The Ashes 2025/26

[monmouth]

They’re blowing their best chance of winning in Australia for years. Terrible batting in Perth. Awful bowling in Brisbane. The game isn’t lost yet but it’ll take a monumental effort to win from here. A draw is more likely but both depend on a good third innings score. Which doesn’t seem likely. Thus Australia team is fairly weak and with no Cummins and Hazelwood yet we keep letting them dominate. I’m annoyed.

You forgot the fielding. Five drops? It’s hard not to conclude so far, that they simply don’t have the bottle. They have the players, but who would put money on it not being over bar the last rites by 11am tomorrow.

Maybe they’ll find some heart. They normally have one or two really good sessions along the way when they keep their nerve.

 

[cmajack]

They’re blowing their best chance of winning in Australia for years. Terrible batting in Perth. Awful bowling in Brisbane. The game isn’t lost yet but it’ll take a monumental effort to win from here. A draw is more likely but both depend on a good third innings score. Which doesn’t seem likely. Thus Australia team is fairly weak and with no Cummins and Hazelwood yet we keep letting them dominate. I’m annoyed.

Everyone in this Australian innings has contributed with the bat, something you very rarely see in an English innings.

 

[Trampie]

Unusual scorecard for Australia first innings in that every player at least got into double figures but nobody got near a century in a total of well over 500.

 

[Cooperman]

Unusual scorecard for Australia first innings in that every player at least got into double figures but nobody got near a century in a total of well over 500.

No century partnerships either.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

Only need to make at least 400 to have a chance of saving the game. Should be fine.

 

[Cooperman]

Only need to make at least 400 to have a chance of saving the game. Should be fine.

The problem with ‘only’ 400 is that we will score them by close of play tomorrow, leaving Oz a day to knock off 250. Assuming the pitch stays flat, we need a to bat a day and a half to save this.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

The problem with ‘only’ 400 is that we will score them by close of play tomorrow, leaving Oz a day to knock off 250. Assuming the pitch stays flat, we need a to bat a day and a half to save this.

Yes. And they’re not exactly going to dig in and bat time. That would be a disaster anyway. England will feel they can still win. They can’t and won’t but I suppose they have to think they can because there’s so much time left in the game.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

Speaking of batting time, the West Indies put in a monumental effort to draw the first test in NZ. Set 531 to win they batted the best part of two full days to finish on 457-6 after being skittled for 160 first innings. Not sure if the fifth day was curtailed by weather but I don’t think so. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky when I went to bed at midnight and they went for lunch.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

Starc going at seven an over with the pink ball under lights wasn’t on my Saturday morning bingo card when I got up.

 

[J_B]

England for 360, Australia all out 180.
England win by 3 runs.

 

[Cooperman]

Speaking of batting time, the West Indies put in a monumental effort to draw the first test in NZ. Set 531 to win they batted the best part of two full days to finish on 457-6 after being skittled for 160 first innings. Not sure if the fifth day was curtailed by weather but I don’t think so. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky when I went to bed at midnight and they went for lunch.

They were four down pretty early on as well. Kemar Roach then turned into Chris Tavare.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

England for 360, Australia all out 180.
England win by 3 runs.

I like the cut of your jib.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

Pope is living on the edge.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

Pope is living on the edge.

Inevitable.

 

[J_B]

Oh well.