The Ashes.

[only1billybonds]

Just been announced that Josh Hazlewood will miss the first test due to start in Perth next Friday. This is a big blow to the Australians as they will already be without their captain and no.1 pace bowler Pat Cummins.

Englands preparations for the tour has been questioned by many as they have opted to play no warm up games aside from a one off against the English lions. 

Many are saying that its crucial that we get of to a good start in Perth which basically means we cant afford to lose seeing as the 2nd test in Brisbane is a day/night game ( fucking ridiculous) where the Aussies are strongly fancied.

Looking forward to this now but really unsure of how it will play out, I guess I'd still make them slight favourites due to home advantage. Going to be a few all nighters in the coming weeks for me, let's hope it'll be worth it.

[stubbo-admin]

Standard England of late and under the guy in charge of this team. Reckless batting, with no focus on building a score. 

Full of bombast, but looks like utter cunts when it fails in the face of a team that play proper test cricket. The Aussies in this game are going to make us look totally embarrassing....100 learning a low scoring game and you only set 200 to chase on a SECOND day pitch.

England deserve the absolute pasting they'll get here.

It's the 'Angeball' of cricket. Looks good against minnows but gets completely undone against a proper side.

[twoleftfeet]

Wood - not fit enough.
Crawley - not good enough.

[onsideman]

31 wickets have now fallen within two days play. Awful shocker of a wicket.

Highlight which of those 31 wickets was solely down to the pitch and then we can have a proper grown up conversation. I won't hold my breath

[Massive Attack]

It would have to take heroic bowling again from Stokes to give us any hope now. 

[goose]

Pathetic from England.

[Come On You Irons]

This has been a shocking performance by England. And 31 wickets have now fallen within two days play. Awful shocker of a wicket.

[onsideman]

Some proper batting at the start here for the convicts proving there's nothing wrong with the wicket, just with the techniques





 

[Fauxstralian]

I suspect the list of teams where someone has chased the highest score in the match in the 4th innings is relatively short but least Australia have given themselves some sort of chance

Joe Root closing on that century in Australia
Only 92 more needed with possibly 8 more innings 

[stubbo-admin]

2.5 day test. No one getting over 200. England's innings both times done in less than half a day.

Not exactly a great advert for the format or the quality of the pugilists on show...Root wont be breaking his century duck in Oz in those kind of circumstances.

[Massive Attack]

I don't think the convicts deserve to win it either after their display on home soil. Our bowling has looked in great nick if not our batting which I'd cut them a bit of slack considering it's the opening test out there with so much pressure to perform with some Ashes debuts. Just concentrate on nailing the bowling again then we should be able to manage this.

[only1billybonds]

Well at least we have a target to defend but we should never be in this position. If we somehow win this, it'll be the most undeserved get out of jail card in test history.

[Massive Attack]

He's been brilliant old Starc but that was a very costly over of 16 including 2 6s. And in the context of the rest of the test that's a timely decent 50 partnership by Atkinson/Carse judt when we needed it most. Gritty performance by them. 200 runs up, now for Archer.

[Takashi Miike]

golden tale, minge starc getting bashed 

[Massive Attack]

Based on the evidence that weren't out. Over 5 ficking minutes to decide on something so inconclusive. Barmy Army are losing their shit. These 2 have got to start swinging now..

[Massive Attack]

Come on Smithy son, keep plugging away with hopefully a bit of support from both Atkinson and Carse. Every run matters on this wicket where both teams have struggled to get to grips with it. We're capable of skittling them out again just as long as we can rack up some more runs. 

[only1billybonds]

Some of the shot selection defies description. Immature, irresponsible, reckless? Who knows but with 3 and a half days ( at the time) to go and a lead of 100 for the loss of 1 wicket., to be where we are right now is unforgivable!

[onsideman]

Yep, you're right, especially when they'll also likely be facing Cummins and Hazelwood going forward

[only1billybonds]

England throwing this away now. Got the lead of 100 for the loss of just Crawley, now 76-5, 116 in front. In fairness to Crawley, he went for a spectacular c&b by Starc but that aside, the wickets have been taken against shots that didn't need playing. Smith and Stokes really have to dig in now, to lose this after being in such a healthy position could fuck them mentally for the rest of the tour.

[onsideman]

65-1 to 76-5 is just rank bad batting

[onsideman]

17 wickets shouldn't be falling on the first day of a test wicket. It's clearly a joke of a pitch. Counties would be fined and docked points for preparing such shocker. Let's hope the chests are too.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 9n40wyzvxo

Moron

[twoleftfeet]

I despair.

[BRANDED]

Pretty rubbish test cricket but if you like the Hundred fucking boring day’s cricket.

lets hoe tomorrow is more exciting
 

[stubbo-admin]

Would be a bad time to have flown half way around the world with a Day 4 ticket!

[Eerie Decent]

I'm with the geographical orphan Sven.

Love a spicy pitch, proper exciting to watch, however, they had 1 top bowler, so we should be doing so much better with the bat. Crawley has to be the luckiest Test batsman in history.

Our bowlers have put down an early marker, the cheater Smith is obviously top drawer but he looked like a rabbit in headlights, very strange.

Let's hope the series carries on in this fashion, will be sensational. 

[Come On You Irons]

17 wickets shouldn't be falling on the first day of a test wicket. It's clearly a joke of a pitch. Counties would be fined and docked points for preparing such shocker. Let's hope the chests are too.