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#611 |
![]() Well that was a bit of shitty end to the test even though it was forecast
Hopefully we can square the series at the oval
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bazzap (07-27-2023)
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#612 |
![]() A View on the Ashes from the Other Side
I write this a few hours before the first ball is bowled in the 5th Test at The Oval. The first three Tests and honours were probably in favour of the Poms. Stating the obvious, Australia had a 2-1 lead at the end of them. The results could have gone either way in all three games. There has been endless commentary and comments on tv, in print, and on social media. Everybody in the world seems to have had an opinion. Then came Old Trafford. England played really great. Australia, especially the bowlers (looking at you, Patrick) did not do too well. Australia rarely performs this badly but makes a habit of it at least once on overseas tours especially on Ashes tours to England (Trent Bridge 2015), tours to South Africa (Cape Town 2011 always come to mind), and even worse, on tours of India. Too many to mention there. Did England play that well or did Australia make them look good? I think the Poms capitalised on a woeful Australian performance and were robbed by the rain. My feelings when hearing of the game being washed out and declared a draw? Sheer bloody relief. Probably the same as 99% of Australian cricket supporters. I can sleep soundly again. So on to The Oval. If the Aussies play that badly again, they will get cleaned up. Hopefully, the thought of winning the series inspires them to perform better than at Manchester. Fingers crossed. A couple of negatives for the Aussies in Cameron Green & Scotty Boland. Both underperformed in the Ashes Test so far. The positive is my man, Mitch Marsh. Never thought he would play Test cricket again. The one thing that gets on my goat though is this continual mantra from the England camp about being better people and not worrying if you win or lose. From the BBC website This is England's first draw in 17 Tests under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum - a period in which they have thrilled crowds by embracing an ultra-aggressive style. It denies them the chance to become the first England team to come from 2-0 down to win the Ashes at The Oval next week but Stokes repeated his desire to play in a manner that brings more fans into the sport. "As much as I would love to be an Ashes-winning captain, I want this team to be a legacy team," he said. "This 18 months will go down in history as one of the most exciting and proactive teams to go out there and represent England. "We want to leave the Test-match summer with a win. "But the reward for your work isn't what you get, it's what you become. We've become a team that have been so unbelievably well followed and we will live long in the memories of those who have watched us." Harry Brook As thoughts turn to the start of the final Test this Thursday, there is a degree of sadness this was not the winner-takes-all showdown it could have been. For Brook, however, even if England cannot make it 2-2, he believes they can be proud of how they have approached this Ashes series - even if it finishes 3-1 to Australia. "That's the whole mantra, we're trying to excite people watching, we're trying to enjoy ourselves and we're trying to bring new crowds to the game and get Test cricket alive again. I think we've already done it this series. Whichever way the result goes this week, yeah, I think we've had a good series." So losing a Test or worse, a series is not really a bad thing. If an Australian Test player would have said what Harry did, he would be frog-marched out the door and out of the team, never to return. To Australia, winning is everything. It is the only thing. It is a game. The idea is to win. Not just participate and feel good about yourself. Geezus England has been playing great cricket over the last 12 months. They earnt all the admiration that they are getting. Just keep doing that and leave "the mantra” rubbish behind ![]()
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It's All About The Light Last edited by bazzap : 07-27-2023 at 07:20 AM. |
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ferocious (07-28-2023)
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#613 |
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![]() Baz I think that soft shite sort of talk just reflects mainstream Society in the UK. Nearly everything is done on a touchy feely basis with the belief that a hug will cure anything. Can't verbally criticise anybody as that would be classed as bullying, things would be even worse if the person complaining was of ethnic origins or a member of the LGBTQ community or whatever it's fuckin called. Basically England have blown the Ashes because they've followed this pathetic mantra and not dropped players, but instead have allowed them to struggle on and hopefully come back into form. I sometimes wonder if Stokes thinks he has to become a Modern Man now to atone for past misdemeanours.
I was watching BBC Breakfast this morning and the leading story was that Englands women football team might reach the last 16 of the World Cup. Unlikely the mens football would get the same billing but the women's football is classed as highly important. Ashes are way down the list, lucky if their given a mention on BBC. Last edited by Frankie : 07-28-2023 at 07:08 PM. |
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#614 |
![]() We're doomed. No hope of chasing 400-odd in the last innings of the last Test of the series. This mob is not the 1948 Invincibles at Leeds. We need a miracle but I think we used our quota up in the 4th innings at Edgbaston
For many players here, this will be their last Ashes Test in the UK. Both teams will look completely different in four years' time. Lots of much-needed new blood in the Aussie team hopefully which will include young Murphy The best thing? No more fucking Warner & Smith ![]()
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#615 | |
![]() Quote:
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Frankie (07-30-2023)
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#616 | |||
![]() I thought the same about Australia but maybe not as bad as we think I read the cricket part of an Australian website called The Roar. People submit articles and lots more punters comment on those articles. This one came out today Why Australia need to start regenerating ageing Test team now before it’s too late Some decent comments like this one on a positive note Quote:
Followed by the negative stuff. This one on Test cricket in general being a light of other days Quote:
And the same fella said this about Australian sport which is quite true Quote:
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#617 |
![]() Meanwhile, back at The Oval, the Aussies have made a decent start to their innings. Our first 100+ opening stand since 2015 which shows how hard it is to win Ashes series away from home.
98 overs today assuming the weather is ok. So all set up for a fitting finish to the series. I still reckon Australia will struggle as usually not easy batting on 5th-day wickets. That said, England's bowlers are all getting on a bit so may struggle as well at the end of a long series played in a compressed time period. Let's see what happens ![]()
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ferocious (08-01-2023)
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#618 |
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![]() Well that was a great win by England at the Oval, should have won the Ashes really but squandered it away especially at Lords. Thing is chances like that in an Ashes series don't come along that often. Very frustrating.
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#619 |
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![]() On another board that I am a member of a poster neatly summed up the difference between the 100 competition and the County set up.
One set up develops the players, maintains the grounds, and plays from April to September all across the country, and is the platform for the international teams which generates the money that keeps the sport afloat. The other doesn't develop a single player of its own and just steals them from the other. Robs half the country of first class cricket in the height of summer, and sucks tens of millions of pounds out of the sport. Whichever you prefer. An excellent summary IMO. |
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bazzap (08-13-2023)
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#620 | ||
![]() Quote:
I wrote that back in January this year. My man, Aaron Hardie, along with a couple of others, is about to play his first game for Australia tonight Thai time. Not Test cricket but a T20 in South Africa. Gotta start somewhere. From Cricinfo Quote:
A new-look Australian T20 side with many of the regulars either rested or injured. Mitch Marsh is the captain!! About time. Australia has finally started picking new players. Hopefully, they will perform on the bigger stage ![]()
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