Ashes 2021/22 and other cricket through the winter of 2021 thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Thought I'd start a new thread for the winter cricket of 2021 that we (covid depending) have ahead of us. Obviously the World T20, but that has it's own thread...

The main event being the Ashes, with the dates below

Men's Ashes schedule
First Test: 8-12 December - Gabba, Brisbane (00:00 GMT)
Second Test: 16-20 December - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (d/n - 04:00 GMT)
Third Test: 26-30 December - MCG, Melbourne (23:30 GMT, 25 December)
Fourth Test: 5-9 January - SCG, Sydney (23:30 GMT, 4 January)
Fifth Test: 14-18 January - Optus Stadium, Perth (02:30 GMT) (subject to change)

Women's Ashes schedule
Test: 27-30 January - Manuka Oval, Canberra (23:00 GMT, 26 January)
First T20: 4 February - North Sydney Oval, Sydney (08:10 GMT)
Second T20: 6 February - North Sydney Oval, Sydney (08:10 GMT)
Third T20: 10 February - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (08:10 GMT)
First ODl: 13 February - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (23:05 GMT, 12 February)
Second ODl: 16 February - Junction Oval, Melbourne (23:05 GMT, 15 February)
Third ODI: 19 February - Junction Oval, Melbourne (23:05 GMT, 18 February)

India have a busy winter, with New Zealand touring in November/December and then India head to South Africa for the boxing day test/January.
There's an interesting test series between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Bangladesh in Nov/Dec, which should be an entertaining watch. Unfortunately I don't see much cricket on the schedule for Pakistan/Sri Lanka (unless I am missing something!)
A few others on the future tours programme, but not confirmed yet as far as I see...

[JDizzle]

Looking forward to being knocked over by Neser’s 130kph little swingers and seamers after watching Australia rack up 470 against England’s 130kph swingers and seamers.

Awful shot by Hameed, Christ.

[msp83]

Didn't take Neser too long!
As expected, Joe Root out there in the middle, with not much on the board. All down to him, as usual...

[GSC]

Australia's captain rocks up at 4 with near 200 on the board.

Root is having a good day when he comes in with 20 on the board

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

England's main mistake this Ashes was definitely turning up when they had a ready made excuse to just...not go

Silly

[GSC]

Maybe but I couldn't really endorse doing that

[msp83]

Would Malan, Root and rain give Stokes a decent rest?

[GSC]

Rain probably has a better average than half of the England team

At least it's shown up to both tests

[Pal Joey]

England's main mistake this Ashes was definitely turning up when they had a ready made excuse to just...not go

Silly

What ready made excuse? Too scared?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I can already tell you how tomorrow goes

We get a wicket in the first 20 minutes, the provide that false hope. Maybe two in the first hour.
Cameron Green comes in and makes a 120 ball century.
Aussies declare for well over 500 with around an hour left of play

England are 20-2 at close

A few slight mishaps along the way, but we reached the right end result

[GSC]

Malan should've nicked the last delivery, nobody can criticise him for getting out to lightning

[GSC]

Anyway, nothing really changes. Not sure throwing younger players into this team really helps them anyway on this tour.

[Duty281]

Absolute horror show in the field. Innings defeat?

Please drop Burns. He must be the worst England test cricketer who's ever played 30+ tests.

[VTR]

Sometimes your own words can't quite express things, so I'll turn to The Inbetweeners to provide the analysis, and just say "well that, was ****ing dreadful"

[Soul Requiem]

England's main mistake this Ashes was definitely turning up when they had a ready made excuse to just...not go

Silly

It would have been a cynical withdrawal but postponing and giving the pacers time to recover was the sensible decision. Another guaranteed 5-0 achieves nothing.

[Duty281]

Terrible stuff from England. It's time to genuinely ask why do England play five tests in Australia, they're not deserving of five tests. This is heading for 11 defeats in the last 12, or 17 in the last 22. And England have already surrendered so four or five nil is a formality.

Root's 'captaincy' and 'leadership' is the worst I've seen from any test captain. England had a slight moment today where they had a chance. Australia five down at the first interval, England needed quick wickets in the second session and, if they did, maybe they could bowl Aus out for 350. What happens? Root bowls himself for four overs immediately after the break, concedes 22 runs, allows the two batsman to gently resettle in and the small chance has gone. And the over-elaborate field placings were laughable. No wonder England's overrate is so slow, it takes five minutes to get everyone in position.

Stokes bowled well but was largely misused and bowled into the ground. Woakes, no good in Australia but is persisted with. Robinson again the best of the lot by some distance.

Fielding atrocious, as per usual. More drops. More dumb errors with no balls (Labuschagne had about four or five lives). More dithering in the field leading to cheap runs.

England unlikely to avoid the follow-on. Could be an innings defeat. This isn't remotely a contest.

[alfie]

Almost glad I had to miss those last few overs . Saw Burns go - not too surprised I'm afraid.

Sounds as if Hameed rather gave his away ?

Poor Joe Root. He might as well open ...

Olly could have saved everyone watching today That prediction (except the Green bit) just too accurate ! Maybe predict double hundreds for Root and Malan while you're hot , eh ?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

The bowling plans seemed to be so far removed from what was needed. Maybe you allow Anderson and Broad to kinda dictate, but Woakes was awful and I feel for Stokes, who had to be the battering ram (that we appear to have to have in every test regardless of value or threat) whilst Wood sits and watches.

Have to play a properly fast bowler, you just have to.

[king_carlos]

Almost glad I had to miss those last few overs . Saw Burns go - not too surprised I'm afraid.

Sounds as if Hameed rather gave his away ?

Poor Joe Root. He might as well open ...

Olly could have saved everyone watching today   That prediction (except the Green bit) just too accurate !  Maybe predict double hundreds for Root and Malan while you're hot , eh ?

The bloke must be exhausted. I don't think he's a good captain but Benaud's 90% luck line comes to mind. The group of players available over his captaincy have ranged from average to downright abysmal depending on injuries and conditions.

Captaining teams like this is lose-lose. If you plug away with traditional bowling plans that don't work because the attack is pish then pundits want to see something funky. If you try something funky and it doesn't work because your options are pish then pundits ask why you're reinventing the wheel. If you give pointless soundbite answers in interviews you're ridiculed for chatting generic garbage. If you come out and talk honestly about no one else in the team being able to bat and the bowling options being near futile in these conditions you'd get eviscerated.

When Silverwood was appointed I hoped England would throw everything they could offer at Gillespie. When Silverwood is replaced I hope England throw everything they can offer at Gillespie. Groundhog day.

The changes need to start at county level to produce Test quality players though. Fewer first-class status counties and fewer first-class games with a much higher average standard being played on better wickets has been required for years. I also think that the county game should think hard about using a ball that swings less. The Dukes in recent years that swing conventionally for 60 overs offer no balance.

[Afro]

The lack of apparent tactical nous is worrying. It feels that what is obvious to everyone watching doesn't happen on the pitch.

The example above of when they should have attacked and gone for the throat when they were 5 down, but we didn't is another in a list of examples.

They either can't see it on the pitch, or think they have a better plan, in which case the better plan isn't working.

[KP_fan]

It was disappointing from Eng to not show fight and aggression ....they let Aus get atleats 50 to 60 runs too many, thru their lower order.

Robinson looked the least effective, looks like his batteries have been drained off.
Hind sight pundits will blame not having a spinner......BUT the problem was the lack of energy in some of the seamers
What could a spinner have done more than what Root did anyway ?

Burns is shot in confidence..........Hameed has only one weakness, that he is playing across the line when trying to flick or roll wrists at the point bat impacts the ball....which is what he was caught doing today.
BTW Pujara too exhibits the same weakness and to some extent KL Rahul too

So its a weakness that one can live with and get many runs...he needs to present straight face and play in the V and on Off side....the stylish flicks thru mid-wicket to square leg can wait for when full settled and later in the inning.

Jhye Richardson looks almost like replacement for Hazelwood, minus the experience off course.

Naser is more exciting....he bowls gun barrel straight, pitched up.....he will go for runs and get plenty of LBWs and some nicks.
Hameed should be kicking himself for having turned the bat in his hand...I think he was unsettled by the walking away incident a ball or two earlier.

Eng has nothing to lose and hence should bat confidently....the pitch will get easier when 20 overs have elapsed...the storm gave them a lucky break tonight

[Afro]

I agree with a point that Aggers made on TMS, in that the Aussies look like they rate Robinson and are far more watchful against him

[alfie]

Just a couple of points re day two.

I take the point made by some both here and in the media that England once again failed to exploit the "chance" of rolling up the innings from 300/5. Trouble being that one of the bats in at the time was Smith - who just wasn't getting out on this flat deck against a ball already 30 overs old. So it was just Carey to attack : and despite his poor first match he really isn't exactly a rabbit.
Confession : I missed the first half hour after the break so can't comment on whether England were lacking in effort , or intent ; or just unable to break through. But although I understand Root bowled a bit himself in that period - which seems a mistake - I'm not sure that their failure to break the stand in time was so very surprising. Sometimes you have to admit the other team was too good.

The slaughter at the end was inevitable after five sessions in the Adelaide sun ; even with five seamers to spread the load they were done by then. Cream on the cake for Australia ; but Warner Labuschagne and Smith had already made that finish a near certainty.

England's bowling plans : getting bagged over length. Always are when things don't quite happen ; but I think this is slightly overdone. They obviously planned to mix their lengths a little : rather than be always full they hoped to surprise with a bit of variation. If just a couple of the numerous play and misses on day one early had grazed the edge we'd be hearing a lot less about length.
But do I agree they generally don't get their lengths quite as well as the home side ? Yes I do : just as the opposite applies in England...it is called familiarity with conditions and is also one of the reasons the modern lack of proper warm ups really hurts visiting teams - and this tour has been worse than usual in this respect.

The reliance on Stokes with the Wagner approach is another issue. I think it was overdone ; but with no left arm , excess pace , or serious spin option I don't condemn them for employing it to a degree. Not wishing to make excuses for the bowling plans/execution ; but I contend that in the circumstances (pitch , weather , resources available) the end result was chiefly down to a combination of very good disciplined Aussie batting - with a sizeable dash of poor English catching (again !).

Not shocked at seeing two down early either ; though I am disappointed that the two openers are looking as if they are in for a very rough tour. I feared they might , but had hopes for better. Will Crawley do any better ? Expect we will find out soonish...

Any hope of a revival ? Odds are against it ; but the pitch remains good for batting so time for the likes of Malan Stokes and Pope to rally around the skipper and try and keep Australia out in the field all day for a change. If a miracle happened and they could get to 290/5 from here it would be interesting to see how Australia would cope on day four...but no , I am not expecting that

[alfie]

Amusing note early on this afternoon , adding on to my comments above re length.

Comms had been continuing with the line "the Australian bowlers have been bowling a much better length than England did , keeping it full , hitting the stumps , blah blah blah"...

Then a pitch map came up : showing that their bowling so far had actually been consistently shorter than England's ...

Instant change as they started criticising the bowlers

Think they've bowled all right , myself. Got a couple of edgey shots from Malan , who has generally played well. But no swing happening and really you'd have to say conditions favour the bats.

64/2 off 19. Lyon into the attack...

[alfie]

Lyon looks dangerous too. Especially to Malan - to whom he's bowled his first ten balls.
Root went for him then but didn't quite get hold of it...fell safely. But this looks a tricky matchup.

Think (apart from all their other problems) England will struggle to compete in these Tests unless they can find a Lyon Tamer...

[alfie]

One hour gone.  25 overs , 84/2.

Root his usual busy self , Malan very positive but has enjoyed some luck already with a couple of edges.

Good start for England ; but that mountain they need to climb still looms like the Matterhorn...if not Everest.

[alfie]

Fifty for Malan

He's no Jonathan Trott ; but he's a fighter . And he likes batting in Australia.

And Australia burn a review with a rather hopeful try for lbw against Root.  Like the way Neser is bowling though. Steady , no rubbish - keeps threatening the stumps. Good foil for Lyon.

98/2

[alfie]

Now Root moves past fifty again...has played really well , as he has all year.
Eight fifties now in Australia ; but of course he's still yet to crack a century. And as we all know , it is hundreds - mainly big ones - that win Tests in Australia.

39 overs down. 134/2.

[alfie]

Lunch. 41 overs. 140/2.

Definitely England's session. Need a few more of those but at least that's keeping things alive.

Alfie's Updates to resume in 45 minutes approx...

[msp83]

Excellent partnership this for England, like in the last test, Root is getting some serious support from Malan. England really managing to score at a decent clip, Australia would still thing they are 1 or 2 strikes away and would want to continue to attack.
But if they stay together for another hour, things could change...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bloody hell - a wicketless session!

We might get past the follow on!

[alfie]

Pretty productive session that was for England with 123 added : both bats showed very positive intent and punished anything loose.

Aussie bowlers weren't bad by any means : the two new boys both drew a couple of errors and were mostly tidy. Starc actually rather less controlled and provided a few freebies. Lyon threatened Malan - who had to have Brisbane memories in mind. But both bats were looking to score off him rather than allowing him to dictate ; which I think makes a lot of sense - even if it does present some risk. Let him just keep you poking and prodding and he's going to get you sooner or later. 28 off his nine overs.

Resumed now with Lyon and Green.

[alfie]

Couple of lovely deliveries from Green to Root since the resumption !

And now he's got him ! Caught at slip by Smith ...Root will be very disappointed with that , I think. Was a short one which really should have been left : but those previous play and misses might have played on Root's mind.

Australia will fancy a few more now...

150/3

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

A little nibble from a dude who’s 6ft 5, bowls 140kph…Green is gonna be annoying for a while isn’t he?

Lyon continuing to give Malan issues - caught up on the first session highlights…feels like Dawid was fairly lucky to make it through against Lyon in that one

[alfie]

Few times now recently when Root has just failed to get started again after an interval. Bemusing as he looked so much in command throughout that first session. Was good bowling from Green : but I'm betting the same sequence of deliveries before the break would have been handled without undue trouble.
I'm sure stats experts can tell us how often Root gets out in the first 5 or 6 overs after an interval : betting it might be more often than he does at the start of his innings.

[alfie]

A little nibble from a dude who’s 6ft 5, bowls 140kph…Green is gonna be annoying for a while isn’t he?

Lyon continuing to give Malan issues - caught up on the first session highlights…feels like Dawid was fairly lucky to make it through against Lyon in that one

Annoying already ! Never looked like getting a wicket last year against India...now he's making Root his bunny

Have to hope he keeps getting out for next to nothing and gets replaced by Mitchell Marsh

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Malan’s luck runs out…albeit Lyon has to be annoyed he was not the one to prosper!
Good grab by Smith in the slips. Aussies also much better in the field than us

[alfie]

Ah now..Malan gives it away.

Short from Starc. Nothing special but too close to cut and another good innings ended far too early after being seemingly right on top.

80 not to be sneezed at. But the last thing England needed was to lose a second wicket so soon. Have to learn to bat and bat and bat - like Smith and Labuschagne.

Fear we are on a fast road to hell from now...bit like Brisbane.

[VTR]

60s and 80s are useful in England, but have no impact in Australia. Even on the last tour we had two centurions in one innings, and still got hammered in that match. So decent from those two compared to what the others are likely to do, but nowhere near enough

[alfie]

Important knock for Pope now. Will be pressured hard by Lyon ; and he has to find a way to succeed against his type of bowling.

If he canhandle Lyon , he's in at a good time for batting : still light , ball soft , long way to the new ball and all the quicks have bowled a couple of spells already. So opportunity as well as danger.

[alfie]

60s and 80s are useful in England,  but have no impact in Australia. Even on the last tour we had two centurions in one innings,  and still got hammered in that match. So decent from those two compared to what the others are likely to do, but nowhere near enough

That's very true. Albeit the two hundreds at the WACA should have paid off : except the last six wickets then folded for about thirty !

It isn't just the scores though : also how long they bat to get them. On these really flat pitches if you can grind the bowlers down long enough even the best of them will lose their punch. Perversely, scoring too quickly can actually prove a disadvantage...

Pope gone. Lyon has him on toast I'm afraid.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Ollie mate, what are you doing

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

150-2 to 164-5

Grim

[msp83]

Lyon gets Pope. Just can't understand why this guy is so much hyped. Can't play spin, Rather indisciplined with his shot selection in general against pace and spin alike. Would be very surprised if he manages to average anything more than early 30s in test cricket in his current form as a test batter.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Root remains the last England bat to come into the side and not significantly regress. Pope was legitimately a better player in 2019 than he is now!

[alfie]

150-2 to 164-5

Grim

But becoming a habit , I'm afraid.

Hard to see a way back from this. Two aggressive bats in now and the part of the innings when batting ought to be at its easiest. But with Lyon now tasting blood and the scorecard pressure it's hard to have any faith in them even getting past the follow on target.

Will be interesting to see how Buttler plays. He looked very subdued in the field after those drops and you have to wonder whether his confidence is going to be severely dented for this aspect of his game.

Stokes is playing very circumspectly. As he did at Headingley at first , of course : but that's probably praying for lightning to strike twice

[VTR]

Pope going to be dropped for Bairstow I assume after that effort. Really though, just put them on a plane home now

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bloody hell - a wicketless session!

We might get past the follow on!

Allowed myself to be drawn in by the false hope didn’t I

[VTR]

Not sure who replaces Buttler then if Bairstow is in anyway. Remember his talk of fearless cricket before the series. Pathetic.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not sure who replaces Buttler then if Bairstow is in anyway. Remember his talk of fearless cricket before the series. Pathetic.

Thankfully they have the Lions out there with some replacemen…ah no they sent them home

Bairstow for Buttler, Lawrence for Pope and Crawley for an opener?
Zero faith any would work, but gotta do something

[alfie]

Getting worse...

Buttler's wretched match continues. Started so well too , with that great catch of Harris...but it's been all downhill from there. Head went right down after he nicked that. Going to need all his undoubted character to come back from that for the second innings - which might not be far away.

Starc having a party now ...and it isn't even night time yet !

England's Adelaide nightmares getting arguably worse than the Gabba...

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