The Ashes 2019

[Zakalwe]

I’m not sure how much traction this is going to get since cricket baffles most of our American friends, but there’s a few Poms and Ockers on here. Who’s watching?

It looks like it’s going to be a series dominated by the bowlers. Both sides have quality attacks, the balls and pitches will help the quicks and aside from a handful of players on both sides (Smith, Root, Warner) the batters are a bit dodgy.

Good start so far. Come on England!

[Blansky]

Not to be insulting but when watching and hearing a cricket match, I always go back to some comedy routine (can't remember what movie it was in) about guys just making stuff up about some imaginary game and calling the shots absurd names and yelling and cheering at some sort of goal and groaning when the other guys scored on some new made up term.

I'm guessing you could say that about any game you never followed or understood but cricket has some strange names for the action. I'm totally lost.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by Blansky

but cricket has some strange names for the action. I'm totally lost.

I used to play in a position called “silly mid off” when fielding. Lots of funny names for things.

It’s a great sport - one of the few I enjoy watching on television too.

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Not to be insulting but when watching and hearing a cricket match, I always go back to some comedy routine (can't remember what movie it was in) about guys just making stuff up about some imaginary game and calling the shots absurd names and yelling and cheering at some sort of goal and groaning when the other guys scored on some new made up term.

I'm guessing you could say that about any game you never followed or understood but cricket has some strange names for the action. I'm totally lost.

Who doesn’t like to see a leggie bowling a googly AKA wrong’un?

To be honest, there are a lot of absurdities in cricket, especially the long Test format as played in the Ashes. The game can’t be played in England’s prevailing weather conditions i.e. murky drizzle. I’ve seen play stopped because it’s become too dark and I also recall a game that stopped because of a stray ray of sunshine affecting the batsmen (an incident marshalled by a famous umpire called Dickie Bird; did you say something about strange names?!). The players have breaks for lunch and tea, even if half the day’s play has been washed out. A draw is a perfectly common result after five whole days of play. One bloke out of the squad is named “12th man” and he doesn’t play but fulfils the role of drinks waiter.

It remains a great game though.

[andrewjb88]

I'm there on Saturday purely for the day out and beer.

[daveathall]

Being a Yorkshireman, I love cricket, although T20 and a one dayer are good for a giggle, it's a Test match that I love.

[Old Expat Beast]

According to this source cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, so there should be some interest on a global forum. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/...the-world.html

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

According to this source cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, so there should be some interest on a global forum. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/...the-world.html

Interesting. We are in such a bubble over here in the states cricket will never catch on. I got my first taste of it in business school because we had a large demographic of Indian students.

I always wondered why there was very few trf members from india when so many seem to have excellent command of the English language.

[zama]

I am flying over for the 4th test from the Antipodes. Have a few other car shows etc on. After day 1 it looks like Smith vs England, which is probably a fair fight. The Duke ball and appropriate lollies to polish the ball always help the POMS. Should be a close series. Australia will have no excuses it is the strongest team that can be fielded. The best fast bowling line up in the world and a handy spinner, with a questionable batting line up. England hard to tell bowlers definitely the strength there as well along with conditions, pitches and balls.

[Rock]

This Thread deserves more than 9 posts, given the number of Britons and Aussies on TRF.
Regardless of the outcome, I thought it was an immensely entertaining Test with some 'ebb & flow' in fortunes during the game. Under-performance by Warner was compensated for by over-performance by Smith.
Jimmy Anderson was missed as he never fails to entertain.
I look for a good contest and I don't mind losing (much) as long as the matches are not a complete whitewash.
I am looking forward immensely to the next Test at Lords as I think the Poms will come back with a vengeance as they certainly have the talent to do so. It would also be nice to see Warner at his aggressive best.
Some good sportsmanship from certain sections of the crowd would also be welcome.

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by Rock

This Thread deserves more than 9 posts, given the number of Britons and Aussies on TRF.
Regardless of the outcome, I thought it was an immensely entertaining Test with some 'ebb & flow' in fortunes during the game. Under-performance by Warner was compensated for by over-performance by Smith.
Jimmy Anderson was missed as he never fails to entertain.
I look for a good contest and I don't mind losing (much) as long as the matches are not a complete whitewash.
I am looking forward immensely to the next Test at Lords as I think the Poms will come back with a vengeance as they certainly have the talent to do so. It would also be nice to see Warner at his aggressive best.
Some good sportsmanship from certain sections of the crowd would also be welcome.

The amazing thing about Smith is it was not far off a par performance from him. He scores a ton every 4 and a bit innings and averages 90 in the first innings of the match. He’s an absolute phenomenon. England have got a huge problem if the pitches don’t offer a lot of movement because, unless Archer - who will play at Lords - can unsettle him with his pace and quick action, I’m not sure we can get him out quickly enough.

The other differentiator between the sides is that Australia could afford to leave two bowlers carrying drinks in Hazlewood and Starc who would easily waltz into every other side in the world. The various recent incarnations of England’s fragile top order have struggled against left arm pace and I’m sure Starc will play at Lords if fit. I am not optimistic.

Honestly I think the crowd are just playing their part in what they see as a pantomime, I don’t think much, if any of it is meant with real hostility. I was too young to have seen it live but Terry Alderman getting attacked by an England “fan” at the WACA of all places (and then dislocating his shoulder attempting an ill-advised rugby tackle) set the bar for idiotic fan behaviour.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Not to be insulting but when watching and hearing a cricket match, I always go back to some comedy routine (can't remember what movie it was in) about guys just making stuff up about some imaginary game and calling the shots absurd names and yelling and cheering at some sort of goal and groaning when the other guys scored on some new made up term.

I'm guessing you could say that about any game you never followed or understood but cricket has some strange names for the action. I'm totally lost.

Not to be insulting but do you guys still play ‘rounders’?

[swatty]

Just came across this thread. Love watching Ashes cricket, Smith has such a strong mindset it’s scary .

[77T]

Originally Posted by swatty

Just came across this thread. Love watching Ashes cricket, Smith has such a strong mindset it’s scary .

Sadly I just read he is now removed from the 3rd Test beginning Thursday...concussion protocol.


https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cri...719-2019-08-20


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Zakalwe]

Although as an England supporter it's in my interests to see the batting machine that is Smith out of the Aussie side, it is genuinely the right call to have made. The blow he sustained was absolutely brutal and unfortunately cricket's official concussion protocols lag way behind those in the NFL and both codes of rugby.

Archer is an absolute beast. His gentle, ambling run up, followed by whippy, rhythmical action propelling the ball at ridiculous speed reminds me of Michal Holding - I don't think there's a better nickname in cricket than "Whispering Death".

[daveathall]

It is a shame not to see Smith, he is absolutely the best batsman in the world and, although I am an Englishman, I would love to see him play at Headingly. It is also a shame that Anderson wont be playing either.

[yran]

That is one game I know I hardly follow.

[AK797]

If we can get Jofra and Jimmy bowling together then I think England are unassailable, even with the dodgy batting... but I made a deal with the Cricket Gods - give us the World Cup and they can have the Ashes, so I'm good either way, the WC win was the craziest thing I've ever seen in sport.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

Although as an England supporter it's in my interests to see the batting machine that is Smith out of the Aussie side, it is genuinely the right call to have made. The blow he sustained was absolutely brutal and unfortunately cricket's official concussion protocols lag way behind those in the NFL and both codes of rugby.

Archer is an absolute beast. His gentle, ambling run up, followed by whippy, rhythmical action propelling the ball at ridiculous speed reminds me of Michal Holding - I don't think there's a better nickname in cricket than "Whispering Death".

Was a great article in the Mail yesterday or so on why technically he is just about the best of the best already and could go on to be a GOAT contender.

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by AK797

Was a great article in the Mail yesterday or so on why technically he is just about the best of the best already and could go on to be a GOAT contender.

Thanks for the tip Neil. I might need to seek that out and give it a read (whilst holding my nose).

[Rock]

Better headgear is an essential against the new breed of fast-bowler - and probably improved body-armour as well. Smith was not wearing the upgraded helmet with neck protection, which might have been a bit of a help.
I DO think there are too many bouncers being bowled by both sides, however.
I don't watch Cricket to see players injured, I want to see a contest of skill.

[Zakalwe]

Take a bow Jofra!

[Sarosh]

Archer into the history books already. What a great day to watch test cricket. Roll on tomorrow!

[AK797]

Bowling conditions were great yesterday, Broad esp was unplayable, angling the ball in then seaming away. Jofra did well too, just needs to work on consistency. Looks like a nice day today so should be decent batting conditions.

[AK797]

Well calling our batting dodgy was the nicest thing I've ever said it turns out. Need to get rid of Roy and Denly, and take the captaincy off Root.

[Andad]

A typical knee jerk reaction Neil.

Sometimes things combine to create these outcomes.

Next they will score 500 and you will make Root the Prime Minister.

Perhaps you could put your hand up as a selector?

Let’s see how the rest of the match goes.

[AK797]

Not knee jerk, we've been prone to collapses for many years and haven't had a good set of test batsman for a while now, for OD they are fine. Funny thing is the Aussie batsman were supposed to be the real weak link so shows just how bad ours are now, we should have taken steps earlier.

[daveathall]

Originally Posted by AK797

Well calling our batting dodgy was the nicest thing I've ever said it turns out. Need to get rid of Roy and Denly, and take the captaincy off Root.

I agree with this, The Ashes have gone now. It it will have gone half a day after England get their second innings under way. Absolutely disgraceful performance.

[Zakalwe]

The batsmen are a shower, and have been for a while, as stated. Since 2018 England have passed 400 once and have been bundled out for under a hundred four times. You could almost accept it if it was a one-off against what is an exceptional Aussie attack (Starc is on the bench and he would be an opening bowler for every other team in the world) but 85 all-out against Ireland?!

It does remain to be seen how much is due to the batters’ having limited talent and how much is due to coach and captain directing the team to “be positive” and “put the pressure back on the bowler” which translates to “give your wicket away cheaply” whenever the going gets tough. I tend to think the latter more than the former. Labuschange, who is a decent but not spectacular batsman and Pattinson, a bowler, are both at the crease at the time of writing and have between them scored more than the entire England first innings.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

The batsmen are a shower, and have been for a while, as stated. Since 2018 England have passed 400 once and have been bundled out for under a hundred four times. You could almost accept it if it was a one-off against what is an exceptional Aussie attack (Starc is on the bench and he would be an opening bowler for every other team in the world) but 85 all-out against Ireland?!

It does remain to be seen how much is due to the batters’ having limited talent and how much is due to coach and captain directing the team to “be positive” and “put the pressure back on the bowler” which translates to “give your wicket away cheaply” whenever the going gets tough. I tend to think the latter more than the former. Labuschange, who is a decent but not spectacular batsman and Pattinson, a bowler, are both at the crease at the time of writing and have between them scored more than the entire England first innings.

That Irish score was a real signal but we kind of excused it with the WC win and all, but that was no fluke result. Too often the case has been the batsman has gotten himself out rather than a bowler has got the batsman out, that weak-mindedness and lack of discipline that was common in the 90s is back, when Steve Waugh would beat us pretty much all by himself. We could so do with a Waugh or Roy Keane in this side. I like skill as much as anyone but these two sportsman are probably the two I've most admired, for their steel and grit.