The ashes 2023

[leicsmac]

Additionally, this forecast was reasonably obvious in advance, so we knew that we had around 70-80 overs to bowl out the Aussies second innings. Late Friday and yesterday was where that chance was missed.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

13 minutes ago, Mike the Metal Ed said:

Anything to avoid the reality that England threw this series in the first test. We were always going to lose either Headingley or Old Trafford to the weather. Putting ourselves in a situation where only three consecutive wins will do is on Stokes and McCullum.

Yes because they deliberately tried to lose the first 2. 🙄 

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

7 minutes ago, nathan. said:

Rule changes should be made after this.

 

Its a joke tbh.

It's not a joke but I definitely think reserve days are a good idea in general. Eliminating draws from test cricket genuinely makes it a more entertaining sport.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

7 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Yes because they deliberately tried to lose the first 2. 🙄 

Never said deliberately. Naive, arrogant and stupid fits more.

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Mike the Metal Ed said:

Never said deliberately. Naive, arrogant and stupid fits more.

Point of order: the same unchanged style won the third Test under time pressure and would have won the fourth if not for even more time pressure. The Aussies haven't been at the races for this Test, but then of course that won't matter as the history books will still say "drawn match".

[Sparrowhawk]

7 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

It's not a joke but I definitely think reserve days are a good idea in general.

Might be worth looking into, although for one thing the practicalities would probably make it impossible, and for another and bigger thing the time-limited aspect of Test matches is important, so you might lose more than you gain.

Would you have five reserve days?

Would you use the extra day only if an entire day was lost to rain, or to make up half an hour?

 

10 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Eliminating draws from test cricket genuinely makes it a more entertaining sport.

Absolutely not. A team just holding out for a draw is one of the great things in cricket.

[Super_horns]

Onto the Oval I guess to get a draw which is probably the least we deserve ?

[Corky]

The fact we are about 25 overs down through slow play is just as galling.

[goody2028]

 

[Sparrowhawk]

34 minutes ago, nathan. said:

Rule changes should be made after this.

 

Its a joke tbh.

It's not a joke, it's cricket. It's how it's always been.

It's also how England clinched the Ashes in 2013, and I'd wager there was a lot less demanding the rules be changed then.

 

In England anyway. Maybe not in Australia.

[purpleronnie]

Why knock it down and build one like they did in melbourne?

 

 

Edited 23 July 2023 by purpleronnie

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

57 minutes ago, Sparrowhawk said:

Absolutely not. A team just holding out for a draw is one of the great things in cricket.

It is absolutely not.

Edited 23 July 2023 by Chocolate Teapot

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

Point of order: the same unchanged style won the third Test under time pressure and would have won the fourth if not for even more time pressure. The Aussies haven't been at the races for this Test, but then of course that won't matter as the history books will still say "drawn match".

Would have been a brilliant final match as well, one which either side could have won. Less exciting now.

 

I've had people in Ireland and America get into the cricket this summer and one sent me a message this afternoon saying this is the stupidest game ever. 🤣

[HighPeakFox]

It's lovely and sunny in Chesterfield now...

[Sparrowhawk]

30 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

It is absolutely not.

Fair enough. Horses for courses, esch to their own and all that.

But if you genuinely don't find a team just squeaking out a draw against the odds to be exciting stuff, maybe Test cricket isn't really for you.

[filbertway]

 

2 minutes ago, Sparrowhawk said:

Fair enough. Horses for courses, esch to their own and all that.

But if you genuinely don't find a team just squeaking out a draw against the odds to be exciting stuff, maybe Test cricket isn't really for you.

I watched the highlights from the Manchester test on 2005 that was replayed earlier. It was absolutely gripping stuff, the aussies knowing they couldn't match our total so just playing for the draw. Ponting putting in a monstrous shift, it was class!

 

 

[Sparrowhawk]

31 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

I've had people in Ireland and America get into the cricket this summer and one sent me a message this afternoon saying this is the stupidest game ever.

Ah, but if their (simplistic beyond belief*) most popular sports are anything to go by, many Americans are flummoxed by anything more complicated than tiddlywinks... 😉

 

* not a bad thing in itself necessarily. I find the NFL very entertaining. But as a sport their football ain't up to much!

[Sparrowhawk]

1 minute ago, filbertway said:

 

I watched the highlights from the Manchester test on 2005 that was replayed earlier. It was absolutely gripping stuff, the aussies knowing they couldn't match our total so just playing for the draw. Ponting putting in a monstrous shift, it was class!

 

 

Now there speaks a true cricket fan!

[EastAnglianFox]

40 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

It is absolutely not.

 

Jimmy and Monty at Cardiff in 09 was unbelievable and lives long in the memory and that was only scrapping for a draw

[filbertway]

Well... I only take an interest when there's nothing else on or it's a big match  

 

I just enjoy closely contested games of anything haha, the tension and drama sport can create is something worth appreciating on it's own. 

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

10 minutes ago, Sparrowhawk said:

Ah, but if their (simplistic beyond belief*) most popular sports are anything to go by, many Americans are flummoxed by anything more complicated than tiddlywinks... 😉

 

* not a bad thing in itself necessarily. I find the NFL very entertaining. But as a sport their football ain't up to much!

I mean if we're going to go on national stereotypes....

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

9 minutes ago, EastAnglianFox said:

 

Jimmy and Monty at Cardiff in 09 was unbelievable and lives long in the memory and that was only scrapping for a draw

Only because we went on to win the series. But also I can't remember how much of that game was lost to rain? Think the point is you'd get a result 9 times out of 10 with a contingency plan.

 

Also think over rates are outdated and a problem now on both sides, its no wonder the players take the piss on it.

Edited 23 July 2023 by Chocolate Teapot

[leicsmac]

It should be noted that there is a distinction to be made here.

 

Test draws fought for with skill and application across time, like England at Cardiff in 2009 and Aus at OT in 2005, are memorable and should be lauded. Draws that are given to a team by the vagaries of the elements beyond the control of either team, and are subject to pure luck with much less skill and application needed, as with this Test, particularly in pivotal matches... are probably less laudable.

 

Perhaps there is a way to continue to encourage the former while reducing the incidences of the latter.

[RonnieTodger]

What an anti-climax. It’s a wonderful sport but it doesn’t half shoot itself in the foot sometimes.

 

There should be reserve days for weather affected games. I’d agree with the above post in that grinding out a draw over 5 days is deserved. 
 

Imagine if we won this and came from 2-0 down to win. Hopefully denying them a first series win over here since 2001 is enough motivation to win at the oval. 

[RowlattsFox]

Paid for cocking up Edgbaston. Declaration, dropped catches and letting them win it with Cummins and lyon.