Ashes 2019

[Finsbury Girl]

An absolute beast at the moment is Smudge.

Great to see it was also one of those days for Starc with the bat. When he is in that groove he is deadly. Would love to see him get that elusive ton.

 

[Tex]

Maybe I'm inviting disaster but one of my favourite activities after a day like yesterday is trawling the comment sections of the Guardian to watch the English fans reverting to their customary moaning and groaning.

Who knows, maybe the pitch is a road and they'll post something useful, but if they go cheaply or god forbid, follow on, then I'll be all over it like a rash.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't even know where to start with Smithy. What a machine.

 

[Lindommer]

Drove from Brisbane to Newcastle yesterday afternoon and evening with the cricket on the radio. Utter bliss!

 

[Finsbury Girl]

How much more can we say about Smudge & Pat? Both numero uno for a reason.

Good to Starc in the wickets how good was that ball to Bairstow? Absolute Jaffa.

I hope we clean up early tonight.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

A couple of early wickets and the nerves should settle after the last test. I'm still dark we lost that game. The ball is still new and hopefully Roy and Denly play all around it and get their stumps knocked over.

 

[Up the Guts]

Tail not so much of an issue now that Starc is there. Get one of Roy or Denly out in the first half hour and there could be havoc before lunch.

 

[Sully]

Stokes comes up a notch in my estimations after walking on a close one. 4-74 now.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah, big ups to him. Haven't seen the hot spot or snicko footage: did he hit it?

 

[Spruce Moose]

He hit it but it wasn't clear cut on the ultra edge and replay so third umpire probably would have stuck with the decision of the on field ump.

Great win, really buried the demons from Headingly. Our bowling has won us back the urn and they never gave England an inch today. Paine looked to have learned from his mistakes and didn't show any signs of panic as the overs ran low. Thought he was really good with changing to bowlers to the tail enders to ensure they never got comfortable, bowling Labaschange proved inspired.

Assume that Cummins will get a well earnt rest for the Oval and likely to see either Warner or Harris out of the XI. Potentially think we will see Marsh as well.

 

[Lindommer]

Marsh? Please God, no.

 

[Up the Guts]

Probably the greatest result this millennium. Very happy today.

 

[Tex]

I'm not going to outwardly gloat, even to the three Poms in the office, but I will treat myself to an extra serve of schadenfreude and read the English cricket blogs for the full dose of moaning and groaning.

Stokes walking was strange. I mean, snicko showed the merest feather of a touch which he would rightly have chanced his arm against, particularly given the context of the game. Huge respect to him regardless.

 

[barbarian]

I'll tip my hat to BR, I didn't rate Labuschagne's bowling at all but the ball to Leach was a jaffer.

Great to get the job done. I think another England escape would have done us real psychological damage.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Nice to be acknowledged Barbs. Now we just need to find an opening pair and a successful No 3 and move Marnus back to 5 or 6 where he can develop and prosper as a true all rounder. Can't wait to see Patterson returned to the batting lineup too.

EDIT : This really was one of the weaker batting lineups sent to England. The successful retention of the Ashes is all down to Smith and the fast bowlers.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

WOO HOO

EDIT: Burns to come in for summer please.

Warner in last chance saloon surely.

 

[John S]

WOO HOO

EDIT: Burns to come in for summer please.

Warner in last chance saloon surely.

Yeah, how many chances can a guy have? He must be banking on the Marsh Brothers' good run of selection as a precedent.

 

[barbarian]

21 test centuries buys you a fair few chances. He's on thin ice, but I can't see them dropping him anytime soon.

 

[John S]

True. The break didn't do his test cricket as good as it did Smith. Warner did better in the limited overs, and Smith the tests. Maybe he's becoming more of a limited overs specialist?

 

[Up the Guts]

I think part of it is that he's just Broad's bunny at the moment. Warne and McGrath had plenty of good players they'd get out for fun and Ponting always struggled against Harbhajan. He's a good player, I expect he'll get a score this summer and be right as rain.