The Ashes 2023

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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!

[Jack the Stripper]

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?

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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.

[Jack the Stripper]

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

[Jack the Stripper]

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.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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.

[Jack the Stripper]

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.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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.

[Jack the Stripper]

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.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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.

[Jack the Stripper]

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

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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.

[Jack the Stripper]

Hubris cost you.

Ollie Robinson has been coping it big time over here. So many good memes

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

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!

[Jack the Stripper]

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.