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...

[compelling and rich]

stupid review from denly, clear contact. wasn't even a faint nick.

he's off for nearly a run a ball 11

[Duty281]

Denly with a "save my career please DRS" review. No bueno, he's gone

He wouldn't even have got away with that in the hotspot, pre-ultra edge days!

[compelling and rich]

I like jos but I really don't see him as the man who can stick around in these conditions

[compelling and rich]

we still have got four left handers to come

[Duty281]

we still have got four left handers to come

Yes and according to Sky, Lyon has dismissed Buttler four times at an average of 4.5. Other than that, it's all rosy for England!

[Duty281]

Joel Wilson's got one right!

[Soul Requiem]

It's been a long time since I've been so disappointed by a captaincy performance, 122-8 and Root stops trying to take wickets, goes defensive against Smith and the rest is history. Then yesterday he seemed clueless, the team has multiple batting issues but the captaincy is almost as big a problem.

[alfie]

Ha. Go away for half an hour and the collapse occurs right on cue...

Roy and Denly getting an early lunch , eh ? Nearly another one but Buttler benefits from the fact that Wilson is no longer game to give an lbw ? Umpires call stays with the not out...

But Root gone now...

Won't make tea. Pretty much as I'd feared.

[Duty281]

Root gone, there's the game if it was ever in any doubt. Top catch from Bancroft.

[Steffan]

Root got Rooted out

[compelling and rich]

that's all she wrote, be over very quickly this. only really stokes id back to be able to stick around but its going to be very very tough against lyon on this pitch

[Steffan]

My prediction of a draw doesn't look to be happening now

Unless the world cup hero Stokes can pull something off outside of the one day game

[compelling and rich]

someone better start slagging off Bairstow on twitter quick!!

[Duty281]

Expecting England to be three or four down at lunch, and polished off around teatime, for what it's worth.

Cummins to start.

We're on course! One more wicket and Aussies are into the tail (except Woakes, he's a gem).

[guildfordbat]

We were meant to have Dharmaseena for this test, although he pulled out after the World Cup final. I guess we may see a late change with Wilson potentially being withdrawn after his performance this week.

The question, as with England's batting travails, is who do you bring in?

Third umpire Chris Gaffaney comes across in a clear way appearing to have a natural authority. He's also been involved in this test almost as much as the on-field umpires! 

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Way too early team for the next test (assuming these players will all be fit)

Burns, Sibley, Root, Roy, Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow, Woakes, Ali, Broad, Archer.

England have leaked they see Roy as a middle order player long term before the test match, so stop this charade of him opening and Denly at 4, and put Roy at 4 (where you see him long term) and then bring in the most in form opener in the country in Sibley. If he can't do it, meh, he might eat up some deliveries at least and can't be worse than Denly.

Bairstow gets one more test, mainly because Foakes has only just come back from an injury and hasn't been in great form with the bat this summer himself.

Moeen/Leach is a 50/50 call for me, mainly because I do not rate Leach as a spinner really, looks a good county spinner and fine for sub continental tours, but in Eng/NZ/Aus/SA etc doesn't look like he'll cause batsmen any issues before day 5. I'd personally put Moeen behind Woakes, and give him one more test to refind his form as a bowler he has showed the past 12 months.

Archer in for Anderson seems a given.

[alfie]

The chances of England batting the day were slim to start with. Now pretty well non existent.

Aussies have bowled well this morning. Bowled quite well first innings too in parts ...got a bit lost when Burns and Stokes were together ...and later on the Broad/Woakes stand : otherwise stuck to it consistently.
And it was consistency the England bowling lacked second time around. For whatever reason they rather lost the plot late day three and again yesterday morning....and so the match was lost.
Smith effect ? Or just a lack of patience - or belief ?

Whatever it was they need to address it before Lord's . I still don't think the Australian batting - Smith apart - is all that. But England (hopefully with a full set of fit bowlers next time) have to maintain pressure throughout ...no messing about allowing easy singles , resting main bowlers at critical moments , etc... I'll send Bayliss an instruction manual

Smith's the hero , no question. But the Australian bowlers deserve credit for never allowing a flat pitch to send them all to sleep...I do fear England did just that , to their cost. But no doubt the batsmen will get all the rotten tomatoes tomorrow . And having just seen the Roy dismissal I guess some will be well targeted

A pity a good match for three days turned into such a walkover but full credit to Australia

Not despairing yet. Losing the toss and Anderson ...and on a pitch where Lyon was always holding a big edge over Moeen ...this was always going to be tough. They can do better at Lord's.

But they'll need to.

[Duty281]

Lyon's done the damage we all expected, but the seamers have all bowled very impressively and posed lots of threat to the English top order.

I am despairing, as far as the rest of the series goes. Australia will be strong favourites at Lord's, a ground they love. Starc will return, a ground he personally loves, and boost their bowling resources considerably. Their middle order has found some runs and time in the middle in this test, Smith looks near unbeatable, and you wouldn't expect Warner to fail for two tests in a row.

Anderson looks like he's done for the rest of the series, which is a catastrophic blow, and there's seemingly no sign of Moeen or Bairstow or Denly doing anything useful at any time soon. Root is struggling, as he has been for two+ years now, with the demands of the captaincy and there's little sign of that abating.

[VTR]

I like the look of Olly's team, with Bairstow and Moeen on final chance to perform, assuming one/both don't perform miracles today

[eirebilly]

That was a great episode of the KP story. Gave a completely different insight into his personality.

[eirebilly]

I honestly cant see England surviving until tea now, let alone surviving for the draw.

[alfie]

I will consider teams only after this match is done.

And not sure I can watch too much more tonight ... The cricket is fine but the cuts to smug grinning Aussie home based panelists are getting a bit much to bear

Can't blame them really...has been a stunning comeback from 122/8

[Duty281]

Bit of that uneven bounce and late movement does for Buttler. Crackerjack of a ball. 1 off 25 - must have been one of his slowest innings!

[eirebilly]

Oh what a great ball from Cummins, may the end come soon. Buttler gone.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bit of that uneven bounce and late movement does for Buttler. Crackerjack of a ball. 1 off 25 - must have been one of his slowest innings!

He was leaving it well - can't do much about one that keeps nips in and keeps low on off stump. Cummins has got him with two fantastic deliveries in this test

[Soul Requiem]

Way too early team for the next test (assuming these players will all be fit)

Burns, Sibley, Root, Roy, Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow, Woakes, Ali, Broad, Archer.

England have leaked they see Roy as a middle order player long term before the test match, so stop this charade of him opening and Denly at 4, and put Roy at 4 (where you see him long term) and then bring in the most in form opener in the country in Sibley. If he can't do it, meh, he might eat up some deliveries at least and can't be worse than Denly.

Bairstow gets one more test, mainly because Foakes has only just come back from an injury and hasn't been in great form with the bat this summer himself.

Moeen/Leach is a 50/50 call for me, mainly because I do not rate Leach as a spinner really, looks a good county spinner and fine for sub continental tours, but in Eng/NZ/Aus/SA etc doesn't look like he'll cause batsmen any issues before day 5. I'd personally put Moeen behind Woakes, and give him one more test to refind his form as a bowler he has showed the past 12 months.

Archer in for Anderson seems a given.

I'm baffled why anyone would persist with Bairstow and Ali, so what if Foakes hasn't been performing with the bat, he's a far better gloveman and Leach cannot be any worse.

[eirebilly]

Be nice to see Bairstow bat his way into form in this innings.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Wilson guesses - and gets one right. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day etc etc

[eirebilly]

That's out but a really unfortunate out.

[eirebilly]

Oh god...

[Soul Requiem]

Truly pathetic.

[dummy_half]

No worries, we've got Woakes...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sir Chris triple hundred incoming

[guildfordbat]

David Lloyd on Sky: ''And for the next half hour, it'll be Michael Atherton and Ian Botham.''

Mrs Bat on the sofa: ''They think it's going to last that long.''

[Beer]

Roy/Burns/Denly got exactly 50 combined, another half century for the trio.

You have to think they'll both be lived at Roy for charging down the ground at 60/1.

[Soul Requiem]

Lyon becomes the second off spinner after Harbhajan to reach 350 test wickets.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sir Chris triple hundred incoming

On a more serious Sir Chris note, it is nonsense he is batting at 9. Far too good a bat to be that far down when you have players above so badly out of nick

[Duty281]

Wouldn't be surprised if Moeen scores some runs, actually. He normally does when the pressure is off/when the game's gone, like against Afghanistan in the World Cup.

[No name Bertie]

It is worth noting that Bairstow has outscored Buttler in both innings: 8 vs 5 and 6 vs 1

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It is worth noting that Bairstow has outscored Buttler in both innings: 8 vs 5 and 6 vs 1

Is it?

[Beer]

It is worth noting that Bairstow has outscored Buttler in both innings: 8 vs 5 and 6 vs 1

But when Roy/Denly/Burns are averaging 50, they need to improve.

[dummy_half]

Sir Chris triple hundred incoming

On a more serious Sir Chris note, it is nonsense he is batting at 9. Far too good a bat to be that far down when you have players above so badly out of nick

I could make a case for him batting about 5 in this line up, especially in this type of match situation. While he is aggressive, it's usually under good control and he's got a pretty solid defensive technique.

[eirebilly]

I really cant help that admire Woakes. He really is a proper battler. I still think he was underused yesterday as well by Root.

[No name Bertie]

Woakes has outscored both Roy and Denly in both innings.

[guildfordbat]

I really cant help that admire Woakes. He really is a proper battler. I still think he was underused yesterday as well by Root.

He definitely was, Billy. We just don't know why.

[eirebilly]

Oh Ali looks out...

[guildfordbat]

Btw, I very much doubt that Jimmy will bat today. So probably only 2 more poles needed.

[eirebilly]

I really cant help that admire Woakes. He really is a proper battler. I still think he was underused yesterday as well by Root.

He definitely was, Billy. We just don't know why.

With Anderson down, he really should have got more overs.

Ali safe, luckily

[dummy_half]

And now Smith having a bowl. Likely to go for less than his last over against England (22 in the WC semi final)

[Duty281]

Wouldn't be surprised if Moeen scores some runs, actually. He normally does when the pressure is off/when the game's gone, like against Afghanistan in the World Cup.

Oh well. Moeen has to be dropped for the next test. Batting worse than Tufnell and bowling worse than Kerrigan.

[Sponsored content]