biggest winning draw I can remember. Bit farcical it's ended like this. I know the WTC final had an option of 6th day if there was rain, think this should be for all tests tbh.
When all Test matches started on a Thursday there used to be a rest day on a Sunday & finish on the Tuesday. I believe some may have played on the Sunday to "make up" time if there had been a washout the day before.
It’s very hard. Cummins, Carey, Head and Smith. Marnus came in and left again. I can only imagine he didn’t have ID. Looked about 15. There are 12 of them in total in the bar. I guess the others are coaches or press people.
No sign of Warner, kawaja, starc, marsh, boland, Murphy, Lyon, green, hazelwood,
It’s very hard. Cummins, Carey, Head and Smith. Marnus came in and left again. I can only imagine he didn’t have ID. Looked about 15. There are 12 of them in total in the bar. I guess the others are coaches or press people.
No sign of Warner, kawaja, starc, marsh, boland, Murphy, Lyon, green, hazelwood,
Cameron green and a few others showed up at the door but couldn’t get in. Brave me got up and went over to Pat Cummins and told him his team mates were trying to get in. He got up to try to get them in. Travis head asked who, I said ‘one with glasses’ thinking it could be Murphy, he said ‘oh don’t let him in’ anyway. Pat Cummins asked security and tried but they wouldn’t let them in.
Looking at the forecast I reckon we'll see an hour or two's play tomorrow, and double that Sunday. So 3 to 5 hours play. Hopefully that's enough.
Well I was right about Saturday, we got around 3 hours play in the end, but the forecast for Sunday got steadily worse throughout Saturday and the weather gods scuppered both the forecast I originally quoted and any chance of us regaining the ashes
We should finish off the fourth Test on day one at the Oval, before starting the fifth Test on day two.
Isn’t it due to rain on day one of Oval?
Shift day one at the Oval up the road to the O2
More likely that we will be 0 for 2 rather than playing at the O2. I have a bad feeling about the 5th Test. If we lose, the Aussies can say Manchester didn't matter. It will be hard for us to pick ourselves up after the disappointment of Old Trafford, I fear.
I'm gutted. Mostly because it feels a bit like the end of an era for this team (Weirdly given the team is only a year or so old) but for so many this is their last ashes. This was Stokes one shot at becoming an Ashes winning captain and our best shot to win the ashes since 2015. Jimmy's last series. I cant see Broady, Wood or Woakes being around for the next ashes. Stokes is unlikely to still be playing tests. Root will still be there if he wants it. Bairstow depends on fitness etc. But thats a hell of a lot of change.
Gutted the way its turned out but I don't think I'd change anything about the series and the way we've played (other than the weather) its been amazing viewing. Didn't have the fairy tale ending but its still done a lot for the game.
In case some have forgotten, there is still one match to go starting on Thursday and the chance to draw the series. Same 14 man squad named but I really would be surprised if Anderson does play. He has, actually, been our most economical bowler but he really hasn't threatened in the way that we have grown our greatest ever bowler to which is reflected by his 4 wickets at 76.50. In the same home conditions, Broad has taken 18 wickets at 28.55, Woakes has 12 at 19.50 and Wood 11 at 17.00.
In case some have forgotten, there is still one match to go starting on Thursday and the chance to draw the series. Same 14 man squad named but I really would be surprised if Anderson does play. He has, actually, been our most economical bowler but he really hasn't threatened in the way that we have grown our greatest ever bowler to which is reflected by his 4 wickets at 76.50. In the same home conditions, Broad has taken 18 wickets at 28.55, Woakes has 12 at 19.50 and Wood 11 at 17.00.
When 1,000 runs were scored in 3 days going at under 2 an over is pretty good.
I think he bowled better as the series went on, like the rest of the team he looked massively under cooked in unhelpful conditions at Edgbaston. I don't think his wickets, or lack of, tell the full story from Leeds or Manchester. But took wickets with two of his worst balls of both Tests.
Not sure what was wrong because movement in the air and off the pitch should be the last thing that goes.
On another note its a reason that Woakes should always play in England. I am still surprised the number of posters on here who didn't want him in the team before the series.
biggest winning draw I can remember. Bit farcical it's ended like this. I know the WTC final had an option of 6th day if there was rain, think this should be for all tests tbh.
When all Test matches started on a Thursday there used to be a rest day on a Sunday & finish on the Tuesday. I believe some may have played on the Sunday to "make up" time if there had been a washout the day before.
Or am I mis-remembering.
Don't think they played on a Sunday, in fact it wasn't unheard of for players to turn out for their counties or play in benefits on the rest day. Going back a few years, I think there was a provisional sixth day at the last test if it was a series decider, may still exist of course.
There were plenty of timeless tests in the past, apparently all tests in Australia pre WW2 followed this format. There's a good Wikipedia article about it.
In case some have forgotten, there is still one match to go starting on Thursday and the chance to draw the series. Same 14 man squad named but I really would be surprised if Anderson does play. He has, actually, been our most economical bowler but he really hasn't threatened in the way that we have grown our greatest ever bowler to which is reflected by his 4 wickets at 76.50. In the same home conditions, Broad has taken 18 wickets at 28.55, Woakes has 12 at 19.50 and Wood 11 at 17.00.
When 1,000 runs were scored in 3 days going at under 2 an over is pretty good.
I think he bowled better as the series went on, like the rest of the team he looked massively under cooked in unhelpful conditions at Edgbaston. I don't think his wickets, or lack of, tell the full story from Leeds or Manchester. But took wickets with two of his worst balls of both Tests.
Not sure what was wrong because movement in the air and off the pitch should be the last thing that goes.
On another note its a reason that Woakes should always play in England. I am still surprised the number of posters on here who didn't want him in the team before the series.
I get the impression from what he said after the First Test and his subsequent body language in the other Tests that this series has been a real trial for him. Even when he did take a wicket, especially from one of those few bang average deliveries, there was no massive elation from him either. It was almost an acceptance of how badly things have gone for him - he has to much self esteem to recognise that he is there to take wickets and not to hold an end up but, perhaps, it was part of the Aussies game plan to show him the utmost respect and only play what they had to:
“That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace. I’ve tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. It’s a long series and hopefully, I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series.”
biggest winning draw I can remember. Bit farcical it's ended like this. I know the WTC final had an option of 6th day if there was rain, think this should be for all tests tbh.
When all Test matches started on a Thursday there used to be a rest day on a Sunday & finish on the Tuesday. I believe some may have played on the Sunday to "make up" time if there had been a washout the day before.
Or am I mis-remembering.
Don't think they played on a Sunday, in fact it wasn't unheard of for players to turn out for their counties or play in benefits on the rest day. Going back a few years, I think there was a provisional sixth day at the last test if it was a series decider, may still exist of course.
There were plenty of timeless tests in the past, apparently all tests in Australia pre WW2 followed this format. There's a good Wikipedia article about it.
Wasn't the rest day when Botham had his infamous barbeques and tried to hamper the opposition by making sure they turned up on Monday severely hungover
In case some have forgotten, there is still one match to go starting on Thursday and the chance to draw the series. Same 14 man squad named but I really would be surprised if Anderson does play. He has, actually, been our most economical bowler but he really hasn't threatened in the way that we have grown our greatest ever bowler to which is reflected by his 4 wickets at 76.50. In the same home conditions, Broad has taken 18 wickets at 28.55, Woakes has 12 at 19.50 and Wood 11 at 17.00.
When 1,000 runs were scored in 3 days going at under 2 an over is pretty good.
I think he bowled better as the series went on, like the rest of the team he looked massively under cooked in unhelpful conditions at Edgbaston. I don't think his wickets, or lack of, tell the full story from Leeds or Manchester. But took wickets with two of his worst balls of both Tests.
Not sure what was wrong because movement in the air and off the pitch should be the last thing that goes.
On another note its a reason that Woakes should always play in England. I am still surprised the number of posters on here who didn't want him in the team before the series.
I get the impression from what he said after the First Test and his subsequent body language in the other Tests that this series has been a real trial for him. Even when he did take a wicket, especially from one of those few bang average deliveries, there was no massive elation from him either. It was almost an acceptance of how badly things have gone for him - he has to much self esteem to recognise that he is there to take wickets and not to hold an end up but, perhaps, it was part of the Aussies game plan to show him the utmost respect and only play what they had to:
“That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace. I’ve tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. It’s a long series and hopefully, I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series.”
I think there are plenty of "reasons" to explain him being sub par at Edgbaston.
Maybe his economy did buy some of the others a wicket or two, and it helped as we didn't have a spinner capable of tying down an end.
I mean I haven't taken nearly 700, or what ever ridiculous number it is, test wickets but I would have thought the movement off the pitch and in the air would be the last thing to go and its obviously not been there. He bowled his overs, his pace wasn't down on what it has been for the last few years.
He had been England's best bowler for the last year, so much so he was the world number 1 in February.
Obviously his age will be used as a reason and people will write him off because of it but I think he has played 3 games since the middle of May. All test matches against the world champions. I wouldn't write him off yet, it also wouldn't surprise me if he does call it a day.
In case some have forgotten, there is still one match to go starting on Thursday and the chance to draw the series. Same 14 man squad named but I really would be surprised if Anderson does play. He has, actually, been our most economical bowler but he really hasn't threatened in the way that we have grown our greatest ever bowler to which is reflected by his 4 wickets at 76.50. In the same home conditions, Broad has taken 18 wickets at 28.55, Woakes has 12 at 19.50 and Wood 11 at 17.00.
When 1,000 runs were scored in 3 days going at under 2 an over is pretty good.
I think he bowled better as the series went on, like the rest of the team he looked massively under cooked in unhelpful conditions at Edgbaston. I don't think his wickets, or lack of, tell the full story from Leeds or Manchester. But took wickets with two of his worst balls of both Tests.
Not sure what was wrong because movement in the air and off the pitch should be the last thing that goes.
On another note its a reason that Woakes should always play in England. I am still surprised the number of posters on here who didn't want him in the team before the series.
I get the impression from what he said after the First Test and his subsequent body language in the other Tests that this series has been a real trial for him. Even when he did take a wicket, especially from one of those few bang average deliveries, there was no massive elation from him either. It was almost an acceptance of how badly things have gone for him - he has to much self esteem to recognise that he is there to take wickets and not to hold an end up but, perhaps, it was part of the Aussies game plan to show him the utmost respect and only play what they had to:
“That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace. I’ve tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. It’s a long series and hopefully, I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series.”
I think there are plenty of "reasons" to explain him being sub par at Edgbaston.
Maybe his economy did buy some of the others a wicket or two, and it helped as we didn't have a spinner capable of tying down an end.
I mean I haven't taken nearly 700, or what ever ridiculous number it is, test wickets but I would have thought the movement off the pitch and in the air would be the last thing to go and its obviously not been there. He bowled his overs, his pace wasn't down on what it has been for the last few years.
He had been England's best bowler for the last year, so much so he was the world number 1 in February.
Obviously his age will be used as a reason and people will write him off because of it but I think he has played 3 games since the middle of May. All test matches against the world champions. I wouldn't write him off yet, it also wouldn't surprise me if he does call it a day.
The four measures of a fast bowler are bounce, movement in the air, movement off the pitch and speed (you have at least three of those to gain a pro contract) and I'm certainly not suggesting that he has lost any of those. However, I've never heard him express an opinion about a pitch before that basically says "I'm out of here unless things improve".
Anderson will go, I am sure, on his terms but that time comes at some point in every player's career and he is too proud and successful a sportsman to carry on if he doesn't believe he's competitive or because he isn't prepared to put his body through that any more. Let's face it - it has been put through a hell of a lot and more than any other fast bowler in international cricket. In fact twice as much as the likes of Steyn, Marshall, Waqar Younis, Starc, Lillee, Donald, Willis, Lee, Garner and many other great quicks in the history of the game.
In case some have forgotten, there is still one match to go starting on Thursday and the chance to draw the series. Same 14 man squad named but I really would be surprised if Anderson does play. He has, actually, been our most economical bowler but he really hasn't threatened in the way that we have grown our greatest ever bowler to which is reflected by his 4 wickets at 76.50. In the same home conditions, Broad has taken 18 wickets at 28.55, Woakes has 12 at 19.50 and Wood 11 at 17.00.
Tongue has to come in for Anderson. Get him and Wood steaming in at them. Hopefully the spectre of becoming the first team since 2001 to lose a home ashes series will inspire them
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Or am I mis-remembering.
Gutted the way its turned out but I don't think I'd change anything about the series and the way we've played (other than the weather) its been amazing viewing. Didn't have the fairy tale ending but its still done a lot for the game.
We're going on Sunday.
I think he bowled better as the series went on, like the rest of the team he looked massively under cooked in unhelpful conditions at Edgbaston. I don't think his wickets, or lack of, tell the full story from Leeds or Manchester. But took wickets with two of his worst balls of both Tests.
Not sure what was wrong because movement in the air and off the pitch should be the last thing that goes.
On another note its a reason that Woakes should always play in England. I am still surprised the number of posters on here who didn't want him in the team before the series.
There were plenty of timeless tests in the past, apparently all tests in Australia pre WW2 followed this format. There's a good Wikipedia article about it.
“That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace. I’ve tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. It’s a long series and hopefully, I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series.”
Maybe his economy did buy some of the others a wicket or two, and it helped as we didn't have a spinner capable of tying down an end.
I mean I haven't taken nearly 700, or what ever ridiculous number it is, test wickets but I would have thought the movement off the pitch and in the air would be the last thing to go and its obviously not been there. He bowled his overs, his pace wasn't down on what it has been for the last few years.
He had been England's best bowler for the last year, so much so he was the world number 1 in February.
Obviously his age will be used as a reason and people will write him off because of it but I think he has played 3 games since the middle of May. All test matches against the world champions. I wouldn't write him off yet, it also wouldn't surprise me if he does call it a day.
Anderson will go, I am sure, on his terms but that time comes at some point in every player's career and he is too proud and successful a sportsman to carry on if he doesn't believe he's competitive or because he isn't prepared to put his body through that any more. Let's face it - it has been put through a hell of a lot and more than any other fast bowler in international cricket. In fact twice as much as the likes of Steyn, Marshall, Waqar Younis, Starc, Lillee, Donald, Willis, Lee, Garner and many other great quicks in the history of the game.