5th Test at The Oval, London

[Maximas]

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

On the flipside - had they bowled England out a little quicker on day 1 (using Mitch Marsh and Siddle as fresh seamers keep in mind) and then batted for at least a day and a half like they ought to have the plan wouldn't have looked nearly as stupid

 

[Maximas]

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.

Terrible idea btw

 

[Second Spitter]

I heard a few references to Bristol so...

Amazing how a batsman who is averaging single figures can be so boisterous and chirpy.

 

[hazsa19]

dude stop, we get it, you have a chip on your shoulder.

If anything this Australian side are being too nice, though it's understandable why. To seriously suggest that they are worse than the English side they are up against, with Stokes, Archer, Broad and co. is astonishing

Agree with this and it goes for both sides. When Smith was batting at Edgbaston it was crying out for some ‘niggle’ and hostility. I’m not saying it would’ve made a difference, but it was way too easy for him.

 

[Second Spitter]

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"

Fair comment is a complete defence to defamation, ftr.

 

[Burner]

It's news to me that a lot of people care about retaining the trophy. Of course it's a positive but I don't think it even comes close to the bragging rights of an away series win. If I were an English fan, I'd think nothing would come close to the ignominy of losing a home series to your arch rival. Losing as in 2-1, 3-1 losing, not 'they retain the trophy' losing.

 

[Victor Ian]

Terrible idea btw

I probably meant, less play for a draw, and more play not to lose. Just play it safe to win the series. Surely this sports psychology stuff can handle assessing the situation.

 

[GotSpin]

It's news to me that a lot of people care about retaining the trophy. Of course it's a positive but I don't think it even comes close to the bragging rights of an away series win. If I were an English fan, I'd think nothing would come close to the ignominy of losing a home series to your arch rival. Losing as in 2-1, 3-1 losing, not 'they retain the trophy' losing.

Definitely but we'll most likely have the Ashes for a decade almost then -Unless I have the dates mixed up for future tours

 

[Maximas]

I probably meant, less play for a draw, and more play not to lose. Just play it safe to win the series. Surely this sports psychology stuff can handle assessing the situation.

I understand the rationale it's just difficult to actually pull off unless you've got a very good/experienced team and having that sort of negative mindset will usually lead to players underperforming and feeling the pressure more. I've just always seen that sort of plan as one that backfires easily

 

[Adders]

Yeah, a draw here for the Aussies is a result. They win the Ashes and have all the bragging rights that go with that. As said, you can't enter a test match playing for a draw, but you can making your No 1 priority not to lose the ****ing thing.

And you'd think think the first call with that in mind is to bat first yes???

 

[Victor Ian]

Right now is one of the best things about test cricket that other games dont get. We all know Australia is stuffed, except... If Smith.exe runs correctly. Weve all had a whole night to ponder it. What if?

 

[social]

Wish I had a $ for every time that I was called a “****ing prick” on a cricket field

Funny thing is that I rarely said a word

 

[social]

Right now is one of the best things about test cricket that other games dont get. We all know Australia is stuffed, except... If Smith.exe runs correctly. Weve all had a whole night to ponder it. What if?

I didn’t think that Smith batted particularly well in the first innings and he still walked 80

We’re a chance (not really) if he gets his �� in

 

[Spark]

It's news to me that a lot of people care about retaining the trophy. Of course it's a positive but I don't think it even comes close to the bragging rights of an away series win. If I were an English fan, I'd think nothing would come close to the ignominy of losing a home series to your arch rival. Losing as in 2-1, 3-1 losing, not 'they retain the trophy' losing.

That's because the trophy is what actually counts, and why the series is called "The Ashes" and not "Australia vs England 5 match bilateral Test series as required by the Future Tours Programme"

 

[Maximas]

That's because the trophy is what actually counts, and why the series is called "The Ashes" and not "Australia vs England 5 match bilateral Test series as required by the Future Tours Programme"

Would be more effective if the ashes was more of a 10 match series and worked more like a soccer home and away tie, but yeah

 

[Spark]

I didn’t think that Smith batted particularly well in the first innings and he still walked 80

We’re a chance (not really) if he gets his �� in

apparently he had the flu, or at least some sort of cold

 

[Spark]

Let's put it this way. Suppose Aus had won this corresponding game in 05 and drawn the series. Would anyone really have believed the claim made seriously that that was all well and good, a draw was an acceptable result to that England side even though Aus held the Ashes?

 

[GIMH]

Let's put it this way. Suppose Aus had won this corresponding game in 05 and drawn the series. Would anyone really have believed the claim made seriously that that was all well and good, a draw was an acceptable result to that England side even though Aus held the Ashes?

It would have been devastating for us but still would have been an improvement on prior efforts

 

[Uppercut]

Let's put it this way. Suppose Aus had won this corresponding game in 05 and drawn the series. Would anyone really have believed the claim made seriously that that was all well and good, a draw was an acceptable result to that England side even though Aus held the Ashes?

Nah it's not zero-sum. It goes: winning>>>>>>drawing>>>losing. Neither Australia nor England would have taken a draw going into 05.

 

[Burner]

I think when you are 2-1 down and win the last test in the current circumstances, you'd feel you'd had a major let off as an English fan regardless of who's holding the ashes. You'd feel that you've preserved that 'they'd not beat us at home' cycle intact.