*Official* Third Test (Headingley, Leeds) 6–10 July

[Spikey]

Man I hate this short ball stuff we've been doing to the tail over these two tests

 

[ripper868]

please just bowl at the stumps now.

 

[social]

Around the wicket yorkers Mitch

 

[Socerer 01]

blade of justice is executing

 

[Spark]

Er

 

[RightArmMystery]

Yep, great leave that

 

[Bahnz]

Just sack the rest of the English team and have Wood play Australia by himself.

 

[GIMH]

Renewing a driving licence is such a fanny on in the uk

see you in a decade

Can't you just enter your passport number?

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Tbf it's the only thing that stopped England from losing 5 Ashes series on the bounce, so it's pretty significant in that sense.

May be wood Win player of series if eng win next 3 against all odd

Only Gods Know!

 

[kevinw]

Wasn't there a test - possibly India at home - where Wood and Broad went crazy for a bit?

 

[ripper868]

dat leave

 

[Croadymeister]

The main difference between the sides really just is attention to detail all around. I do wonder if they've let it go too far in the name of feel good and relaxed atmosphere and someone needs to inject a little bit of Langerism and enforce a few standards. The drops, the mountain of extras, the loose wickets - all products less of a lack of skill than more a lack of discipline.

Another fantastic post and yeah there definitely seems to be too much of a friendly atmosphere

 

[DriveClub]

Who gives a ****, it'll be another 4/5-0 snore fest. The English leg of the ashes is the only one worth watching unless you're an Aussie or an English masochist.

Yup ashes down under is just a one way pummeling lol

 

[social]

Man I hate this short ball stuff we've been doing to the tail over these two tests

Years

 

[Aidan11]

That's more like it.

Bazball's back.

 

[Croadymeister]

Yup ashes down under is just a one way pummeling lol

Yeah 10/11 aside it's been utter pain since 80s

 

[RightArmMystery]

Stokes is moving very gingerly here. Not ideal

 

[GIMH]

The "approach" turned a good, but severely under-performing side, into a very capable one. But like all approaches it has it's limitations and this approaches' limitations come up against sides that are more evenly matched, and cannot be dominated ( i.e. the top of world Test cricket, Australia, and probably India too ).

Grit, caginess, and respect for opposition are concepts that are not just there for show. They're consistently the approach of the sides that can win marquee matchups at the highest level. Carefree has it's day, but it's not down 2-0 on day 2 of a Test on a tricky pitch, with an attainable run score posted by the opposition after some good work from the bowling.

We did beat India, Bumrah included, albeit a single Test.

I think people are over-simplifying.

 

[social]

People forgot that England drew with a very weak Kiwi side in their last series

More stupidity ugh

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Easy to become really negative and hateful. Oz have bowled well - obviously a couple of the dismissals are poor. But if we catch Marsh yesterday then we probably have a lead now and that's cost us time and again this series.

We've gone away from what made the last 12 months a success IMO. I know some people think it proves it was all a myth, but I don't see a side playing like they were last summer, in terms of approach.

Yeah lots of OTT takes here today from both sets of supporters but that's probably to be expected when Aus are on the brink of winning their first overseas Ashes in 22 years.

England have made some bad selection choices and are guilty of some poor play at key moments. Their two main bowlers coming into the series (Anderson and Robinson) have both been below their best. And the series scoreline could still have been flipped if England had taken their catches. Australia are a really strong side and us losing to them is hardly grounds to rip up the whole England team and coaching staff that had wildly overdelivered up to this point.