The Ashes - official thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Seeing as this starts next week, I'll kick it off - the Aussies have selected their 17 man squad


Australia's Ashes squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

Main takeaway there is no specialist spinner selected behind Lyon, with Neser included suggests they don't anticipate many, if any, spinning wickets...

[Gooseberry]

Umpires fingers dont go up when Aus are out of reviews   

Im surprised England reviewed this one tbh as its call .... but it is given!


The umpiring has not been brilliant.

[Duty281]

That was arguably a worse decision. He must have thought he hit it?

Australia in real strife now. Might struggle to reach 200, especially if Smith falls in the next few overs.

[eirebilly]

Nothing about that looked not out... Good review and the Aussies are in trouble.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

5th incorrect decision...

[alfie]

That was arguably a worse decision. He must have thought he hit it?

Australia in real strife now. Might struggle to reach 200, especially if Smith falls in the next few overs.

Bizarre not out decision. Looked absolutely dead ...He was really thinking about it , you could tell. I guess after a couple of wrong calls umpires can lose confidence...

Makes using your reviews wisely very important .

Sort of Smith v England , isn't it ?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That was arguably a worse decision. He must have thought he hit it?

Australia in real strife now. Might struggle to reach 200, especially if Smith falls in the next few overs.

Bizarre not out decision. Looked absolutely dead ...He was really thinking about it , you could tell.  I guess after a couple of wrong calls umpires can lose confidence...

Makes using your reviews wisely very important .

Sort of Smith v England , isn't it ?

Bit like it was Kohli vs England last summer...

[Duty281]

That was arguably a worse decision. He must have thought he hit it?

Australia in real strife now. Might struggle to reach 200, especially if Smith falls in the next few overs.

Bizarre not out decision. Looked absolutely dead ...He was really thinking about it , you could tell.  I guess after a couple of wrong calls umpires can lose confidence...

Makes using your reviews wisely very important .

Sort of Smith v England , isn't it ?

Bit like it was Kohli vs England last summer...

And we'll be seeing Root v Australia at some point today!

[eirebilly]

Imagine if Jimmy was not injured... The Aussies would be in a horrid position.

[Gooseberry]

Imagine if Jimmy was not injured... The Aussies would be in a horrid position.

Wait till you see England bat ....

[compelling and rich]

cant agree with ali coming back

[compelling and rich]

brand new batsman in, weve got them on the back foot. ali wont be a threat to the right handers

[alfie]

cant agree with ali coming back

Not a lot of choice though... If Moeen can keep an end tight it gives the quicks a chance to finish the job ; but if he bowls Broad and Woakes into the ground Smith and the rest could really cash in.

Have to think if it weren't for Jimmy's injury they wouldn't make 130....

Still may not

Paine donates his wicket...

[Gooseberry]

Smiths still there though

[Duty281]

The only thing stupider than that shot was Paine's own comments yesterday!

[compelling and rich]

great captain innings paine

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

cant agree with ali coming back

Not a lot of choice though... If Moeen can keep an end tight it gives the quicks a chance to finish the job ; but if he bowls Broad and Woakes into the ground Smith and the rest could really cash in.

Have to think if it weren't for Jimmy's injury they wouldn't make 130....

Still may not

Paine donates his wicket...

Yeah have to really bowl Moeen from one end and rotate the seamers from the others - imagine Stokes will replace Broad after this over to try and wrap up the tail. Which makes that shot from Paine one of the worst you will see in this level of the game...

[eirebilly]

I thought that Paine was lucky to start this test anyways, even as Captain. That was utterly silly.

[Gooseberry]

Bearing in mind Stokes has been rotten, Moeen is rubbish (and he's an off spinner in the first innings so you can never expect much), and Jimmys injured this isnt going to badly really!

[Duty281]

Another top banana from Broad. Smith has to start playing some shots now - get Australia as close to 200 as he can.

[compelling and rich]

cant agree with ali coming back

Not a lot of choice though... If Moeen can keep an end tight it gives the quicks a chance to finish the job ; but if he bowls Broad and Woakes into the ground Smith and the rest could really cash in.

Have to think if it weren't for Jimmy's injury they wouldn't make 130....

Still may not

Paine donates his wicket...

yeah I understand the need to rotate with Anderson being off, just feel like at this point in the match we need to go for the kill

as bad as stokes was this morning, id rather see him at the right handers with woakes coming on for a few with the game at this point. ali never convinced me to the right handers. different story now with pattison now being on

nope he's gone

[eirebilly]

Oh Broady

[Soul Requiem]

Don't forget Trent Bridge in 2015, Anderson injured so Broad decides to have one of his magic spells and now this.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Broad has been absolutely sensational today

[Gooseberry]

I thought that Paine was lucky to start this test anyways, even as Captain. That was utterly silly.

Thats a different issue indeed. Paine is absolutely only in the side as captain, and only got that job because everyone else was either burnt or even less secure of a spot. Hes not done a bad job as captain, but theres two keeper batsmen who could argue for his place now. That said who is he actually keeping (groan) out of the side, a specialist bat? Theres not any good ones missing out. Carey? Hes getting overhyped by one innings at the world cup in a different format. A future player yes, but a point of difference to this test side? I dont think so. 

Much like England they are pick rubbish players because the reserves are worse.

But yeah that looked like the pressure got to him. Its the sort of shot you'd expect from Stokes 

[Gooseberry]

Broad has been absolutely sensational today

A very inconsistent player, but when hes on.....


99 wickets against Australia for Broad.

[Duty281]

Crikey, that wasn't out either!

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Paine's hardly only playing as a captain, he's by far the best glove man Australia have got. Carey fluffed many in the World Cup. Wade's keeping is so poor that he's now bowling medium pace

[Gooseberry]

Smiths still there though

[compelling and rich]

another wrong one by the umps, have to say watching it live it looked dead that one

[alfie]

Is that hawk eye for real ? Saying Pattinson's would have missed ? Can't believe that...looked dead.
Batsman was in no doubt.

Have the umpires got anything right today yet ?

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

LOL ICC elite panel 6 errors before even half a days play.

[eirebilly]

Bit early for Carey Goose but not for Wade. I think Wade is actually the better keeper...

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Bit early for Carey Goose but not for Wade. I think Wade is actually the better keeper...

Wade was dropped because he dropped something like 20-30 catches of Lyon's bowling

[alfie]

I'm sure I saw people suggesting a week or so ago that Broad should be gently moved on for the next generation ...

Perhaps he reads Internet opinions

[compelling and rich]

over head conditions go away could still be a difficult second innings if Anderson cant bowl at all.

[eirebilly]

Smith will get desperate soon. It may be a good idea for Stokes again...

[Duty281]

Is that hawk eye for real ?  Saying Pattinson's would have missed ? Can't believe that...looked dead.
Batsman was in no doubt.

Have the umpires got anything right today yet ?

Looked pretty plumb to me watching it live, but I guess Broad does bowl very wide of the crease. Certainly not a good day for the umpires or, indeed, for many of the players and their DRS decisions.

[alfie]

Bit early for Carey Goose but not for Wade. I think Wade is actually the better keeper...

They aren't going to dump the captain on the strength of a bad shot. I doubt he will have a long career but it would be very unlike Australia to make a knee jerk change so I think he has the series.
Wade has almost given up keeping lately.

[Gooseberry]

over head conditions go away could still be a difficult second innings if Anderson cant bowl at all.

TMS reporting rain nearby. It was certainly forecast to get grim late afternoon.

[Soul Requiem]

Is that hawk eye for real ?  Saying Pattinson's would have missed ? Can't believe that...looked dead.
Batsman was in no doubt.

Have the umpires got anything right today yet ?

Looked pretty plumb to me watching it live, but I guess Broad does bowl very wide of the crease. Certainly not a good day for the umpires or, indeed, for many of the players and their DRS decisions.

I'm not going to lie, ball tracking seems off from the clips I've seen.

[alfie]

over head conditions go away could still be a difficult second innings if Anderson cant bowl at all.

Absolutely. Been good so far but England still have to wrap this up (Cummins can bat) and bat well themselves...long way to go.

[Gooseberry]

Bit early for Carey Goose but not for Wade. I think Wade is actually the better keeper...

They aren't going to dump the captain on the strength of a bad shot. I doubt he will have a long career but it would be very unlike Australia to make a knee jerk change so I think he has the series.
Wade has almost given up keeping lately.

Did I in anyway make that suggestion? I was simply asking the question who is he actually keeping (no pun) out of the side. Noone that really deserves to be in it. 
he did get the job because they needed a captain, and they still do. He wont get dropped during this series.

[compelling and rich]

over head conditions go away could still be a difficult second innings if Anderson cant bowl at all.

TMS reporting rain nearby. It was certainly forecast to get grim late afternoon.

hopefully it starts raining in another 3 wickets time, and we come back tomorrow to a nice sunny day

[eirebilly]

Bit early for Carey Goose but not for Wade. I think Wade is actually the better keeper...

They aren't going to dump the captain on the strength of a bad shot. I doubt he will have a long career but it would be very unlike Australia to make a knee jerk change so I think he has the series.
Wade has almost given up keeping lately.

From what I have seen from Wade, he is a very decent keeper. It would be sad to see him give up on that.


I am not saying drop Paine for that one shot, I actually think he was very lucky to be in the team/squad. I honestly do feel it was because he took the Captains role. Its a shame because he is a really nice lad and he has done a lot to bring some respect back to this Australian team after he took over.

[alfie]

Ha ! Cummins pads up ...

Gone. Hasn't reviewed ...given the way the umps have gone today I'm surprised !

[Dolphin Ziggler]

LEAVE THOSE MATE

[Gooseberry]

over head conditions go away could still be a difficult second innings if Anderson cant bowl at all.

TMS reporting rain nearby. It was certainly forecast to get grim late afternoon.

hopefully it starts raining in another 3 wickets time, and we come back tomorrow to a nice sunny day

Im only a couple of miles away and its bright sunshine here!

[Duty281]

I don't think Siddle or Lyon will last too long out there, so Smith has to ignite T20 mode.

England actually well on top...for now at least!

[Duty281]

Another fine decision.

[Gooseberry]

17 for 102 between Woakes and Broad this summer. 

If Jimmy is done then its not the end of the world is it. 


Oh jeepers the umpires. Even the commentators are after them.

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