[Closed] The Ashes thread! (spoilers)

I'll go for England to win 2-1 with 2 draws.

If the weather holds out it should be a cracking series - as long as England maintain the aggressive style shown v New Zealand - if they don't then .....

Really looking forward to it.
I expect the Aussie players to be their usual pugilistic and verbose selves and fail yet again to play the game in the correct manner, it's the only way they know.
Although none of the bogans have won in England I expect a draw and them to retain the ashes.

Hopefully some great cricket from both sides in between the bouts of gobby 'banter' and whinging ( aussies can't function without either), be interesting to see who steps up and performs and who wilts under pressure on both sides

It may be good viewing but I reckon Aus to win and 2 matches not to reach day 5

Can't wait. Bowling attack choice on both sides will be interesting. And who will attack who in a Walkabout this time? The drama of sport

I'm at Lord's on the Monday if still in play that is. Last time I was there for the Ashes was 2009 when Flintoff took a 5 for and the crowd was chanting: 'There's only one Freddie Flintoff!'

EDIT:

Ouch. 5-0 still stinging with some ^^^ - must have hurt when going in with such over-confidence and obviously still does. Wouldn't normally hope for Australia to win much apart from against Wales in rugby - but I'd like to see them win the series here. Never know what England might do though...backs against the wall and all that good stuff. 🙂

Edgbaston Friday for me and the old man

Cocked up - was planning to go to the first day at Lord's with friends, but its the penultimate day of our holiday, should be able to get to the Saturday and hope to make the Sunday as well.

Could be tight, bowling is sorted but of Johnson hits his best England will be in trouble.
Batting, depends who gets in and who turns up from both sides.

Sunday at Trent bridge for me. Will be my first test match. Looking forward to it 😀

No tickets for me this time round; TV will be getting a bashing. As will we, i suspect. Be nice if the ODI form translates but suspect they'll be just too strong. We might have moments, but you don't win series by winning the odd session.

I was at armed forces day on Saturday and on the Challenger II tank there was an Australian Armoured Regiment officer on secondment to the Hussars. His mates had got him a ticket to Lords for the test, having never been there he was almost beside himself with excitement. Fabulous to see that the old ground really is so special to fans the world over; having been many times I still enjoy it but you can forget the specialness of it.

Think unfortunately England will get a hammering - the "sporting Kiwi's" maybe not the best preparation for what could be a really hard, niggly series.
England lucky to win 1, depends how soon the Ausiies wrap up the series and maybe ease up a bit 😕

"Morning everyone..."

A week to go 🙂

Rashid in squad, good

Alastair Cook (Essex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Adam Lyth (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Wood (Durham)

I'd like to see Rashid play but who does he replace? If he does I think it'll be a straight swap for Ali but I'd like to see them push him back up the order and drop Bell or Ballance.

Going with my brother in law to Cardiff on the Friday. First time I've been to the cricket since watching local teams with my Grandad. What should I expect (other than a sensational win by England and a hangover the next day).

Has anyone mentioned that it all starts tomorrow?

Well, it does!

Also, a request for some kind soul to report me to the mods. OK, hold your horses, not like that! Just realised that the thread title doesn't include a spoiler warning, and would love to have one added, hence asking for a reporting!

😀

Off work today, so will watch the start

It starts today? Great news! (somewhat lacking in cricket related news in Sweden).

I'll look forward to my pod-catcher filling up wit TMS editions.

Morning everyone.

Radio all charged up. Can't wait.

I still expect a poor start from England just like the Lords tests, they always seem a bit nervy like the occasion goes to their heads. I also expect the bogans to whinge about something like "doctored wickets". The bogan media seem to think this is unsporting and preparing a wicket a certain way is something they would never do 🙄

[Richie]

Morning, evereeboddeeeeee!

[/Richie]

and drizzle to start, who though playing in Wales was a good idea, Draw anyone?

Watched Kent vs Australia weekend before last, Losing Harris is significant. Drawn series I reckon.

reminds me of the last game I watched
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8637/16818408002_6ab9315d26_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8637/16818408002_6ab9315d26_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rCbJKL ]And on come the covers[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
Hopefully England put up a fight like Scotland did...

And we're off!

Nice to see the first run away... Pitch looks interesting

and then the first wicket.... 🙁

How much longer for Lyth as England opener then?

Probably give him another innings... 😛

this is going to be painful, england getting stuffed and having to listen to Warne and McGrath crow about it 😥

🙄

I'm not overly concerned. Losing an early wicket is night on inevitable on day one of the first ashes test. I think we have a very strong, attacking batting line-up. Probably would have put Root at 3 though...

ngland getting stuffed and having to listen to Warne and McGrath crow about it

Looks a bowling pitch this? Questionable decision to bat for me although balance and cook doing ok at 29-1. They need to be there at lunch.

Root to the rescue again?

Meh.

Ohh christ on a bike.

I have a sense of ominous foreboding.

This has all got a very familiar ring to it

Blowers on TMS, "England batting like the Greek economy"

Then straight on to seagulls.

🙂

Root to the rescue again?

aussie line and length is all over the place at the moment.

Now I want to say something about England, but if I do I know what will happen. So we can all just think it instead...

Nice to see the sun coming out.

Well the view at Tea is a lot better than the view at Lunch, some great batting and hoping that both these 2 get past the next milestone. Good turnaround and be interesting to see how the Aussies come out after the break - I'll catch that one in the morning I reckon...

surprised by the rank bad bowling and fielding from the aussies. Haddon was pretty useless behind the stumps too. Got to be pretty demoralizing for the bowling attack when the keeper drops such sitters. The slips take their position from the keeper and he stands too far back (to cover for his lack of mobility) and a couple of edges dropping short of the slip cordone.

Doesn't move his feet well. I think his time's coming to an end; his runs are useful but you can't give England's best players extra lives. Including byes he's already 150-odd in debt.

Shame, because he seems such a lovely bloke.

Disappointing last session for England but it could have been a lot worse after that start. Ali looked good so hopefully the tail can hang around for a bit for him. Another 100 would give them half a chance.

Oh my, just seen Stokes highlights, bet that kept the Aussie bowlers happy 🙂

Quite a batting display.

Here's hoping Moeen can go on for a few this morning. Put them in just after lunch, maybe?

7 down it might be optimistic to suggest "putting them in" as many as we can please 400 and hopefully get a couple of early ones.

Not saying anything....

Highest England score of the last 6 tests against Australia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%9314_Ashes_series

Good start.

Shhh!

That was your fault Flashheart!

Oops.

Sorry

Now to see how good/bad that pitch is...

Well there we go, hands up who had 430 on their mind at this time yesterday?

Batting in depth, something that has been missing in English cricket for a long time. Even allows Ian Bell to see if he can find his feet in that line up. the standing ovation for Johnson 0-100 was worth seeing. Strangely enough not one of my Aussie mates has said a word yet, cue 600-3 or something like that. Key wickets? Warner & Haddin

Great knock to at least put some pressure back on Australia after yesterday's shaky start. Interesting day coming up.

I think whatever happens getting a decent score against their bowling attack will do england a lot of good. After a five nil thrashing with no score over approx... 370?.... first innings last time that's a great mental 'win'

[img] [/img]
Five of them were against Australia however...
(from @BBCTMS)

dodgy tash back in the pavilion

So in a 5 day game I go to take a leak just when tash gets out...

Mike, could you nip back for another shake?

ouch!

In the words of a commentator somewhere on one of those events.
Don't rub em count em

IN THE PLUMS!

@CaptainFlashheart
I might need to drink more beer to make that happen
PPGift email in profile 😉

🙂

yeah I went for one honest...

bye bye Smithy

Tea - or bed time as we call it here in Oz....

Bit stubborn these Ozzies could do with a couple of wickets. England have the runs on the board -
I applaud Cook for batting first even in questionable conditions as this is a good ashes score for England whatever at this point.
Australia have the good batsmen who can get out, the England bowling needs to step up a bit, maidens and tight make them play.

I applaud Cook for batting first even in questionable conditions

Agree with this although the aussies missed a chance to rip into england in that first session when the weather favoured the bowler.

Nicely poised today. On paper, England on top with runs on the board and the Aussies to bat last on a wearing pitch; reality says that we don't clear up tails well and theirs could wag hard. Hopes for Stokes to bully a few out, he strikes me as a heavy ball bowler in the Freddie mould.

There's also a rain threat for Sunday that might make us want to push the game on a bit.

Interesting stat this morning on Moeen Ali. He takes a wicket every 53 balls; better than Murali, Warne, Swann, etc. He doesn't tie an end up quite as well, too many bad balls that supposedly relieve pressure, but is that to his benefit, that batters look to attack him more than the others listed above and hence give more of a chance? On the basis you have to take 20 wickets to win a test, can you give up a run an over for a strike rate that's 15% better than Swann's?

Add his runs; I think he's a key man this series.

We've still got to get Haddin out. Let's hope his batting is as good as his keeping. But if he bats like he did in the last Ashes...

Watson lbw, who would've guessed! Bit unlucky there IMO.

We went to the first day, here's a picture - if you look carefully you can see the ball just about to be caught by Warner (Lyth out!)

[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_8N97wluBvZ9a626G4Blc8goDey7Nuzl8JJ5jlTceaY=w1403-h789-no [/img]

Next up, Haddin was the backbone of the tail back in Oz. The Oz batting line up is venerable, Haddin has been the saviour for a lot of tests. This is the key wicket.

7 down