Ashes 2023
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@dogmeat You won't get far bringing facts to the Fern.
For tension this series has echoes of 2005 but both sides seem to be a significant downgrade on those teams. Australia's attack is well suited to bowling in Australia (not enough bounce in the 3 tests to date) and has lost their key spinner - England's attack is better suited to bowling in England but is either too old or too unfit. Batting line-ups both look shaky but England's strategy of attack suits their current crop of fixed feet and a good eye merchants. Aus are in transition batting wise and need a new opener (and probably 2 soon).
And it was a good test for Kane at the head of the rankings as only Head of the 4 immediately behind him made a score - while he could keep practicing his forward defensive at home
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@MN5 said in Ashes 2023:
But……again……well done England. I didn’t think they could do it but they did. They’ve well and truly brought the series to life. This neutral is loving it.
Australia did bloody well to win the first match - getting 60 runs from Cummins and Lyon is frankly ridiculous.
The first two tests were all about how the tail enders performend in the fourth innings; Australia's stood up, England's didn't and so it was 2-0. Could have been a reasonable 1-1 or even 2-0 England if they squeezed out a few extra. It's not 2005 (which I was in England for, and loved) - but it is a damn good fun series with both sides throwing away advantages.
Look, whatever Bazball is, if the crowds keep coming and people keep watching, it's a success. It's getting a slightly inferior team to perform, and that's impressive. Roll on Test 4, and I wish I didn't have to sleep so I could settle in and watch it!
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There’s not much between these sides at all. It lacks the quality and charisma of 2005, but for sheer entertainment and unpredictablity this series so far has been the best. Three Tests full of twists and turns that went down to the wire and easily could have gone either way. If Agatha Christie had devised a Test Series it would have been this one. Really looking forward to Tests 4 and 5.
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@Catogrande said in Ashes 2023:
how much better Aus are as a team, how much better they are man for man than England
I'll put my hand up and say I was saying this earlier in the series but the teams for test 3 were different to the teams at the start of the series
Wood vs Anderson for example
In 1 test Wood got man of the match bowling 150k+ heat getting 7 wickets and 40 runs.
In 2 tests combined Anderson got 3 wickets and 15 runs.
Meanwhile Murphy got 9 overs to bowl in the whole of test 3 - the first time in 100 tests they have had to play without Lyon.
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And yet… the first two tests were very close and could have gone either way- just like the third.
In all three tests you could probably take out one decision or piece of play and the result is likely different.
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Anyway. Apology accepted. 😁
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@nzzp said in Ashes 2023:
@MN5 said in Ashes 2023:
Look, whatever Bazball is, if the crowds keep coming and people keep watching, it's a success. It's getting a slightly inferior team to perform, and that's impressive. Roll on Test 4, and I wish I didn't have to sleep so I could settle in and watch it!
They always get full houses for the Ashes and England haven't lost a series to Australia in England for over 20 years - minnows they were not before BMac and the 2 squads are very similar to 4 years ago.
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@Donsteppa I think I remember him living a charmed life early in his career. He may have been been dropped more than Nicholls one year which is some feat. He's got a lot of talent but still plenty of work ons.
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It seems odd to this Englishman too. I'd want Bairstow in the side for his middle order batting but would prefer Foakes behind the stumps. It is just how to shoehorn them both in. Ideally you don't want Bairstow batting any higher than 5 or Foakes any higher than 6, so who do you leave out?
With pope gone do you put Root up to 3 and Brook to 4? Not sure I'd want that. Moeen is not a test 3.
I see it as a narrow call either way between Bairstow and Foakes with the actual problem being who come is at first drop.
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that's an incredibly strong batting lineup. Cummins at 10?
and very interesting to not have a spinner.
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@mariner4life Been raining a lot in Manchester and Murphy bowled under 10 overs the whole of the last test. It's a good move to can the spinner I think.
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yeah i get the reasoning, but with Lyon ever-present, it just looks weird.
