Ashes 2023

[Mibbes Aye]

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Not even a cricket fan but I was glued to the last couple of hours of that

[He's here!]

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Proper test match cricket and exactly why 5 day cricket is and always will be the best form of the game

Absolutely.

[Lancs Harp]

Was a great Test. Total contrast in styles but what a contest. Looking forward to the next!

[Mibbes Aye]

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Was a great Test. Total contrast in styles but what a contest. Looking forward to the next!

Agree on that, but part of me misses the good old days when you could rely on a Test match slowly ebbing into torpitude, two long days when the only point of interest would be Henry Blofeld commenting on a lady spectator's hat.

The kind of Test match where you could nip off and unload the dishwasher or run out to post a letter or maybe even learn a challenging new language and know that all you had missed were a couple of lacksadaisical singles and an indifferent appeal for a ball clearly heading wide of off stump.

[Lancs Harp]

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Agree on that, but part of me misses the good old days when you could rely on a Test match slowly ebbing into torpitude, two long days when the only point of interest would be Henry Blofeld commenting on a lady spectator's hat.

The kind of Test match where you could nip off and unload the dishwasher or run out to post a letter or maybe even learn a challenging new language and know that all you had missed were a couple of lacksadaisical singles and an indifferent appeal for a ball clearly heading wide of off stump.

You mean Geoff Boycott making a rapid 10 before lunch.

[He's here!]

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You mean Geoff Boycott making a rapid 10 before lunch.

Chris Tavare is another who springs to mind.

[Lancs Harp]

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Chris Tavare is another who springs to mind.

I always felt a bit sorry for Chris Tavare. He could actually be pretty expansive but was asked/told to play the anchor role. Was a dull watch in that role though for England.

[Mibbes Aye]

The Second Test looms and the home of cricket beckons. Lord's it is, historically a happy hunting ground for Australia. In the last forty years the Australians have won six times here and only been beaten twice. The talismanic Steve Smith has made 215 here, eight years ago, and Mitchell Starc has claimed a five-for albeit in a ODI.

But England first, and there was only really one question to ask, with one answer generating another question. That first question was whether to employ a specialist spinner. Stokes appears to feel Moeen isn't fit enough and Ahmed would be too much of a step up right in the spotlight. So four seamers it is, the only question being who gets the fourth spot? Anderson, Broad and Robinson pick themselves (it will be interesting to see what the members' lounge make of the rather ungracious Robinson. In fourth the temptation must have been to go with Woakes. He has a tremendour record at Lord's with bat and ball. The selectors have plumped forJosh Tongue however, and there is something that is always exciting about seeing a prospective young talent having the chance to shne in such a big gam;

For Australia it boils down to one spot in the pace trio and it is widely assumed that Starc will come in for Boland. The pitch is meant to be looking somewhat green which should seal that decision. I think we will see rotation of the three seamers who aren't Pat Cummins, across the series.

Regards the weather it looks set fair for tomorrow but showers will be likely on Thursday. Days four and five look like they could offer a lot in the morning and late on in the day to the seamers. So, something for bat and ball, but some real opportunities for England.

My prediction for the first Test was a draw, with the outside chance of an Australian victory, and a firm belief that England wouldn't bowl the Aussies out twice. So, one out of three (or maybe one and a bit ). I don't think England will struggle to take 20 wickets here though I suspect they will be penalised for not meeting their overs by the officials.

This prediction? I don't think the balance of strength is such that Australia should be two up after two Tests, but that is my cagey prediction. I think Australia tend to grow into away series and I don't think Labuschagne and Smith will only be able to muster 35 runs between them as per the first Test.

[Mibbes Aye]

Science was never really my bag but I understand that one can carry out repeated observation (e.g. Australia at Lord's) and formulate a hypothesis based on the evidence of these observations (Australia are good at Lord's).

And so it was thus on day one of the Second Test. But more of that later. First, I should have known that the orange powder protesters would try to put on a show at Lord's. In hindsight, it was glaringly obvious. No doubt security is already being reviewed at Wimbledon and The Open. As regards this match, expect the Telegraph and the Mail to launch a funding campaign to build a statue of Jonny Bairstow, raggle-haired protester under one arm, with the inscription "Enough IS enough"

The match itself, two very competive teams both really looking for a result from this Test, was very possibly decided outwith play. The orange powder dudes, along with some light showers, took up enough time to allow the conditions to improve ever so slightly for the batting side before they even took guard. But it was the coin toss that made the difference.

If Australia had won the toss and chosen to bat first, the position at stumps meant it probably still would have been their day - but with more than a chance for England. For England to win the toss and then fail to capitalise on bowling first meant that Australia definitely won the day. Without Root's two late wickets I would have been tempted to call it 0-2 in the series already.

England went with the all-seam attack and it simply wasn't incisive enough. Anderson still seems to be carrying the malaise that enveloped him at Edgbaston but at least was economical wth his bowling spells. The rest couldn't be said of his colleagues who were all going in excess of four an over. Stokes is obviously not right, though he has the ability and tenacity to be menacing even bowling his slower balls.

For Australia it was tales of redemption and tales of partnerships. David Warner, in his farewell tour of England, batted hard and batted fast to earn a well-deserved half-century. And didn't get dismissed by Broad! He and Khawaja set out a good partnership for 23 overs before Khawaja inexplicably left a ball and lost his wicket as a consequence.

That heralded lunch and although Warner didn't last too long after, that merely allowed Labuschagne and Smith to bat together. Having made a grand sum of 35 between them in Bimingham, they set about making amends, with a good century partnership to position Australia just shy of 200-3. Labuschagne's dismissal would have been welcome to some tired English bowlers but their relief was short-lived. Travis Head gambolled out to the middle, with the air of a man who knew that Bazball might have gripped England in recent times but basically was just how he always played his cricket. The evening session saw Smith and Head combine for a 118-run partnership before Root got the better of him, luring him down the pitch and leaving a straightforward stumping for Bairstow.

Green was out next and Root managed to befuddle him enough to spoon a straightforward catch to Jimmy Anderson at deep mid-off. That meant Alex Carey eentered the field and he successfully and carefully negotiated 34 balls, leaving him and Smith at the crease, Smith smoothly gliding towards yet another Test century.

So, three sessions played, Australia top in all of them to be honest. The decision at the toss looks bad right now. The new ball was taken just before close of play. More showers before play tomorrow means that when play does happen we will have a slick outfield. That means that Australia could rack up boundaries by getting the slightest touch on seam deliveries. Add to that, it looks like thundersotrms over St John's Wood which may break the mugginess that Lord's is known for, and which Anderson and Broad relish exploiting.

The other bad news for England was Ollie Pope, their number three, who looked to have hurt his shoulder quite badly in fielding. One of those ones where it wasn't obvious ther than by his reaction and how he carried himself just after.

Australia don't need to do much to take this game completely away from England, they are a good way down that road already. The pressure is very firmly on the England bowlers again.

[lord bunberry]

Fair play to England today, they bowled the Aussies out pretty quickly. To be honest I half expected a quick collapse from England but they’ve batted well in the main. They’ve gifted a few of their wickets but I that’s how they do things these days. This England team are made of sterner stuff than previous incarnations. That said I fancy a draw which England will probably be happier with after the first day.

[Mibbes Aye]

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Fair play to England today, they bowled the Aussies out pretty quickly. To be honest I half expected a quick collapse from England but they’ve batted well in the main. They’ve gifted a few of their wickets but I that’s how they do things these days. This England team are made of sterner stuff than previous incarnations. That said I fancy a draw which England will probably be happier with after the first day.

Good succinct summary. I too did not expect England to get to 188-1 but they were bold and reaped the rewards. Plus Starc and to a lesser extent Hazlewood weren't able to do much. I thought Paddy Cummins bowled very tidily though.

England being England they managed to engineer a mini-collapse and the door is nearly open to the tail - two wickets and Broad will be at the crease. For Australia a bit of cloud in the morning would be ideal, helping their pace men, and the new ball should become available during th morning session.

The need for wickets is compoinded by the loss of Lyon, for this match and potentially the series. Huge loss, as he has an almost limitless capacity to tie down one end with economical spin, allowing maximum rotation at the other end for the seamers. It is a tried and trusted formula for Australia.

For this match they can call on Head, Smith and Labuschagne to turn their arm over but faced with a choice between the three of them fit to bowl and Nathan Lyon fit to bowl, you would go with the latter every time. Anyway it looks like Todd Murphy will be back in the side for the next game and he looks a handy young cricketer

What the loss of Lyon means for me is that Australia may struggle to take 20 wickets in this match now. I think given the loss of Lyon, Australia wouldn't turn up their noses at a draw here. That leaves them needing one win from three matches to retain the urn. So to some extent it could be arguably slightly favouring England - Brook, Stokes and Bairstow can offer a lot of runs and suddenly it is the Aussies facing five seamers and the reliable Root on a third or even fourth day pitch. But it s very close to call, not in the same way as the last game, but more in a traditional "will the seamers get the Lord's clouds", ""how expensive will Starc and Hazlewood be against three fine, fine batsmen" way.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Stokes gone in the first minute of the morning session.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Brook goes to the short ball now for 50, 293-6, collapse on its way?

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Bairstow gone now too, 314-7. You've got to question England's game plan here especially when you consider the situation with Lyon.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

324-8

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

325-9

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

325 All Out. 🙄

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Australia 63-1, Tongue dismisses Warner again, a well deserved wicket for England. They've bowled well without much joy.

[K-Zazu]

Bazball 😂. You win nout wi sloggin’

[K-Zazu]

Stokes’ knee is completely gone, if he’s not going to bowl and isn’t adding much with the bat what is he a specialist captain? Could see him retiring pretty soon tbh

[Sloop67]

It's going to take a remarkable performance from England to win this one , if they go 0-2 down then it's going to be awfully tough to win the series

[Mibbes Aye]

Another fascinating day at the Ashes, Australia on form from the get-go.

England's middle order were horrid - so much potential but they looked like they were practicing with their 9 iron and pitching wedge, lofting and lobbing straight into the hands of grateful Aussie fielders. The tail weren't slow to follow them back across the boundary rope either.

The key to Australia's success was simply a spell of short-ball theory. England didn't have answers and as a consequence Starc turned his figures from prety ugly to pretty. Cummins once again was super-economcal with his overs, I really cannot put into words how much I enjoy watching him bowl.

In many respects he is like McGrath. Their styles are very different but both showed ruthlessness in pinning batsmen down, which led them in turn to be more expansive and thus more likely to get out to other bowlers. Credit to Travis Head too, who rose to the challenge of Lyon's injury, with oustanding bowling.

The end result was that by just short of the midpoint for the match, we found ourselves in essentially a single-innings shoot-out. With Australia owning a 91-run start. Good luck with that England.

Australia then spent the rest of the day making a fairly smooth job of adding on runs. The run rate wasn't exceptional but it didnt need to be. Steady as she goes, all the time in the world, every run another grimace for England. With a lead of 221, Australia will probably only need to add 150, ideally 200. That should be doable.

So, barring a collapse in the morning by the tourists, it looks extremely likely Australia will be going to Leeds next week two games up, with a win there not just retaining the Ashes, but winning the series outright. I can't see England being as poor in match strategy and tactics for the whole series, so there will be some backlash, plus Australia will have to cope without Lyon. That being said, Steve Smith now looks like he is really settling into the tour, and Marnus will surely click into form before too long. It's ridiculously early to speculate on what will happen come thr Fourth Test, but Old Trafford has a host of good memories for Australia and they've not lost there in over 40 years. Im going to stick my neck out and call it a comfortable Aussie win already.

But back to this test, it was Australia's day (again). If the weather sits right for them they should be good for a bucket of runs but, and it's a big but, Australia have successfully made runs already in poor batting conditions. England hanging on now, by the faintest hint of their fingertips.

[Sloop67]

England need 371 to win . Plenty of time left in the game for them get a result here if they can play sensibley and not throw their wickets away

[Aldo]

Poor shot from Crawley there.

Pressure on England big time.

[Mibbes Aye]

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England need 371 to win . Plenty of time left in the game for them get a result here if they can play sensibley and not throw their wickets away

I agree with you but that''s Crawley gone, having a waft

Be interesting to see whether (and if so, how long for) the Aussies push short-ball once Starc loses the movement he is getting just now.

[Mibbes Aye]

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I agree with you but that''s Crawley gone, having a waft

Be interesting to see whether (and if so, how long for) the Aussies push short-ball once Starc loses the movement he is getting just now.

And that movement leads to a beauty of a wicket for Starc! Pope gone now 2-13

[Mibbes Aye]

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And that movement leads to a beauty of a wicket for Starc! Pope gone now 2-13

If you are unable to see this live, try and catch Starc's dismissal of Pope on the highlights or YouTube or whatever. It gets better every time it is replayed.

[Sloop67]

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And that movement leads to a beauty of a wicket for Starc! Pope gone now 2-13

I'd say that , that was probably unplayable

[Mibbes Aye]

Aussie's still getting a fair bit of movement here, no need for the short-ball threatment yet. Looks like they will retain the moral high ground as well as the Ashes

[Mibbes Aye]

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I'd say that , that was probably unplayable

And for all the right reasons. Pace, movement and almost laser-guided to middle stump.