[Closed] The Ashes thread! (spoilers)

in trouble now LBWatson is in

*waves at mws*

4-106 - Clarke back in the hutch...

Yeah, long walk back for Clark, it's strange that none of my cricket mad Aussie mates have been in touch yet...

terrible shot from the aussie captain

Brilliant shot by Clarke you mean

rout

Sod the garden

\o/

Gday zokes, it's getting better and better.

wheres geoff ? we need some bad winner gloating

On the plus side for my new second nationality, Watson's not out LBW yet...

Fantastic over from Wood . I love this so much

Haddins looking happy in the firing line

fantastic throw in from the boundary by Stokes.

Seeing that Wood over, I reckon Haddin's eyes have gone. The best player I ever played with regularly was as fit as a fiddle but in his late 30's confided to me that he wasn't seeing the ball as quickly as he used to. It's not eyesight, you can get lenses or glasses for that, it's how quick you see it, and when you have about half a second for the ball to reach you can't be wasting milliseconds.

[quote=zokes ]On the plus side for my new second nationality, Watson's not out LBW yet...

anyway, he's got to review it for it to count

😀

So, this Mark Wood guy. Seems handy. What's his background?

Got to be careful here as we could get deported as an enemy of the state

But this is fun to watch 🙂

The question has to be, if you had to pick one to bat for your life, would you choose LBWatson or Haddit?

LOL

Haddhim!!!

Hell of a catch 🙂

This just isn't England

Whats worse 9-4 or 25-5?

weren't they going to target moeen ?

another terrible shot!

What a catch! Eyes on the ball all the way for the second grab!

My favourite Aussie in next... Starc

[img] [/img]

Lbwatson

reviewed. hahaha unbelievably predictable

Perfect!

LBW

What a donkey

Oh man the crowd laughed when LBWatson got out again

Brilliant.

[quote=aracer ]anyway, he's got to review it for it to count

😆

Raising a beer to the review and starc up for the pair

Damm it, was hoping for the cricket to nicely wrap up just before the final 10km on the tour...

As much as England are on the up how they deal with the tail is important. They need that ruthless streak as there will be tests where this is important. Take them down for under 200 and it's a real result.

I reckon Johnson only told him to review it for the purposes of boosting the fines committee.

If you were Johnson, wouldn't you tell him to review it just for a laugh, even if you knew it was plumb? Not that I think LBWatson pays much attention to what his partner says when he's asking for their advice on reviewing.

It does mean there are no reviews left so the bowlers can get out nice and quick without any hassle.

1-0
Great to see Root take the last catch to finish it, shame they let MJ go on so long.

Stand up if youre one nil up 🙂 🙂 🙂

Whoop!

Do I remember some Aussies predicting this series would be 5-0? I suppose they could be right...

We need win at lords or this counts for nothing

We've done this in the last 2 series and let the back in

My god though I did enjoy seeing them squirm

Of course, much of Australia went to be before the close, so I can only imagine their faces on reading the back pages....

[img] [/img]

In case your wondering how it's being taken down here still no Aussie mates mentioning the game at all 🙂
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-12/we-were-outplayed-says-clarke/6613366

One word: Emphatic. 8)

Especially sweet when it's the Aussies 😀

20 more days of the same please 😆

20 more days of the same please

The Aussies have got problems now. Only Starc has really moved the ball off straight at a decent pace. Hazelwood got a bit of shape, but he looked a bit innocuous. Johnson tried his socks off, but was a one trick pony, if he can't move the ball around he's just going to skid nicely onto the middle of the bat.

As for the batting, if I were an Aussie tailender I'd be getting my pads on quite early with a middle order involving Watson, Voges and old iron-mitts himself Brad Haddin.

If I we're Cook I'd only really be worried about my bowling options when the Aussies do have a decent session or two with the bat. I like Moeen as a cricketer, but he can't do the spinner's other role, which is to tie up one end whilst the seamers rotate at the other.

The Aussies who finished their holiday yesterday were "watching Le Tour" not the cricket when I spoke to them.

We currently have 3 aussies playing for our cricket club. They were unusually reticent at the hog roast last night 🙂

[url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-12/mitchell-starc-showing-significant-improvement-in-ankle-injury/6614058 ]Mitchell Starc a chance for second Test at Lord's after significant improvement in ankle injury[/url]

Good job he got that extra day off to heal up...

I like Moeen as a cricketer, but he can't do the spinner's other role, which is to tie up one end whilst the seamers rotate at the other.

I mentioned that a day or two ago, that as far as economy goes he's 1-2 runs an over worse than a Swann or Giles type. But his strike rates better than them all, Warne and Murali included. Frankly with 4 front line seamers so you don't need the ability to hold one end for hours while 3 seamers rotate and rest, I think wickets outweigh economy.

Aus also have indicated a clear plan to attack him, with good results (for us) so far. I wonder if they might have a second thought on that?

The Aussies who finished their holiday yesterday were "watching Le Tour" not the cricket when I spoke to them.

I read a few articles in the Australian media a bit ago about how no-one in Australia cares about test cricket any more. Then they won a some games including the 5-0 ashes and suddenly everyone loves it again.

If there's a few more losses then those articles will get rehashed again I imagine. 🙂

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zy476fr ]bbc thing on facing 90mph bowling[/url]

(I'm guessing this is the Aussie version of the Daily Mash)

[url= http://theunaustralian.net/2015/07/13/shane-watson-i-have-photos-of-the-cricket-selectors-dumping-body-of-dead-hooker/ ]Shane Watson assured of place for rest of series[/url]

bbc thing on facing 90mph bowling

Is it co-authored by Tuffers? I saw him speaking once, and he told a story about a Test Match he played in against the Windies, when he was shitting himself about the quicks. After a few balls in which he'd adopted the technique of standing next to the square leg umpire and wafting a bat at it, he somehow managed to get himself vaguely in line and got a thin glove on another throat ball through to the keeper. The bowler and slips all went up, Tuffers looked at the Umpire expectantly, and was astounded to see the umpire apparently unmoved. So quick as a flash he was wringing his hand and going 'Ow, my finger, I think it's broken!' Duly the finger was raised and the innings closed.

Back in the changing rooms the skipper was incandescent with rage (I think it was Stewart) while several of the rest of the team were killing themselves laughing including Robin Smith who had a pair of cricket socks in his mouth to stifle the giggles.

Pro sport, 80's style.

Haddin and LB Watson out.
Haddin for personal reasons (happened before apparently) and Watson for the obvious.

Morning, Mike.

Replacements announced yet?

Watson isn't confirmed but it will be Marsh
Peter Nevill is the back up keeper
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-15/ashes-marsh-to-replace-watson-for-second-test-reports/6620766
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-15/brad-haddin-withdraws-from-second-test-at-lord27s/6620348

Assuming the rest of the team the same, Starc due to be fit.

A bit annoying. Was hoping to see LBWatson doing his thing at Lords!

😉

he's always good for wasting a review

Last out & First in 🙂

Beers collected, work emails off, must be time for the 2nd Test 🙂 Who's in?

I'm in, in work 🙁

Sod it the Mrs is out all evening so I might grab a few cold ones on the way home and leave at 3.30pm to watch a good slice of the action. Be nice to put the bogans into bat first and rip through them early, depending on the conditions of course.

Good Morning everyone

I'm locked in for the full 5 days. TMS on radio, Sky Sports on the TV. No beers in yet, shall pop out at lunch for supplies (may call by the pub too)

Aus win the toss and bat

And out them come through the long room

Hope Ali can play well having seen him in the team

and a big ooooooooo to start

Looking like being a tough day for England. 68-0 in an hour of play. Hope is that the Aussies have forgotten how to make hundreds and a series of 30-odds follows.

Good Bye Warner 🙂

Why on earth did he take that shot on?!

Ah well no complaints here

What a dickhead.

I said after the last test that their plan to out and out target Moeen needed review. He's just hit him for consecutive fours, and then whacks it down Anderson's throat.

Brainless.

I know to asses the pitch you need to wait until both teams bat but that could be Saturday...

* * ** * * * *

The locals will be remembering what cricket is in the morning

Any chance Geraint Thomas could make his way to Lords for tomorrow. He could bowl them out in no time. Left arm spin at one end, right arm fast from the other. Then score a double hundred. Off 14 balls.

#mancrush

FFS

FFS

+1

Think it's time to call it a day/night
All about when I get up?

We should be just about halfway through England's reply by the time Flashy arrives for the Day Four action.