Winning away from home in Test cricket is tougher than ever these days. We were awful with the bat in India and and no better in this Ashes series. If you watch the Aussie batters the good ones leave the ball on length. They don’t care if the ball goes over the stumps as they generally trust the pitches to provide a true bounce. We don’t do that, prodding and poking around until we nick off. When you’ve only got a fraction of a second to decide what shot or non shot to play you’ll need practice before the big tests to get the triggers working. The modern schedule doesn’t allow for that and it pissed down for most of the inadequate practice matches that they were supposed to play. Then add to that some plainly bonkers selections, the crazy decision to bat first on day 1 of the 1st Test, no front line spinner worthy of the name, sub standard wicketkeepers x2 (though Bairstow is better than Buttler) amounts to a pretty average team. We’re staring down the barrel of 5-0. Merry Xmas
Chan, the whole thing of Home Advantage is that the 3x main countries who play cricket now, have very differing forms of the Test Cricket. We have sideways movement, the Aussies have the height and truer bounce and the Sub Continent pitches are all about spin and low bounce, which is why it's a Test for the visitng batter/bowlers when they do go away from home. I am not including the WI's as they don't have a good Test side nowadays, but back in the day, boy, no one won a Test full stop as they were just way in front of anyone in terms of bowlers & batters. ( Boy do i miss those days...!! ) The problem is, these Top Test sides have all become quite poor away from home in the recent years, most of them have been beaten with any amount of ease, rarely losing any series unless the seriously under-perform... We however, seem to shoot ourselves in the foot time and time again in the Tests, though at least we dont play some players for one Test then drop them like we used to do in the 80's & 90's...!! I hope we can salvage something from the remaining Tests Down Under as another 5-0 whitewash is simply just not good enough =considering how many times it seems to be happening now...!!
England‘s top 3 batsmen scored 26 between them - they need to change something there. Just try something different for the 2nd innings - why not open with Root?
They definitely need to change something but they’ve nothing in the locker to make a difference. Bairstow comes back in and proves once again he can’t handle short pitched bowling. Maybe change the schedule to a 3 Test series and **** off home after Melbourne. They’re an embarrassment but unfortunately (Foakes apart) they’re the best we have available.
Second innings and those top 3 batsmen got just 12 runs between them. Root still there but with 52 runs still needed to make Australia bat again this will likely be wrapped up in day 3.
Another 'IF ONLY' day as we get skittle out for under 200 yet again but at least bowled the Aussies out for 267, to only go out for the second time in two days and see 4 return for just the 31 runs...!! It's got 5-0 written all over it, as we have already discussed, and will be total humiliation by the time the 5th Test has come to its end...
I think Root must think English cricket fans are a load of goofballs? What absolute crap he's been uttering since he got out there this time? The whole visit has been bloody ridiculous.
Now it’s all over and the pressure is off they’ll start playing better Chan. Probably just a 7 wicket defeat next match ……
Some stat trends from the Ashes down under... 2006/07 1st test: Aussie win by 277 runs 2nd Test: Aussie win by 6wkts 3rd Test: Aussie win by 206 runs 4th Test: Aussie win, innings 99 runs 5th Test: Aussie win by 10wkts 2010/11 1st Test: Drawn 2nd Test: England win, innings 71 runs 3rd Test: Aussie win by 267 4th Test: England win, innings 157 runs 5th Test: England win, innings 82 runs 2013/14 1st Test: Aussie win by 381 runs 2nd Test: Aussie win by 281 runs 3rd Test: Aussie win by 150 runs 4th Test: Aussie win by 8wkts 5th Test: Aussie win by 281 runs 2017/18 1st Test: Aussie win by 10kwts 2nd Test: Aussie win by 120 runs 3rd Test: Aussie win, innings 41 runs 4th Test: Drawn 5th Test: Aussie win, innings 123 runs 2021/22 1st Test: Aussie win by 9wkts 2nd Test: Aussie win by 275 runs 3rd Test: Aussie win, innings 14 runs In these 23 Tests England have... 10x Tests, failed to score above 300 runs in either innings 6x Tests, failed to score above 250 runs in either innings 4x Tests, failed to score above 200 runs in either innings In these 23 Tests the Aussies have... 3x Scored above 600 runs in an innings 6x Scored above 500 runs in an innings 12x Scored above 400 runs in an innings 6x Declared in their 1st innings And they have only been bowled out twice in the match on 6 occasions, four of those coming in the 2010/11 series that we battered them in... !! It's very poor reading...
Very poor indeed Red. I got sent a stat this afternoon on England batsmen this year and their total runs. I haven’t checked it but I’ve no doubt it’s on the money. Leading run scorers: 1. Joe Root - 1708 2. Rory Burns - 530 3. Jonny Bairstow - 391 4. Ollie Pope - 368 Now if the yawning gap between the skipper and everyone else wasn’t bad enough also consider that Extras contributed 412. So in 3rd place overall only bettered by Burns and Root. Unbelievable.
Of all the spineless batting displays England have offered up in recent years that has to be up there with the worst. 4-0 series loss and the overly celebrated draw only pulled off with a big helping hand from the weather gods. What a mess.
Watched a bit of the snooker this afternoon, Honestly, Barry Hawkins surely should have won two frames that I watched? You just don't give second or third chances to a player of the calibre of Neil Robertson? Barry's a real nice guy and very popular, but, dare I say it, seems to lack the killer instinct in a Final? Really do hope I'm wrong.
6 Nations Rugby Feb the 5th is the first fixture of this years fixtures where the bookies currently have the French as 6/4 favs, England 5/2, Ireland a slightly bigger 3/1 chance with Wales leading the rest at 8/1. The first thing that will strike you when looking at the fixtures is that the French play hosts to Ireland in week 2, and England in the last match, week 5 which sets it up rather well if all things go to plan... The English welcome both the Irish & Welsh teams to Twickenham so again, the potential for a winner takes all in that final match up with Le Bleu will be something to saviour...!! I think the 5/2 for the English is a good bet considering all things going, as the French always seem to throw a bad game in when they are favourites... To be honest i do hope that both side meet up in week 5 both unbeaten as beating the French in the Parc de France would be something special should it come about...
I just watched the highlights of the Chiefs v Bills playoff game on YouTube - what an incredible game with 2 exceptional quarter backs. Stunning final quarter and finish.