The Ashes 2021/22

[beechcroft]

it's the old adage. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Yesterday was too good to be true.

 

[Aislabie]

Goodness knows who I'll be playing when my 90s playthrough reaches the 2020s. I mean, one name'll start with "J" and end with "ames Vince" but that's beside the point

 

[Aalay]

India blueprint which neutralises two Aussie stars and provides Poms map to victory

The thing is, if you want to do well in Australia, you have to tame Nathan Lyon. Teams come to Australia and focus a bit too much on their fast bowling attack, which is excellent, but it's Nathan Lyon who constantly keeps batters in check. If Lyon has a great series, Australia is likely to win. What India has managed to do in the past two series is to make sure he doesn't do well and pounce on Starc whenever he comes to bowl. It was encouraging to see England, especially Joe Root, play Lyon so well yesterday, but they have brought him back into the game right away this morning.

I can also understand Australia's reason to stick with Starc since he can bowl rapidly and offers that left-arm angle, but he has never been a good test bowler. This is why I was looking forward to seeing someone like James Pattinson play in this series because he is in that Starc mould, but he is a better test match bowler. It's a shame we won't see him at the international stage anymore.

Edit: Ollie Robinson was amazing to watch in the first inning.

 

[Ed Smith]

Oh look, the new Ian Bell folding like a deck chair in a pressure situation just like the old Ian Bell.

Ollie Pope is easily the worst England Batsman since Aftab Habib

Pope wishes he was Ian Bell. Ollie Pope wears Ian Bell pyjamas

 

[wasteyouryouth]

don't lose hope, there's a way back into this series

Spoiler

 

[beechcroft]

TV feed is having technical problems here. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

TV feed is having technical problems here. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

We've got a solitary cameraman on the boundary from BT with Harmison and Cook trying to wing it

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Might get an early night anyway.

 

[GuyIncognito]

At this stage, England's only hope for the rest of the series lies on the shoulders of this man:



Seriously, one of the worst batting line-ups to come out to Australia in a long time. Feeble and technically deficient for the conditions.

 

[CerealKiller]

Innings win, anyone?

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Innings win, anyone?

that'd be an almighty collapse

 

[GuyIncognito]

Innings win, anyone?

Probably not, but I think they may as well start swinging a bit more. No point blocking.

 

[beechcroft]

This is batting practice for the lower order.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

This is batting practice for the lower order.

Mark Wood will get a chance to swing the bat which is always fun.

 

[beechcroft]

Why hasn't Root declared?