England's Summer of Cricket 2023, Featuring The Ashes

First topic message reminder :

June 1st-June 4th: One Test v Ireland (four days)
June 16th-July 31st: Five Tests v Australia
August 30th-September 5th: Four T20s v New Zealand
September 8th-September 15th: Four ODIs v New Zealand
September 20th-September 26th: Three ODIs v Ireland

England try to wrest the Ashes back from Australia, in a series which could be the greatest since 2005. Australia have currently held the urn for just over five years, which is the longest spell of urn-holding since the 1989-2005 period.

Ireland also visit for a test before that, and then there's some limited-overs games squashed into the last days of summer.

Doesn't carry this time. Just not happening yet

king_carlos wrote:Mo's started well here to be fair. The mixture of spin, some that bounce and some that keep low should provide opportunities if kept in the right area.

We might see Root bowl this evening?

Yes, although Warner and Khawaja don't need to hit him out of the attack if his finger does that job for them.

And yes again, I'll be surprised if Root doesn't get a go tonight. Been saying for while that I reckon his bowling will be significant in this series. Feel he could and should have bowled more in Australia's first dig.

king_carlos wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Anderson has not been good this test

Agreed. Very ineffectual with three different new balls, and Robinson hasn't been much better.

Yep. Anderson and Broad have both looked low energy to be frank. It's been a tough pitch to bowl seam on but still disappointing.

England need a breakthrough urgently.

To be fair , most of the seam bowling on both sides has been pretty ordinary. Broad had a burst on Saturday , and Cummins this morning was excellent ; but for much of the game the Aussie pace men were just trying to hold an end while Lyon did the serious work. And England relied on Moeen for a massive number of overs despite his lack of recent match practice. This just hasn't been a pitch for pace bowling. Apart from that three overs in the rain break of course !

The problem for England here is that unlike Australia they can't just set defensive fields and wait for batsman errors as there is too much time left in the game. Have to try and produce some rabbits from the hat : not sure it's going to be possible , to be honest.

Looking distinctly easy for the Aussie openers at the moment - England on the ropes.

50 partnership, as Khawaja dances down to Moeen. What a test Khawaja is having. Has to be a near certainty for MOTM if Australia win.

After some decent over rates through the test, today is 26 overs short with only about 40 minutes until the scheduled close. Play will go until 19:00, so maybe around 16/17 overs left tonight? Australia's remaining target will be below 170 at stumps if they carry on at this rate.

Duty281 wrote:Don't give Khawaja anything short!

Don't give anyone anything short on this with these bowlers!

Not looking good this, got to keep it tight now and hopefully conditions much more helpful tomorrow.

As I speak Robinson gets one!

And I don't think I have another good Reverse Curse in my kitbag so won't even try to declare that All Hope is Lost

But I am struggling to see a way for England to get back into this. Openers with a fifty stand and that red hot 3-5 still to come in ? Unless they can grab - well maybe three wickets fairly soon , any real scoreboard pressure will dissipate. If it hasn't already.

Will be disappointed if this turns into a stroll for Australia after such a hard fought four days. Would be a bit of an anti climax...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Looking distinctly easy for the Aussie openers at the moment - England on the ropes.

Well done Olly

That's the line to bowl from Robinson, gets a little thin edge, and drags an under-pressure Labuschagne out to the middle.

But Warner will be satisfied that he's done a decent job.

We're really missing Leach here - such a huge blow that injury

Need that one to bring a couple more...don't want to let Marnus get settled. Bit of a concern that they are running the score down a bit too briskly. Scoring much quicker than they did in the first innings...and with no great help from the pitch , England really need to string this out as long as they can.

Which is problem for Stokes as it's hard to search for wickets on this and contain at the same time !

Afraid it appears Moeen's finger is causing him to lose it completely now. Time for Root ?

One more tonight, and we’re favourites. These two are key

Lyon: 8/229
Ali: 2/171

The finger issue might provide some cover for those who like to deny the reality that this is simply a level or two beyond Moeen. England need to pick a different spinner for the second test, whether it's Dawson or Ahmed. Ahmed's control can't be any worse than Moeen's. Both offer more with the bat and ball than Moeen, plus Dawson's a good catcher.

Broad back in. Starts with a good'un. England need a couple more before stumps. And Broad overstepping again. 10 in the match.

But he gets Labuschagne! Similar type to the first innings, and England hanging in.

Broad adding Marnus to his bunny list

Now let's just have Smith and Head and things might get interesting again...

Match continues to seesaw, one more tonight and England will feel as though they've salvaged this start

Duty281 wrote:

GSC wrote:I think Foakes has to play the next game. Bairstow has cost England a lot in this game

Don't disagree, but can't see who they'd drop to get Foakes in, though. Is something they'll have to cross in the near-future, because there's no way Bairstow can keep in India.

Don't watch much cricket don't particularly like it....but the Ashes does interest me a little.....

Saw Duckett out twice chasing the balls he shouldn't....As we say back home "Bad technique will find you however well you hide"....

He won't cut it against top players and though it is tough love sometimes.......Be proactive.....Bairstow at 2......A proper backstop at 7 !!..

Thank me when you win the Ashes.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

GSC wrote:I think Foakes has to play the next game. Bairstow has cost England a lot in this game

Don't disagree, but can't see who they'd drop to get Foakes in, though. Is something they'll have to cross in the near-future, because there's no way Bairstow can keep in India.

Don't watch much cricket don't particularly like it....but the Ashes does interest me a little.....

Saw Duckett out twice chasing the balls he shouldn't....As we say back home "Bad technique will find you however well you hide"....

He won't cut it against top players and though it is tough love sometimes.......Be proactive.....Bairstow at 2......A proper  backstop at 7 !!..

Thank me when you win the Ashes.

His first dismissal was certainly disappointing. I'd like to think Crawley is closer to the axe than Duckett, though. Bairstow at opener would be an interesting experiment.

This has been a superb spell from Broad, gets Smith after tying him up in knots.

Another amazing Ashes spell from Broad. And time for more...

Smith ! Things starting to happen ...

Game on .

Night watchman, eh? Aussies on the back foot.

Stuart Broad you are something special

Boland as night watchman ... say it for me, Alfie, say it!

Broad might just be in the mood

Broad has been terrific. England needed it and he's delivered.

I'll be honest that my call pre match was to leave Broad out. Not as I don't rate him of course! Just that I didn't want to see Anderson, Broad and Robinson in the same attack. On balance I felt I'd hold Broad back for Lords. How wrong I was. He's been the pick of England's seamers by an absolute mile.

Australia's best two batters out. Nightwatchman from the Aussies. Boland really can't bat either on first innings showing...

I thought Lyon would have been the nightwatchman, not Boland. But Boland does have two first-class fifties, even though his early test appearances with the bat made him look a McGrath type.

I keep having heart in mouth when these wickets fall ...until it is clear there isn't going to be a retrospective no ball call. Worse than waiting on drs...

Night watchman at the crease so Australia must be feeling a bit twitchy.

Love to get one more tonight...

guildfordbat wrote:Boland as night watchman ... say it for me, Alfie, say it!

I type too slow...

But looks like he's actually a Night Hawk : square cut ?

For as good as Broad has been, Jimmy has been pretty awful. Boland playing him with ease that over

Two overs left tonight. Get Khawaja and England are well in front, otherwise it's just about in the balance.

alfie wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:Boland as night watchman ... say it for me, Alfie, say it!

I type too slow...

But looks like he's actually a Night Hawk : square cut ?

If not tonight, he must surely be in the hutch by 11:15 tomorrow morning if his first dig batting is anything to go by ....

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:For as good as Broad has been, Jimmy has been pretty awful. Boland playing him with ease that over

It feels sacrosanct to labour on that with Jimmy, but, yes. It's not often Jimmy doesn't find his line or length but that has been the case this Test in numerous spells. He's seemed a bit laboured in terms of pace as well. Obviously, that isn't his strength. But he's not been getting much zip so to speak.

Who'd have thought England would get Warner Labuschagne and Smith fairly cheaply in both innings and still be facing a real threat of defeat ?

Boland is scoring useful runs here...maybe bounce him again ?

I am forever confounded by how Steve Smith has an average of 60.

Interesting tactic. Get Moeen to rattle through an over, thus giving Broad another six balls tonight. Kinda shows how little threat Jimmy has been.

Duty281 wrote:Two overs left tonight. Get Khawaja and England are well in front, otherwise it's just about in the balance.

Yeah they need Khawaja out soon - either tonight or early tomorrow . Otherwise the hitters will bat around him.

One more over...

Duty281 wrote:Interesting tactic. Get Moeen to rattle through an over, thus giving Broad another six balls tonight. Kinda shows how little threat Jimmy has been.

Keep dissing Jimmy you blokes...that'll get him four wickets tomorrow

18 vital runs, largely from Boland and no more wickets. He did his job.

Tomorrow should be brilliant viewing.

174 runs for the Aussies

7 wickets for England

What a final day we have in prospect tomorrow

Also, while there is really no doubt Jimmy is the greatest England bowler of all time, I don't think he has the memorable spells that Broad does, especially in the Ashes.
As a fan, don't think I have as much fun watching England as I do when Broad is in the midst of "one of those spells".

Guildford ...I fear we've been undone this time by that blessed night watchman. 13 off 19 he's looking a threat !

Lively last hour , eh ?

Analysis can wait to the real morning I think. And perhaps KP_fan will have the probabilities for us in a few hours...

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