Ashes 2023

The Ashes is the pinnacle of test cricket for England and Australia.
To be likely 2 down after 2 tests of a 5 match home series is as bad as I can remember and all because we refuse to adapt the game plan when required.
Sorry but it's bonkers.

 

This is honestly pathetic. Australia might as well send their lads out to have a massive slog and then get bouncing the ball to our batsman again. They'd win by a few hundred at least.

 

Wens the football season start. This is ******* awful.

 

Hmm. Stick around for another three matches.

 

The game plan isn’t the issue per se.

Being positive and scoring quickly is fine.

The game plan, I’m pretty sure, isn’t to gift wickets away as soon as the opposition whack a few half pitch deliveries down.

It is absolutely bloody brain dead. Just like I said yesterday. Brooks and Bairstow’s wickets in particular were absolutely ridiculous.

There needs to be flexibility. Their world class spinner is on crutches. Duck under the ******* ball and knacker out the seam attack, they have to bowl last with no frontline spinner.

I just don’t get it. I really don’t.

 

Just seen Bairstow's. Not that fussed by it to be honest, he's mis-hit one, which happens. The three yesterday that just obliged with the plan was absolute stupidity. Should've been going into today 1 or 2 wickets down.

 

This is the most inept batting display I’ve seen in a long time since tea yesterday. The Aussies cannot believe their luck.

 

Speechless
We could all go to join Stephen at Fantasy Island … an England victory would be a proper fantasy to have

 

There's some sense in this. I mean I highly doubt Brendan is just sending them out saying "go on lads, slog it about and have laugh - only a lords ashes test innit', and Stokes was batting sensibly... Cricket is not football, you can have whatever coach and game plan you want- but the players on the pitch have to take responsibility, and aside from the openers they've been dismal.

 

We are a man down with the captain before we start, can hardly bowl or put a score together

 

Have to question what Root was playing at. He's experienced enough to know better, and he was given a life. Very very poor.

 

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I agree. Watched it at the time and definitely out.

 

Pathetic batting display. No backbone.

The difference in home advantage is huge compared to when we played away.

Gonna be all over after Headingley.

 

You mean NOT out?

 

The Aussies will be taking the piss out of us. I mean it's not even like they've had to really work for their wickets. Utterly pathetic from England who are likely to be 2-0 down.

 

Absolutely **** this Australian batting display. Why are they 25-0 when they could be playing Bazball and be 70-8 by now?

 

We’re supposed to finish test matches praying for runs or wickets. I have a feeling this one will finish with us praying for rain

 

No rain forecast I’m afraid. They’ll probably set us 450 ish to win in a day and a half. We’ll come out swinging to knock them off in 50 overs….can guess how it’ll end.

 

Why didn't Stokes review that? He's passed on the last two which turned out to be correct decisions but even with the balance of probabilities and the fact this test match is getting away from them, surely even if he wasn't sure, it was worth the appeal?

Terrible, confusing decision.

 

Probably because Broad has become the boy who cried wolf. If he hadn't done such a childish celebrappeal for a ball going miles down the leg side, he might get listened to more. Also Bairstow should be giving Stokes a better idea of the line as well.