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

[Silver Silva]

Lyon is 36 this year I really don’t seem him playing longer than 2 more years

Rangana Herath played Tests till he was 40. From 36 to 40 he took like over 200 test wickets at 26 , performed to a very high level ..

I see Lyon as the same , he's only getting sharper and wiser with age ..A wise spinner is a dangerous spinner indeed.

 

[social]

Correctly predicted drawn series

Not hard as they might have more talent but they’ve been hopeless in England for decades

Serves them right for their pathetic tactics where they gifted England hundreds of singles via negative fields that also restricted their bowler’s ability to get anyone out

Truly brain dead stuff & they got what they deserved- nothing

 

[SteveNZ]

Hopefully 'if it hadn't rained, we would've won' doesn't get in the way of England reflecting on the fact they only had themselves to blame at 0-2 down and that a combination of fielding (less golf, more catches?), picking a crocked WK and a debatably arrogant declaration was more where the issues lay.

Honestly, I'd drop my standards and point out that England isn't a nation that should be complaining about dead-even scorelines and the merits of a 'winner' coming out out of that, but I'm better than that.

 

[Father Time]

What you folk completely underestimate, is the sheer competitiveness of these Ashes series. The only thing you can predict is the unpredictability of it all. It changes from session to session, day to day. There is no other series like it. No-one can beat nature & the weather, but you can overcome your own inadequacies & stupidities. England beat themselves in the first two Tests, then woke up to reality, & improved markedly. 2-2 is a fair reflection overall. I’ve been to 7 live days & they've been great days. Have watched every ball, either live or with tv. Crowds have been pretty fair, except for Lords on day five where it got a bit silly. Been a great series though, had some great banter, & met some great Cricket folk & thanks to all. Test Cricket is the best!

 

[GIMH]

Tbh I don’t think anyone is actually complaining.

It’s a bummer that we didn’t get to see the game out at Old Trafford. But as I’ve said elsewhere, butterfly effect applies and I don’t think you can assume this one ends the same if it’s 2-2 coming in.

All being said, it’s undoubtedly a much more positive result than the 2019 one, despite on paper being the same. That’s reflected in the reactions of the teams, of people on here, etc.

The ashes should obviously rightfully be ours because Australia haven’t won a series legitimately in the time since our last win - but unfortunately the record books disagree. Ultimately though, cricket is the winner and I didn’t half enjoy this. Not even looking forwards to footy on Saturday, just want more Ashes

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Congrats England. On the greatest cope of all time.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

England haven't held the ashes since 2015 that's a also bad look.

Not to mention England got destroyed the 3 times they come to Australia while the England series are close drawn series.

England in fact have won one series in Australia in 30 plus years. my point is you guys are not any better away.

Not a good look by the best test team in the world to crumble like a cheesecake biscuit base. Absolutely folded like a deck of cards.

 

[Andy19]

I’d take the wtc more serious if it was set up better. No doubt it’s an achievement and tough to win. But when you have like Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri lanka etc playing mainly two test series and half the amount of matches compared to England, Aus, India that shows there’s a big problem with how it’s run

Fair enough.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

don’t get why the poms are gloating about it still. England won’t have held the ashes for like 10 years the next time it comes to Australia but that’s hardly to gloat about as well with two drawn series in between

I'm not sure either.

 

[91Jmay]

Have to say I am enjoying the copious amounts of salt.

I predicted 3-1 Aus, I overrated their talent level with the bat and some of our players who I still don't rate turned up bigtime (mainly the openers). 2-2 was a decent result at outset and pretty much fair. Both teams could make a decent argument they could have won 3-1 which about says it all.

 

[GIMH]

Watching the BBC highlights, that Woakes spell this morning really was ridiculous. Like he had the ball on a string

 

[Andy19]

Not a good look by the best test team in the world to crumble like a cheesecake biscuit base. Absolutely folded like a deck of cards.

Only because of a ball change but fine.

 

[trundler]

Only because of a ball change but fine.

Pattinson randomly got the ball to hoop around corners in 2019 after a ball change but he wasn't good enough to make it count. This is such a minor thing to latch on to.

 

[GIMH]

Pattinson randomly got the ball to hoop around corners in 2019 after a ball change but he wasn't good enough to make it count. This is such a minor thing to latch on to.

No this was the first ball change to ever make a difference

 

[Cricket CoachDB]

Only because of a ball change but fine.

Rubbish, that can't account for everything. Just accept it, England scrapped and played a bit smarter to get back from 2-0 down. It's no victory for England but it had some gripping Test cricket and at 0-2, I'll take that-no gloating.

 

[SteveNZ]

Watching the BBC highlights, that Woakes spell this morning really was ridiculous. Like he had the ball on a string

Another what-if for England possibly, that Woakes' 19 wickets at 18s and vital runs weren't given at least one more Test in the series?

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Only because of a ball change but fine.

We will hear from the ICC hopefully about this, they can provide an explanation. If not then, oh well.

 

[trundler]

Another what-if for England possibly, that Woakes' 19 wickets at 18s and vital runs weren't given at least one more Test in the series?

This was just stupidity. I don't know whose fault it was, whether it was the selectors, coach or captain, but whoever made the call to not play him at Lord's deserves a smack.

 

[GIMH]

Still don’t understand why we lost our review on the non-catch.

 

[91Jmay]

Another what-if for England possibly, that Woakes' 19 wickets at 18s and vital runs weren't given at least one more Test in the series?

He should have played at Lords no question. He's like the best player at Lords ever, suppose argument would be with a lack of cricket could he have done 4 on the spin given they didn't know OT would have been a washout