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The Ashes 2017/18

Watched some live till 1am last night, just saw the Marsh wicket, thought England would get the rest out quicker than they did, then losing 2 wickets early and the Ozzie fast bowlers mixing it up I make Australia slight favourites now, a mini collapse by England's mid order wouldn't surprise me but even if they do with Anderson and Broad England could easily knock Australia over cheaply in 2nd innings, nicely poised. With only 2 days left though you've got to wonder if they'll run out of time, run rates are very slow and batters playing very defensively. Rather not lose than win for the 1st test may be the thinking on both sides. Test cricket is still the best form imo, you need patience and its like a cagey chess match but intriguing nonetheless.
 
maxfli65 said:
Watched some live till 1am last night, just saw the Marsh wicket, thought England would get the rest out quicker than they did, then losing 2 wickets early and the Ozzie fast bowlers mixing it up I make Australia slight favourites now, a mini collapse by England's mid order wouldn't surprise me but even if they do with Anderson and Broad England could easily knock Australia over cheaply in 2nd innings, nicely poised. With only 2 days left though you've got to wonder if they'll run out of time, run rates are very slow and batters playing very defensively. Rather not lose than win for the 1st test may be the thinking on both sides. Test cricket is still the best form imo, you need patience and its like a cagey chess match but intriguing nonetheless.
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I think the wicket also has a lot to do with the slow scoring rate. Seems as though it's a wicket where you have to dig in rather than trying to play lots of shots. This test reminds me of how test cricket used to be played with teams happy to go at 2 to 2.5 runs per over and to try to stay at the crease for as long as possible rather than the more recent matches where they try to go at 4 an over. It wasn't that long ago that scoring over 300 runs in a day was considered unusual. Now it seems to be the norm.
 
Tongo said:
Depressingly predictable.

Get Stokes out there or it's gonna be 5-0.
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I would think it very unlikely that Stokes will be taking any part in this series.

In any event I cannot see that he would make very much difference. His play is too much "feast or famine " for that to be the case in a five Test series
 
MetalMickie said:
I would think it very unlikely that Stokes will be taking any part in this series.

In any event I cannot see that he would make very much difference. His play is too much "feast or famine " for that to be the case in a five Test series
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I'd rather have feast or famine and the chance that it might help England win a test or two before the series is gone rather than the slow death that appears inevitable.
 
MetalMickie said:
I would think it very unlikely that Stokes will be taking any part in this series.

In any event I cannot see that he would make very much difference. His play is too much "feast or famine " for that to be the case in a five Test series
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Still don’t rate stokes then or have you changed from your initial opinion on him not being good enough ?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Still don’t rate stokes then or have you changed from your initial opinion on him not being good enough ?
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It's very difficult to rate anyone who could bowl that final over inn the T20 final.

Cricket is not a game that can be played entirely on instinct which is what Stokes appears to rely upon.

Natural talent? Yes.
Great cricketer? No, not in my opinion
 
MetalMickie said:
It's very difficult to rate anyone who could bowl that final over inn the T20 final.

Cricket is not a game that can be played entirely on instinct which is what Stokes appears to rely upon.

Natural talent? Yes.
Great cricketer? No, not in my opinion
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Who cares whether he's great or not. He'd offer something that the rest of the camp can't. And the Australians would much rather he wasnt there. Which is why they were banging on about it in the lead up with Warner saying he'd let the team down etc. Its more of the Australian kidology. If the Aussies didnt rate him they wouldnt be making those sorts of comments.
 
He also was the only English batsman to score a century 4 years ago and took the second best bowling figures by any English bowler so he's done more than many on Australian soil.

I'd judge his credentials for this series on those performances rather than the final of a T20 comp.
 
Tongo said:
Who cares whether he's great or not. He'd offer something that the rest of the camp can't. And the Australians would much rather he wasnt there. Which is why they were banging on about it in the lead up with Warner saying he'd let the team down etc. Its more of the Australian kidology. If the Aussies didnt rate him they wouldnt be making those sorts of comments.
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Or maybe they knew the British media would jump on it and big up the story.
 
MetalMickie said:
It's very difficult to rate anyone who could bowl that final over inn the T20 final.

Cricket is not a game that can be played entirely on instinct which is what Stokes appears to rely upon.

Natural talent? Yes.
Great cricketer? No, not in my opinion
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One over shoold never define one player

Stokes has proved himself in all formats - he has excelled in tests as well as ODI and is one of England’s best players - there is a very big hole in the team with him missing and he is a player that all the nations fear with both the bat and bowl.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
One over shoold never define one player

Stokes has proved himself in all formats - he has excelled in tests as well as ODI and is one of England’s best players - there is a very big hole in the team with him missing and he is a player that all the nations fear with both the bat and bowl.
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I didn't suggest that one over should define his career. However, it does more than raise questions over his ability under pressure.

I would also claim that it's an exaggeration to claim the Australians would fear him as a bowler.
 
MetalMickie said:
I didn't suggest that one over should define his career. However, it does more than raise questions over his ability under pressure.

I would also claim that it's an exaggeration to claim the Australians would fear him as a bowler.
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I think he has shown enough with some of his big centuries when the team was struggling to show that he can perform under pressure

And Stokes showed in the last Ashes how his bowling can turn a game - and most batsmen getting a little worried about someone who can throw down some snorters like he can
 
The bowling attack looks incapable of getting twenty wickets and the batsmen were found wanting. 1-0 to the Aussies and need to get a win in the next game or the series will be over far too quickly
 
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