Ashes 2015

[rijit]

Day one to australia.

rijit

[7by7]

Indeed, excellent day for Australia; Cook was apparently in two minds whether to bat or not; made the wrong decision?

Wonderful moment when Clarke came out to bat to a standing ovation and a guard of honour from England.

Maybe a bit premature, better to have saved it for Australia's second innings?

But with the forecast hot and sunny for today and tomorrow with excellent batting conditions, maybe Cook fears Australia wont need to bat again!

As Ben Stokes said, it would have been a fairy tale ending had Clarke been 100 n.o. at the close; but it was not to be.

[7by7]

Better morning for England; Australia 367 for 7 at lunch.

Australia having lost 4 for 44.

Smith, caught of a no ball in the 90s, is now 110 n.o.

[Basil B]

Well if England are made to follow on, it could well be another 3 day match...

[emilymat]

Well if England are made to follow on, it could well be another 3 day match...

We need a new opener with Cooke. What a shot. The same for Stokes. Why couldn't he just dig in, instead of the big flash.

Anyway, I would enforce the follow on in view of the weather forecast.

Interesting viewing today, 15 wickets. Now watching my football team at 2.30am. Square eyes tomorrow!.

[rijit]

What a totally bizzare series. Dont think i've ever seen a series that has swung from one extreme to another.

rijit

[vogie]

What a totally bizzare series. Dont think i've ever seen a series that has swung from one extreme to another.

rijit

I'm glad England is not relying on this match for an Ashes victory.

[7by7]

Woeful batting by the English.

You're in trouble, bowlers on top, wickets are falling; time to dig in and defend, defend, defend. That's test cricket.

It seems the forward defensive stroke is no longer in their repertoire!

Cook, Bell and Root all fell to excellent balls, but the rest of the top order can only blame themselves.

Boycott's comments

"Adam Lyth grafted and played nicely, but Peter Siddle came on, his second ball was a loosener, a lollipop outside off stump and he went to pull it and it looped to mid-on. Your career is at stake here," he said.

"Jonny Bairstow came in and they set the trap for him - they put two back and he knocked it straight down his throat.

"Then Ben Stokes came in - almost every second or third ball he was whooshing at it, almost as if he was trying to win the match.

"Jos Buttler is like a rabbit caught in the headlights of Ashes cricket. A seven-year-old schoolboy would have played better. He hasn't made a run all series.

"He hasn't shown any application whatsoever. It looks to me like his mind and confidence is shot for Test cricket - it's pathetic."

Anyway, I would enforce the follow on in view of the weather forecast.

Indeed, heavy rain forecast Sunday afternoon and most of Monday; if Clarke wants to win this game, he must enforce the follow on.

England are not going to get anywhere near the 175 still needed to avoid the follow on, so Moeen, aided by Wood and Finn, must knuckle down and remember their aim is to bat as long as possible, delay the follow on for as long as possible. Scoring runs is secondary to that.

With just 8 from 43 balls so far, Moeen seems to be thinking that way. Shame those above him in the order didn't!

When they do follow on, the entire England line up must also think that way. If England are still batting on Sunday morning then, given the weather forecast, there is a chance they may salvage a draw from this debacle.

(Edited for spelling)

Edited August 22, 2015 by 7by7

[mrbojangles]

That's got to be the end of test cricket for Lyth. He's been given 5 tests and just hasn't cut it. I think the tail enders have scored more than him.

[Basil B]

Well if England are made to follow on, it could well be another 3 day match...

Well I have to eat my words...

They are still in, and now it is England prying for rain...

[farmerjo]

One wicket to go.

An inninings victory would be nice.

[stoneyboy]

I gave up watching sadly two days ago.

Lucky for me I like the footy.

Complete contrast to the last test and pretty dismal from England,maybe regaining The Ashes already has contributed to our downfall this test,seems that way.

Still we have the one day series to go,do hope that throws up some entertaining cricket.

Edited August 23, 2015 by stoneyboy

[farmerjo]

Well done to England winning the ashes.

To good.

[emilymat]

I love cricket and have really enjoyed this topsy turvey series. Well done to the Aussies to come back with a fine win. Overall I think the 3-2 is about right, but the margins of victories have been incredible.

As an earlier poster stated, Lyth is a goner and I think Bell may also be struggling. I like the new Aussie captain.

Now have the 5 one day internationals to look forward to.

Also, next Saturday, the T20 bash finals. (Warwickshire man me.).

[ripstanley]

This topic is Ashes 2015. Does this continue onto the One Day series or is that a new topic?

[stoneyboy]

I personally see no need for another thread as most people posting here do so regularly,and it is all now a part of the tour.

As they say up to you.

[farmerjo]

Thought Broad would have got the nod but Root was named best.

[Will27]

Yep

Congrats to the Poms.

To be honest, was one of the more placid Ashes series I can remember in a long time.

Seemed there was hardly a cross word said between the teams.

Not that that is a bad thing.

[Will27]

This topic is Ashes 2015. Does this continue onto the One Day series or is that a new topic?

Mate

We have an International cricket thread further down the page which should probably be used

for the limited overs stuff.

[rijit]

Yep

Congrats to the Poms.

To be honest, was one of the more placid Ashes series I can remember in a long time.

Seemed there was hardly a cross word said between the teams.

Not that that is a bad thing.

Think the banter causes 'issues ' when the games are close tbh i dont think i saw one match that was that closely contested

rijit

[7by7]

This topic is Ashes 2015. Does this continue onto the One Day series or is that a new topic?

Mate

We have an International cricket thread further down the page which should probably be used

for the limited overs stuff.

I'd keep it here; it is all part of the same tour, after all.

Isn't that what we did last time?

[7by7]

Some interesting stats (from the BBC):-

• There have been only 18 days' play in the series, equalling the record for the fewest in a series of five Tests or more - when England beat West Indies in 2000
• This is only the fifth time that a team have won by an innings and lost by an innings in consecutive Tests in a series, and only the second time in the Ashes
• No batsman has been stumped in this series, the third consecutive Ashes without a stumping after 2013 and 2013-14. The most recent player to be stumped in an Ashes Test was Andrew Strauss at Brisbane in 2010
• It is the first time since 1926 that no Australia bowler has taken 20 wickets in an Ashes series in England

Steve Smith scored the most runs; with 508 runs from 9 innings, an average of 56.44 and a strike rate of 62.87. But as over half of those runs came from one match, and most of them in the first innings of that game, he wasn't exactly consistent!

Stuart Broad took the most wickets; 5 matches, 861 balls, 21 for 439. A strike rate of 41 and an average of 3.05.

But what about Peter Siddle? His 6 for 67 in the one game he played in coming at an average of 1.77 and a strike rate of 37.66.

OK, England were playing for a draw in the second innings (at least some of them were!), but I feel the Australian selectors made a great mistake in not picking him earlier; even right from the start.

He may not be a show stopping wicket taker, but he's played county cricket in England and knows English conditions, which suit his style and make him difficult to score off in those conditions.

A mistake that cost Australia the Ashes?

[stoneyboy]

Incidentally for those in the UK as I often am.

BT Sport have the rights for the next ashes down under and all of Australia's test matches.

And some Aussie 20/20 stuff etc.

See link below cheers.

BT Sport wins Ashes cricket TV rights

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34038149

Edited August 24, 2015 by stoneyboy

[mrbojangles]

This topic is Ashes 2015. Does this continue onto the One Day series or is that a new topic?

Mate

We have an International cricket thread further down the page which should probably be used

for the limited overs stuff.

I'd keep it here; it is all part of the same tour, after all.

Isn't that what we did last time?

Let me know if you want me to amend the title

[stoneyboy]

This topic is Ashes 2015. Does this continue onto the One Day series or is that a new topic?

Mate

We have an International cricket thread further down the page which should probably be used

for the limited overs stuff.

I'd keep it here; it is all part of the same tour, after all.

Isn't that what we did last time?

Let me know if you want me to amend the title

Could you amend it to England Ashes Regained 2015 And One Dayers Thread.

[Old Croc]

Stuart Broad took the most wickets; 5 matches, 861 balls, 21 for 439. A strike rate of 41 and an average of 3.05.

I think Broad's average for the series was more like 20.9.

[Old Croc]

Let me know if you want me to amend the title

Could you amend it to England Ashes Regained 2015 And One Dayers Thread.

How about the Wonderful, Mighty English Heroes Crap on the Convicts to Regain the Ashes and One Dayers Thread.

[7by7]

Stuart Broad took the most wickets; 5 matches, 861 balls, 21 for 439. A strike rate of 41 and an average of 3.05.

I think Broad's average for the series was more like 20.9.

You're right.

Apols, God knows where I got 3.05 from!

[farmerjo]

Are the one dayers day/night games,if so the candle will be burning late.

[emilymat]

Are the one dayers day/night games,if so the candle will be burning late.

Mixture. 3 @ 10.30am and 2 @ 2.00 pm.