The Community
General Category => Sports => Topic started by: KiloDeltaCharlie on June 13, 2023, 03:35:16 AM
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It seems a while since England and Australia did battle for the Ashes.
It all starts again on Friday, and I look forward to some sledging from Jack!
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Really looking forward to this Ashes series and especially how Bazball goes against the Aussies.
Will be really interesting to see what type of pitches they produce over there. Will they produce the typical English seaming wickets that would usually suit both the English and Aussie fast bowlers but not so much Bazball. Or will they go the dry and flat batter friendly wickets for Bazball but will bring the spinners into it on days 4 & 5 in which England have none?
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If England play like they have for the last year or two, the game isn't going to get to day 4 or 5 ;)! They have one spinner, as Moeen Ali has come out of International retirement what with Leach's injury.
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They still have to bowl the Aussies out though and not sure that aging bowling attack is gonna trouble them. Especially not Moeen who averages like 73.00 against Australia.
Australia are building nicely after smashing India in the World Test Championship
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Another slow flat track set up for Englands Bazball. Similar to T20 cricket. It’s ridiculous how captain Stokes can tell the groundskeeper what pitch he wants. Same happens in India. Hope Australia bats England out of it.
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And Australia never set their wickets up to best suit their players? ;)
Can't help thinking Stokes shouldn't have declared, I think an extra 50-60 runs would have been more helpful. A few overs at the opposition just before the close never seems to be that effective.
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And Australia never set their wickets up to best suit their players? ;)
They actually don’t. The curators take offence at being told what to do or that they’ve produced a wicket purposely to suit the home team. Most of the test wickets in each city in Australia have a different characteristic to each other but usually the same or similar to what they’ve always been in that particular city. So the home and visiting teams know what to expect in each city. Although that’s getting a little harder to do with the drop in wickets these days.
I thought it was a strange declaration too, but it’s in line with what England have been doing of late. I mean I give them credit for playing very attacking cricket and trying to get a result but it’s seems quite a risky strategy.
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Fairly even at the moment -- no one expects the England openers to do much! ;) -- I think the weather should be better for the next couple of days.
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Still even coming into the last day. What a great test match this has been. So many momentum shifts. Just as one team gets the upper hand the other team fights back. This is going to go down to the wire I think. Australia has a history of losing the real close tests in England so not filled with a lot of confidence.
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I was thinking there was no way this could end in a draw, and then we lose the morning session to rain. I still think it will be an outright win for one team but if the Aussies lose a few more wickets I can see them blocking the game out and not going for it.
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Great test match and great win by the Aussies. I thought it was lost when England had them 227/8 needing a further 54 runs but a great 9th wicket stand by Captain Cummins and Lyon got them home.
1-0 Australia
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A very good, close game which really could have gone either way right up until the end... can't help but think that early declaration in the first innings has cost us.
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Hubris cost you.
Ollie Robinson has been coping it big time over here. So many good memes
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The 2nd test started today, and, well I think the Aussies will be the happier closing at 339-5. The slight hope for England is they took a couple of late wickets. This may be a long struggle!
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Australia did well today after being sent in by England on a green top. Scored at a decent clip too even with the rain interruptions and only getting 83 overs in. Hopefully they can post a score of around 450-500. I think the pitch could settle down by day 3 but haven’t looked ahead at what the weather is gonna do. Bright and sunny is good for batting. Overcast and cloudy is good for bowling. Much to play out in this test but good to get a decent first innings score on the board.
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Australia's Smith went on to complete his hundred but not much support from the tail meant they were all out for 416. Not a bad score by any means but I'm sure they were hoping for more.
Good start to the reply from England 188-2 early in the evening session.
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Australia won day 1 and England won day 2. Australia will be looking to take some quick wickets in tomorrow mornings session so they can at least have a first innings lead of some sorts. Some humid overcast conditions would help that. England will be looking to get through the tricky morning session without losing quick wickets like Australia did on day 2. The pitch might be at its best for batting on day 3.
This test match is shaping up as another classic!
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Oh for crying out loud!
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Australia did well to skittle England in the morning session on Day 3 to hold a 91 run lead going into their 2nd innings. Australia has only lost the 2 wickets at stumps and hold a 221 run lead going into Day 4 but it was slow going, I have to say the pitch didn’t play as good as I thought it would on Day 3 but England bowled exceptionally well without reward. Australia will now have to negotiate a tricky morning session to build on their lead. They’re obviously in a strong position to win this test match but don’t be surprised if they’re bowled out before lunch with a less than 300 run lead such has these morning sessions proved difficult and the way England have been bowling. Australia will have to bowl England out without Nathan Lyon on the last day and probably the rest of the tour.
Still think theres a bit to play out in this test.
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I wasn't very hopeful at yesterdays close, but now (mid-afternoon, 301-6) it's much more evenly poised. Duckett and Stokes have dragged England back into it, but I still feel with 70-ish runs still to get if they get Stokes that could be the end of it!
EDIT: Oh why did I tempt fate! Stokes has just gone! :(
The last pair tried their best and got the target down to just 43, but it was always unlikely.
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Another great Test match that nearly went down to the wire. Not sure why the English fans were up in arms for, especially the old twats in the long room after Bairstow was run out. Wicketkeeper Carey had a shy at the stumps before Bairstow had left his crease so the ball was not dead at that stage and by the time the ball had arrived at the stumps, Bairstow had walked out of his crease. Rookie error on a list of errors he’s made thoughout the two tests so far. Stokes batted incredibly though and was nearly the hero for England again.
2-0 Australia
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Apparently the Aussies are copping it big time in England, not just the cricketers either but anyone with an Aussie accent.
Feelings been mutual over here.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa333/DAMAGEDsINCe85/99DB3372-E5D7-4AFE-802A-5ADD7BFE25D9.jpeg)
Lmao, Enjoyed this write up…
The English cricket team and its fans are having one of the most enjoyable meltdowns in sporting history following Jonny Bairstow forgetting he was in the middle of a cricket test at Lords and going for a little walk.
“We are deeply upset that a lawful action that we have tried many times ourselves has worked against us this time, which feels unfair,” said Professor of Ethics at Oxford University Stuart Broad.
“Given it’s out in black and white, we are now going to bang on about the Spirit of the Game, even though we ignore that too when it suits us.”
Marylebone Cricket Club member Simon Cuffleton-Smiggly-Wright said he was outraged the colonists had used better cricketing ability to defeat England.
“We didn’t conquer most of the globe by allowing the other side to fight fair,” said Cuffleton-Smiggly-Wright.
“And how are you meant to know all these rules? Who came up with them? They seem a bit all over the shop if you ask me. Need a good sorting out.”
Fellow member Geoffrey Beaumont said he would have confronted the Australian players physically in the members if years of inbreeding hadn’t made his bones like glass.
“It’s cheating, pure and simple. When you do something in the game that is within the laws, and the umpires rule it out, that’s cheating.”
“Still, it feels like again we should have won, so technically, we are 2-0 up.”
Australian fans have noted the England cricket team and its fans have successfully thrown their toys out of the cot and something Jonny Bairstow would struggle with.
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You all and your wickets...
"Simon Cuffleton-Smiggly-Wright"
:haha1:
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While some Australian's in the UK may have been picked on, it is quite rare. The only Aussie under fire is Cummins. ;)
It seems quite funny that the only people who don't think it was unsportsmanlike are the Australians. The runout was "technically correct" within the letter of the law, but most would have acknowledged that under the circumstances it was bending sportsmanship to breaking point. :P
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It’s only unsportsmanlike when it happens against the poms. Bairstow tried the exact same thing throughout the match but couldn’t hit the stumps lol, so you’d think if anyone would know to ground your bat and look behind at the wicket keeper before leaving your crease it’s him. Even U/12 cricketers know to do it.
England coach McCullum is well versed in poor sportsmanship, he once infamously runout Murali when he went to celebrate with Sangakkara after making his 100. Stuart Broad is another, he once smashed a ball to Steve Smith at first slip but the umpire completely missed it so he decided to stay his ground and not walk. This is before the challenge came in.
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NEVER celebrate / walk off / take your eye off the ball too early! ALWAYS wait for the referee / umpire / official in charge to signal the close of play!
I plan to enter a head coaching hall of fame with those two iron rules. I just need a head coaching gig, and I'm in! :D
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LMAO
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The third test started today.
Fairly even so far, I'm not sure it's a great batting wicket. Aussies all out for 263, England reply at 68 for 3 at the close of todays play.
If only we hadn't dropped Marsh when he'd barely got going!
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Yeah that was a costly dropped catch by Root. I stayed up until 1.30am to watch Marsh make his century, I just couldn’t look away. His hitting was as crisp as I’ve seen in a test match.
I still think England have their noses in front as they still have 7 wickets in hand. The pitch should be better for batting on day 2 with bright sunny weather forecast for the next couple of days.
Be nice if Australia could win a toss in this series. Have lost everyone so far.
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The Bairstow incident made a full article in the Wall Street Journal:
https://www.wsj.com/sports/ashes-cricket-england-australia-rules-controversy-fc18e85c?st=5kya6e183fxco7u&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink (https://www.wsj.com/sports/ashes-cricket-england-australia-rules-controversy-fc18e85c?st=5kya6e183fxco7u&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink)
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In US football, if the ball isn't whistled dead and the team in possession walks it into the endzone as the other team walks off the field, it's a touchdown.
In baseball, if there isn't a timeout and the batter wanders away from the plate, it's a free strike.
In soccerball, if the goalie thinks the game's about done and heads to the sidelines, it's on him if the other team sends one into his net.
But, somehow, "that's not cricket!" is something the Brits can howl when the intricate unwritten rules just don't go their way. :( Time for them to wake up and face facts that they need to step up their Cricket IQ and not justify sloppy play "in the spirit of the rules".
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A key part of the “spirit of cricket” is accepting the umpires decision and being gracious in defeat, something the English cricketers, English media and English fans have not done.
This third test match is evenly poised, Australia hold a 142 run lead in its 2nd innings with 6 wickets in hand. 24 wickets have fallen in 2 days. This match could be over in 3 days. Crazy!
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Looks like rain will affect today's play, otherwise I think your thought that it could all be over today would be reasonable.
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Yeah still plenty of time to get a result. If it was Day 4 that might be in jeopardy. Not sure who the rain suits. If it’s overcast and humid it will help the bowlers get more swing, if the outfield is wet it will be harder to hit boundaries but the ball getting wet makes it harder for the bowling team.
TBH an England win would be great in that it keeps the series alive. This Ashes series has been so entertaining and enthralling to be over in 3 Tests.
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This Ashes series has been so entertaining and enthralling...
That's awesome - I don't know a thing about cricket. In fact, for the longest time I thought it was just the pro version of croquet LOL. I don't see myself ever getting into it, but it's always great to see "a thing" draw out passion and fun.
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I couldn't call this, as I type England are 53 for 1 needing another 198. Moeen Ali came in a 3 which seemed strange to me (I'm only following it on line so I haven't heard any reasoning in commentary).
EDIT: Ahhh! I can't look!
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England win!! Phew! It would have been a shame for the series if they hadn't, but they sure don't make life easy!
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The Aussies made a good fist of it but 250 never really seemed enough to defend.
Australia 2 England 1
Series on
See you in Manchester
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4th test day 2.
Aussies batted first and got a solid total of 317. Many of the batsmen got a start but then got out. England are 61-1 at lunch in reply, a solid start but too early to say how we will do.
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Third day. England took a big lead, making 592 all out, a lead of 274. Zac Crawley top scored with 189, with support from Barstow, Root, Brook and Stokes all making 50+.
The weather is likely to play a big part in the result.
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That's a big hill to climb for the Aussies!
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At the close on day 3 the Aussies had got to 113 for the loss of 4 wickets. If it wasn't for the weather which could well see the next two days abandoned, the chances of an England win looked good! It'll probably be a rain affected draw. :(
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We actually got some play today, Aussies got to 214 for 5, Labuschagne completed his century before being the 5th man out, and the weather stopped play again. Fingers crossed for more play on Sunday, the Aussies still need 61 to make England bat again.
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Rats, no play today, so the game ends in a draw, the Aussies retain the Ashes as a win for England in the last test will only draw them level on 2 games each.
UK weather sucks!!
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Yeah pity about the rain but this pretty much sums up my feelings
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/07/23/cry-me-a-river-england/
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Seems like it's "if we win all's fair, if we lose it was rotten fixing!" coming from the England fans right now. It's all the game, roll with it and be a good sport about it, there's always another game.
Now I need to listen to a Roy Harper album...
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It's teh final test at the moment, day 3. Average batting on the first 2 days left Australia with a 12 run advantage after the first innings.
Day 3 and while not perfect there have been some good performances by England and nearing the end of the day England are 360-6.
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5th test is delicately poised. 5th and final day Australia are 238/3 at lunch(now a rain delay) requiring a further 146 to win the match and win the series 3-1. The umpires decided to change the ball at Englands request as they thought it was slightly out of shape and it seems to have worked wonders for England taking 3 wickets in the first hour of play this morning. The replacement ball seemed a lot newer and was moving around a lot than the ball they replaced. Australia have since steadied but given how this series has constantly ebbed and flowed I suspect theres still a lot to play out. Smith gloved one to Stokes just before lunch but he lost control of the ball when he went to celebrate and the catch was disallowed. How costly might that be?
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I think there's too much rain about to see a resolution one way or the other, which is a shame. I'm about 60 miles south west of the Oval but it's just started to rain quite heavily here. :(
EDIT: I was wrong there was a decent amount of play this afternoon... and just a couple of moments ago Stuart Broad took the last wicket in his last ever game. England won by 49 runs, but it could have gone either way.
The series ends 2-2 all but as the holders Australia retain the Ashes for another couple of years. Great series, very entertaining.
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Was an enthralling series and probably fitting it ended in a draw. Already looking forward to the next series but hopefully England can actually be competitive in Australia for a change :whistling: