Tim Paine

[Cooperman]

Bit pessimistic about the chances and over playing how good this Australia team has s. They’re strong favourites as they always will be for a home ashes series. It won’t be a whitewash though. Not even close

What do you fancy; 3-2, 4-1? The non availability of Archer, lack of decent warm up events and the Gabba up first perhaps makes me more pessimistic than you are. If the Oz go two up they won’t take their foot off the gas, they will want blood.

 

[dickythorpe]

The Ashes has lost its sparkle for me.
Too much cricket nowadays.
The players are mercenaries and big mates.
I used to like that "edge" but it's gone now with all of them playing together all over the world.

 

[Cooperman]

The Ashes has lost its sparkle for me.
Too much cricket nowadays.
The players are mercenaries and big mates.
I used to like that "edge" but it's gone now with all of them playing together all over the world.

I agree with the point about these guys becoming mercenaries. However the start of an Ashes tour down under gets me salivating and I tend to turn nocturnal for much of the time; I’m not a great sleeper at the best of times so the cricket provides ample entertainment.

 

[exiledclaseboy]

Bit pessimistic about the chances and over playing how good this Australia team has s. They’re strong favourites as they always will be for a home ashes series. It won’t be a whitewash though. Not even close

What do you fancy; 3-2, 4-1? The non availability of Archer, lack of decent warm up events and the Gabba up first perhaps makes me more pessimistic than you are. If the Oz go two up they won’t take their foot off the gas, they will want blood.

2-1 Aussies or 2-2. Stokes’s availability is a massive leveller and both sides are little more than average to decent Test teams.

 

[Cooperman]

What do you fancy; 3-2, 4-1? The non availability of Archer, lack of decent warm up events and the Gabba up first perhaps makes me more pessimistic than you are. If the Oz go two up they won’t take their foot off the gas, they will want blood.

2-1 Aussies or 2-2. Stokes’s availability is a massive leveller and both sides are little more than average to decent Test teams.

The pace of Mark Wood will be crucial in the quest to take twenty wickets in a match. Doing it twice on Australian soil would be an extremely good result. I’m looking forward to it immensely.

 

[dickythorpe]

The Ashes has lost its sparkle for me.
Too much cricket nowadays.
The players are mercenaries and big mates.
I used to like that "edge" but it's gone now with all of them playing together all over the world.

I agree with the point about these guys becoming mercenaries. However the start of an Ashes tour down under gets me salivating and I tend to turn nocturnal for much of the time; I’m not a great sleeper at the best of times so the cricket provides ample entertainment.

I feel your love for the game and I too have in the past been up at all hours.
Can't beat the boxing day test with a few slurps

 

[Cooperman]

I agree with the point about these guys becoming mercenaries. However the start of an Ashes tour down under gets me salivating and I tend to turn nocturnal for much of the time; I’m not a great sleeper at the best of times so the cricket provides ample entertainment.

I feel your love for the game and I too have in the past been up at all hours.
Can't beat the boxing day test with a few slurps

Now you’re talking!

 

[JackSomething]

Isn't it ironic that the Australian's bang on about Whinging Poms but all I've seen lately is a bunch of Aussie cricketers crying like big babies

Whinging poms is a classic example of branding a group of people something that you know you'll be accused of yourself if you don't get in there first.

I haven't looked, but I imagine the Aussie whinging over the referee in yesterday's rugby is at a high level today.