it was on BT (which i don't have)