The Ashes 25/26

[purpleronnie]

12 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

Not a great video knocking around on twitter of Duckett absolutely a***holed in Noosa  

Adds to the 'it's just a paid holiday' 

[leicsmac]

27 minutes ago, purpleronnie said:

Adds to the 'it's just a paid holiday' 

Particularly when Duckett has grossly underperformed on this tour so far.

[RowlattsFox]

No problem with players relaxing on tour, no matter what the results are but use a bit of common sense FFS. 

[Lionator]

The drinking culture in cricket is really messed up isn’t it? As someone who has played rugby, cricket and football, I’d say cricket has by far the worst relationship with alcohol at the grass roots level. I’ve played with lads who have got pints on the go as they wait to bat, playing with hangovers then getting absolutely wasted as soon as the game is done. Even in rugby (the one with the worst reputation), most of the stuff genuinely only goes on for a couple of hours in the clubhouse post game.

 

I cannot see a reason why pro’s like this have to get smashed and why people need to justify it. It’s unprofessional and will have a detrimental impact on performance, even in both teams are doing it. Alcohol affects sleep, recovery etc. If they’re drinking because they’re stressed then perhaps the sport needs to start looking at the reasons why players are stressed. 

[Super_horns]

We definitely were too complacent and just expected to turn up and win .

[Corky]

Probably an overblown story but when you, naively or arrogantly, give the impression results aren't the most important thing you leave yourself open to it.

 

 

[STEVIE B]

31 minutes ago, Corky said:

Probably an overblown story but when you, naively or arrogantly, give the impression results aren't the most important thing you leave yourself open to it.

 

 

Definitely, the optics really are not good. Some England followers would've spent big bucks (l know a couple of lads out there now). Be interesting to know what some of them think. 

[Voll Blau]

In fairness to Duckett, the guy's chat is horrendous.

 

Just the kind of story you knew was on the way at some point in this tour...

[Super_horns]

1 hour ago, STEVIE B said:

Definitely, the optics really are not good. Some England followers would've spent big bucks (l know a couple of lads out there now). Be interesting to know what some of them think. 

 

22 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

In fairness to Duckett, the guy's chat is horrendous.

 

Just the kind of story you knew was on the way at some point in this tour...

The sort that comes out when you’re been well beaten too .

[Aleksz]

30 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

In fairness to Duckett, the guy's chat is horrendous.

 

Just the kind of story you knew was on the way at some point in this tour...

I dunno “can I get you an uber to the nets” tickled me a little 

[AjcW]

England cricket team big on boozy socialising refuses to pick two Muslim spinners (one of whom has just had his best first class batting season too) all tour… who’d have thunk it! 

[leicsmac]

51 minutes ago, AjcW said:

England cricket team big on boozy socialising refuses to pick two Muslim spinners (one of whom has just had his best first class batting season too) all tour… who’d have thunk it! 

Know what you mean, but do/did we really want Rehan to be thrown into the Aussie bear pit practically first-up Test wise?

 

That could end horribly. 

[AjcW]

23 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Know what you mean, but do/did we really want Rehan to be thrown into the Aussie bear pit practically first-up Test wise?

 

That could end horribly. 

It certainly could have. Perhaps someone who has batted well all season and wasn’t that familiar with bazz ball might have done a good job at 3 though? 

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, AjcW said:

It certainly could have. Perhaps someone who has batted well all season and wasn’t that familiar with bazz ball might have done a good job at 3 though? 

Perhaps, but I also think it's a hell of a gamble to be taking with pretty much the rest of his Test career (if it all goes Kerrigan). There will be other Ashes series for him, I'm sure. 

[trabuch]

Key should go. And so should McCullem. That's pretty much all I've got to say on the matter.

[Lcfc-1992]

Pope finally dropped

[lanefox]

The little shit in at 3

[goose2010]

Going to miss Archer but guess it doesn't really matter 

[Super_horns]

2 hours ago, goose2010 said:

Going to miss Archer but guess it doesn't really matter 

Is he really injured or are they “resting him” to prevent long term issues ?

 

Bethell in for Pope unsurprisingly.

[coolhandfox]

Acher injury poor management again, shouldn't have played 3 test in a row with big workloads.

 

2 years they have had to plan for this tour.

[RonnieTodger]

Give Potts a game ffs

[Lionator]

Imagine being such a mess that we’re putting a man in at 3 who doesn’t have a first class hundred and everyone’s like “that’s an upgrade” 🤣

 

also out of 15, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon will have played a combination of two games between them and we’ve still already lost. If you’d have said that would be their availability before the series, we’d have been bookies favourites 

[RowlattsFox]

Listened to Rob Key speaking to Hussain and Atherton and to be fair I don't disagree with a lot of what he says. I would agree its poor execution rather than wrong teams (give or take) and if this side played near their best then we'd be far more competitive, obviously, but they haven't.

 

Should've had a better preparation but I don't think Aussies make that easy in terms of giving them competitive games. Our county system roles over and lets Smith, Labuchange etc play a few rounds. Sheffield Shield only being 6 teams doesn't allow that, matter of time before another debate and comparisons with that and our county game 

 

Key mentioned that Brook will be at home for 6 days throughout the whole winter, I know they are treated well but it's still tough being away from home so I have no problem with the Noosa trip or the odd round of golf, but you to behave well. 

 

I'd give Key/McCullum to the next home Ashes, see if they've learnt anything from this tour. We can't carry a spinner that doesn't bat, so hopefully Rehan follows up last season with a good year in division 1. 

 

Feel a bit of Bethell in that the sense that it's not really his fault he has so little cricket, important year for him. Probably has to sack off the IPL to start the county season to see if he can nail down a place. 

[Aleksz]

3 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

Acher injury poor management again, shouldn't have played 3 test in a row with big workloads.

 

2 years they have had to plan for this tour.

They've not really had the option lets be honest its been shit or bust for the first 3. Lots you can level at the hierarchy but I don't think that's one of them. 

[Corky]

Is Bethell worth the hype?