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Official - Road to Ashes 2023

FBU

International Debutant
We are going to get the useless Dukes ball we had last year, that had to be changed at least 7 times an innings, which enabled England to play baz-ball cricket. Australian bowlers will get a surprise it's not the usual Dukes.
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
We are going to get the useless Dukes ball we had last year, that had to be changed at least 7 times an innings, which enabled England to play baz-ball cricket. Australian bowlers will get a surprise it's not the usual Dukes.
Why would changing ball help England to play Bazball?

The Dukes balls last year were very poor, they went out of shape far too easily.

However, I don't see how that favours England
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
To be fair, Zak Crawley can do that too, it's just he hasn't made it to 20 balls for flippin' ages!

I'm not using the Sussex Experience as a guarantee he's going to fail, but at the same time, what happened in Hobart is no guarantee to success either.

I know he'd played well elsewhere (and I think the double ton in the 50 over game was perhaps the turning point for him in terms of confidence), but Hobart was a dead rubber Test against a team frankly ready to go home (even more so than usual with all the Covid protocols). He obviously got a ton at the Gabba, but even then he came to the wicket with Aus already 40 runs ahead and only 3 down.

Will he score runs if he comes in at say 30-3 at Edgbaston? What happened at Hobart has zero bearing at this point.
England regularly turn up in Australia ready to go home before the 1st test has started.
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Australia regularly leave England without a series win after the 5th Test has finished
Sure, but at least we compete. We were generous enough to let you draw with us last time.

England spend far too much time designing their menu and far too little time designing their techniques.
 

GoodAreasShane

Cricketer Of The Year
2019, 2015, 2013, 2009, 2005, 1981

6 if you want to go back 45 years like..,.
Misread the post as saying match wins as opposed to series wins

Australia only failed to win a game once in that time (2013), England have failed to win an Ashes Test six times in that time period (1989, 1990-91, 2006-07, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2021-22)
 

Brook's side

International Regular
Sure, but at least we compete. We were generous enough to let you draw with us last time.

England spend far too much time designing their menu and far too little time designing their techniques.
You have been blessed with some incredible talent during the last 35 years and that just is what it is, but aside from that I'd say mental approach has been the biggest difference between the sides during that period?

We've certainly had players with good technique (at least at the start of a series) who have flopped, whereas your guys very rarely have.
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
Far easier to throw the bat around to a ball that isn't moving off the straight. Thought that was pretty obvious myself
We were bowling with the same balls which by your logic would mean India, S.Africa and NZ should have piled up the runs.

And of course if the ball didn't move as much, how would our seamers, who rely entirely on the moving ball to take wickets because they have no abilty, dismiss the opposition.

Thought that was pretty obvious myself.
 

GoodAreasShane

Cricketer Of The Year
We were bowling with the same balls which by your logic would mean India, S.Africa and NZ should have piled up the runs.

And of course if the ball didn't move as much, how would our seamers, who rely entirely on the moving ball to take wickets because they have no abilty, dismiss the opposition.

Thought that was pretty obvious myself.
It wasn't just the Tests where run rates were super high, county cricket had one of its most batting friendly seasons in many years too.

Clearly the state of that years batch of Duke balls contributed to that
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
If the Aussies don't beat us this summer, by the time they tour again, it will be 26 years since they won a series in England. 26 ****ing years.

To be honest I think there's a serious case for making the 2026 Ashes a 3 test series and give Pakistan the 5 test series.
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
It wasn't just the Tests where run rates were super high, county cricket had one of its most batting friendly seasons in many years too.

Clearly the state of that years batch of Duke balls contributed to that
The Dukes balls last year were very poor, disgracefully so, but it was the same for both sides.

If anything you could argue it favoured the touring teams as their was less movement off the seam for them to deal with.
 

Brook's side

International Regular
If the Aussies don't beat us this summer, by the time they tour again, it will be 26 years since they won a series in England. 26 ****ing years.

To be honest I think there's a serious case for making the 2026 Ashes a 3 test series and give Pakistan the 5 test series.
Or New Zealand? They make a decent game of it sometimes.
 

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