The Ashes

England plumb new depths of uselessness.

Probably struggling to shake their hangovers off......

So the bowlers do a job and the Aussies fail with 152 a o.

Great chance then for our superstars to regain a little pride and put the Aussies under the pump.

🤣🤣🤣

Not a chance.

Our top 4, Crawley, Duckett ( hic hic ) Bethell and Root can't even muster 10 runs between them.
Crawley top scoring with 5.

England a o for a miserable 110.

The first time since 1909 that an Ashes Test has seen a 3rd innings on the first day.

Shocking, England couldn't even last a session.


As there ever been an England team so short of the basic skills required to just compete in a Test Match ?

They have let England down and above all themselves down. The whole tour has been one continuous shambolic failure.
 
Last edited:
The scores are crazy though….surely even worlds no 1 team will be looking at themselves?? Seems like yesterday but in 89 93 and 97 they came here getting big scores before wiping us out .
 
Had the radio on for the last half an hour of their innings and our innings. There hadn’t been may nights where I haven’t tuned in at all.

Very nice to get a win even a consolation. It’s a while since we’ve even managed that.

It’s annoying though that we capitulated in Perth. We should really be 2-2 now with everything to play for.
 
I feel sorry for English cricket fans who have been saving for a couple of years to watch the Ashes in Australia and the Aussies have turned out a couple of dogtracks, additionally the Perth and Melbourne CEO's must be going apopleptic having to give all those hospitality refunds back.
 
Time Was said:
Australia have a habit of losing dead rubbers so doubt this is a new dawn
Click to expand...

It's not, that was just a glorified T20.

Like a certain football team, I'll give them credit when they can stand up and be counted when the pressure is on
 
Last edited:
Billsballbag said:
A shit advert for Test cricket.
Click to expand...
Yes it was. It did produce an exciting game though.

Time Was said:
Australia have a habit of losing dead rubbers so doubt this is a new dawn
Click to expand...
Not so many against us though.

JohnMitten said:
I feel sorry for English cricket fans who have been saving for a couple of years to watch the Ashes in Australia and the Aussies have turned out a couple of dogtracks, additionally the Perth and Melbourne CEO's must be going apopleptic having to give all those hospitality refunds back.
Click to expand...
Plenty of sightseeing to be done in Melbourne and beer to be drank. As for the loss of money, the BBC article says Cricket Australia KP has lost around £5m due to the two day finish. I’m surprised it wasn’t more.
 
We were a hundred short in the fifth test but the damage was already done.

Here’s my assessment.

Preparation was very poor. That’s on Key & McCullum.

The bowling was nowhere near as hostile in the second innings of the first test. That’s on Stokes and McCullum.

Stokes had a poor series and I think was carrying a bit of a niggle. That’s on Stokes himself although I think there’s an element of him doing too much. Curse of the captain.

The boozing between the test matches isn’t out of order but needed to be kept in check. These players can’t live in cages for weeks on end. That’s on Key & McCullum. Why not do some stuff with local schools, disadvantaged children, ex pat cricket teams in the host cities. Give something back to local communities.

The IT systems for reviewing decisions were inadequate all series and didn’t deliver. That’s out of our control.

Would I stick with Rob Key? No I wouldn’t. He ultimately signed off on the big decisions.

Would I stick with McCullum? Again no. Many of these errors should have been nipped in the bud. You can’t say you’re still learning, it’s not like he’s new to cricket or the role.

Would I stick with Stokes? Do you know what, I might well do. I’m not sure anyone else in that side could do a better job or is standing out. If Stokes will be on the sidelines a bit due to his injuries then we need a strong vice captain being mentored to take over.

Whoever takes McCullum’s job though needs to be firm with Stokes. Hitting out has a time and a place for sure but not from ball one on the first test match.
 
"You come over with a spinner who doesn't bowl for his county, a keeper who doesn't keep for his county, and you expect to win The Ashes!?"
Ian Healy
McCullum & Key to both go for me. Woeful tour.
Try and lure Straussy back and Dizzy Gillespie. Always seems to talk sense whenever I hear him.
 
They also need to start working with the county teams not against them. Prime example they play a few games with a Kukkaburra ball to get the players used to it but don’t send the centrally contracted players back to their counties to get that practice. It makes literally no sense at all.
 
DagenhamFox said:
The article by Agnew is bang on. I would get him involved somehow even as an advisor.
Click to expand...
Was going to mention Aggers' article when I read your post above. Key and McCullum need to go in my opinion. The nets and practice match amongst themselves as preparation smacks of arrogance. Look how Head batted, goes at a strike rate of almost 100. No charging the bowler first ball, just dispatches anything out of line or length. We didn't bowl well, tried to keep banging it in short thinking we could knock them out. Again, they did the basics, bowl in the right area and let the ball and pitch down the rest. Fielding, too many catches dropped. Lack of concentration? Young sports stars out in the piss. No big deal if you're winning. Stokes is undoubtedly one of our best players so needs to stay. Some of his captaincy was questionable but I think he deserves to stay.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top