Cricket

[Deano]

Australia 326-8

This will end up 5-0

Rob Key should be the first one sacked - the Arrogant ****

Then BM, then Stokes

We have the talent
Just not the mental fortitude
No accountability

Rob Key has been an absolute disaster for English cricket

[Deano]

Cricket in England feels like a proper old boys club. Correct school tie/face fits type of thing. There are players who have consistently underperformed but don't suffer for it. It feels like England are in the Hodgson era and need embarrassing failure for change to happen

Its the same in the Counties as well, too much power in a old boys network, I can honestly say I've not watched a hundred game, but this now takes pride of place smack bang in the middle of the UK summer, bonkers, we even played with the Kook ball, this summer despite hardly any of the English attack bowling with it FFS.

I'm noy sure what influence BM has on selection but he has stayed very loyal for too long to some of them

[Irishnev]

I can understand that, especially if you were called a pom. We aren't the most gracious winners, and absolutely whiny losers

That snicko on Carey was a shocking error though - reminded me of that VAR decision against us when we were playing Spurs a couple of years ago

I was in Sydney in 2000 when Thorpe (swimming) , Freeman and Diamond (shooting) were cleaning up, I got sick of the gracious winning all right

[ChesterDave]

Finished the tail off quickly. I just hope England are still batting when I wake up

[DerKrampus]

It'll be a follow on - Australia have this in the bag with coldies waiting before the day's through.

[ChesterDave]

Snicko again...

[bacon]

England so bad - with one approach - that doesn't work - it's like Postecoglu is in charge !

[Yozza]

Utter embarrassment

Ashes over in 10 days of actual play

[Buzzo]

I watched up to lunch.

The approach is staggering. Ben Duckett is a classic case in point. He is about as far from a test match opener as you could imagine. His first over he looked like he would be out for a duck.

He then got a 4. From that point on he played at every ball. Literally every ball. And he piled some early runs but it’s just not sustainable and the Aussies know that when someone is going after them like that early chances will come.

He did get out to a peach of a delivery to Lyon, but it was coming as he was so cavalier. He doesn’t leave a single ball. 29 runs from 30 balls. Alistair Cook wouldn’t play a single shot for 30 balls backin the day. Bring a Duckett type player in at 4 or 5 once the bowlers are ****ed,but there’s nobody up top to absorb the early heat.

I can recall being at the oval and seeing Smith, Kalis and Alma pile on about 300 runs with barely any boundaries. 1 wicket all day. Truly attritional.

It was boring as **** but it’s how you grind out wins.

England are exciting to watch but tactically so incredibly naive.

[SB]

Apparently Stokes & Archer exchanged words. Stokes said something like “ don’t complain about field placements when you bowl that **** “ . If true it doesn’t bode well for team harmony.

[ChesterDave]

BBC live commentary currently talking about seeing what the new ball will do. Have to admite the optimism that England last at least 8 more overs

[DerKrampus]

Archer on for a half century at least?

[DerKrampus]

I'm not ashamed to say that I'm really getting into this cricket thing!

[Buzzo]

Even with an amazing partnership from Archer and Stokes, England are getting crushed.

356 behind with 6 wickets to get.

[Irishnev]

Even with an amazing partnership from Archer and Stokes, England are getting crushed.

356 behind with 6 wickets to get.

Not watching but following on BBC, looking at extended highlights every evening. Australia look miles better and are ruthlessly taking their chances.

It’s as you said yesterday, Duckett “gets in” and then swings at everything. Starc, Cummins, Boland and Lyon are top class so you need to wear them down and tire them out, it’s not rocket science.

Brooks should be a worldie but he seems to get out stupidly more often than not and Pope is out of his depth now, massively lacking in confidence.

Play Stokes at 3 next test, at least he dug in and maybe with better batters around him he can do better