Off Topic The Ashes Series 2017-18

First Test, Brisbane, this Thursday.

Fellow cricket lovers, post your thoughts here.

 

Love the Ashes (if we are winning). Don't know what the state of the two sides is at the moment but we often struggle over there I think with the fast pitches.

Is Stokes going or not? Last I heard he had not gone with the squad after a bit of night club brawling.

 

Stokes seems to be in some kind of limbo with the police investigation still not resolved. His absence could be the difference between winning and losing.

 

If Stokes was there I'd say we'd have the advantage but tight to call right now

Our bowling probably better than theirs, their batting better than ours - be interesting to see whichbis comes out on top

 

If we can avoid defeat in Brisbane we should grow in confidence. Test cricket of late seems to be dominated by large winning margins and I see no reason why this won't be any different. I'm going for a 2-2 series draw with us retaining the little urn.

 

Not sure our bowlers are better than the Aussies in Ozland. First test will set the tempo and we need our top 5 to turn up and turn up big.

 

Have the Aussies still got all those cocky arseholes in their team or have they drafted in some new cocky arseholes? Terrible losers the Aussies, but even worse winners.

 

It's Brisbane and Perth that are the really fast pitches IIRC (GABBA and WACA)? They took our boys apart last time, although Jonathan Trott having a nervous breakdown and Graeme Swann being forced into retirement didn't help much. They looked like rabbits in the headlights against the likes of Mitchell Johnson on those fast pitches. If that doesn't happen again and our best players are fit and on form then we will hopefully have a chance. It will probably have to be our bowlers doing the business rather than relying on our batsmen though. Stokes could well make the difference. If it were Aussies they wouldn't think twice about playing him - stupid not to play your best player.

 

Agreed - well worth staying up tomorrow night to watch the first session. Day 1 crucial.

 

I can't wait. I agree if we can upset the applecart in Brisbane that will be a massive start. Avoiding defeat is obviously the target but a victory there would be massive given the Aussies record there. Their fans would turn pretty quickly.

Realistically I think their bowling attack is better and than will be the difference. Lyons is a much better spinner than he is given credit for. Cummins, Starc and Hazelwood is a strong attack for the conditions. If we can be patient and keep them in the field for long spells it will be interesting as all three are pretty fragile with regards to injuries.

A lot for us will depend on which Broad and Anderson turn up. They need to be at their miserly best. If you look back to our most recent success there we starved them of runs. Bresnan, Broad and Anderson all gave them nothing. Tremlett provided the x factor with steep bounce. Overton and Ball could both provide similar but they are young so we'll have to see how they go. Both get the ball bouncing off a length but the problem is once you are out in the heat of battle under pressure. Overton has had the odd disciplinary problem in this regard so we will have to see how he reacts if given a run. He is very in your face. This is fine if we get on top but I'm not the Aussies will be too fussed by these antics.

Stokes is a massive miss and we really need to get him out there ASAP. If we can Warner early regular, it seems to be a massive problem to their batting. If he gets away, then they go big.

Batting wise I don't have much confidence. Cook and Root are carrying too much on their shoulders. I have a feeling Stoneman and Malan may do ok though as their games are better suited to these conditions. I have concerns about Bairstow with the short ball there, Moeen similar and Starc's laser like yorker may expose that weakness he has again with the full ball which follows the bouncer. Vince I'm sure will make a lot of pretty 20 odds and then get out!

The Aussies have their own batting issues but these are their conditions and that bowling attack could be the difference.

Regardless I love this tour, and just love Ashes cricket.

 

Don't follow cricket unless its the Ashes but I'm with Jim on this one 3-1 win to the boys!

 

Going to watch the first hour’s play and see how we start. Love the Ashes series especially if we are winning. Anyone else watching?

 

Probably will catch a bit of it. I think we'll get comprehensively beat in this test and beat in the series.

 

See how the toss goes - if we're bowling yes, batting, probably not - Im a nervous batting watcher lol

 

If we can get a draw here, I think we'll be fine - got a feeling we'll win in Adelaide and Sydney and draw the series, or win 2-1

 

From the BBC website

'Morons masquerading as mentors'
For all the talk of England's problems - and, you know, there's a fair few of them - Australia haven't had the smoothest build up to today.

The selectors announced their team for the first Test on Friday and it was greeted with derision from several quarters.

Their picks included Shaun Marsh - recalled for the eighth time - newbie Cameron Bancroft and Tim Paine, who last played Test cricket in 2010, as wicket-keeper.

Ex-leggie Stuart MacGill described the selectors as "morons masquerading as mentors" while Jim Maxwell described them as "unhinged". Ouch.


Looks like the Aussies aren’t too happy with their team either. We should bowl first I think given the current conditions.

 

Don't you normally want to bowl last on a fast dry pitch that will develop cracks and footholes over the 5 days of the test?

 

If I remember correctly, didn't Australia win most of the tosses in the last Ashes series over there which gave them a big advantage?

 

England win the toss and bat first. Game on!

 

Yes