The Ashes 2017/18

Jates12

Jates12

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2 Days until the Ashes starts and not a thread posted as of yet so thought i'd get the ball rolling!

Lots of mouth already from the Aussies, mainly from Nathan Lyon and Matty Hayden, talking about ending careers and not knowing who most of the england squad are.

Impressed that the same hasnt been coming from our camp considering I genuinely do not know who some of the aussie squad are. Hoping that we can do a job on them because the debacle of 4 years ago needs avenging and i feel like we can really punish them on home soil.

Stokes will be missed massively as last time out he was the only one, imho, that had a decent series or even stood up to be counted.
 
It's going to be a tough one to follow, for me, due to the time zone and coverage only on BT. It could be a tour that just passes me by, particularly if we are getting stuffed :D.

I heard a few ex pros saying how important the test at Brisbane is. It will set the tone for the whole tour. England need to hold on as best they can.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
It's going to be a tough one to follow, for me, due to the time zone and coverage only on BT. It could be a tour that just passes me by, particularly if we are getting stuffed :D.

I heard a few ex pros saying how important the test at Brisbane is. It will set the tone for the whole tour. England need to hold on as best they can.
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I dont think its a case of holding on mate, i think we have a decent enough side compared to theirs. We just need to build innings rather than getting after it early doors. Stoneman is going to be tested by hazelwood and starc (I think cummins is pretty bonk if im honest) but if he digs in there is good runs to be scored on quick outfields down under. Its all about how long we can bat for, i think we have the bowling to knock them over its just about getting runs on the board.
 
Jates12 said:
I dont think its a case of holding on mate, i think we have a decent enough side compared to theirs. We just need to build innings rather than getting after it early doors. Stoneman is going to be tested by hazelwood and starc (I think cummins is pretty bonk if im honest) but if he digs in there is good runs to be scored on quick outfields down under. Its all about how long we can bat for, i think we have the bowling to knock them over its just about getting runs on the board.
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I think that it is a great summing up. We have not been great at batting time recently though. They need to that 1st test.
 
Stoneman has played a decent amount of Aussie grade cricket. He should be used to quick, slippery pitches. Hopefully.

We are probably a slightly better side on paper, yet playing away we are slight underdogs. I think the louder the Aussies talk the more they are covering up their deficiencies.

Get a draw or a win at the GABBA and we are on!

Hopefully Lyon will get 0-215 :D
 
Hayden's comments are pretty lame considering he is supposed to be a pundit.

The Aussie chat is so predictable that it is just boring now. I fear that the actual cricket is not going to match the hype and the series turns into something akin to a pantomime.
 
TBH batting i think the sides are pretty even, they have it when it comes to pace bowling though, i think Stokes is the big loss.

a tight series with who ever has the least batting collapses winning the series
 
Team the Aussies have picked is really weird. Tim Paine keeping wicket despite not keeping wicket domestically for years since his injury, dropping Renshaw because some high profile former players slagged him off in the press, directors announcing a focus on bringing youth through and then picking Shaun Marsh again. Don't think they're in a much better position than us really, I could see us pulling off a win if the top order click, Stokes is a huge loss though.
 
The trash talking (especially from Lyon) is typically Ozzie and boring. I'm glad we're rising above it. I think the Ozzie attack is better than ours, and as much as it pains me to say it, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon are class. Lyon in particular has developed into a world class test spinner. I think it will be a very close contest. We need Anderson and Broad to step up big time.
 
The worst top 6s to contest the Ashes for quite a while, both sides have 2 good batters and 4 others in their top 6! England have better depth in the middle order (even with Stokes missing), their quick bowling looks to have more cutting edge to it, little to choose between the off spinner on each side (Lyon may have the edge on home decks)

Definite concerns about some of the England batters against the short ball if they can manage to produce some fast bouncy pitches (not guaranteed), Root, Bairstow and Ali all got questions to answer here

Aussies rightly favourites but not sure Id be trashing the oppo side pre-series when my side includes Paine and Marsh. Looks even closer if theres any truth in the Warner injury news too
 
Go England, Aussies really are insufferable when it comes to sport. They've lost 4 of the last 5 Ashes, probably desperate.
 
fundy said:
The worst top 6s to contest the Ashes for quite a while, both sides have 2 good batters and 4 others in their top 6! England have better depth in the middle order (even with Stokes missing), their quick bowling looks to have more cutting edge to it, little to choose between the off spinner on each side (Lyon may have the edge on home decks)

Definite concerns about some of the England batters against the short ball if they can manage to produce some fast bouncy pitches (not guaranteed), Root, Bairstow and Ali all got questions to answer here

Aussies rightly favourites but not sure Id be trashing the oppo side pre-series when my side includes Paine and Marsh. Looks even closer if theres any truth in the Warner injury news too
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At least the England batsmen have got some runs leading into the test matches. Stoneman looks good at the top.

Worried about how we are going to bowl them out. Don't think there will be many green tops.:mmm: Hard and bouncy will suit their pace men, and Lyon is a much better bowler, especially in Oz, that a lot seem to think. Not far short of 300 wickets in 70 odd tests. Could be some tight games, and we need to get off to a good start to put pressure on Aussies.
 
Im not gonna sign up for 12 month's BT (we have sky) so what's the alternative for viewing?

Now tv, streaming sites... any ideas welcome :thup:
 
davemc1 said:
Im not gonna sign up for 12 month's BT (we have sky) so what's the alternative for viewing?

Now tv, streaming sites... any ideas welcome :thup:
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Not sure. I'll be relying on the Channel 5 highlights most days. It's the Friday and Saturday night that i'll look for a streaming site as they're the only days I'd stay up to watch......I need my beauty sleep :)
 
I’ve just had my 1st bet of the series and it probably won’t be my last neither.

Cook Top English batsmen 1st innings @100/30
 
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