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England's 2005 Ashes side vs England 2023 'Bazball' Ashes side.

Who wins?

  • 2005 team

    Votes: 15 71.4%
  • 2023 team

    Votes: 6 28.6%

  • Total voters
    21

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
Not convinced this is the worst Australian side to come to these shores in recent years. 2009, 13 and 15 were all pretty mediocre.
I mean they had just won the WTC. The '13 and '15 teams wouldn't have been close to achieving that. I'd argue they're probably better than '19 too given they couldn't beat a rank average England team.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I mean they had just won the WTC. The '13 and '15 teams wouldn't have been close to achieving that. I'd argue they're probably better than '19 too given they couldn't beat a rank average England team.
It's actually hard to say re: 2019 tbh. It's basically the same bowlers in 2019 but those bowlers were clearly in better form (Starc aside) and all fit (for Lyon), whilst the batting was much worse in 2019 with one enormous, glaring exception which is so big that it almost balances out everything else.

This is a much better side than 2015, which was over the hill, and 2013 which was kind of average. 2009 was two thoroughly mediocre sides trying to not to step on too many rakes.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
2009 was two thoroughly mediocre sides trying to not to step on too many rakes
Eh, it was actually not too far off the England side that went to number one in the world. It was a side very much on the up whereas Oz were probably still on the way down
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Eh, it was actually not too far off the England side that went to number one in the world. It was a side very much on the up whereas Oz were probably still on the way down
Right but it was still a very nascent side in that respect whose young players were still several years from reaching their peak and there were quite a few old hangers on who would be retiring after the series. The two actual teams rolled out were very average, albeit with opposite trajectories
 

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
Right but it was still a very nascent side in that respect whose young players were still several years from reaching their peak and there were quite a few old hangers on who would be retiring after the series. The two actual teams rolled out were very average, albeit with opposite trajectories
Only Freddie retired didn't he?
Harmison as well.

We also picked Bopara, who would've made even the 1948 Invincibles mediocre.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Haha Bopara was so bad that series as well.

Trott coming in at the Oval was actually a huge part in the development of that team. The rise and then sharp decline of that side pretty much directly coincided with his career.
 

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
Haha Bopara was so bad that series as well.

Trott coming in at the Oval was actually a huge part in the development of that team. The rise and then sharp decline of that side pretty much directly coincided with his career.
A definite transition series for both sides. It established Broad, Swann, Prior in the side alongside Trott making his debut, while the end of Flintoff, Harmison and Monty as first choice spinner.

For Australia it was the end for Clark who'd basically filled in for McGrath and the beginning of the end for Ponting and Katich. It began the wilderness years of Aussie spin bowling and for Johnson. It was also an almost unrecognisable bowling attacks for English fans, but both Hilf and Siddle impressed.
 

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Well apparently it’s not altogether important to the current lot and its acolytes.
 

flibbertyjibber

Request Your Custom Title Now!
2005 and it wouldn't be close. Better attack and a more solid batting line up bar Bell.

As for 09, an awful Aussie side and two of the the most hyped players in history were found our totally that summer and never really recovered, Bopara and Hughes. That Aussie attack though was ordinary.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Well apparently it’s not altogether important to the current lot and its acolytes.
Who said?

Seems like some folk are consoling themselves by imagining jubilant English celebrations that don't actually exist.
 

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
Who said?

Seems like some folk are consoling themselves by imagining jubilant English celebrations that don't actually exist.
Can you imagine the celebrations when Australia do actually win an Ashes Series in England???

I mean we probably do need to imagine it as not sure we'll be around to see it....
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Can you imagine the celebrations when Australia do actually win an Ashes Series in England???

I mean we probably do need to imagine it as not sure we'll be around to see it....
By the time it happens, whenever it is, it will be the longest ever run of either side failing to win away (so some podcast or another reliably informed me anyway)
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
Well apparently it’s not altogether important to the current lot and its acolytes.
Winning is always very important. You can't tell me that the likes of Stokes, Broad, Jimmy, Root etc will be happy that we didn't win the series.

But you do have to put this series in to context. We were against the best test team in the world and matched them blow for blow.

And this Engkand team is far from being the finished article. McCullum and Stokes have only been in charge for 15 months and the side is still very much developing and learning.

The Aussies meanwhile are a fully formed side, they've been together a long time and are pretty much at their peak.

We're not celebrating the drawn series because winning doesn't matter, its because we've come a long way in a short time and we think there's alot more to come.
 

flibbertyjibber

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Can you imagine the celebrations when Australia do actually win an Ashes Series in England???

I mean we probably do need to imagine it as not sure we'll be around to see it....
By the time it happens they won't be able to remember the last time they won here. The likes of Burgey will be senile dribbling down his chin (much like now) in his retirement home.
 

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