The Ashes 2025/26

[Cooperman]

Imagine losing in 21/22 in 12 days, ripping up the playbook, then spending 4 years doing everything to prepare for the next tour including:

- Selecting players regardless of how bad form they are in.
- Holding onto a spinner who gets no game time outside the England team because he'll come good in Aus (but refusing to play him)
- Creating a culture where failures aren't challenged.
- Having more days off than on when on tour.

Then losing in 11 days in 25/26.

The omission of Bashir is a little baffling. Picked as the specialist spinner and then sidelined by the call up of Will Jacks, this is probably a case of the batting frailties influencing the bowling line up.

 

[monmouth]

Imagine losing in 21/22 in 12 days, ripping up the playbook, then spending 4 years doing everything to prepare for the next tour including:

- Selecting players regardless of how bad form they are in.
- Holding onto a spinner who gets no game time outside the England team because he'll come good in Aus (but refusing to play him)
- Creating a culture where failures aren't challenged.
- Having more days off than on when on tour.

Then losing in 11 days in 25/26.

You forgot

- “Reinventing” (guffaw) cricket to keep up the pretence of English exceptionalism.

Who’s the twat that says ‘I never leave a ball?’. Might be ok against your poor/average bowlers, but that would be music to my ears as a proper quality test bowler.

There’s a place for whanging everything (not least I.T. Botham, 1981). But it’s not in Australia against Mitchell Stark with a new ball or Nathan Lyon with an old one.