The Ashes 25/26

[The Year Of The Fox]

Anyone going?

 

We’re doing the second test at Brisbane. Tickets came through today

 

Cannot wait now

[STEVIE B]

22 minutes ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

Anyone going?

 

We’re doing the second test at Brisbane. Tickets came through today

 

Cannot wait now

Have a great time. 
I’m doing Sri Lanka in the new year.

How do you rate our Ashes chances ? 

Edited 31 October 2025 by STEVIE B

[HowardsBulletHeader]

28 minutes ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

Anyone going?

 

We’re doing the second test at Brisbane. Tickets came through today

 

Cannot wait now

Class, I'm not but Brisbane is a brilliant place absolutely loved my time there if you've never been! 

[The Year Of The Fox]

10 minutes ago, STEVIE B said:

Have a great time. 
I’m doing Sri Lanka in the new year.

How do you rate our Ashes chances ? 

 

4 minutes ago, HowardsBulletHeader said:

Class, I'm not but Brisbane is a brilliant place absolutely loved my time there if you've never been! 

I’ve never been to Australia full stop so buzzing. Going to Sydney first to stay with my mates Dad and then a week in Brisbane.

 

Pffft. Full of hope, but definitely no expectation. We’ve as good a chance as ever haven’t we? I’m just glad the series won’t be over by the time it’s our turn 😅

[Voll Blau]

Very jealous. 2020 was the series I'd earmarked and now life's taken over.

 

I'll get there one day. Fancy Adelaide as a mate I used to play club crocket with moved out there a few years ago.

[EastAnglianFox]

Comfortable Australia win unfortunately.

 

Plenty of smug Strayans who I work with are convinced they are stronger without Cummins as a bowler and Captain

 

Could be an awfuly long winter if they are right 

 

[Tommy Fresh]

Reckon we need at least one of Wood or Archer in each test, also think if we end up on any decent turning pitches we'll get slapped. 

[STEVIE B]

1 hour ago, EastAnglianFox said:

Comfortable Australia win unfortunately.

 

Plenty of smug Strayans who I work with are convinced they are stronger without Cummins as a bowler and Captain

 

Could be an awfuly long winter if they are right 

 

I agree, l don't think Cummins will be missed that much. Boland is an excellent stand in. Although, their attack are all mid 30s.......5 Tests in 7 weeks won't be easy 

[STEVIE B]

1 hour ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Reckon we need at least one of Wood or Archer in each test, also think if we end up on any decent turning pitches we'll get slapped. 

I'd surprised if they manage more 3 Tests each. I reckon Carse will have a good Series.

[Tommy Fresh]

1 hour ago, STEVIE B said:

I agree, l don't think Cummins will be missed that much. Boland is an excellent stand in. Although, their attack are all mid 30s.......5 Tests in 7 weeks won't be easy 

Reckon O'Neill gets a call up and he'll run through us 

[HowardsBulletHeader]

11 hours ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

 

I’ve never been to Australia full stop so buzzing. Going to Sydney first to stay with my mates Dad and then a week in Brisbane.

 

Pffft. Full of hope, but definitely no expectation. We’ve as good a chance as ever haven’t we? I’m just glad the series won’t be over by the time it’s our turn 😅

Lap up every minute, you will love it.

 

Australia is class.

 

If you're going to Sydney and want a decent meal with a view, book Cafe Sydney. You'll pay for it, but really good food and night time views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

[grobyfox1990]

Aus 3-0 win. England too arrogant and stupid. Seems a long time ago eng bowled them out at a sold out mcg for 98 then got to 120-0 at the end of the day. We were shouting at a wall in the car park at the end of that day after a ‘slab’ each. 

[RowlattsFox]

Can't see anything other than a comfortable Australian victory. 

England will be entertaining and have their moments and session wins, maybe even enough to pick up a win but there is no consistency or reliability to win a series in Australia.

 

Australia would have to under perform considerably. 

[Ted Maul]

Got to play both Archer and Wood in Perth, then rotate for the rest of the series- if we go 1-0 down then we've had it. 

[Ted Maul]

3 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Aus 3-0 win. England too arrogant and stupid. Seems a long time ago eng bowled them out at a sold out mcg for 98 then got to 120-0 at the end of the day. We were shouting at a wall in the car park at the end of that day after a ‘slab’ each. 

Absolutely no chance we draw 2 tests with the way we play. Be fairly surprised if any of them make day 5.

[Aus Fox]

I’ll be there in Melbourne for all 3 Day, tempted to drive to Adelaide, just don’t know how happy the Mrs. Will be with me spending 5 days on the piss in Adelaide in the week before Christmas.

A couple of mistakes I think the Aussies have made before a balls even bowled.

1. Moving the first test away from the Gabba - I don’t know exactly what the record is there, but I can’t remember Australia ever losing a test match first up at the Gabba. I think a Gabba test almost certainly gives the Aussies a 1-0 lead. Optus stadium is a bit of an unknown and could favour Wood and Archer - both should be fit and firing for at least one test.

2. Moving the day night game away from Adelaide. Australia has a 100% record in pink ball tests in Adelaide. I stand to be corrected, but I think this is the first day nighter in Brisbane. Taking away Aussie favourable conditions. And giving us a chance.

 

This is in my view, a very weak Australian side, not really an obvious choice for an opener - the battling line up is average at best.

This is though, supported by an exceptional bowling line up. Even without Cummins there is so much strength in depth. 
I think England to win in Perth and in Melbourne, Sydney will be a wash out as usual. Australia to win in Brisbane- though the day night aspect does slightly alter the test. Aussies will also win in Adelaide.

2-2 - If England turn up ready to fire in Perth.

[AKCJ]

I think it'll be much closer than it has been for a long time down there but I don't think the final score will look that way. I can see it being something like 3-1 or 4-1. It will feel close without being close.

 

I think our bowlers will be fine. Providing we don't get an unfortunate run of injuries (entirely possible with the likes of Archer, Wood and Stokes) I think we'll have enough to take 100 wickets in the series.

 

My worry is what will the likes of Pope, Crawley and Bethell bring to the table and will the likes of Duckett, Root and Brooks perform like we know they can.

 

I'm not sure. I can see individual performances here and there but I don't think we'll have enough team efforts to get 2/3 wins.

Edited 3 November 2025 by AKCJ

[winteriscoming]

Comfortable victory for the Aussies. 
I think 4-1. Hope I’m wrong. 
I don’t think we’re as good as we think we are. 

[STEVIE B]

12 minutes ago, Aus Fox said:

I’ll be there in Melbourne for all 3 Day, tempted to drive to Adelaide, just don’t know how happy the Mrs. Will be with me spending 5 days on the piss in Adelaide in the week before Christmas.

A couple of mistakes I think the Aussies have made before a balls even bowled.

1. Moving the first test away from the Gabba - I don’t know exactly what the record is there, but I can’t remember Australia ever losing a test match first up at the Gabba. I think a Gabba test almost certainly gives the Aussies a 1-0 lead. Optus stadium is a bit of an unknown and could favour Wood and Archer - both should be fit and firing for at least one test.

2. Moving the day night game away from Adelaide. Australia has a 100% record in pink ball tests in Adelaide. I stand to be corrected, but I think this is the first day nighter in Brisbane. Taking away Aussie favourable conditions. And giving us a chance.

 

This is in my view, a very weak Australian side, not really an obvious choice for an opener - the battling line up is average at best.

This is though, supported by an exceptional bowling line up. Even without Cummins there is so much strength in depth. 
I think England to win in Perth and in Melbourne, Sydney will be a wash out as usual. Australia to win in Brisbane- though the day night aspect does slightly alter the test. Aussies will also win in Adelaide.

2-2 - If England turn up ready to fire in Perth.

If England are to do well, they need to use the 'Bazball' approach with brains, reading the match situation far better. As you say, the Aussie attack is exceptional, plus the bigger grounds is risky going all out attack.

 

Hopefully, England’s attack can apply enough pressure consistently enough to keep us in each game. I’d be surprised if Wood & Archer manage more than 3 Tests each, l back Carse to have a good Series. He hits the deck hard, will run in all day. 
 

Australia seem unsure of their batting line up, will Green play, Webster, who will open etc ?
 

l still pick the Aussies to win, probably 3-1. Hopefully I’m wrong, we win in Perth & kick on ! 
 

 

[Super_horns]

BBC got highlights on the IPlayer apparently.

 

Hopefully there are some!

[Lionator]

I think if Australia produced 5 roads, England would probably win the series as it would negate their greatest strength (bowling) and suit ours (batting). However if it’s anything like the India series in the summer, it’ll be 4-1 to the Aussies I reckon. We’ve relied on Duckett a lot up top and he looks in atrocious nick across all formats currently. He could turn it around of course. Pope should play at 3 but they’ll pick Bethell, which means our hopes will be pinned on how well Root and Brook do. I really hope Root has a stormer to shut the critics up. Brook? Well who knows, we know he’s a world class batter but has a bad temperament which he won’t get away with in Aus. Bowling, we just have to mix it up, pace won’t be everything, accuracy will be key, I’m not sure we have the depth in our bowling even if we have a large number of them. Aussie batting line up is arguably even weaker than the early 2010’s but we had a sensational team then to take advantage. My fear is that Smith, Marnus and Head just about do enough. 
 

 

[STEVIE B]

21 minutes ago, Lionator said:

I think if Australia produced 5 roads, England would probably win the series as it would negate their greatest strength (bowling) and suit ours (batting). However if it’s anything like the India series in the summer, it’ll be 4-1 to the Aussies I reckon. We’ve relied on Duckett a lot up top and he looks in atrocious nick across all formats currently. He could turn it around of course. Pope should play at 3 but they’ll pick Bethell, which means our hopes will be pinned on how well Root and Brook do. I really hope Root has a stormer to shut the critics up. Brook? Well who knows, we know he’s a world class batter but has a bad temperament which he won’t get away with in Aus. Bowling, we just have to mix it up, pace won’t be everything, accuracy will be key, I’m not sure we have the depth in our bowling even if we have a large number of them. Aussie batting line up is arguably even weaker than the early 2010’s but we had a sensational team then to take advantage. My fear is that Smith, Marnus and Head just about do enough. 
 

 

That’s a pretty fair assessment. 

[Ted Maul]

5 hours ago, winteriscoming said:

Comfortable victory for the Aussies. 
I think 4-1. Hope I’m wrong. 
I don’t think we’re as good as we think we are. 

Agreed. We'll get things right in one of the tests, but there will be a lot more days where we get rolled over.

 

Aus attack will be far too good for us in home conditions.

[Aus Fox]

Hazlewood ruled out of Perth test - I can’t help but think no Cummins or Hazlewood, could make us slight favourites- especially if Wood comes up good.

[Tommy Fresh]

Neser getting called up over O'Neill is a shite decision by them, still think Starc, Boland and Doggett will cause issues, but we won't get a better chance to get something from an opening test, need to take advantage 

Edited 15 November 2025 by Tommy Fresh