RugbyRebels

It will be an entertaining day - Aus going at a lick.
Smith could do anything - hopefully he'll run out of partners.

Sledge sisters now together at the crease! ..fun in the offing.
** u/d: Smith's a busted flush - can't even get 50 !
4 gone and victory today beckons.
Broad keeps up his fine summer's form.

Smith and Smith II both out - The win is ours now; it's just a matter of time. I just don't see the aussies batting through 1.5 days without any of their top 4

Wade is giving it a bloody good go though.

161 runs required suddenly doesn't sound like a lot

Need one or two wickets before close and that should ease things.

Hmm all I had to do was ask!

Cheers.

Can we have another one please?

So a drawn series.
On balance, looking at the 2 sides, I reckon thats a pretty fair result. Very good effort from England to come back to win the 5th test, but Paine's decision to bowl first gave us a big advantage.
The series has been absorbing, featuring some outstanding individual moments. There's also been plenty of thoroughly mediocre play (mostly with the bat) which has made things interesting.
Decisions to make on personnel over the winter. We've got to identify our top 6 and bed them in.

To win 2 of the last 3 after earlier disappointments
( Smith & weather ) was a good return.Series draw probably fair but Paine let his heart rule his head by letting Eng bat first at this ground.
Root is nudging on as new skip though not entirely convincing. Stokes, Archer, Burns, Curran, Denley pluses.
Broad's fitness & form plus Leach contributions welcome.
Good chance to rest a few senior players in the winter and blood a few young'ns eh.

It was an Ashes dominated by Smith, some excellent bowling spells from both teams and the occasional bit of individual brilliance. It was outstanding to watch. Smith was immense. I mean just wow. His ability to see the ball is something else. He may not be pretty to watch, but his runs were the difference. What an average too! His contribution to Australia is even more amazing when you consider he missed a test and played whilst concussed.

Moment of the series for me was Stokes' innings at Headlingley. Don't think I'll ever forget that display.

Some of the catches in this series, and the world cup too were sensational!

Archer V Wade today was excellent too.

Winning the final test was richly deserved, but it owed a lot to Paine's decision to put us in after winning the toss. Tbh, I think both captains let their teams down during the series, but I suppose both will be reasonably happy with the outcome. The Aussies under Paine retained the Ashes and England, whilst we didn't win the Urn back, we didn't lose the series and won the final two tests under some pressure too.

Meanwhile, Sky bin Gower and Botham.

And only 20 years late

Digby wrote:And only 20 years late

You young uns have no heart!

They were paid eye watering money. Digger was ok, Beefy never really had a sell by date to pass.

Gower was fine. Botham has been a lumbering bore for years and is no great loss.

England did well enough to draw the series. Can't help but think the overall result papers over some of the cracks though.

Both batting line ups bar a handful of guys were poor (Warner historically so) and both need to have a think about how they improve that area.

For England, their bowling overall was very good. If they can get Anderson, Wood and Stone fit have a good few options for the winter but with Anderson and Broads looming retirements (surely both wont make the next ashes?) they need another one or two to come through at county level.

England can't go into NZ with the same batting line up but I fear the selectors will.

Big D wrote:England did well enough to draw the series. Can't help but think the overall result papers over some of the cracks though.

Both batting line ups bar a handful of guys were poor (Warner historically so) and both need to have a think about how they improve that area.

For England, their bowling overall was very good. If they can get Anderson, Wood and Stone fit have a good few options for the winter but with Anderson and Broads looming retirements (surely both wont make the next ashes?) they need another one or two to come through at county level.

England can't go into NZ with the same batting line up but I fear the selectors will.

IMO they have to make their minds up about Buttler/Bairstow/Foakes. Personally, I'd only play Buttler as wkt/batsman at 7, and have him try and emulate Gilchrist in a lesser version. I think Root should be batting at 5 and Stokes at 6.

Burns, Denly (stop gap), Sibley, Pope, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Curran, Leach, Archer, Broad/Anderson/Wood/Stone. Denly/Sibley/Pope doesn't fill me full of hope, but hey....

Banquo wrote:

Digby wrote:And only 20 years late

You young uns have no heart!

They were paid eye watering money. Digger was ok, Beefy never really had a sell by date to pass.

As with football and rugby the TV stations want famous ex-players, and don't seem fussed if they have any knowledge that'd be useful to impart or communicative skills. I do like Holding, beyond that both Dermot Reeve and Simon Hughes do some interesting work. Though I appreciate many want to hear the likes of Botham and Gower prattle on, and aren't interested in the field settings, why certain hand grips work for certain conditions, what's going right/wrong for a bowler's angle of approach to the crease...

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Digby wrote:And only 20 years late

You young uns have no heart!

They were paid eye watering money. Digger was ok, Beefy never really had a sell by date to pass.

As with football and rugby the TV stations want famous ex-players, and don't seem fussed if they have any knowledge that'd be useful to impart or communicative skills. I do like Holding, beyond that both Dermot Reeve and Simon Hughes do some interesting work. Though I appreciate many want to hear the likes of Botham and Gower prattle on, and aren't interested in the field settings, why certain hand grips work for certain conditions, what's going right/wrong for a bowler's angle of approach to the crease...

Agreed on the ex players point, same also applies sometimes to ex players being parachuted into coaching. The Aussie pundits are usually the most interesting on technical aspects- Warne and Pontings masterclases we’re indeed um masterclasses. Sangakarra also excellent.
Gower was a good host and summariser and provided some insight; Beefy was pretty pants it’s true. It is good to have some character on the team though, as it’s not all about the technical aspects, interesting as they are to some.

Blimey, just seen the story the Sun have seen fit to publish about Ben Stokes and his family. No idea how they set about that invasion of privacy in the name of journalism. Like Trump it's that weird mix of shocking, but also not shocking given how low they've stooped before

Digby wrote:Blimey, just seen the story the Sun have seen fit to publish about Ben Stokes and his family. No idea how they set about that invasion of privacy in the name of journalism. Like Trump it's that weird mix of shocking, but also not shocking given how low they've stooped before

Absolutely disgusting. He should sue the fuck out of them.

See what I mean about press being out of control in the UK?

I don't have a sense of the press outside the UK being reasonable.

Banquo wrote:

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote: You young uns have no heart!

They were paid eye watering money. Digger was ok, Beefy never really had a sell by date to pass.

As with football and rugby the TV stations want famous ex-players, and don't seem fussed if they have any knowledge that'd be useful to impart or communicative skills. I do like Holding, beyond that both Dermot Reeve and Simon Hughes do some interesting work. Though I appreciate many want to hear the likes of Botham and Gower prattle on, and aren't interested in the field settings, why certain hand grips work for certain conditions, what's going right/wrong for a bowler's angle of approach to the crease...

Agreed on the ex players point, same also applies sometimes to ex players being parachuted into coaching. The Aussie pundits are usually the most interesting on technical aspects- Warne and Pontings masterclases we’re indeed um masterclasses. Sangakarra also excellent.
Gower was a good host and summariser and provided some insight; Beefy was pretty pants it’s true. It is good to have some character on the team though, as it’s not all about the technical aspects, interesting as they are to some.

I think with Gower and Botham they were carry overs from the "olden days" when the cricket was on the Beeb, as with any sport the analysis side is becoming more important and the newer commentators are passing the older guys. In a way it is a bit like a county releasing the older players because the new guys are coming through with a wider range of shots.

Stom wrote:

Digby wrote:Blimey, just seen the story the Sun have seen fit to publish about Ben Stokes and his family. No idea how they set about that invasion of privacy in the name of journalism. Like Trump it's that weird mix of shocking, but also not shocking given how low they've stooped before

Absolutely disgusting. He should sue the fuck out of them.

See what I mean about press being out of control in the UK?

It is pathetic journalism but not sure he can sue sadly.

I wonder what John Ethridge has made of this. He seems a respected cricket journo and has been stitched up a bit here by his employers ahead of winter tours where he may want to interview the current golden boy of English cricket.

Shocking 'journalism'. It's not in the public interest at all, plus the way they have treated Gareth Thomas is absolutely shocking.

I hope the scrum behind the stories, editors too, lose their fucking jobs. This isn't about stories that can be explained as a poor judgement call, they're utter crass and lacking in any human decency.

I get that celebrities and famous people are in the public eye, but that shouldn't mean every aspect of their lives should be broadcast to the world.

Fuck the Sun. They've always been cunts.

Archer, Burns & Denley now in the big tent.
Moeen white-balled.Plunkett maybe unlucky to lose his deal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49766373

Galfon wrote:Archer, Burns & Denley now in the big tent.
Moeen white-balled.Plunkett maybe unlucky to lose his deal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49766373

At 34 Plunkett may have expected it.

Galfon wrote:Archer, Burns & Denley now in the big tent.
Moeen white-balled.Plunkett maybe unlucky to lose his deal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49766373

denly only has a one day contract, quite rightly.