Ashes Thread 2023

[Claret Alfie]

That declaration

[Bordeauxclaret]

What a test.

Stokes will no doubt get some criticism but it’s our fielding that’s cost us that test.

[StayingDown4Ever]

Second favourites now but what a match this has been

The words of a man who realises he was wrong about the declaration earlier.

[fatboy47]

Great game.

Could have gone either way. Great advert.

[RVclaret]

What a test.

Stokes will no doubt get some criticism but it’s our fielding that’s cost us that test.

Agree, fine margins as they say

[Casper2]

What a test.

Stokes will no doubt get some criticism but it’s our fielding that’s cost us that test.

Some outstanding fielding , what cost us was the stupid declaration and lack of variation in the bowling attack , Wood should have played.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Some outstanding fielding , what cost us was the stupid declaration and lack of variation in the bowling attack , Wood should have played.

We missed plenty of chances in the field. Plenty.

[FCBurnley]

Wasn’t able to watch today so why did Stokes not take hew ball and give it Broad with them still needing 50. Fantastic innings by Cummins. A true captains knockn

[Spijed]

Having someone keeping wicket who is no where good enough behind the stumps is a major problem, and surely needs fixing before the next test.

[RVclaret]

Foakes in for Moeen in the next one please.

[AGENT_CLARET]

We missed plenty of chances in the field. Plenty.

We also stopped a lot of runs so it evened out, the declaration did us

[alwaysaclaret]

What a match, but massive for the winner, will be unbelievably hard to pull back, massive for 2 teams so closely matched to get this lead and upper hand.

[Aphex]

The Aussies will kick on from this their best bat does nothing and they still win. Our best bat sawn off by his own captain when going nicely. Glenn McGrath might have called this one right at 5-0

[StayingDown4Ever]

With any luck people will now acknowledge the monumental error and admit it was a terrible mistake.

[winsomeyen]

Dropped catches lose matches,

[StayingDown4Ever]

Dropped catches lose matches,

Calling it early with the bat loses the match.

[AGENT_CLARET]

Dropped catches lose matches,

An extra 30 runs wins matches

[alwaysaclaret]

Some outstanding fielding , what cost us was the stupid declaration and lack of variation in the bowling attack , Wood should have played.

Agree, wood would have just given us that bit extra pace to find the edge or hit the stumps, doubt khawaja would have got the runs he got with wood in the bowling attack, that's the reason he was so comfortable imo, just that extra 5-8 mph. Question is who do we drop. Possibly bairstow for foakes and dare I say Anderson for wood if Jimmy isn't fit.

[ClaretTony]

The words of a man who realises he was wrong about the declaration earlier.

Not at all.

[Casper2]

Agree, wood would have just given us that bit extra pace to find the edge or hit the stumps, doubt khawaja would have got the runs he got with wood in the bowling attack, that's the reason he was so comfortable imo, just that extra 5-8 mph. Question is who do we drop. Possibly bairstow for foakes and dare I say Anderson for wood if Jimmy isn't fit.

Good call , unless the pitch suits Anderson then he has to be dropped, we also need a decent spinner but that’s not happening soon

[alwaysaclaret]

Good call , unless the pitch suits Anderson then he has to be dropped, we also need a decent spinner but that’s not happening soon

Is leach out for the series, what's he's injury ?

[StayingDown4Ever]

Not at all.

Well, you were.

[alwaysaclaret]

Well, you were.

The declaration served no purpose imo, and to get 400 rather than 393 was psychological as well, hope stokesy learns from it.

[StayingDown4Ever]

The declaration served no purpose imo, and to get 400 rather than 393 was psychological as well, hope stokesy learns from it.

Agreed.

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Was the dreadful shot selection in the second innings and collapsing from 120 for 3 with Root
Brook Stokes Bairstow Ali all out to poor shots when we could have scored more runs when time wasn’t a problem
Playing this new way is ok against New Zealand Pakistan etc but not against the best side in the World who will punish us
The first test had to be a must not lose one as we will probably have to win 3 of the last 4 now to get the ashes

[Longsidelenny1882]

We should never have lost that game upthecolne

[ClaretTony]

Well, you were.

We wouldn't have won without the declaration in all likelihood, we'd have run out of time. A lot of decisions are made in a test match that can turn it one way or the other and there were bigger key decisions in this one than the declaration.

[Quickenthetempo]

If we bat on an hour in the first innings then the Test match ends in a draw.

The Aussies wouldn't have chased it.

The bottom line is we should have bowled them out twice and we didn't.
Drop catches, missed stampings, no ball wickets.

The bowlers not being fit enough to finish the Test was a big issue as well. Only Broad came through.

[ClaretLoup]

Personally I thought the declaration was daft, however Root could have been out next ball.

Another decisive factor in this encounter was the difference between the spinners. Lyon took eight wickets Ali three for plenty. Lyon also played heroically in the Aussie eighth wicket stand.

Not sure what England can do about this,

[ClaretTony]

If we bat on an hour in the first innings then the Test match ends in a draw.

The Aussies wouldn't have chased it.

The bottom line is we should have bowled them out twice and we didn't.
Drop catches, missed stampings, no ball wickets.

The bowlers not being fit enough to finish the Test was a big issue as well. Only Broad came through.

Bang on

[Bordeauxclaret]

If we bat on an hour in the first innings then the Test match ends in a draw.

The Aussies wouldn't have chased it.

The bottom line is we should have bowled them out twice and we didn't.
Drop catches, missed stampings, no ball wickets.

The bowlers not being fit enough to finish the Test was a big issue as well. Only Broad came through.

Yep that’s it for me.
We don’t declare - we probably draw.
We take our chances we win.

I’m happy having a set up where we do everything we can to look to force a result.
It won’t always come off but that’s sport.

[Vino blanco]

Key points for me:
Selecting Moeen and Bairstow, was it too much of a gamble
Crawley losing his wicket 1st innings last ball before lunch.
Brook's crazy dismisal to Lyon
Bairstow and Moeen being stumped by running down the pitch when not needed.
Incorrect decision to declare when Root was still at the pitch, just not cricketing common sense.
Joe Root being stumped (for the first time in his test career I think I head) by coming down the pitch on 46 when simply not needed.
Poor shot selection by our batsmen in the second innings when we did not need to force it. There was plenty of time left.

It was a great game of cricket but we need to balance over-aggressive cricket with a test match mentality. Don't forget Smith and Labaushagne only got 30 odd between them this match, I don't think that will happen again.

[jrgbfc]

Not sure asking for such a flat pitch helped us much either.

[boatshed bill]

Fantastic test match.
As someone once said "fine margins".

[JarrowClaret]

We also stopped a lot of runs so it evened out, the declaration did us

Nah if he hadn’t declared when he did this would have been a draw with a very dull ending. This is the way we are going to play now and it is great to see, it will work most times I guess but others not, but it is going to be 1 hell of a ride. the missed chances were the main issue also we can look at the way 1 or 2 got out in the second innings particularly Joe Root he is normally so good at manipulating the strike he had no need to be dancing down the pitch really. Anyway stunning Test match a real privilege to witness and well don Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to bring it home, sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and accept they were too good and today the Aussies were.

[JarrowClaret]

If we bat on an hour in the first innings then the Test match ends in a draw.

The Aussies wouldn't have chased it.

The bottom line is we should have bowled them out twice and we didn't.
Drop catches, missed stampings, no ball wickets.

The bowlers not being fit enough to finish the Test was a big issue as well. Only Broad came through.

Exactly well said

[fatboy47]

I think, rather than seek someone to blame, we'd be better to have a realistic look at where we might improve in the next test.

We shouldn't pillory Stokes...hes no Mike Bearley, and still on a learning curve. He'll make some calls that pay off and some that don't. He's certainly a better skipper than our last 2 charismatic all-rounders (Flintoff and Botham).

I'd be gobsmacked if we continue to try and blag our way through without a proper keeper.

And I'm certainly not going to condemn our finest ever seam bowler on the back of his not cleaning up on a lifeless surface with a pub wicket keeper.

One plus maybe that we'll surely be looking for a "result pitch" in the next game.

[AlargeClaret]

Great test , took a sickie today just to watch the 5th day on tv .
With matches that close its churlish to criticise. Ultimately Stokes was unlucky to be unfit to bowl most of the match , JA couldn’t get a groove and Ali out of retirement , so we did a pretty sound job I’d say .
The age of our bowling attack is a slight concern with Leech out snd Stokes not 100% fit. The Bairstow question is a real 50/50 , but as long as his batting holds up it’s fine imo .

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

What a fantastic test match to watch. Hopefully it’s going to be another tight series that goes in our favour.

[dandeclaret]

With no declaration, it would have been likely Australia were 180-5, and it would have been handshakes all round.

This team are going to do some seemingly bizarre things, you've just got to go with it.

[StayingDown4Ever]

With no declaration, it would have been likely Australia were 180-5, and it would have been handshakes all round.

This team are going to do some seemingly bizarre things, you've just got to go with it.

I think I would have rather shaken hands than a bizarre defeat.

[JarrowClaret]

Key points for me:
Selecting Moeen and Bairstow, was it too much of a gamble
Crawley losing his wicket 1st innings last ball before lunch.
Brook's crazy dismisal to Lyon
Bairstow and Moeen being stumped by running down the pitch when not needed.
Incorrect decision to declare when Root was still at the pitch, just not cricketing common sense.
Joe Root being stumped (for the first time in his test career I think I head) by coming down the pitch on 46 when simply not needed.
Poor shot selection by our batsmen in the second innings when we did not need to force it. There was plenty of time left.

It was a great game of cricket but we need to balance over-aggressive cricket with a test match mentality. Don't forget Smith and Labaushagne only got 30 odd between them this match, I don't think that will happen again.

I think part of there thinking was whoever they picked would have been targeted by the Aussies and it could Have scarred a young spinner where as Moeen wouldn’t get as affected.

I think would have gone with rehan Ahmed at Leicestershire but hey Mo actually do okay although his finger injury seriously affected how he could bowl in there second innings.

[Vino blanco]

Nah if he hadn’t declared when he did this would have been a draw with a very dull ending. This is the way we are going to play now and it is great to see, it will work most times I guess but others not, but it is going to be 1 hell of a ride. the missed chances were the main issue also we can look at the way 1 or 2 got out in the second innings particularly Joe Root he is normally so good at manipulating the strike he had no need to be dancing down the pitch really. Anyway stunning Test match a real privilege to witness and well don Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to bring it home, sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and accept they were too good and today the Aussies were.

Call me old fashioned but I would have taken a draw with a boring ending rather than being beaten by the Aussies in the first match of an Ashes series.

[lizardlad]

Defeat from the jaws of victory- worst Aussie side I've seen since 85 - with more "traditional" English wickets we can still win this series

[JarrowClaret]

Call me old fashioned but I would have taken a draw with a boring ending rather than being beaten by the Aussies in the first match of an Ashes series.

Old fashioned ha ha

We won’t do that Stokes has said it several times we are going for wins I can’t see us getting a boring draw with him and McCulam around unless the weather causes it.

[dandeclaret]

I think I would have rather shaken hands than a bizarre defeat.

It isn't going to happen with these 2 lads in charge, that's just the reality of the situations. It's going to be aggressive, compelling viewing at times, car crash at others. They're going to make decisions that baffle, decisions that amaze, and there's going to be lots of interesting cricket to discuss.

[FCBurnley]

Old fashioned common sense test cricket beat a team trying to play 1 day cricket for 5 days. Great to watch but horrible when you lose

[karatekid]

With no declaration, it would have been likely Australia were 180-5, and it would have been handshakes all round.

This team are going to do some seemingly bizarre things, you've just got to go with it.

Without the rain delays the aussies would of had plenty of time to reach the target. Stokes didn't know on day one it was going to rain for half a day on day five.The declaration, amongst other things, cost us the game. Runs on the board in the first innings against the best test team in the world is vital.

[warksclaret]

Not a big cricket fan, but love football, but right now would watch our national cricket team every time over our national football team. This, and recent games have kept me rivotted to the test matches.

As someone who is not fully up to speed with cricket my observations are
-Bairstow is not a top wicket keeper and cost us dearly
-Moeen Ali looked rusty and has not played enough cricket lately to be effective
-for the first time I can remember Jimmy Anderson looked tired, both bowling and in the field. Appreciate he has been injured this season, and by his admission has not found his rythmn yet. I hope he gets another chance
-we need Wood to join our bowling attack, maybe at the expense of a spinner or Bairstow
-we appear to be gun how with our batting, and do not play ourselves in first before letting go. This applies particularly to Stokes

[Quickenthetempo]

Newsflash- we were crap under Joe Root playing traditional cricket.
Joe Roots side refused to chase down 242 in a day against New Zealand.