The Ashes 25/26

[kenny]

5 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Haha.

 

It's the hope that kills you. Useless twats might as well fly home now.

I read this thread in unread post order. You can see the misery growing post by post.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

100%

 

I think Brendon McCullum is on thin ice as well.

 

The two of them have bred an England team with an horrible attitude and their arrogance is being laughed at by the whole planet.

 It worked in terms of results for a while.

 

However, it has been shown to categorically not work in the toughest of places against the toughest of opposition. 

[leicsmac]

Also, pardon me for not entirely getting on the reactionary misery bandwagon here, but as the stats clearly show, Oz is really not an easy place to tour, no matter who you are. 

 

That being said, the manner and attitude of the defeats, rather than the defeats themselves, is worrying. 

[AKCJ]

6 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

 It worked in terms of results for a while.

 

However, it has been shown to categorically not work in the toughest of places against the toughest of opposition. 

Basil D'Oliveira Trophy (South Africa in England), 2022	2022	England	2-1 (3)
England in Pakistan Test Series, 2022/23	2022/23	England	3-0 (3)
England in New Zealand Test Series, 2022/23	2022/23	drawn	1-1 (2)
Ireland in England Test Match, 2023	2023	England	1-0 (1)
The Ashes (Australia in England), 2023	2023	drawn	2-2 (5)
Anthony de Mello Trophy (England in India), 2023/24	2023/24	India	4-1 (5)
Botham-Richards Trophy (West Indies in England), 2024	2024	England	3-0 (3)
Sri Lanka in England Test Series, 2024	2024	England	2-1 (3)
England in Pakistan Test Series, 2024/25	2024/25	Pakistan	2-1 (3)
Crowe-Thorpe Trophy (England in New Zealand), 2024/25	2024/25	England	2-1 (3)
Zimbabwe in England Test Match, 2025	2025	England	1-0 (1)
Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy (India in England), 2025	2025	drawn	2-2 (5)

 

0 series wins in a 5 test series.

 

 

[Aleksz]

Crap again. That pitch was nowhere near as much of a batting paradise as our media/pundits banged on about in the 24 hour lead up to those sessions btw. 

[Tommy Fresh]

21 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Also, pardon me for not entirely getting on the reactionary misery bandwagon here, but as the stats clearly show, Oz is really not an easy place to tour, no matter who you are. 

 

That being said, the manner and attitude of the defeats, rather than the defeats themselves, is worrying. 

Doesn't help though, when you've got a bloke emphasising for the past few years that they are only really interested in pace whilst working towards this series, ignoring the fact that lads like Sam Cook are probably more suited to Australian conditions now then lads just banging it in.

[RowlattsFox]

I think Stokes is starting to look like a man who is regretting some choices. And the toll it's taken on him, he's not going to last the 5 matches.

 

Big difference is the consistency of bowlers, rare bad balls and don't give any momentum, and this batting line up needs momentum. 

 

There was hope this time, but like many before them, they've proven not to be good enough. Winning is one thing, but barely even been competitive. 

[leicsmac]

23 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

Basil D'Oliveira Trophy (South Africa in England), 2022	2022	England	2-1 (3)
England in Pakistan Test Series, 2022/23	2022/23	England	3-0 (3)
England in New Zealand Test Series, 2022/23	2022/23	drawn	1-1 (2)
Ireland in England Test Match, 2023	2023	England	1-0 (1)
The Ashes (Australia in England), 2023	2023	drawn	2-2 (5)
Anthony de Mello Trophy (England in India), 2023/24	2023/24	India	4-1 (5)
Botham-Richards Trophy (West Indies in England), 2024	2024	England	3-0 (3)
Sri Lanka in England Test Series, 2024	2024	England	2-1 (3)
England in Pakistan Test Series, 2024/25	2024/25	Pakistan	2-1 (3)
Crowe-Thorpe Trophy (England in New Zealand), 2024/25	2024/25	England	2-1 (3)
Zimbabwe in England Test Match, 2025	2025	England	1-0 (1)
Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy (India in England), 2025	2025	drawn	2-2 (5)

 

0 series wins in a 5 test series.

 

 

And zero series losses at home and two (likely soon to be three) away in 13.

 

Given how they've played here I can understand why people are giving pelters, though. 

 

9 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Doesn't help though, when you've got a bloke emphasising for the past few years that they are only really interested in pace whilst working towards this series, ignoring the fact that lads like Sam Cook are probably more suited to Australian conditions now then lads just banging it in.

Can't disagree at all with that, there's clearly been a costly miscalculation and whatever they've trained for our done leading up to this series isn't working in practice. 

Edited 18 December 2025 by leicsmac

[AKCJ]

Just now, leicsmac said:

And zero series losses at home and two (likely soon to be three) away in 13.

 

Given how they've played here I can understand why people are giving pesters, though. 

The ECB will always be judged on results against India and Australia. 

[leicsmac]

I guess all of this also just goes to show how good - both in terms of talent and mentality - the England team of 2009-2012 was. 

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

The ECB will always be judged on results against India and Australia. 

At the risk of asking a rhetorical question, I have to ask; why?

 

I'm only guessing here, but perhaps it's because there is the expectation that the England cricket team should always be up there with the best despite competing with football, rugby and a fair few other sports in terms of talent input and output?

[StanSP]

36 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

Crap again. That pitch was nowhere near as much of a batting paradise as our media/pundits banged on about in the 24 hour lead up to those sessions btw. 

It was definitely good enough to bat sensibly on though and carve out an innings to challenge the Aus score.

[RowlattsFox]

As good a player as Root is, he does get out playing nothing shots some times. Brook got a good one when he's set, can't blame I don't think this time. Poor shots from Pope and Smith again. 

[AKCJ]

4 minutes ago, StanSP said:

It was definitely good enough to bat sensibly on though and carve out an innings to challenge the Aus score.

It's a 400 run pitch. No two ways about it.

 

Australia will be 400-450 runs ahead by stumps tomorrow and Lyon will bowl us out on Sunday.

 

It's so predictable. 

[AKCJ]

4 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

As good a player as Root is, he does get out playing nothing shots some times. Brook got a good one when he's set, can't blame I don't think this time. Poor shots from Pope and Smith again. 

Cummins has Root's number for sure.

 

He's the only bowler i've seen get in his head consistently.

[STEVIE B]

52 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

Basil D'Oliveira Trophy (South Africa in England), 2022	2022	England	2-1 (3)
England in Pakistan Test Series, 2022/23	2022/23	England	3-0 (3)
England in New Zealand Test Series, 2022/23	2022/23	drawn	1-1 (2)
Ireland in England Test Match, 2023	2023	England	1-0 (1)
The Ashes (Australia in England), 2023	2023	drawn	2-2 (5)
Anthony de Mello Trophy (England in India), 2023/24	2023/24	India	4-1 (5)
Botham-Richards Trophy (West Indies in England), 2024	2024	England	3-0 (3)
Sri Lanka in England Test Series, 2024	2024	England	2-1 (3)
England in Pakistan Test Series, 2024/25	2024/25	Pakistan	2-1 (3)
Crowe-Thorpe Trophy (England in New Zealand), 2024/25	2024/25	England	2-1 (3)
Zimbabwe in England Test Match, 2025	2025	England	1-0 (1)
Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy (India in England), 2025	2025	drawn	2-2 (5)

 

0 series wins in a 5 test series.

 

 

Winning Test series abroad is difficult. However, when England lose, it’s a capitulation.

We rarely lose a close series in India or Australia, we get hammered. We can’t seem to cope on pitches that have a bit of pace/bounce (Australia), or Indian tracks that turn.

Our record in the Caribbean isn’t great either & they aren’t a good side at all ! 

[STEVIE B]

58 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

Crap again. That pitch was nowhere near as much of a batting paradise as our media/pundits banged on about in the 24 hour lead up to those sessions btw. 

As soon as Swann said England will score 600 & win, l knew we were done for. 
This arrogance that we have is like poison. The opposition love it. They feed off it. 

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, STEVIE B said:

As soon as Swann said England will score 600 & win, l knew we were done for. 
This arrogance that we have is like poison. The opposition love it. They feed off it. 

The Aussies have arrogance running through their every body cell when it comes to cricket. 

 

The key matter is having the results to back it up. They, most often, do. 

[CosbehFox]

The thing what pisses me off is the bubble which surrounds these players. 

 

I listened on 5LIve Monday night to the claims of the capabilities of these players. They simply don't have it. They don't have the application or grit (probably three players what pass this). 

 

Alongside that the whole shift by ECB to whore themselves out to the white ball versions of the game are coming to roost. 

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

At the risk of asking a rhetorical question, I have to ask; why?

 

I'm only guessing here, but perhaps it's because there is the expectation that the England cricket team should always be up there with the best despite competing with football, rugby and a fair few other sports in terms of talent input and output?

 

The English press expect England to challenge for the top prizes in all of their traditional sports. 

 

In fairness, it's not exactly unrealistic in cricket, is it? 

 

Sure India and Australia have more participants and probably invest more in to their development but you still measure your success against those, don't you? What do you want to do, pat yourself on the back for beating up the Windies or Bangladesh? 

 

[leicsmac]

6 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

The English press expect England to challenge for the top prizes in all of their traditional sports. 

 

In fairness, it's not exactly unrealistic in cricket, is it? 

 

Sure India and Australia have more participants and probably invest more in to their development but you still measure your success against those, don't you? What do you want to do, pat yourself on the back for beating up the Windies or Bangladesh? 

 

Honestly, I think the only nation that really punches above its weight in that regard is the Saffers. 

 

I would expect England to take on all comers at home and all away with the exception of India and Aus, but I would merely hope, rather than expect,  they would be able to challenge in India or Aus, because history shows quite clearly just how difficult it is for any touring team to deliver in either. 

 

And I think that is about where England are right now. 

Edited 18 December 2025 by leicsmac

[CosbehFox]

To give you an idea on application, Stokes has faced 373 balls in this series. More than anyone else within the series. 

 

As a result, Stokes has faced 21.6% of the deliveries bowled at England for the entire series. Add Root to that and that's 38.4% of the same stat. 

 

Them pair plus Archer are the only three looked anywhere near capable of playing in an Ashes series. 

[CosbehFox]

4 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Honestly, I think the only nation that really punches above its weight in that regard is the Saffers. 

 

I would expect England to take on all comers at home and all away with the exception of India and Aus, but I would merely hope, rather than expect,  they would be able to challenge in India or Aus, because history shows quite clearly just how difficult it is for any touring team to deliver in either. 

 

And I think that is about where England are right now. 

The annoying thing is that the likes of West Indies have managed to win a test match and be more competitive than this in recent memory 

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, CosbehFox said:

The annoying thing is that the likes of West Indies have managed to win a test match and be more competitive than this in recent memory 

I think that someone else mentioned that the England losses in India and Oz tend to be blowouts rather than in any way close, which is true and concerning in its own way. 

[trabuch]

2 hours ago, Tommy Fresh said:

With how much emphasis Key has put on preparing for this series, he's surely the nailed on to go. (Alrhough this is the ECB so probably not)

I'm sure they'll somehow blame county cricket.