The Ashes

[Chris B.]

Better Australian team today with four good specialist bowlers and lots of options to make up the fifth - Stoinis, Marsh, White, Smith.

Cricinfo is listing White to bat at three, which (if true) seems a bit odd to me. I guess they may be trying to match England and have him play a Hales' role. Won't need to do much today to match that!

Overall, I'd probably have looked for the best specialist ODI batsman to bat at three. I think with Williamson and Taylor, we've got those 3-4 spots pretty much right. Smith is half the equation for Oz - not sure White is the other half - Head may not be either.

Otherwise, that's a pretty strong team.

[Donsteppa]

The hapless Moeen Ali skies one straight up on 3, only for White to give him a life. It's as if he's forgotten how to bat this Australian summer.

[Chris B.]

@donsteppa That useless fuck will find form against us. Nothing surer!

Unless they drop him first!

[Donsteppa]

@chris-b said in The Ashes:

@donsteppa That useless fuck will find form against us. Nothing surer!

Unless they drop him first!

He's made it easy for the Aussies by avoiding further catching practice and playing on for a grand total of 6. 😂

A walking wicket.

We'll undoubtedly play him back into form!

[Chris B.]

And now he's out.

Oz should be pretty comfortable with whatever England can set from here. They're not going to have to force the pace and only wickets will stop them.

[Chris B.]

Woakes giving great value here - as is Buttler, but I already rated him highly.

[Chris B.]

Superb from these two.

I reckon 270 probably isn't a winning score - but 290 probably is.

[Paekakboyz]

Go man, go!!

[Paekakboyz]

ha ha a fifty and a hundy right at the end. Wicked finishing.

[Chris B.]

302 - the gauntlet well and truly laid down for the Aussies!

[KiwiMurph]

Brilliant hitting from England - awesome to watch.

[Virgil]

@chris-b said in The Ashes:

And now he's out.

Oz should be pretty comfortable with whatever England can set from here. They're not going to have to force the pace and only wickets will stop them.

Maybe not...

[mariner4life]

Mitch Marsh rinning in from the 30m circle and bowling less than 130km offends me

[MN5]

@mariner4life said in The Ashes:

Mitch Marsh rinning in from the 30m circle and bowling less than 130km offends me

I can't wait til old mate @NTA reads this post

[Chris B.]

@virgil Yeah - Buttler and Woakes were superb.

England favourites in my mind from the change of innings and moreso with Warner and White already back in the hutch.

[NTA]

Some fucking shit bowling at the end, but Woakes and Butler were good enough to put away the good balls as well.

Last ball century is pretty spesh

[Crucial]

This one currently set up for a good finish. Wickets in hand and a challenge on run rate that a couple of thrash overs will settle.

[Chris B.]

Plunkett breaking down requiring Root to bowl eight expensive overs hasn't helped England.

Getting Smith caught behind probably a bit of luck that helps balance that equation. Steve marches off shaking his head, but if he didn't want to be caught behind, he shouldn't have nicked the ball.

England back with their noses in front...just.

[Chris B.]

Oooh, MitchMarsh!!!

Not what was required.

Can Stoinis do to England what he did to us?

[Crucial]

@chris-b said in The Ashes:

Oooh, MitchMarsh!!!

Not what was required.

Can Stoinis do to England what he did to us?

Nope. Needed a much better strike rate than that. Can't get enough good balls away.