4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester

[GIMH]

For the away team, they've done well IMO

First Test ended up being comprehensive in their favour. Second Test, they had chances to put England on the mat at the end of day 4 if they'd taken their catches/reviews on Stokes.

They've done well, yes, and both points are valid regarding the first two tests but that only serves to underline my point about ebb and flow.

 

[Burgey]

does anyone think it will dim the lustre of stoke's headingley performance if england go on to draw or lose this series? like for example, would botham's exploits there in '81 be as revered if england hadn't come back and closed out the ashes in the next test?

Didn't really think it was all that special to begin with tbh

 

[StephenZA]

Didn't really think it was all that special to begin with tbh

Wasn't that great considering the quality of opposition...

 

[TheJediBrah]

They've done well, yes, and both points are valid regarding the first two tests but that only serves to underline my point about ebb and flow.

tbh Australia probably win the 2nd Test pretty comfortably if Smith isn't knocked out of the match.

England certainly do a lot better in the first Test if Anderson isn't ****ed on the first morning, don't know about winning it though.

Aus have probably won more days and sessions but definitely wouldn't say they've "dominated" the series

 

[Spark]

tbh Australia probably win the 2nd Test pretty comfortably if Smith isn't knocked out of the match.

England certainly do a lot better in the first Test if Anderson isn't ****ed on the first morning, don't know about winning it though.

Aus have probably won more days and sessions but definitely wouldn't say they've "dominated" the series

Nah it wasn't the lack of Smith that prevented Aus winning that game.

 

[Burgey]

For the away team, they've done well IMO

First Test ended up being comprehensive in their favour. Second Test, they had chances to put England on the mat at the end of day 4 if they'd taken their catches/reviews on Stokes.

They have. How good will it be come the next Ashes series out here when it'll be a decade since England has won a test​ in Australia.

 

[quincywagstaff]

This Test series is shaping up a bit like Australia's 2017 India tour.

Going to a place they've failed multiple times previously, they bravely adjust their tactics and selection and are rewarded initially with success on the back of Steve Smith masterclass batting. They look headed towards a series victory but miss golden opportunities for victory midway through the series and ultimately fall short.

England still look vulnerable and Australia have Smith coming back but such a gift opportunity missed might be mentally hard for them to overcome in the remaining two Tests.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Nah it wasn't the lack of Smith that prevented Aus winning that game.

It probably was. Smith at slip and Stokes is out early and (bit of speculation here of course) Aus are probably chasing 200 or less

 

[Spark]

The problems on that evening weren't just no Smith though. There was a real lack of discipline and looseness to the cricket Aus played, despite having England 4/60 in really helpful conditions.

 

[GIMH]

They have. How good will it be come the next Ashes series out here when it'll be a decade since England has won a test​ in Australia.

You'll have blokes playing on your next Ashes tour who weren't alive last time Australia managed to win a series in England

 

[Spark]

Yeah this is what worried me. If we hadn't bowled them out for 67 and they won chasing 250 it could make them even more motivated. Throwing a near certain Test win away when a win would secure the Ashes could easily affect them mentally.

OTOH I do remember England losing key Tests in recent Ashes but bouncing back (Leeds 09, Lords 15, Perth 10). They were all mostly blowouts though.

We also won the Test after 47ao

 

[Daemon]

We also won the Test after 47ao

That was Cummins debut wasn't it. The one time Clarke failed everyone else stood up. Great game.

 

[Burgey]

You'll have blokes playing on your next Ashes tour who weren't alive last time Australia managed to win a series in England

Unless we’re debuting four year olds, that’s unlikely

 

[Burgey]

This Test series is shaping up a bit like Australia's 2017 India tour.

Going to a place they've failed multiple times previously, they bravely adjust their tactics and selection and are rewarded initially with success on the back of Steve Smith masterclass batting. They look headed towards a series victory but miss golden opportunities for victory midway through the series and ultimately fall short.

England still look vulnerable and Australia have Smith coming back but such a gift opportunity missed might be mentally hard for them to overcome in the remaining two Tests.

Yeah, but as grim as england is, it’s better than having to spend time in India, so you’d reckon it won’t be such a mentally draining exercise

 

[BSM]

really though?

Definitely imo. Your no.11 is more likely to be exposed to high pressure do or die situations where they must either survive to draw the game or stay in so someone else can win it The same kind of pressure isn't on the no.10 who knows they aren't the last man and that if things start to get close, the game doesn't end with them getting out.

I'm not saying your no.11 should be close to an all-rounder obviously. But if you've got three players like Leach, Broad and Anderson who aren't close to being considered batsmen, then the one you feel the most equip to deal with high pressure situations, the most competent with the bat, and ultimately has the best technique should come in at the end. .

 

[Flem274*]

burns
denly
some ****, maybe bairstow
root
stokes
curran
foakes
archer
broad
leach
anderson

i might have gone mad with allrounder fever but i think curran is good enough to bat a bit higher and he's probably going to have to crack test cricket with batting as his strongest suit. his average of 30 would actually be an improvement on most of englands batting.

root back to #4 because i ****ing hate him at #3. he doesn't like the position and it overexposes him for the sake of shielding some deck chair so no point to it.

i've never seen ollie pope play so im not going to pretend to know enough to weigh in on his selection.

 

[zaremba]

i've never seen ollie pope play so im not going to pretend to know enough to weigh in on his selection.

He's a miles better bat than Curran. Curran's definitely got something but he's nowhere near good enough to play as a specialist batsman surely (and his bowling adds nothing to this team).

 

[Lillian Thomson]

You'll have blokes playing on your next Ashes tour who weren't alive last time Australia managed to win a series in England

The good thing about the rescheduling is that if we do win them we keep them a bit longer. Because of the time zones it always works out every two and half/one and a half years instead of every two years. When we won them in September 2005 they were back in Australia by Christmas 2006. Now the longer stretch is in our favour when we win a home series. Simple pleasures admittedly, but never mind.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

The time zones for Ashes in both countries doesn't bother us. Four hours behind England, and ~13 hours behind the Aussies

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The time zones for Ashes in both countries doesn't bother us. Four hours behind England, and ~13 hours behind the Aussies

I don’t know why I wrote times zones. I meant the opposite summer/winter seasons.