Ashes 2021-22

[Anag Ram]

Well done England. Like a great limbo dancer you manage to lower the bar every time.

[Chester40]

In a lifetime of watching England capitulate (with brief interludes in the early 2000s) this is as spineless a batting line up as I have ever seen.

[Anag Ram]

29 minutes ago, Chester40 said:

In a lifetime of watching England capitulate (with brief interludes in the early 2000s) this is as spineless a batting line up as I have ever seen.

Indeed. Crawley looked like he was facing a bull not a fast bowler.

This is these guys’ jobs!

Mentally the team looks very weak. When Anderson and Broad are ripping through the opposition the players strut like peacocks.

When the going gets tough they are jellyfish.

[SKRam]

Big catch up on here….. but I’m in agreement with pretty much all that’s been said. Worst top three batsmen we’ve had in a long long time.  Before I even check score (at work) I know we’ll be three wickets down. Root is absolute quality but please please please take that captaincy away. Ever since they bottled it and defended against New Zealand when they had a chance to chase a very tempting total. Never forgive Root for that as a captain. 
3 day test it is then and the Ashes have been secured without breaking a sweat by the Aussies. If we leave them needing 100 I’ll be surprised. Sad days 

[kevinhectoring]

On 25/12/2021 at 15:33, Yani P said:

Ray Illingworth died today. RIP Ray..one of the few captains to win an away series in Australia..

Forget his captaincy, skilful though it was: what wouldn’t we do for his finger spinning guile 

[kevinhectoring]

1 minute ago, SKRam said:

Worst top three batsmen we’ve had in a long long time.  

Not quite. Sibley was the low point 

[SKRam]

6 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

Not quite. Sibley was the low point 

Past tense….. sadly he might return 

[SKRam]

Quite funny listening to Ian Chappell he’s not subtle about Roots captaincy, you can hear the English commentators wincing, all too nervous to be remotely critical 

[Chester40]

Just feels like all the money is in the short form.  Players just want to get quick runs, play fancy shots and risk holing-out against spread fields. 

Building an innings, solid defence but picking off the stray ball is just alien. Often they have already decided what extravagant shot they are going to play before it's bowled. When they try to be defensive they just get stuck playing false shots or stuck on the crease with no footwork or eventually realise the scoreboard is stuck so play a wild shot.

It's a procession every single innings.

[AndyinLiverpool]

15 minutes ago, SKRam said:

Quite funny listening to Ian Chappell he’s not subtle about Roots captaincy, you can hear the English commentators wincing, all too nervous to be remotely critical 

That's because they are all too matey with players and administrators to do their jobs properly. If you doubt that, seek out Agnew's interview with his mate, Paul Downton when the latter was making a pig's ear of his role at the ECB.

Chappell has no such qualms. Tell the truth, however much that may hurt. 

[ossieram]

Drag them all onto the next plane home and end this holiday in the sun.

Half of the players look terrified when facing the bowlers, spinners included, and seem to be relieved when they get out and can put their feet up.

[AndyinLiverpool]

Our top 3 average 30 or under each.

Compare that to Warner, 48 and Labuschagne, 60 odd.

None of our top 3 (and Burns) are fit for test cricket. A few years ago, England would routinely by 3 down by the time we get to 50. That was bad. Now we're routinely 2 down with barely double figures on the board.

Rubbish. Amateurish, ill prepared, weak willed.

Rubbish.

[Wolfie20]

Will they make it to lunchtime? Can't remember the last time a test match was done and dusted in less than half the available playing time.

This lot should remain in Australia for the rest of their lives and be subjected to total humiliation every time they're seen out in public (Jimmy Anderson excepted).

 

[Bob The Badger]

1 hour ago, ossieram said:

Drag them all onto the next plane home and end this holiday in the sun.

Half of the players look terrified when facing the bowlers, spinners included, and seem to be relieved when they get out and can put their feet up.

We have been appalling, but nothing I have heard or read suggests the players see this is a holiday.

It could just be we're nothing like good enough.

[BOB BIGGS]

25 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said:

We have been appalling, but nothing I have heard or read suggests the players see this is a holiday.

It could just be we're nothing like good enough.

Absolutely right. I doubt the ECB care that much either. They like their 100 white ball game, TV rights, a bit of free family involvement to justify it all. They’ll probably lose a fortune on that in time.

Cricket in this country, like many sports, is being run by the wrong type of people for the wrong reasons.

[dabber]

A ton each for Root, Stokes, Buttler and Bairstow and we've got this!!

[AndyinLiverpool]

19 minutes ago, dabber said:

A ton each for Root, Stokes, Buttler and Bairstow and we've got this!!

That's the spirit.

I was just sitting here wondering if Australia will need to bat again.

[RadioactiveWaste]

21 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

That's the spirit.

I was just sitting here wondering if Australia will need to bat again.

What's even more bleak is that the England camp will try to use "making them bat again" as some sort of moral victory.

 

[i-Ram]

43 minutes ago, dabber said:

A ton each for Root, Stokes, Buttler and Bairstow and we've got this!!

Other than Root I wouldn’t bet on them getting a ten each. Love your optimism though Dabber. Taking of dabbers, oh for a David Steele.

[RadioactiveWaste]

There hasn't been an emergency covid reprieve for England and it's look like they're going to force them to play.

I'd love to feel hopeful but I think its wrapped up today and we can all feel that deep loathing and despair that only the england cricket team can deliver.

THere's a bit of me that hope australia wrap it up without batting again so there can be absolutly no defending the team from the powers that be in the ECB.