The Ashes 21/22

[RowlattsFox]

Just woke up to see Dawid Malan get a test wicket. We getting to stage now where we are just bowling anyone to save legs of Anderson and Broad? 

 

And Ollie Robinson was bowling off spin earlier? 

Edited 19 December 2021 by RowlattsFox

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

It'll be over by tonight.

 

The openers are dreadful.

[Nuge]

Surely we can call off the series in light of the new covid variant 👀

[Tommy Fresh]

5 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

It'll be over by tonight.

 

The openers are dreadful.

I have a bit more patience with Hameed than I do Burns although I think Robson should have been recalled over Hameed.

[RowlattsFox]

Being an opener is a tough gig. Best bowlers, at their freshest, new ball, scoreboard pressure etc but you have to make it hard for them to get your wicket. Mindset is all over the place, it's simple really, anything not hitting the stumps leave it but that appears to be ridiculously hard at the minute. 

[Izzy]

16 minutes ago, Nuge said:

Surely we can call off the series in light of the new covid variant 👀

Might as well. It's just not the same with half empty stadiums and no Barmy Army anyway.

[Tommy Fresh]

Burns must be feeling a bit faint being out in the middle for this many overs 

[deejdeej]

Well I didn't expect to wake up and see Malan has got two wickets, nor did I expect Burns to be in double figures. Just 450 odd runs to get now lads 

[Super_horns]

2 minutes ago, deejdeej said:

Well I didn't expect to wake up and see Malan has got two wickets, nor did I expect Burns to be in double figures. Just 450 odd runs to get now lads 

Well we might last into the final day at least..

 

Even TMS has gone to pot now with COVID issues.

[StanSP]

'most ducks in a year, you'll never sing that!!' 

 

 

[Finnegan]

cracking shot of the change on Lyons face when Smith drops that. 

[STEVIE B]

Root in again before we reach 50…….although it’s usually before we reach 25 tbf. 

[Guest Lako42]

Root looks incredibly unsettled here. 

[Tommy Fresh]

How tempting must it be to go after Lyon?

[Duquesne Whistle]

Not sure of the extent of Root's injury, but he looks pretty fidgety. 

This wicket is made for Lyon now, the bounce he is getting must be a nightmare to play, it causes instant indecision in the batsman's mind. 

 

Warne has been interesting to listen to on commentary again. Suggesting earlier that umpires call should be taken out of the equation once a call is referred. Arguing that the same ball should never be able to be out and not out. Warne makes the odd suggestion that I don't agree with, but more often than not, his suggestions make perfect sense. He clearly thinks about the game non stop. 

 

I've stuck with the Aussie commentary since the start of the series rather than syncing TMS, I think they've actually been fairly reasonable. In years past, they would have hammered England non stop after this abysmal showing so far. We live in a much more enlightened world now, apparently.

 

 

[Voll Blau]

31 minutes ago, Duquesne Whistle said:

Warne has been interesting to listen to on commentary again. Suggesting earlier that umpires call should be taken out of the equation once a call is referred. Arguing that the same ball should never be able to be out and not out. Warne makes the odd suggestion that I don't agree with, but more often than not, his suggestions make perfect sense. He clearly thinks about the game non stop.

 

I agree with him on that. By its very nature, DRS has turned LBW from a subjective call into an objective one: "The ball either definitely would or would not have hit the stumps and here's a computer programme proving it."

 

It's laughable that it's still considered not out if only a fraction of the ball would hit a bail or stump, based on an ump's judgement. If a batter's bowled he doesn't complain about what fraction of the ball bowled him. It's out, pure and simple.

Edited 19 December 2021 by Voll Blau

[Duquesne Whistle]

5 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

I agree with him on that. By its very nature, DRS has turned LBW from a subjective call into an objective one: "The ball either definitely would or would not have hit the stumps and here's a computer programme proving it."

 

It's laughable that it's still considered not out if only a fraction of the ball would hit a bail or stump, based on an mp's judgement. If a batter's bowled he doesn't complain about what fraction of the ball bowled him. It's out, pure and simple.

Me too, I obviously didn't make that clear. 

He makes a lot of suggestions, so he occasionally gets it wrong, but he makes sense a lot when it comes to all aspects of cricket. He's also fair in his match and player assessments (most of the time*)

 

* He does like to hold the occasional grudge.

Edited 19 December 2021 by Duquesne Whistle

[StanSP]

OUCH.

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, StanSP said:

OUCH.

Damn man, what are the odds of taking two high-speed cricket balls to the pills in one day?

 

Ooof.

[coolhandfox]

Bugger 

 

Game over 

[SAFC1]

[Guest Lako42]

That wicket killed us. 

 

On the bright side at least it stops any of us getting false hope. 

 

 

[Duquesne Whistle]

Might be setting myself up for a fall here, but I wonder if Overton is worth a go in the 3rd test. It'll depend on the pitch at the MCG, but his high delivery point from 6ft 5ins might just give the Australian batsmen something else to think about. I still don't think the Aussie batting is that great and Smith, has had a reasonably lean start, by his standards. I can't say Overton has particularly impressed me before, but it's an option.

 

Woakes has been messed about by England and I'm a fan of his, but he has to make way in the next test. Robinson has done enough to play again, if he's fit enough, so the other place is between Wood, Overton and Leach, unless one of Broad or Anderson is rested so two of those three can play. They bowled much better this morning (pitching it up helped) and were pretty unlucky to pass the edge on a number of occasions, but we do need more variety.

 

It sounds defeatist with 3 still to play, but I'm already just hoping we bugger up the Aussies Boxing day test by putting up an hitherto well hidden resistance. I'd take 1-4 now, if we could win that one.

[StanSP]

Woakes and Buttler put up a good fight. Former has just been castled though sadly. 

[Tommy Fresh]

Remember when Broad was pretty handy with the bat before he took that bad hit