The Ashes Winter 2017/18 Thread

Legionreturns

Too many top order players getting starts and then failing. I watched until Cook was out last night. The first 3 wickets were all shots that didn't need to be played. Stoneman and Vince both going after deliveries missing the stumps by miles and Cook playing across the line on a straight one. All three looked comfortable, in and well set. Very frustrating.

Pitch looks good for batting, should be taking 450+ but it won't be. We'll be all out by lunchtime tomorrow and on the back foot. 

Two spinners will be carted around for a day and a half. 4-0

scrumhalf

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

VimFuego

I think, unike the black knight from Holy Grail, it's time to say they've won this one. This is no flesh wound

scrumhalf

VimFuego said:

I think, unike the black knight from Holy Grail, it's time to say they've won this one. This is no flesh wound

But if we win a meaningless batch of ODIs then there are many in the upper echelons of the game who will see that as a success.

Heartfeltdawn

And if we win the next World Cup, it will make those upper echelons feel they were correct to push the limited overs game forward at the expense of first class and Test cricket.

just wait until the 10over shit starts getting popular. It’s like watching fast5 netball. 

Legionreturns

Woeful. This is the final word from me. Too depressing. 

RandallFlagg

Please close this thread and put it out of it’s misery. 

Stupid little urn anyway let let the Fosters swigging fools keep it. C’mon the summer!

crunchman

For all the doom and gloom, I have to say James Anderson deserves some praise.  Only went for 56 runs off of 34 overs, and was bowling at 87mph with the third new ball.

scrumhalf

Just heard on the news that Root's in hospital with dehydration, the shits and other symptoms of the effects of too much heat.

We need to play the Ashes in May and freeze the Aussies to defeat.

shrinkwrap

scrumhalf said:
We need to play the Ashes in May and freeze the Aussies to defeat.

May?  January/ February might do it - fun for all the family - bowling on ice.
Even if Stokes had been involved I don't think it would have changed the result by ore than one game.
Ho hum..
(If  I can still say Ho hum without being misunderstood)

crunchman

Stokes would have made a difference.  Overton and Curran look to have good character, but their bowling isn't nearly as penetrating.  He's a brilliant fielder as well.  It's his batting that could have changed things though.  He might be the second best batsmen we have.  Australia have their weaknesses - like a 4 man bowling attack - but we didn't bat long enough to wear them down.

We would probably have lost anyway.  Stokes would have had to had a monumental series (Botham 81 kind of thing) for us to have won, but we will never know how much difference he would have made.