Any England or Australia Fans Who Don't Enjoy The Ashes?

[andmark]

For pretty much all of my time as a cricket fan, I've enjoyed the traditions and history of the Ashes. It almost feels like cricket's birth story and the imagery of titans like Bradman, Botham and Warne fighting for such a tiny urn can't help but feel immense. That said, I've found myself not actually enjoying it in recent years. I suspect it's the tendency for the contests to descend into slanging matches with sensationalist journalism shoving it down your throat that does it. If it was football (and yes I'm thinking of this analogy carefully given cricket's questionable cricket-football comparisons), it'd be like Manchester United vs Liverpool lasting six weeks. It just feels too intense to enjoy compared to other series.

I don't know, is this an unusual opinion or one with more support than it would appear?

 

[Bijed]

I've definitely enjoyed it in recent years, but agree that some of the 'journalism' and also other off-field comments from players that inveitably spring up make it feel a bit forced down your throught and a lot of the talk, from whoever it may be, just isn't necessary. For me, a lot of the aura of the series has been lost since my earlier days following, basically due to Australia not being as invincible as they were back then and the general trend for the home team to win (not that I want that broken this time!). Wouldn't say it feels 'too intense', mind, at least not disproportionately to the cricket that's being played.

 

[Pothas]

Less than a week to go and I find myself watching those 2005 highlights again so yep, still love it.

We could certainly do with a genuinely good series again though.

 

[Starfighter]

The last series was hideously boring.

 

[stephen]

I derived much pleasure from watching Smith grind England into powder. It was worth watching just for that display. It's as close to Bradman as we'll get to see.

 

[DriveClub]

Only enjoy ashes played in england, at least the series tally would be semi competitive. I don't even watch ashes when its played in aus. Its usually just so boring, aus racks up a huge score and england folds for 200

 

[vcs]

The matches themselves have been boring. 2013 was the last time we had some decent contests. The return series was memorable even though it was a thrashing because I thought Australia played a very high standard of cricket. Last two series have been a bit meh.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I derived much pleasure from watching Smith grind England into powder. It was worth watching just for that display. It's as close to Bradman as we'll get to see.

I found those Smith innings' enjoyable in that I could respect the immense skill and mental strength involved, especially the Brisbane innings. But as far as watching it was more of a grind than a real pleasure to behold.

 

[OverratedSanity]

The matches themselves have been boring. 2013 was the last time we had some decent contests. The return series was memorable even though it was a thrashing because I thought Australia played a very high standard of cricket. Last two series have been a bit meh.

2015 was worth it for the 60 allout alone, even though, I don't remember much else from the series. 2017/18 had the misfortune of being both extremely one sided and nothing particularly funny or amusing happening.

 

[Burgey]

Any cricket fan, regardless of their background, must acknowledge and love the Ashes for what it obviously is - sport's oldest and greatest rivalry. Nothing else comes within a bull's roar of it in importance or significance; not just to Australia and England, but to cricket as a whole. That's why, if you asked any South African, Indian or Kiwi player (to name but three) whether they'd want to win a WC or the Ashes, they'll still say the Ashes, even though they're rightly excluded from playing in it.

It's simply everything important in cricket. Nothing else compares to it, not just in our great game, but in world sport. The pinnacle. That's why players from other countries go to England and renounce their true heritage in order to get a game for the soap dodgers - just so they can play in an Ashes series. Not for any other reason. Obviously less players do the same thing here in Australia, but that's because we produce enough Apex cricketers of our own not to have to go the full import. Players from other countries know this so they don't bother trying to become Aussie citizens, as much as they obviously would prefer to live here in the sunshine, fresh air and beaches rather than the bleak, coal-dust infested, Dickensian streets of the Old Dart.

So really, if you say you aren't all that interested in the Ashes, then you really aren't a true cricket supporter. The Ashes is​ cricket. Nothing else compares to it.

 

[vcs]

2015 was worth it for the 60 allout alone, even though, I don't remember much else from the series. 2017/18 had the misfortune of being both extremely one sided and nothing particularly funny or amusing happening.

It was funny but the matches themselves were basically over as a contest after a day or so.

 

[cnerd123]

Any cricket fan, regardless of their background, must acknowledge and love the Ashes for what it obviously is - sport's oldest and greatest rivalry. Nothing else comes within a bull's roar of it in importance or significance; not just to Australia and England, but to cricket as a whole. That's why, if you asked any South African, Indian or Kiwi player (to name but three) whether they'd want to win a WC or the Ashes, they'll still say the Ashes, even though they're rightly excluded from playing in it.

It's simply everything important in cricket. Nothing else compares to it, not just in our great game, but in world sport. The pinnacle. That's why players from other countries go to England and renounce their true heritage in order to get a game for the soap dodgers - just so they can play in an Ashes series. Not for any other reason. Obviously less players do the same thing here in Australia, but that's because we produce enough Apex cricketers of our own not to have to go the full import. Players from other countries know this so they don't bother trying to become Aussie citizens, as much as they obviously would prefer to live here in the sunshine, fresh air and beaches rather than the bleak, coal-dust infested, Dickensian streets of the Old Dart.

So really, if you say you aren't all that interested in the Ashes, then you really aren't a true cricket supporter. The Ashes is​ cricket. Nothing else compares to it.

Ok

 

[Arachnodouche]

Love the Ashes as a neutral but it has suffered these last ten years from a dearth of charismatic ATGs. Smith is the only legit modern great in there but the guy's a personality vacuum.

 

[GIMH]

Yep absolutely love The Ashes

 

[Flem274*]

Any cricket fan, regardless of their background, must acknowledge and love the Ashes for what it obviously is - sport's oldest and greatest rivalry. Nothing else comes within a bull's roar of it in importance or significance; not just to Australia and England, but to cricket as a whole. That's why, if you asked any South African, Indian or Kiwi player (to name but three) whether they'd want to win a WC or the Ashes, they'll still say the Ashes, even though they're rightly excluded from playing in it.

It's simply everything important in cricket. Nothing else compares to it, not just in our great game, but in world sport. The pinnacle. That's why players from other countries go to England and renounce their true heritage in order to get a game for the soap dodgers - just so they can play in an Ashes series. Not for any other reason. Obviously less players do the same thing here in Australia, but that's because we produce enough Apex cricketers of our own not to have to go the full import. Players from other countries know this so they don't bother trying to become Aussie citizens, as much as they obviously would prefer to live here in the sunshine, fresh air and beaches rather than the bleak, coal-dust infested, Dickensian streets of the Old Dart.

So really, if you say you aren't all that interested in the Ashes, then you really aren't a true cricket supporter. The Ashes is​ cricket. Nothing else compares to it.

Lol

Ok

 

[TheJediBrah]

All the posters from lesser-nations kind of just proving Burgey right with your reactions here tbh

 

[stephen]

Love the Ashes as a neutral but it has suffered these last ten years from a dearth of charismatic ATGs. Smith is the only legit modern great in there but the guy's a personality vacuum.

Johnson's struggles and then subsequent overcoming of those struggles was probably the most dramatic sequence of events we saw in the last decade. Went from the laughing stock to having the last laugh and ending KPs career in the process.

Though honestly I wish KP kept playing. That way I wouldn't have had to hear him bleat on in the commentary box.

 

[Burgey]

Love the Ashes as a neutral but it has suffered these last ten years from a dearth of charismatic ATGs. Smith is the only legit modern great in there but the guy's a personality vacuum.

I think there'll at least be three obvious panto villains for the Brain Dead Army to have a crack at this time around.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Johnson's struggles and then subsequent overcoming of those struggles was probably the most dramatic sequence of events we saw in the last decade. Went from the laughing stock to having the last laugh and ending KPs career in the process.

Though honestly I wish KP kept playing. That way I wouldn't have had to hear him bleat on in the commentary box.

The rest of the England players ended KP's career. Johnson ended Trott's career. Could probably blame Swann leaving on him a bit too.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Johnson 2013-14 was absolutely the best fast bowling I have ever seen. There is nothing like the visceral thrill of seeing a bowler bowling absolutely flat out and blasting through a side.