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]

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.

[Lee Trundle]

Surrey and WHU.  Can't get any better.

[violator]

Somerset would have had a visit from the pitch nazis and a points deduction....not that i'm wearing a foil hat or anything...

[Fauxstralian]

Isn’t this what a Test wicket should be?
Some pace & movement on the first day for the fast bowlers
Flattens a bit on day 2 & 3 while quickening up so good players can score rapidly 
Starts to wear on days 4 & 5 so the spinners have something to work with

All facets of the game involved
Just requires some technique & patience on day 1
Lacking on both sides which means barring catastrophic weather (hello Sydney) there will be 5 results 

[Swiss.]

I'm not sure the wicket was fixed as such . If anything its back to a typical Perth wicket. Quick and bouncy. For sure it nullifies bazball. 

Imagine if the Aussies had Cummins and Hazelwood in their line up. Would we have even made 174. 

[only1billybonds]

A lead of almost 50 going into 2nd innings could be crucial in the context of a low scoring game.

[fraser]

Archer and Atkinson laid the groundwork with their superb opening spell. 

[Fauxstralian]

Haven’t seen it but presume it’s a pitch with some pace , bounce & movement which coupled with some good bowlers exposes the t20 technique of a lot of modern players
Usually Perth speeds up but is less helpful so Day 3 is best for batting … if we get that far
Dont think it’s that hot so wicket won’t crack late on …. Though that’s even less likely to be an issue
A one innings match with a 50 run lead/deficit

[Massive Attack]

Archer deserves a special mention as well as Stokes with 4 maidens 2 wickets and just 11 runs off his bowling. 

[Far Cough UKunt]

Can we make them follow on? *




*Joke*

[Come On You Irons]

Hardly. It's a shocker of a wicket. Awful for a test match. Will likely be over within three days.

[Massive Attack]

Gonna miss Stokes so much when he eventually retires (hopefully a long way still from now). 

Gutsy comeback from England.

[zebthecat]

Superb from Ben Stokes.
Please stay fit to bowl.

[Come On You Irons]

Hopefully the cheats will be fined and or docked ratings for preparing such a shocking wicket.

[Fauxstralian]

There now!

[Massive Attack]

Good lad! Aussies are rocking a bit now. Good bowling display so far over there by our boys.

[Fauxstralian]

17 wickets fell on the first day of the Test at Perth last summer v India so almost there
 

[fraser]

We were out around now, 32 overs 

[only1billybonds]

STOKESY!

Green gone, thats really opened this up now.

[Lee Trundle]

Head's gone there.

[Massive Attack]

Stokesy! Big wicket. Another soon after would really make it interesting..

[Massive Attack]

Need to break this partnership up.

[fraser]

We should have scored more some cheap wickets, to be fair though theirs have been well earned as I can't remember a better bowling start over there.