Ashes 2023

We should've probably won the first test, with them being 8 down and still needing 50, but we were totally outplayed at Lords, despite having the best of the conditions.

The reason we haven't won the series is we were underprepared at the beginning, which particularly showed in our fielding. Prime example being Bairstow and his keeping. If the aussies had given the gloves to a 33 year old that's not kept wicket for 3 years and had just come back from a broken leg, we'd have laughed at them. Not his fault, he's just doing the job given to him, but it was a poor selection and cost us in the first two tests.

 

A tiny urn filled with ashes is going back to Australia!

 

It's not actually. The urn never leaves Lords....

 

Not even that. A replica urn (like you can buy in gift shops) is going back to Australia.

 

Just to play devil’s advocate.
Do you think the fact we were under prepared for the first test (which I completely agree with) meant that we were so strong at the end of the series? Whereas Australia were clearly more match ready at the start of the series but looked completely burned out half way through the series. I wonder if it’s possible to be perfectly ready for 5 Ashes tests in 6 weeks.

Both sides are very good but also flawed which I think is what made this series so good.

 

I think that's a fair assessment.

But I also wonder whether Stokes and McCullum, with the benefit of hindsight, wish they'd picked Foakes for the first one or two tests and giving Bairstow more time to build his fitness / match fitness up, before giving him the gloves later in the series, if they wanted to.

 

What was ot doing at the Oval then !?So small it could be sneaked out!

 

Australia's tactics where to hope england's exciting but risky approach would hand them opportunity to gain advantage and wins. It did in the 1st two tests but, they only scraped home with narrow victories.
Australia clearly have some excellent batters and a top bowling side.
Their cautious approach would have cost them the Ashes but for the weather.
Yesterday was the only day of the whole series that looked like a typical Australian batting innings.
Cummings will probably be replaced as I expect this series will be viewed as a loss in Australia.
How would the series have panned out if they had been bolder? The coach and management must have set the strategy so they take more blame than Cummings.

 

Bairstow overall was a success eventually. Even foakes agrees Jonny should be in the side before himself.
Anderson should have been replaced by Josh Tongue who looked good and would have gained experience in the side all series.

 

They would argue that Crawley scored 480 runs so they made the right overall choice but I do think they bodged the original decision and I’m certain it cost us the first test. It’s funny how Carey and Bairstow’s series’ went in complete opposite directions after Lord’s.

 

Tbf the rain helped us in this one, losing so much play on Sunday put a fair bit more time pressure on the Aussies in their run chase.

 

I've got to agree with most of the points made. However, I stick by my own assumption that the declaration at Edgbaston cost us the Ashes. Root was smashing the Aussies round the park and Robinson was proving an able back up. That extra 30 or 40 would have guaranteed a draw at least. Stokes was right in his assessment, "Hindsight never won a test match." That said, it was a massive b ol lock to drop.

 

Eventually being the keyword. It was a big ask for him to not only come straight back into the side, but to also do it as wicketkeeper. The first ashes test is an ashes test. It's not a warm up for the tests nearer the end of the series.

 

I disagree. It just meant the Aussies had far less time to block out a draw to win the series.

 

You’re not wrong but the ludicrous batting in the second innings of that game didn’t help either. What is positive is that we have seen them become more sensible as the series has progressed which bodes well for the future. We can now score at 5 an over comfortably without taking big risks which is amazing when you think about it.

 

Missed opportunity. Going to have to go down under with a totally different team. Dont know the ages but a few of these lads won't see the next Ashes.

I'd like us to put one day stuff on the back burner after trying to defend the World Cup and try and focus on winning in Australia.

 

Ha ha.

I've always wondered what happens to the replicas. Do the winning captains just bin them when they return to the dressing room, or do they have to return them to the gift shop..?