The Ashes

[Hollowman]

That's what makes it brill.

[Buzzo]

I can't get my head round this series at all.

England have clearly improved (particularly in the bowling line up) but I think we need to see them play say SA or tour the sub continent to work out quite where they are.

The standard of batting bar the innings from Root, a couple from Cook and the game where the Aussies posted a big total has been about as poor as I can remember. Some of the shots these guys are getting out to

This Aussie team is clearly about to die.

[Buzzo]

Every ****ing time I sit down to watch for a prolonged period the wickets dry up.

[Hollowman]

Home tracks seem more important than ever. We've seen Australia go to India and the UAE and look less than ordinary. Their win in South Africa a couple of years ago is about the only meaningful away series win I can think off recently. Obviously, jollies in the Caribbean don't count.

[Hollowman]

Every ****ing time I sit down to watch for a prolonged period the wickets dry up.

Be a good chap and toddle off away from the telly then.

[Norbs]

Win this series, and Bell has five successful Ashes doesn't he? Any other Englishman say that since the days of Randolph Bertram Montague III?

Ian Botham according to the Beeb

[Buzzo]

I'm off for an hour in about 5 mins - expect to see the series wrapped up during this time...

[Chazza]

Juggling in the slips and has Bell just put the nail in Clarke's captaincy?

[Buzzo]

I think Clarke has put the nail in his own captaincy. Should be tidied up by lunch tomorrow.

[captainfog]

Good job the skittlin' happened, because Foggy was eyeing up a thousand word post about how **** England are.

I've said all along there is a nucleus of excellent youngsters. My main concern has been with the management and administration. Getting rid of Moores has seemingly sorted the first part but the second part is still all wrong.

[Harv]

If they start giving up wickets again in the same way they have the previous three innings, i.e. stepping out and wafting about in front of their pads, turning their back hips into it and getting caught straight on, then the only conclusion can be this is without doubt the dumbest batting line up in cricketing history. How many times can you be electrocuted by the same wired-up cupcake?

They do this every time they go over to England. Its as if they completely forget about the way the pitches behave over there. Its ****ing groundhog day over and over again. The only one that really digs in at all is Rodgers. The rest just can't help themselves and almost subconsciously leave the bat dangling out there.

****ing infuriating to watch. If i was Lehman i'd be armed with a bat and ball and anyone that gets out fishing on a pitch like that gets a ball blasted at them as they're walking back into the changeroom. Pack of morons.

[Leyton388]

Glorious isnt it?

On a serious note though the ending of Australia's dominance of the ashes from days gone bye has been good for the series. Yes it's always great to beat the aussies and I'm sure the feelings mutual when they beat us but the fact that it's so back and forth in recent years is a good thing for the series.

Saying that all out for 60 is hilarious.

[Boogs]

It's not about the ashes series though look at the bigger picture.

Less audiences due to it being on sky has less people / kids playing it.
Test series should be about defence and plodding along nicking a run here and there, cat and mouse and a battle of great captaincy decisions.
A test finishing in 3 days is not good for the series, not good for the grounds as they lose ticket sales and not good for test cricket.
They better make it to day three at the oval or I'm going to be seriously ****ed off.

[Buzzo]

yeah i have a mate who has tickets for days 3 & 4 at the Oval. He was convinced he's see the moment England won the Ashes.

Even if they are insured for the loss in ticket sales I'd say the trend for tests to be so short, almost like 4 one day innings can't be good for yet cricket.

[Alex]

It'll just mean that they flatten the pitches more to prolong the tests for a while.

It's always been a bit of a weird balancing act for as long as I can remember. The next series in England will probably be a load of flat tracks with 500 scored each. I think as a spectacle it's kind of a double edged sword. I love this fast smash victories, but a 5 day nail biter is much more of what I prefer. We had them against NZ though.

Think T20 has had way more of an impact than everyone envisaged. Clarke was saying yesterday that they felt like they had to hit the ball harder when under pressure to get the runs. I'm sure that never used to be the case? I remember people taking a step back and nudging it around for a few overs in the past and trying to reset.