We lost the first Test. Then got a draw at Lord's, despite the captain getting a duck and one of the players having to retire hurt. And then won an outrageous come-back at Headingley, thanks to a brilliant century by the star all-rounder. The last two Tests are at Old Trafford and The Oval, with it all to play for.
(That's the summary of the first three tests in 1981, by the way).
Some lovely, generous comments from fans all over the world, on the Melbourne Age website. This one, in particular, sums up the generosity and sportsmanship of Australian cricket lovers.
Surprise surprise! England win after terrible administrative errors. Sorry, but it just isn’t good enough. England lost the WC final and were awarded a win, and here they lost the test and were awarded a win. England were already granted two days of perfect batting conditions after the first two bowler-centric days. Why do they need an umpiring boost at the end? They lost! Again. Simple as that. Umpires should not be able to decide games and series like that. It wasn’t even close. Middle and leg, 2/3 of the way up. Of course you will hear diplomatic claptrap about how we shouldn’t have reviewed the Leach LBW, but no appeal should be necessary for a plumb LBW! The crowd should not be deciding the winner of the game!
And why were we batting in the dark and damp till 7:30 on day one, losing 8 wickets after the scheduled closing time, while England get bright sunshine, a hard, dry wicket and favourable umpiring on days 3 and 4? Is it too much to ask for fair conditions for both teams?
I've seen about 25 replays and i still expect Lyon to sweep the bails off. How on earth did he miss that run out?
That is going to haunt him over the next few days until the 4th test.
Thankfully for us he didn't wait 'til he had the ball in his hands to do so. It would have been almost as easy for Buttler to snatch at the run out in the WC Final. It's something that was taken for granted as having been straightforward but when so much was at stake it was anything but.
Some lovely, generous comments from fans all over the world, on the Melbourne Age website. This one, in particular, sums up the generosity and sportsmanship of Australian cricket lovers.
Surprise surprise! England win after terrible administrative errors. Sorry, but it just isn’t good enough. England lost the WC final and were awarded a win, and here they lost the test and were awarded a win. England were already granted two days of perfect batting conditions after the first two bowler-centric days. Why do they need an umpiring boost at the end? They lost! Again. Simple as that. Umpires should not be able to decide games and series like that. It wasn’t even close. Middle and leg, 2/3 of the way up. Of course you will hear diplomatic claptrap about how we shouldn’t have reviewed the Leach LBW, but no appeal should be necessary for a plumb LBW! The crowd should not be deciding the winner of the game!
And why were we batting in the dark and damp till 7:30 on day one, losing 8 wickets after the scheduled closing time, while England get bright sunshine, a hard, dry wicket and favourable umpiring on days 3 and 4? Is it too much to ask for fair conditions for both teams?
Ha ha
But, to be fair, it was fantastic to see the Aussies in the crowd joining in the standing ovation for Ben Stokes, and the Aussie players shaking hands with and even hugging him at the finish. That showed a lot of class. Generally speaking, I really like the Aussies as a people. Fun to be with, love their sport, give and take banter well, love a joke or two, generous. They could almost be addicks.
I've seen about 25 replays and i still expect Lyon to sweep the bails off. How on earth did he miss that run out?
That is going to haunt him over the next few days until the 4th test.
Thankfully for us he didn't wait 'til he had the ball in his hands to do so. It would have been almost as easy for Buttler to snatch at the run out in the WC Final. It's something that was taken for granted as having been straightforward but when so much was at stake it was anything but.
Exactly what I was thinking. Great throw from Roy and taken cleanly by Buttler. Today was a poor throw and muffed by Lyon.
Ben Stokes not even raising the bat for a ton is up there with my favourite sporting moments. Marked his guard, gestured for the fans to be quiet and then biffed 2 sixes in the time he would have been celebrating.
Some lovely, generous comments from fans all over the world, on the Melbourne Age website. This one, in particular, sums up the generosity and sportsmanship of Australian cricket lovers.
Surprise surprise! England win after terrible administrative errors. Sorry, but it just isn’t good enough. England lost the WC final and were awarded a win, and here they lost the test and were awarded a win. England were already granted two days of perfect batting conditions after the first two bowler-centric days. Why do they need an umpiring boost at the end? They lost! Again. Simple as that. Umpires should not be able to decide games and series like that. It wasn’t even close. Middle and leg, 2/3 of the way up. Of course you will hear diplomatic claptrap about how we shouldn’t have reviewed the Leach LBW, but no appeal should be necessary for a plumb LBW! The crowd should not be deciding the winner of the game!
And why were we batting in the dark and damp till 7:30 on day one, losing 8 wickets after the scheduled closing time, while England get bright sunshine, a hard, dry wicket and favourable umpiring on days 3 and 4? Is it too much to ask for fair conditions for both teams?
Ha ha
But, to be fair, it was fantastic to see the Aussies in the crowd joining in the standing ovation for Ben Stokes, and the Aussie players shaking hands with and even hugging him at the finish. That showed a lot of class. Generally speaking, I really like the Aussies as a people. Fun to be with, love their sport, give and take banter well, love a joke or two, generous. They could almost be addicks.
According to @JamesSeed some of them might be. Soon...
It's a cliche, but that win was massive for Test match cricket. It showed how glorious the old game could be, and keeps the Ashes alive for at least another match.
It would have been a lot easier on the heart if Bairstow or Root had stayed in and knocked off the runs easily with Stokes, but not as thrilling!
On holiday in Sardinia me mate and his two and my 4 sons went back to the room to watch the last session (only one , the motor racing geek wasn’t really interested) on a big iPad , we had the Man City game on telly as well .
i told them all how I won the test at Headingley in 1981 by not moving from my lucky spot on the bed as Bob Bob Bob Bob came in and took 8-43 . So each ball we had to be in position as my eldest son shouted “watch” to make sure we were all glued for each delivery , from just after lunch till the finish .
as a pessimist I was forever saying we can’t do it it’s too much and as it got closer I dared to dream . i pointed out how thick the Aussies were to waste the review , it could haunt them ..... Then once Stokes hit that 6 to take it to 2 runs I’m thinking run a fucking single and keep The Ashes alive and I’m sure 3rd ball of Lyons over there was an easyish single available they turned down . 4th ball of that over and the single they went for then he sent back Leach and I could see poxy Gary was gonna run him out and I spun and walked away as my future depressed life of seeing re runs of the amazing Headingley win for the Aussies were to be shown forever and how it was pay back for Edgbaston 2005 ... i was broken and then my mate saying he’s missed it , he’s missed it , I was confused surely he hadn’t missed it i thought the routine gathering and run out had happened and I was gonna be cricket broken forever but no he had and we were alive ! then the review that went missing ha ha ha ha you divvy Aussies, beautiful !
then Leach got the single that meant I was happy Ashes were alive , then Stokes and ecstasy arrives , pandemonium in room 391 ensues kids being thrown around bouncing on beds , we could leave our spots and rejoice !!
We lost the first Test. Then got a draw at Lord's, despite the captain getting a duck and one of the players having to retire hurt. And then won an outrageous come-back at Headingley, thanks to a brilliant century by the star all-rounder. The last two Tests are at Old Trafford and The Oval, with it all to play for.
(That's the summary of the first three tests in 1981, by the way).
A Kent player gets a crucial 50 that gets relatively forgotten about
That's another Headingley 81 reference, though as Dilley got dropped for the following match, maybe one that Denly won't want to be exactly copied!
Stokes is overcompensating here, yes stay in but go for the easier runs.
Agreed, we are not batting for a draw, we need to win. The only way we will win is by scoring 200 runs. I get cautious and safe but 3 of 72 is taking cautious to another level
Correction, 7 from 76
I suppose his thought process is that it's better to play himself in and try to ensure that the lower-middle order is exposed to the new ball, than to score quickly and risk getting out.
I would like to see him score quicker. But he looks absolutely determined to do everything required to score the century that's needed.
I think he's been magnificent for most of this Summer, particularly at Lord's with the bat and Headingley, in the second innings with the ball. If we lose, it won't be Stokes' fault - if we win, it will be, in a large part, down to him.
Ben Stokes was absolutely magnificent. He completed what was almost Mission Impossible. Definitely up there with Botham/Willis 1981. He has now created history twice in a couple of months.
He's let us down in the past, mostly off the field but he's not having a bad 2019 is he?
Simply unbelievable innings, thought we only had a slim chance when Bairstow went and stopped watching when Buttler went. Turned back on and we lost Archer next ball. Flicked to the footie and back on for Broad's wicket. So decided not to watch anymore, so I guess I deserve some of the credit?
There are still issues obviously but we need to enjoy days like today. Not quite sure how the umpire gave Stokes not out, looked totally plumb.
Personally would move Roy to 6 for the next game and bring in an opener for Buttler. Curran in for Woakes at 8.
Just watched the highlights. Heart rate still massively raised watching.
Earlier at Headingley, with 21 to win I checked my Fitbit heart rate based on someone on here posting about how raised it can get. It was 111. And I got told that was a Nelson and I’d ruined it and we were going to lose.
Some lovely, generous comments from fans all over the world, on the Melbourne Age website. This one, in particular, sums up the generosity and sportsmanship of Australian cricket lovers.
Surprise surprise! England win after terrible administrative errors. Sorry, but it just isn’t good enough. England lost the WC final and were awarded a win, and here they lost the test and were awarded a win. England were already granted two days of perfect batting conditions after the first two bowler-centric days. Why do they need an umpiring boost at the end? They lost! Again. Simple as that. Umpires should not be able to decide games and series like that. It wasn’t even close. Middle and leg, 2/3 of the way up. Of course you will hear diplomatic claptrap about how we shouldn’t have reviewed the Leach LBW, but no appeal should be necessary for a plumb LBW! The crowd should not be deciding the winner of the game!
And why were we batting in the dark and damp till 7:30 on day one, losing 8 wickets after the scheduled closing time, while England get bright sunshine, a hard, dry wicket and favourable umpiring on days 3 and 4? Is it too much to ask for fair conditions for both teams?
Comments
That is going to haunt him over the next few days until the 4th test.
(That's the summary of the first three tests in 1981, by the way).
At home.
Surprise surprise! England win after terrible administrative errors. Sorry, but it just isn’t good enough. England lost the WC final and were awarded a win, and here they lost the test and were awarded a win. England were already granted two days of perfect batting conditions after the first two bowler-centric days. Why do they need an umpiring boost at the end? They lost! Again. Simple as that. Umpires should not be able to decide games and series like that. It wasn’t even close. Middle and leg, 2/3 of the way up. Of course you will hear diplomatic claptrap about how we shouldn’t have reviewed the Leach LBW, but no appeal should be necessary for a plumb LBW! The crowd should not be deciding the winner of the game!
And why were we batting in the dark and damp till 7:30 on day one, losing 8 wickets after the scheduled closing time, while England get bright sunshine, a hard, dry wicket and favourable umpiring on days 3 and 4? Is it too much to ask for fair conditions for both teams?
Where's Lord Bowyer's promotion miracle?
But, to be fair, it was fantastic to see the Aussies in the crowd joining in the standing ovation for Ben Stokes, and the Aussie players shaking hands with and even hugging him at the finish. That showed a lot of class. Generally speaking, I really like the Aussies as a people. Fun to be with, love their sport, give and take banter well, love a joke or two, generous. They could almost be addicks.
It would have been a lot easier on the heart if Bairstow or Root had stayed in and knocked off the runs easily with Stokes, but not as thrilling!
i told them all how I won the test at Headingley in 1981 by not moving from my lucky spot on the bed as Bob Bob Bob Bob came in and took 8-43 .
So each ball we had to be in position as my eldest son shouted “watch” to make sure we were all glued for each delivery , from just after lunch till the finish .
as a pessimist I was forever saying we can’t do it it’s too much and as it got closer I dared to dream .
i pointed out how thick the Aussies were to waste the review , it could haunt them .....
Then once Stokes hit that 6 to take it to 2 runs I’m thinking run a fucking single and keep The Ashes alive and I’m sure 3rd ball of Lyons over there was an easyish single available they turned down .
4th ball of that over and the single they went for then he sent back Leach and I could see poxy Gary was gonna run him out and I spun and walked away as my future depressed life of seeing re runs of the amazing Headingley win for the Aussies were to be shown forever and how it was pay back for Edgbaston 2005 ...
i was broken and then my mate saying he’s missed it , he’s missed it , I was confused surely he hadn’t missed it i thought the routine gathering and run out had happened and I was gonna be cricket broken forever but no he had and we were alive !
then the review that went missing ha ha ha ha you divvy Aussies, beautiful !
then Leach got the single that meant I was happy Ashes were alive , then Stokes and ecstasy arrives , pandemonium in room 391 ensues kids being thrown around bouncing on beds , we could leave our spots and rejoice !!
I don’t like cricket , I love it !!
That's another Headingley 81 reference, though as Dilley got dropped for the following match, maybe one that Denly won't want to be exactly copied!
👋👋👋.
Simply unbelievable innings, thought we only had a slim chance when Bairstow went and stopped watching when Buttler went. Turned back on and we lost Archer next ball. Flicked to the footie and back on for Broad's wicket. So decided not to watch anymore, so I guess I deserve some of the credit?
There are still issues obviously but we need to enjoy days like today. Not quite sure how the umpire gave Stokes not out, looked totally plumb.
Personally would move Roy to 6 for the next game and bring in an opener for Buttler. Curran in for Woakes at 8.
Incredible scenes today, that will long live as a classic, Leach cleaning off his glasses, stokes’ reverse sweep 6. The missed run out.
Just epic.
Never thought a test would come close to egbaston 05
Earlier at Headingley, with 21 to win I checked my Fitbit heart rate based on someone on here posting about how raised it can get. It was 111. And I got told that was a Nelson and I’d ruined it and we were going to lose.
I think I know what I am wearing to breakfast as I got a fair bit of flack after the 67 all out so standby by my Aussie relatives!!
This England group never fail to amaze.
One of the most amazing moments was Broad coming out to bat with a jumper on!!
Incredible cricketer
Ben stokes have my babies.
There are kids everywhere modelling themselves on Jack leach.