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.

[Westham67]

If England go 3 down tomorrow, it will be the fastest loss of the Ashes in 100 years, 10 days. That's TMS stats for you

[Massive Attack]

What is it with England teams and mental fragility?

Not too bad considering we've won a fair few competitions down the years off the top of my head:

Football World Cup
Rugby World Cup
Cricket World Cup
T20 World Cup 
The Ashes

And that's just the Men's Teams.

[Far Cough UKunt]

I know he's getting on a bit but someone with oversize bollocks like Lord Ian Botham?

[Come On You Irons]

Is anyone really surprised? I expected a series defeat for this England team before a ball was bowled and it'll likely be a 5-0 whitewash down under yet again.

I watched the first session of day two live and all Steven Finn and especially Graeme Swann could bang on about was how flat the wicket was and how England will make hay on it and get a massive first innings total and first innings lead. It was delusional stuff and lo and behold England ended up the day on 200 odd for 8.

Crawley and Pope should never play for England again after this series. They might as well drop them after this test.

[Eerie Decent]

SB

If Mcullum and Key are booted when they come home, who do you think are the front runners to replace them?

As for the actual cricket, its almost laughable that this tour has been three years in the planning. Ok, this Aussie attack has been exceptional in this game but a proper batting team would have made 400 minimum on that track. For me, the main difference between the two sides is game awareness and mental strength, we are lacking on both counts in spades. Guessing they'll get about 500 in front, declare then have a day and a half to bowl us out for possibly less than 250.
As SB said, get the thing over, get them home then make whatever changes are necessary.

Sadly, there are no Englishmen about capable of doing the job that's needed imo. Sadly, I think it's going to have to be an Aussie, as the older lot are proper men still, ideally Punter but he won't take it, I'd go for Langer personally. I know he fell out with a few of the woke lot in the team, but we need a root and branch change in attitude, and he's the sort of character that would do it.

Or Darren Lehmann. Outside of those two, fuck knows.

[goose]

What is it with England teams and mental fragility?

[Westside]

What's Freddie up to these days, still dicking around with Bullseye? Someone of his wealth of knowledge should be in and around England ans actually think it would do him the world of good after what he's been through. Just a throw away thought. I certainly think he'd do a lot better than the naivety of Spazball.

Freddie's experience would have helped on this tour.  His  5 - 0 whitewash as captain in the 2006/07 Ashes tour, would have been priceless. 

[Far Cough UKunt]

When the humiliations ends I hope they take apart the whole bazbollocks apparatus and never talk about it again.

[zebthecat]

Oh well,it is almost done.
It is the hope that kills but England have no hope now.

[Massive Attack]

Credit where it's due ...the Jamaican has stepped up .


 

Bajan

Bless you

[zebthecat]

Credit where it's due ...the Jamaican has stepped up .

 

Bajan

[Fauxstralian]

Stokes & Archer showed some fight turning what should have been a 150 deficit into 80 odd
Still in with a chance when Green failed again (surely will be replaced by Beau Webster of Snug, Tasmania at Melbourne) but Travis & Carey took it away again
Imagine if they can they will want to bat til tea and give England 550 to chase in 4 sessions 
 

[southbankbornnbred]

SB

If Mcullum and Key are booted when they come home, who do you think are the front runners to replace them?

As for the actual cricket, its almost laughable that this tour has been three years in the planning. Ok, this Aussie attack has been exceptional in this game but a proper batting team would have made 400 minimum on that track. For me, the main difference between the two sides is game awareness and mental strength, we are lacking on both counts in spades. Guessing they'll get about 500 in front, declare then have a day and a half to bowl us out for possibly less than 250.
As SB said, get the thing over, get them home then make whatever changes are necessary.

I should add, there are a few players I’d not even bring back!

[Massive Attack]

What's Freddie up to these days, still dicking around with Bullseye? Someone of his wealth of knowledge should be in and around England ans actually think it would do him the world of good after what he's been through. Just a throw away thought. I certainly think he'd do a lot better than the naivety of Spazball.

[only1billybonds]

SB

If Mcullum and Key are booted when they come home, who do you think are the front runners to replace them?

As for the actual cricket, its almost laughable that this tour has been three years in the planning. Ok, this Aussie attack has been exceptional in this game but a proper batting team would have made 400 minimum on that track. For me, the main difference between the two sides is game awareness and mental strength, we are lacking on both counts in spades. Guessing they'll get about 500 in front, declare then have a day and a half to bowl us out for possibly less than 250.
As SB said, get the thing over, get them home then make whatever changes are necessary.

[southbankbornnbred]

Its bad enough that performances have been so spineless (less than 300 on that pitch is poor: look at how easy Australia have played on it), but the sheer arrogance and misplaced pride of this England team also make it difficult (impossible, for me) to like them.

Yet another day where they refused to speak to the press and answer any questions. They’re like spoilt kids - they go rushing towards the cameras if they’re playing slogball well. But there is absolutely no accountability, responsibility and discipline in this leadership group, or among players.

They just come across as arrogant, spoilt cunts who can’t take constructive criticism or defeat. They know that their Baaazball magic beans have been exposed as a fraud. And they don’t want to face up to it. It’s childish.

Even Stokes, a uniquely talented cricketer, comes across as a prickly, stubborn and arrogant man who throws his toys out of his pram when he’s not the only voice in the room.

The sooner this tour is over, the better. And fair play to an Aussie side that, a year ago, was disorganised. They got it together when it mattered.

[Massive Attack]

Capitulation - Far too weak mentally to cope with all this. Many players are young by comparison to the Aussies and it shows. Must use it as a steep learning curve in future and develop a pair of bollocks, as well as a gob communicating and chirping at them out there as this is all far too easy for the convicts.

As for Spazball, fucking launch it for 6..  

[Fauxstralian]

Good gritty batting by Stokes & Archer
If two or three had shown that application & intelligence after lunch on the second day at Perth for a couple of hours England would have won the Test match.
Have always said there is enough talent in this group but they have been poorly managed and a few players have been indulged & retained when they should have been ditched.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Credit where it's due ...the Jamaican has stepped up .
A few non eye contacts and bowed heads in that English dressing room I reckon at lunch.
Roooooot found lacking again  when needed ...what stokes did is what is required of this so called all time great batsman.
He's FLIMSY

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Trescothick is no leader of men that's for sure .
Weak as piss...I'm surprised he travelled considering his arsehole issues

[Westham67]

Someone from TMS interviewed Trescothic. They asked him for his view on the day's play, and he said, "Top Day", drinking  Bazball Kool-Aid at the end of play, obviously  

Stokes at 3 makes sense; he can grind runs in a long innings when necessary. Unfortunately, this regime has got bogged down in its own rhetoric and is unwilling to change. There was not much difference in today's batting performance and in their second inning in Perth.

The 4th and 5th tests are going to be painful for a crestfallen team lacking confidence .

 

[Eerie Decent]

As much as I said they should've focused on Ahmed, given they didn't, why on earth they have constantly ignored Liam Dawson is another head scratcher.

Not on Lyon"s level as a bowler, but he's very canny with the ball, and can at least tie up an end. Also his batting over the last 5 years has been top notch, he'd contribute a lot more that the 2 bunnies at 1 & 3

Problem is he's a strong character, and my theory, for what it's worth, is that is why he hasn't been picked, ironically. For all his recent bravado about wanting some DOG in the team, he's surrounded himself with yes men, who WILL do exactly what he says, like swinging their bats with abandon, and they won't be dropped regardless. 

It was interesting in the one test they threw Dawson in against India, him & Stokes were clearly having quite a bit of disagreement. He's trying to tell a 35 year old seasoned spinner exactly what field to set, when he should be listening and be a bit more humble.

Imagine if he had tied an end up for most of this series, and contributed with the bat. Instead, we went with the youngster who averages 50 odd with the ball in the CC, and a part timer. But don't worry, they will shut up and do exactly what he asks of them.

[Massive Attack]

The way he manages to spin that nut, he makes the wicket seem like the grand canyon. 

[zebthecat]

The whole spin situation is ridiculous with England especially if you compare head to head.
Australia have Nathan Lyon bowling on his home pitch with his home pitch curator for whom he worked when young where he has take over 60 test wickets at about 20.
He turned it on day 2 and England are batting last. It is going to take more spin as the match progresses..

[Eerie Decent]

Am at home today so just watching a bit of Big Bash
Rehan Ahmed playing for Hobart at the MCG
Surely as a specialist spinner would have been a better Test pick
Attacking bowler & good batsman 

That said came in at 3 & out for 1 off 3 balls 



 

If you look back, I had Ahmed as one of my personal picks for this side, he averaged over 50 with the bat this summer in the CC, him and/or Jacks should have been the spinners they really concentrated on for this Ashes, given they have as much (if not more) talent with the ball than Bashir, but they can also both bat and field. I reckon Ahmed will get into the side on his batting alone before long.

The selection process, along with no one being in fear of their place in the side, and the RUN TOWARDS DANAGER mantra, has been an absolute disaster. Forget the BAZBALL approach (the theory behind what it should be is ok in principal) some of the players picked and that lack of jeopardy regardless of form has done for us.

None of this is revisionary, all said previously, the talented players who can also give it a whack are Duckett, Brook & Smith, if they are giving license (when the time is right) alongside Root and a couple of other proper batsmen instead of the appalling Crawley & Pope, it would have made a world of difference. We should also have been aware that Aussies pitches are no longer just crash bang wallop - at least 1 line & length bowler was needed. Ironically, Anderson would've been our best bowler had he been taken.

If your opening bat averages 30, and your number 3 has a false average because of the occasional massive score sandwiched in between numerous failures and never looks 'in', and you give them license to sling their bat about regardless of consequences, you are destined to failure when the pressure is really on. It would be a bit more palatable were it not so obvious before a ball was bowled.

I agree with that entirely, along with every commentator on TMS.

I said all this on here way before the series. To be honest though, anyone with a keen interest in Cricket could see it, so hardly revelatory. Just so annoying, we could really have had a go at them with the right team and mindset.