The Winter Cricket Thread 2013/14 - The Ashes Down Under

[Nomoreheroes]

Dropping players to rest them for 2 matches in a 5 match series because we've lost it is pathetic. It's insulting. Losing 3-2, 3-1 or even 3-0 is nowhere near as bad as losing 5-0 because we've given up and are treating the next two tests as trial matches for fringe players.

OK. Fair point. Lets do what the Aussies did then. They were dominant for a decade or so but then their team all retired at the same time, which left them in the doldrums for the next decade. Its only the fact that they are beating a team on the decline that is making them look good.

Its really sad when top players come to the end of the road, I remember it well with heroes such as Boycott, Gooch, Willis, Botham, Knott and Gower. But, unfortunately time marches on and you have to have a decent succession plan in any team. At the moment, I don't see too many players knocking on the door.

Time to build around Cook and Root methinks. Not necessarily with wholesale changes, but we have to blood some more batsmen and find an X factor bowler.

[DMR]

Watson is absolutely on one. And he's dump. Dear oh dear.

[DMR]

134 in 17 overs. What the fuck?

[Dostoyevsky]

England 0 for 1  
This is so embarrassing it's hillarious

[Dostoyevsky]

Australia absolutely hammering 7 shades of shit out of England.

Talk about revenge is sweet for the Ozzies. This is carnage

[Ardiles]

Talk about revenge is sweet for the Ozzies. This is carnage

Test cricket has its plusses, but surely the length of the series in a series like this has to be a weakness.  Yes, it is carnage.  And there is very little prospect of the rest of the series being any different.  It's like having a boxer out on his feet and the ref telling him 'OK, son, only a few more weeks of this now.  We'll think about calling an end to it some time in the New Year.'  At least in football you can walk away after 90 mins if your team is getting battered.

[sonicyouth]

OK. Fair point. Lets do what the Aussies did then. They were dominant for a decade or so but then their team all retired at the same time, which left them in the doldrums for the next decade. Its only the fact that they are beating a team on the decline that is making them look good.

Its really sad when top players come to the end of the road, I remember it well with heroes such as Boycott, Gooch, Willis, Botham, Knott and Gower. But, unfortunately time marches on and you have to have a decent succession plan in any team. At the moment, I don't see too many players knocking on the door.

Time to build around Cook and Root methinks. Not necessarily with wholesale changes, but we have to blood some more batsmen and find an X factor bowler.

Ahead of the next test series, absolutely. During an Ashes tour in which we've been demolished and humiliated in every way possible? Not the right time to start blooding youth.

Fortunately we don't have another Test match until June.

[TheMajorSTFC]

253 more runs to win...Yeah right! Ben Stokes batting dreamy, the kid has a big future in test match cricket and deserves to go on and get 3 figures.

[Reg Smeeton]

Fortunately we don't have another Test match until June.

Now you're talking...I'm really looking forward to the Indians being here in the summer. 

As I said previously, I've had no interest in this Ashes, it shouldn't have been played for another year...the one good thing about such a mistimed series though, is it's very easy to take no notice.

[leefer]

253 more runs to win...Yeah right! Ben Stokes batting dreamy, the kid has a big future in test match cricket and deserves to go on and get 3 figures.

Forget about the wickets being down...then 253 sounds gettable

[DMR]

We'll chase it piece of piss!

[RedRag]

Dropping players to rest them for 2 matches in a 5 match series because we've lost it is pathetic. It's insulting. Losing 3-2, 3-1 or even 3-0 is nowhere near as bad as losing 5-0 because we've given up and are treating the next two tests as trial matches for fringe players.

It's a dead rubber now and we are once again playing "friendlies".

Winning the Sydney or Melbourne Test wouldn't change anything now.

If they followed Paolo's Samurai code, there's still a chance they could earn a little respect.  I'd exclude Stokes and possibly Carbs.

[leefer]

We'll chase it piece of piss!

Shame we didn't have a couple of extra wickets...i would fancy us with that outfield

[TheMajorSTFC]

3 down and I'd fancy us to at least keep the series alive with a draw, shame there's 5 down! Was hosting an 'MCG Boxing Day BBQ' at mine - not sure if I'll still go ahead with it or cancel it!

[RedRag]

3 down and I'd fancy us to at least keep the series alive with a draw, shame there's 5 down! Was hosting an 'MCG Boxing Day BBQ' at mine - not sure if I'll still go ahead with it or cancel it!

Class

... at 3 o'clock in the morning?