5th Test at The Oval, London

[Compton]

1972 apparently

Surely there haven’t been that many drawn series.

 

[morgieb]

1972 apparently

47 years is a crazy gap, especially when you consider that the Ashes have had some shorter than 4 year breaks between them (per home series).

 

[Second Spitter]

There haven't been many drawn series right? I can't remember the last one

Few people will argue that a drawn series isn't the fairest result.

 

[Adders]

This series has been a real eye opener for me in terms of how English and Australian fans value the retaining of the Ashes. I never really thought it was that big a deal and winning it was the only important thing.

It ****ing is the only important thing. Ok, retaining the Ashes is better than losing them, but if I was an Aussie (thank the good Lord and all that) I would be spewing that they don't appear to have turned up for this test.

If it does play out to be 2-2 compared to 3-1 that is a horrible come down for the Aussies after the high of OT. I recall very well how I was feeling about the 2011 SCG test.......was more nervous on the 1st morning than I was for any of the prior tests. Nothing but a win was going to cut it for me.

 

[Victor Ian]

2-2 from 2-1 is also a horrible come down. Australia should have played for a draw from the start and batted first. I think Paine might have a gabling problem.
But yeah, retaining Ashes is the value of holding them.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

It definitely has taken the edge off for everyone. I think all fans and players were still very keen for their team to win this match to win or draw the series. But the high tension isn’t there. It’ll only return to a degree if the run chase starts getting close, but even then it won’t be the same.

 

[Adders]

2-2 from 2-1 is also a horrible come down. Australia should have played for a draw from the start and batted first. I think Paine might have a gabling problem.
But yeah, retaining Ashes is the value of holding them.

Yeah, a draw or a win was good enough for Aus, this was must win for Eng. Never a good idea to start a test looking for a draw, but maybe the Aussies could have stacked the batting? I dunno, but it also makes Paines decision to bowl first even worse than Nassers or Pontings.

 

[mr_mister]

It ****ing is the only important thing. Ok, retaining the Ashes is better than losing them, but if I was an Aussie (thank the good Lord and all that) I would be spewing that they don't appear to have turned up for this test.

If it does play out to be 2-2 compared to 3-1 that is a horrible come down for the Aussies after the high of OT. I recall very well how I was feeling about the 2011 SCG test.......was more nervous on the 1st morning than I was for any of the prior tests. Nothing but a win was going to cut it for me.

What are your thoughts on the drawn WC final

 

[GotSpin]

The Australian players look cooked. I don’t really blame them a whole lot either tbh. I wasn’t even really excited for this test in comparison to the first four

 

[morgieb]

Yeah, a draw or a win was good enough for Aus, this was must win for Eng. Never a good idea to start a test looking for a draw, but maybe the Aussies could have stacked the batting? I dunno, but it also makes Paines decision to bowl first even worse than Nassers or Longings imo

Easily. At least with Ponting's he had history on his side. Nasser's decision reeked of weakness, but the fact was he had to try something given how much weaker that England side was compared to Australia. Here batting first at the very worst meant that the pressure was off the Aussie bowlers. 99% of captain's would've batted first in this situation.

One thing I will say is that you can understand why the Poms wanted the 14/15 Ashes moved to the year before - having both that and the World Cup in the same year is too taxing. Australia just seem flat out exhausted here - which is why he had to bat first. To win an away Ashes you have to be a great side yourselves and/or facing weak opposition. Neither of which really applies here.

 

[morgieb]

What are your thoughts on the drawn WC final

Big difference between winning a World Cup on countback to drawing the Ashes but holding them because you won the previous series at home. Former is still a great achievement regardless, latter feels very different to winning a series over there.

Overall though it's still a good feeling given that I was 7 the last time we won here.

 

[AnthonyC]

Mitchell Marsh century and win....

 

[Adders]

What are your thoughts on the drawn WC final

Hmmmm, you want the serious answer? Sunday sippers in full flow so cbf tbh.........I'll just say the records will say Eng' s names on the WC trophy, the records will (possibly) show this was a drawn test series.

 

[wpdavid]

1972 apparently

The first series I followed, so I thought drawn series were the norm.

 

[wpdavid]

Sure mate

"Cricket writer for The Telegraph, Isabelle Westbury, said on Twitter Stokes called David Warner a “f***ing prick” as the players left the field at lunch"

tbf we don't know what Warner had said to Stokes during the pre-lunch passage of play. Seems odd for a batsman to say that to a fielder otherwise.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I remember 1972. The authorities, who were a bit dense even in those days, introduced a short lived rule whereby if a series hadn’t been decided the final test would be played over 6 days instead of 5. It enabled Australia to draw the series on the 6th day at The Oval. Even though The Ashes had been retained by England the Aussies went bananas when they won. Rod Marsh and partner came dancing off the pitch swinging their bats around like a windmill and ran into a delirious dressing room. It’s probably on YouTube somewhere.

 

[fredfertang]

I remember 1972. The authorities, who were a bit dense even in those days, introduced a short lived rule whereby if a series hadn’t been decided the final test would be played over 6 days instead of 5. It enabled Australia to draw the series on the 6th day at The Oval. Even though The Ashes had been retained by England the Aussies went bananas when they won. Rod Marsh and partner came dancing off the pitch swinging their bats around like a windmill and ran into a delirious dressing room. It’s probably on YouTube somewhere.

'72 was a great series, and if Bancroft, Warner and Smith had bothered to have a quick word with Bob Massie about how to get away with it we wouldn't have had so much of this tiresome booing

............. or perhaps they did?

 

[GIMH]

tbf we don't know what Warner had said to Stokes during the pre-lunch passage of play. Seems odd for a batsman to say that to a fielder otherwise.

I heard a few references to Bristol so...

 

[Maximas]

It ****ing is the only important thing. Ok, retaining the Ashes is better than losing them, but if I was an Aussie (thank the good Lord and all that) I would be spewing that they don't appear to have turned up for this test.

If it does play out to be 2-2 compared to 3-1 that is a horrible come down for the Aussies after the high of OT. I recall very well how I was feeling about the 2011 SCG test.......was more nervous on the 1st morning than I was for any of the prior tests. Nothing but a win was going to cut it for me.

Michael Beer was quite a fearsome prospect

 

[Second Spitter]

2-2 from 2-1 is also a horrible come down. Australia should have played for a draw from the start and batted first. I think Paine might have a gabling problem.
But yeah, retaining Ashes is the value of holding them.

Cummins and Haze look cooked yesterday, which makes the decision to bat first even more incredulous.