2013/14 Ashes thread

[ripple11]

Jonathan Agnew ‏@Aggerscricket 13m
Forecast basically damp early morning, drying up

sigh

[TightEnd]

Aussies might get lucky, leave with a draw...

Click to see full-size image.

[kp24]

Aussies might get lucky, leave with a draw...

Click to see full-size image.

Getting the rain dance out

[gouty]

I think if anyone wants to learn about trading events in running then these matches are superb for learning.

Some serious cash laying Aussies now.

[tikay]

Ashes Thread?

RIP

A cremation may be in order.

[DungBeetle]

I may be alone, but I think Joe Root is a ghastly batsman.   Scored his 180, but after that even in England opening scored with a strike rate of 20 and then got out in the twenties.  Today scored 15 off 80 balls before slogging the spinner up in the air.  Dreadful player imho, but I'm told his technique is textbook.  Simply don't see why this guy is the next big thing.

hmm, seems to me this statement is from someone who has no idea about cricket, barring a wander down the local green with a red tennis ball and a woolworths bat!
Cooks out of nick, as is prior etc. KP is KP and wont change, and why should he? guys world class, ans will score runs. batted well today. bell is world class, and only 31, so a few more years at the level i think
just run into a pumped up aussie side, with a weapon that no many sides own, a guy bowling genuine raw pace. 89-90mph isnt overally fast at test level, but 92-93mph makes all the difference and will get wickets. people are so quick to jump on their backs, the top 6 that started at the gabba probably had 90 test hundreds between them? they are class, just the bad form has coincided with the aussies in top form.
bowlers wise, broad will be a feature for a good few years yet. jimmy and swanny have a couple of yhears left, fitness wise, and swann- form wise. 2 bad tests in aus and they are calling for his head, laughable really.
new guys coming through? that ive seen/ played with/against: sam robson, daniel bell-drummond, james vince, ballance etc look the next wave. they clearly dont rate taylor, and i can see why, if they had hed have had that no 6 locked up since colly called it a day. bowlers? rankin finn, mills, kerrigan etc
interesting to see how they approach the next tests, think the waca we might go ballance at 6, get rid of stokes, and bresnan and rankin/finn in for the spinners. then again we are always relectant not to play a twizzler. maybe stokes stays and ballance and rankin come in???
been a hard 2 tests to watch, after 2 years in aus at a cricket club, ive been getting a torrade of abuse, i guess im getting as good as i got after the last 3 series!!
UP THE POMS!

Quite happy to admit that my cricket knowledge isn't that extensive, but I'm just pointing out that (before 2 days ago)  Root always goes at snail pace and then gives it away.  I note that your reply doesn't actually mention anything about Root at all, other than I'm clueless for being critical?  I'm not sure why you think I'm having a go at the rest of the top order's pedigree as your reply seems to suggest.

[DungBeetle]

I may be alone, but I think Joe Root is a ghastly batsman.   Scored his 180, but after that even in England opening scored with a strike rate of 20 and then got out in the twenties.  Today scored 15 off 80 balls before slogging the spinner up in the air.  Dreadful player imho, but I'm told his technique is textbook.  Simply don't see why this guy is the next big thing.

Good timing.

Yup!

[verndog158]

I may be alone, but I think Joe Root is a ghastly batsman.   Scored his 180, but after that even in England opening scored with a strike rate of 20 and then got out in the twenties.  Today scored 15 off 80 balls before slogging the spinner up in the air.  Dreadful player imho, but I'm told his technique is textbook.  Simply don't see why this guy is the next big thing.

hmm, seems to me this statement is from someone who has no idea about cricket, barring a wander down the local green with a red tennis ball and a woolworths bat!
Cooks out of nick, as is prior etc. KP is KP and wont change, and why should he? guys world class, ans will score runs. batted well today. bell is world class, and only 31, so a few more years at the level i think
just run into a pumped up aussie side, with a weapon that no many sides own, a guy bowling genuine raw pace. 89-90mph isnt overally fast at test level, but 92-93mph makes all the difference and will get wickets. people are so quick to jump on their backs, the top 6 that started at the gabba probably had 90 test hundreds between them? they are class, just the bad form has coincided with the aussies in top form.
bowlers wise, broad will be a feature for a good few years yet. jimmy and swanny have a couple of yhears left, fitness wise, and swann- form wise. 2 bad tests in aus and they are calling for his head, laughable really.
new guys coming through? that ive seen/ played with/against: sam robson, daniel bell-drummond, james vince, ballance etc look the next wave. they clearly dont rate taylor, and i can see why, if they had hed have had that no 6 locked up since colly called it a day. bowlers? rankin finn, mills, kerrigan etc
interesting to see how they approach the next tests, think the waca we might go ballance at 6, get rid of stokes, and bresnan and rankin/finn in for the spinners. then again we are always relectant not to play a twizzler. maybe stokes stays and ballance and rankin come in???
been a hard 2 tests to watch, after 2 years in aus at a cricket club, ive been getting a torrade of abuse, i guess im getting as good as i got after the last 3 series!!
UP THE POMS!

Quite happy to admit that my cricket knowledge isn't that extensive, but I'm just pointing out that (before 2 days ago)  Root always goes at snail pace and then gives it away.  I note that your reply doesn't actually mention anything about Root at all, other than I'm clueless for being critical?  I'm not sure why you think I'm having a go at the rest of the top order's pedigree as your reply seems to suggest.

not too sure that going at a 'snails' pace is relevant in test cricket. you need your top order to aim to bat for 2 days really, then your setting up a match winning total for your side. id be interested to compare strike rates with root and other batters in the england/ aussie ad other test sides.be surprised if theres a vast difference. the kid is only 22, dropped into the deep end, and hes doing alright in his career so far. averaging 40 over 13 tests, including 2 ashes series and india away. hes got a long england career ahead, and not many people say otherwise. looks the goods to me.

[DungBeetle]

I know most people really rate him, but I just find that he takes the impetus out of innings.  I know it's a 5 day game, but when we you have reasonably quick scorers at the top it sets the agenda and puts you on the front foot.  I thought that is why they dropped Compton because with Cook and Trott it was all too pedestrian? 

[TightEnd]

No Compton had technical flaws

Nothing wrong with pedestrian.

Much under-rated skill when you lose 21 wickets n 2 games caught on the leg side and four in one innings when you have to bat for 180 overs hooking to long leg.

[AndrewT]

Yeah, I've not understood all this fuss about scoring slowly - back in ye old days of black and white telly 190-3 at stumps on the first day was a perfectly fine day's batting.

Now, with better pitches and one-day experience, batsmen are able to up the rate when they need to, but they seem to have forgotten how to bat time and wait for bowlers to tire & balls to soften.

[DungBeetle]

Whatever Compton's technical flaws were, did they need to play him in the England team to realise this?

If so that would suggest that their scouting (or whatever the cricket equivilant is) isn't up to it.  If they did know about it I would imagine the fact he scored slowly in international cricket was definitely an issue for the selectors.

[Dubai]

Gonna be having a very big bet on England at 3/1 in the next test. Draw looks a complete non runner and people seem to forget things pretty quickly, especially the fact they are 0/2 on the toss so far

[verndog158]

Whatever Compton's technical flaws were, did they need to play him in the England team to realise this?

If so that would suggest that their scouting (or whatever the cricket equivilant is) isn't up to it.  If they did know about it I would imagine the fact he scored slowly in international cricket was definitely an issue for the selectors.

ha once again, the step up from county cricket to international/test cricket is ridiculous. you can have flaws playing county cricket, as the bowlers often arent good enough to expolit them on a regular basis. hence why test cricket is the pinnacle, as only the best shine through. same in any sports, the technical side is examined in most detail the higher you go. compton wasnt dropped for slow scoring, his technique was clearly questionable.

[DungBeetle]

What were his technical deficiencies out of interest?