Off Topic The Ashes Series 2017-18

Heatstroke from yesterday.

Can’t see it making much difference to be honest.

Edit: Not too great with the sun thing myself. Once got heatstroke playing golf at Blyth in Spring one year on a cloudy day.

 

Joe Root has heat stroke...is that a new type of shot?

 

It’s what I do when the mackems lose.
It’s a warm glow ****.

 

Thrashed 4-0. Well done to the Australians, job done by them. We were garbage (though I still haven't seen one ball bowled).

 

Well this should have had a bet put on it clearly

Predictable.

I understand why they are saying its not a complete loss this tour. That will only be the case if we learn from it and I'm not convinced we will. We were soundly beaten by the better side and 4-0 was a fair reflection of the series.

 

I fully expect Johnny Bairstow to be stuck infront on a camera and to tell us happy-eyed that there are many 'positives' to be taken from this embarrassing thrashing

 

Root, Jimmy and Bairstow. Always the same. The reality is we've had our arses whipped. Excuses don't really cut it and we have to change the way we go about these tours. We have bowled well, and we have't scored enough runs. Fairly important aspects are batting and bowling...

 

A couple of things. Why were so many players making their debuts in an Ashes series in Australia or hadn't played in many tests before? You've got to have players well prepared, not throwing them in at the deep end and hoping they are good enough. And why the hell, when what you need in Australia is pace and spin, did we take no fast bowlers or play no dedicated spin bowlers until the 5th test. Not sure how anyone thought 4 English style fast-medium seamers in the attack was going to be enough out there on pitches and conditions that by and large do nowt. Over-reliance on Mo Ali as well.

Also, apparently there is no dedicated spin bowling coach. Then there's the Kookaburra ball issue and not practicing on similar wickets in the lead up to the series. Of course your best player getting done for GBH and thrown out of the squad weeks before the first test doesn't help either.

 

I think one of our hands slipped from that little urn the moment Stokes got suspended from the squad.

 

quite amusing that Mr Swan was commenting on radio here and had not been approached to assist Ali and Crane

 

Unbelievable really. You have one of the best off spinners we've ever produced and Moeen Ali looking clueless. No spin coach to assist and they don't even ask. Fortunately an McGill, an Aussie, had helped out our young leggie We really do beggar belief at times with the lack of planning. I know Swann never had an unbelievable record the Aussies in Australia, but he has won a series there and seen all there is to be seen after 2 tours.

I don't really understand the lack of pace picked either. Mark Wood even once fit was overlooked. Young Curran tried his heart out but conditions did not suit his military medium. We had Liam Plunkett sat at home. Would Jaime Overton have been picked had he been fit? I'm not sure. Anyone with pace also is managed to prevent injury. Overton, Wood and Mills would all seem to back up this approach.

To counter though the Aussies managed to keep their 90mph guys fit for the right time? We are doing something wrong or just managing them incorrectly. Maybe it was a perfect storm somewhat as Cummins, Starc and Hazelwood have all had their own injury issues. All I know is they were out there for the Ashes and they stayed fit-ish.

There are number of things we've got wrong. That has undoubtedly made it tougher. Even with better prep, better selection, we still have come up short. In the end though we've taken a bit of a pumping.

 

I don't think Swann is liked by the hierarchy and according to Darren Gough on Talksport this evening, Moeel Ali doesn't even like bowling ffs! Well at least we didn't get whitewashed like the last time, at this rate we might be able to compete by 2029.

 

Yes. 4-0 is so much better.

 

I was jesting, of course.

5-0 last time
4-0 this time...at this rate...
... 3-0 in 2021
2-0 in 2025
1-0 in 2029, and we'll be competing, not sure if I will have still seen any deliveries on an Ashes tour by then though.

 

Breaking news, Trevor Bayliss is to leave after the 2019 Ashes series. My immediate thought is that he should leave soon, where will be his motivation to beat Australia if he knows he's leaving the job straight after? More bad planning by the ECB.

 

@mustyfrog

 

no idea why he was ever appointed, hardly a world beater over here, poor appointment by the poms. it is a shame that most good ex players now make their cash by commentating

 

England take a 2-0 lead in the ODI series.

 

we seem to play bizzare sides in the one dayers, poms should win 5-0

 

Tell you what mate, I would love to watch a big game at the MCG. It is without doubt one of the world's most spectacular arenas.