Ashes Test series

[dtaai-maai]

The first day of the first Ashes test is about to start at Edgbaston. It's a beautiful day, a firm pitch, and England won the toss and are batting. Looking forward to this, it will be fascinating to see if the new England can keep up the pace against Australia.

[pharvey]

Well our dear departed lindos would certainly have been watching ... Hell, perhaps he is!

Would he have liked what he was seeing though? There were the obvious pre-test insights and predictions galore this morning on the (BBC) News - most above my (rugby loving) head !! That said, when England won the toss and selected to bat first, predictions were in the 450 runs area.... As I type, England on 211-5 - hmmmm.

So looking at Root as per norm? Another stat I hadn't realised however was the poor record of the "away team" winning the Ashes Series - so at least that goes in England's favour!!

Have not been watching as such, but keeping up with the score on BBC and seeing some of the wickets etc..... The loss of Brook certainly a tad bizarre!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricke ... 484/page/2

[dtaai-maai]

274-5 after tea with a 100 partnership between Root and Bairstow and both hopefully heading for tons. If these two can stay together England will be in a very strong position, but if the Aussies get a couple of quick wickets it will be their day. Very entertaining.

[pharvey]

274-5 after tea with a 100 partnership between Root and Bairstow and both hopefully heading for tons. If these two can stay together England will be in a very strong position, but if the Aussies get a couple of quick wickets it will be their day. Very entertaining.

Certainly does sound entertaining, but at 383-8, the Aussies got those quick wickets you feared. Might just try and get a link to actually watch rather than read the news snippets...... That said, there is the F1 of course and I dearly want a certain obnoxious Dutchman/woman/her/him/it put in "their" place!!

[dtaai-maai]

It's 366-8 now, with about 9-10 overs to go. Fortunately, those wickets weren't all that quick, and secondly, Root is still there, on 99... 400 odd in one day (hopefully) is outstanding in any test, never mind the first day of the Ashes.

[dtaai-maai]

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!

[dtaai-maai]

Well that's a surprise, Stokes has declared on 393! Mind you, it fits with the new England approach.

Now, let's see if we can bowl the bastards out!

[pharvey]

Well that's a surprise, Stokes has declared on 393! Mind you, it fits with the new England approach.

Now, let's see if we can bowl the bastards out!

Certainly no expert, but that really was a surprise! Seems a tad different from times past(?).

[dtaai-maai]

Hugely different from times past. The current approach is to be relentlessly positive in all aspects of the game. They've gone from winning 1 test match in 17 to winning 11 of the last 13 so they must be doing something right. It's also massively entertaining. It won't always work - today was very much a mixed success - but let's not forget we're playing the best test team in the world.

[pharvey]

There was a comment on the morning news today - a "phone-in" with Nicky Campbell - where someone stated that the first 5/6 batsmen in the Aus lineup were the best in the world... Thoughts on that one?

[dtaai-maai]

Thoughts on that one?

You listen to Nicky Campbell...???

[pharvey]

You listen to Nicky Campbell...???

I'm taking medication.......

[dtaai-maai]

There was a comment on the morning news today - a "phone-in" with Nicky Campbell - where someone stated that the first 5/6 batsmen in the Aus lineup were the best in the world... Thoughts on that one?

Okay, kidding apart, let's treat this seriously, though it would be interesting to know whose opinion this is.

First off, individually or collectively?
Steve Smith is probably the best in the world, alongside Joe Root and Kohli. Labuschagne is definitely up there. But England's set-up is bloody impressive these days. Don't look at career averages, look at what's happened over the last year or so. Root, Stokes, Bairstow and Brook can be a pretty intimidating bunch. Brook was going like a train today until he was extraordinarily unlucky to get out.

So basically, national prejudices to one side, I think the statement is ballocks. It's like comparing rugby front rows, centres or half back pairings.

Having said all that, the Aussies are the best test team in the world as they've just won the ICC World Test Championship final.

That doesn't mean the England (AND Wales) team can't beat the barstewards.

[pharvey]

"Gypsy Phil" predicts.....
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PT-Ashes.png (46.42 KiB) Viewed 643 times

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Aus slip to 29-2.....

[dtaai-maai]

I like The Cat, but he can talk through his arse sometimes. Labuschagne was out first ball, then Smith crawled his way to 16 off 60 odd balls before being LBW to Stokes. With the Aussies 72-3, England (and Wales) on top at the moment.