*Official* Fifth Test (The Oval, London) 27-31 July

[Prince EWS]

2019 one wasn't but 2021 side is not that far off. Usman and improved Head were missing

They've been absolutely massive additions to the team though.

 

[Socerer 01]

Why is everyone on the forum devolving into G.S. Kohli?

because the mods allow him to exist and thrive if there is no consequence for copy pasting stats frequently then everyone will end up doing it and dilute discussion

 

[Qlder]

Labuschagne was so bad that for the first time in my life I was really happy to see an Aussie batsman get out

Should have been not out though as Broad cheated by flipping the bails just before that ball

 

[Gob]

They've been absolutely massive additions to the team though.

Yeah they certainly were

Australia should have still won though given how weak India were towards the end with the injuries. Overall Australia have zero bragging rights against India

 

[Burgey]

They probably wouldn't want to win that way tbh

Not something they will need to worry about

 

[Gob]

Why are all of England players wearing bucket hats all the time? Do they wear them while making love too?

Make them look like complete numpties

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Yeah they certainly were

Australia should have still won though given how weak India were towards the end with the injuries. Overall Australia have zero bragging rights against India

Conspiracy theory is they threw that series to try get rid of Langer they hated him so much.

 

[morgieb]

Conspiracy theory is they threw that series to try get rid of Langer they hated him so much.

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me.

For all the criticism of McDonald's strategies it does seem like players are a lot more chill since Langer was ostracised. I doubt Marsh would be playing like this if Langer was still coach, for example.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Yeah I don’t know gonna be hard for the bowlers to bowl out England for an under par score again. Our batters probably should have gave us an 100 run lead at least. It didn’t seem as hard to bat on once they started putting some pressure on England bowlers

Every England innings is a crap shoot though you realise. Because they won't rein it in if they are getting rolled. So they could as easily make 100 as 500.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

There might not be a clear no1 team right now but it sure as hell isn't England. Can't host a home series and win 4 consecutive coin tosses, then have the opposition's most important bowler ruled out of the majority of tests and yet walk away with the best outcome being a drawn series.

Its either Australia or India, depending on where the series is being played. As it stands though, only one won the WTC final at a neutral venue so only one can claim being the best.

Fair. I kinda like there not being a clear #1. Lots of scrappy battles. And peacocks being put in their place.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Why are all of England players wearing bucket hats all the time? Do they wear them while making love too?

Make them look like complete numpties

I think this guy made it popular?

 

[honestbharani]

They've been absolutely massive additions to the team though.

And just as massive, and most likely far more massive, was us missing Bumrah and Pant. (Shreyas was as big a miss as a Khawaja would have been too, tbf)

 

[Burgey]

Why are all of England players wearing bucket hats all the time? Do they wear them while making love too?

Make them look like complete numpties

No adult can be taken seriously if they wear a bucket hat, have a man bun, ride a skateboard or turn their cap backwards.

Anderson wearing a bucket hat was as cringeworthy as anything I’ve seen in the past decade. You’re 41 years old Ffs. Does he skateboard to the ****ing ground? Grow up and adult you man-child.

 

[GIMH]

Every England innings is a crap shoot though you realise. Because they won't rein it in if they are getting rolled. So they could as easily make 100 as 500.

You say this, but I can only thing of a couple of occasions we’ve actually been rolled since Stokes took over. It happened far more beforehand.

 

[Shady Slim]

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me.

For all the criticism of McDonald's strategies it does seem like players are a lot more chill since Langer was ostracised. I doubt Marsh would be playing like this if Langer was still coach, for example.

#drewball

 

[social]

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me.

For all the criticism of McDonald's strategies it does seem like players are a lot more chill since Langer was ostracised. I doubt Marsh would be playing like this if Langer was still coach, for example.

Isn’t Mitch his godchild or something?

I know that he’s very close to the Marshes & Mitch morphed into what he is today under Langer

 

[Qlder]

You say this, but I can only thing of a couple of occasions we’ve actually been rolled since Stokes took over. It happened far more beforehand.

Couple is 149 and 165 vs SA at Lord's. Others are 141 vs NZ at Lord's and 158 vs SA at the Oval

 

[social]

Anyway, this has been a test of some really good bowling to proper batsmen, some horrendous stuff to the tail and some really ugly dismissals

Sums up the series really

 

[Gob]

If turns out to be bright and sunny, England may run away with it

 

[halba]

There might not be a clear no1 team right now but it sure as hell isn't England. Can't host a home series and win 4 consecutive coin tosses, then have the opposition's most important bowler ruled out of the majority of tests and yet walk away with the best outcome being a drawn series.

Its either Australia or India, depending on where the series is being played. As it stands though, only one won the WTC final at a neutral venue so only one can claim being the best.

yep no clear dominant team unlike 90s-2018 which was Aus(Mcgrath, Warne, Ponting, Gilchrist etc.) SAF(aided by the brilliant Steyn and batters like Amla, De Villiers, Kallis), and India(aided by the brilliance of Virat, Bumrah, Ashwin and Pant). Those teams were very dominant, winning home and away and possessing brilliant , ATG level cricketers.

Aus only appear to have 2 ATG's right now, And its Smith and the Injured Nathan Lyon - who if was playing this series, we would've clearly won it by now, based on his form and level this year.

Definitely not Cummins- he isnt ATG overall especially away from home series and none of the other bowlers are ATG, and none of the other batters are either.