Ashes 2023

Am creating a new thread for this as it’s the most exciting series for a long time .

My thoughts so far, just putting it out there for debate …

1- Australian attack is the best in the world but perhaps not in English conditions where England’s attack should be considered equal imo. However If we have a dry June/July as being predicted this may swing it back the Australians way. Hopefully groundsmen will prepare some green pitches to help our seam bowlers but it’s unclear whether the ECB condones this approach.
Worth mentioning Starc bowled very little in last Ashes in England due to poor performances, which means Australia look a little light in back up with fitness concerns around Hazelwood .


2- Australian batting lineup contains two of the best test batsmen in Smith and Labuschagne . Only Root of Englands lineup compares in terms of old fashioned test batting.

3- Australian batting lineup looks very weak up top with Warner and Khuwaja averaging less than 20 in English conditions , and their back up opener Harris averaging less than ten in English test conditions. Both Warner and Khuwaja performed poorly against India .
Key point here will be if Warner and Khuwaja fall early then Smith and Labuschagne will be exposed to the new ball.

Head scored well against India but is inexperienced in English conditions and has a big weakness against high paced bouncers so we may see Wood play at least 3 tests if Head plays well at first .

Cameron Green is talented but untried and failed against India in last game .

Carey looks a good lower order batsmen .

4- England have stronger batting lineup but big question marks about Crawley and possibly exposing Pope early in the innings .
If Mo plays he will bat at 8 and Broad at 9 with Bairstow at 7 and Stokes at 6 , that is some serious firepower in the lower middle order .

5- England’s aggressive approach is untested against a bowling attack of the quality of Australia . This is a massive factor, probably the biggest deciding point of the whole series. If England are 4 down for 50 runs will they still play the same ? They probably will so we could see England being skittled out for 100 runs in some innings , so safe to say there won’t be many draws in this series .

6- Australia have a top line spinner in Lyon whereas Ali has been punished by the Australians in the past especially Smith.
This is a big differential between the two sides imo.
However it’s worth considering that England under Stokes generally bowl first upon winning the toss and Australia always bat first when they win toss , means it is unlikely England will be bowling on day 5 and considering how England play they may not be bowing much on day 4 either , we may see England play 4 seamers and use Root as spin option on last day . Considering that Stokes is unlikely to bowl much this seems a a viable option .


Anyway just some of my reflections on the series , perhaps a little impartial but bear with me because I lived in Melbourne during the 90s and 00’s when the Australian team were dominant and the scars from Australian bragging run very deep in this heart .

 

Excellent post.

I fear all the 'Bazball' talk (I can't stand that expression...) and some of the bravado from the England camp is going to bite us on the arse. Couple that with a spinner who doesn't want to play test cricket and a captain who's broken. Fingers crossed the weather holds out and we get a full series. It's a shame it's squeezed in to such a short time period just so we can have the naff Hundred.

 

We needed drizzle and 17 degrees for our bowling attack. We've got dry pitches and 25 degrees. Aussies strong favourites in my book. 1-3 series win for the Aussies.

 

Not keen on Ali coming in and clearly concerns over Crawley still exist. Current weather conditions favour Australia but certainly looking forward to it

 

Hear, hear.

 

Australia look far too strong to me.

I hate to agree with @The undeniable truth but I don't think it will even be close.

Obviously hope I am wrong...

 

Mooen is capable of taking big wickets and adds depth to the batting line-up.

The key will be being able to keep Broad, Anderson & Wood fresh. Robinson is going to do a lot of bowling this summer. I like him though, think he's a good replacement for Jimmy. Tongue bowled quite well against Ireland, but then again it's Ireland.

Either way, it'll be a great series!

 

My issue with Ali is that he didn't want to play red ball cricket and prefers to travel round playing 20/20 cricket which is entirely his choice. There must be other options we could have chosen that is looking at the future. It's probably the first decision Stokes and Bas have got wrong though in my opinion.
Looking forward to it though as always

 

He has only been picked for the first Two tests.

 

Didn't know that.

 

Yep. So there is some chance of some up and coming spinner edging him out. Quite difficult to identify an obvious candidate though.

 

Not the time to throw in a young inexperienced bowler "for the future" and have him hit out of the attack and career go into reverse (as happened to another spinner in the ashes a few years ago?).
I think an experienced player is the only option at this stage.

 

Maybe Dom Bess then who at least plays red ball cricket for Yorkshire. I just don't get bringing Ali back who was nothing special at test level. I don't Bess selected though as he's just helped Yorkshire win a county game for the first time since April 2022!

 

Trouble is we don't have any good spinners. Even Leach, our best, is only average at best.

 

So will we .....
win the toss, bat, be bowled out for 220 in under 40 overs, and then see Aussie 180-1 by close ?
or
lose the toss, Aussies bat, 330-4 by close ?
Damn this Aussie cricketing weather !

 

Ok so it looks like the former !

 

First ball smashed through the covers for 4. This could be interesting and I'm not going to get any work done!

 

Duckett out by going for everything, he needs to learn to leave, it isn't 20/20

 

Played that far too late for my liking, appreciate that it’s a late type of shot but not that bloody late

 

Just about England's session I think. Fair play to Crawley, he's played well. Needs to go and get a big score now. Probably won't get many better chances than this

 

Crawley gets out in the last over before lunch, I'd say the Aussies just nick that session.

 

One over later he's out
First day of a five match series but the afternoon session is massive for England now. If we can keep scoring at 5 an over and only lose one wicket I'll think we will be in a good position.
Looks like a pitch we will need 400 on as a minimum

 

Agree, but we won't achieve that, and will be bowled out this afternoon/evening.
2 wickets would have left us fairly even but the top 3 gone in the first session after winning the toss and batting on a good wicket in perfect batting weather is not a great start to the series.

 

Yes going well atm. They need to as this looks a very good wicket...
EDIT 100 partnership now

 

Bairstow given it away.....was looking so good....

 

Slow-mo "nooooooooo" from JB

 

Crazy overly aggressive batting - we are going to be bowled out for 350 when we could have achieved so much more....

 

I thought we were going to be bowled out for 220, Mystic Meg?

 

Agree, i think the occasion has got to them. A little less aggressive and we would have posted 400/430+ Having 2 stumped on a flat track is just poor. Nothing Brooks could have done though.

360/370 and 10 overs tonight might get us a couple of wickets

 

Blood went to the head of JB and Ali. Otherwise I’d be confident of a 400+ total. Real shame.

 

Fixed for you.

 

Rooooooooot

 

Declaration, few leggy Oz players out there so may be a good call

 

Declared on 393-8?

Root had just hit a couple of 6s in the last over, surely one more playing 20/20 style would have done.

If England pick up a couple then Stokes will be vindicated.