25 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Who cares how they are celebrating. I couldn't give a damn to be honest. 

Some people are stuck in the past and now willing to modernise how teams play test cricket. The paying public is not willing to pay top prices to watch slow boring non entertaining cricket all over the world. 

The sad fact is that outside of England and for certain matches in Australia far too few of the public are paying any prices to watch test cricket. Just look at the crowds for the ongoing tests in Trinidad and Colombo.

5 minutes ago, RoverDom said:

More flexibility needs ro be built into the timing. This time of year its light from 7am - 9pm yet we can only play 11-630 ( latest 730).

There is a difference between it being light and it being light enough to play cricket. I certainly wouldn't want to be facing say Mark Wood with the red ball in hand at 20:30.

5 minutes ago, RoverDom said:

Again as an occasional cricket fan - test cricket will struggle to attract new fans if a test series, the apparent pinnacle of test series, can be decided by the weather. In no other sport would such a thrilling contest be allowed to fizzle out. This series should be 2-2 and set for the ultimate decider. Instead it fizzled out and England now playing for a draw. 

More flexibility needs ro be built into the timing. This time of year its light from 7am - 9pm yet we can only play 11-630 ( latest 730). When there was such heavy rain forecast for day 4 and 5 why are they not making them play the full 90 overs on the good days.

They are given an extra half an hour in the day to get the overs in that they can't do that is poor on their part. England's overrate yesterday given they bowled predominantly spin and knew they weren't going to get a huge amount of playing time was dreadful.

5 minutes ago, RoverDom said:

More flexibility needs ro be built into the timing. This time of year its light from 7am - 9pm yet we can only play 11-630 ( latest 730). When there was such heavy rain forecast for day 4 and 5 why are they not making them play the full 90 overs on the good days. Why are we wandering off for tea after two hours in the only weather window of the day. Why is there a pitch inspection  at 12:15 and lunch taken at 12:20.

The taking of lunch was as much for the ground staff to get everything ready as anything.

5 minutes ago, RoverDom said:

In any other sport, if an event had been rained off it would be rescheduled. In any other sport every effort would have been made to get players on the pitch but cricket seems to be male every effort to keep them off it. 

That is just part and parcel of cricket rain has saved England in the past think back to Cardiff in 2013. It saved us in Sydney from another whitewash on our last tour down under.

Stokes on the BBC saying that 'there are bigger things for us than winning the Ashes'. I can only assume that is the New Zealander in him coming out as there is nothing bigger for the England cricket team than winning the Ashes and come the first ball in Brisbane in 2025 it will be over 10 years since England last won an Ashes series,

13 minutes ago, den said:

I was there on Friday. As a member I’ve been on OT plenty of times in the last couple of seasons.

for me the ground and stands have no flow to them. It’s just comprised of stand alone units. The point and the two hotels, while bringing in a shed load of dosh all year round,  just look like they could be part of a business complex. They’re very nice inside I’ve no doubt at all but they look a bit lost to me.

The money talks again with the temporary party stand. It allows for concerts and 8500 fans at test matches but it’s an ugly abomination of a thing when it’s up and leaves a huge gap of nothingness when it’s not.

The building opposite the pavilion where the players and press are situated. What a soulless place that is. 

As for the  Portaloos - well they’re disgusting places wherever they are. My mate used one at the end of play on Friday and said it was disgusting. You can imagine what it was like after around ten hours of use can’t you. 
 

So for me, I get completely why they have gone big on the corporate side of things. The overall design of the ground really could have been much better in my view. It looks more like a business park than an international sports stadium.
 

Is that looking awful new hotel at least going to be painted red? At the very least they could make it blend in with other awful looking hotel and the point.

Ground's like The Oval, Lords, Edgbaston have modernised but still look and feel like cricket grounds. Old Trafford when you visit feels more like a corporate hospitality venue where they also just happen to play cricket.

26 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

A defiant Ben Stokes has claimed that anyone who questioned England's decision to declare in the first Ashes Test "probably doesn't understand the game" as well as he and his side do.

Ben Stokes snaps back at declaration question as England have Ashes dream ended by rain (msn.com)

Well done Stokes for keep backing himself and his decisions. 

Defiant or deluded?

5 minutes ago, Gav said:

Well I am sure, although Anderson and Broad seem content right now to carry on.

Can you imagine the impact Archer would have made had he been fit, he’s the future, but can he regain his fitness. 

This series has shown that Anderson's time is up I only hope he sees that and get's given the appropriate send of at The Oval.

I can't even imagine Jofra Archer being fit let alone what he may have done in this series. I personally don't see him having much of a test career. He seems more interested in being a white ball mercenary.

5 minutes ago, Gav said:

They won this in Australia den, we have to win them back and whilst I also believe they’re lucky, this is why we love cricket as much as we do, the many variables. 

We have closed that gap, our future is bright, but well done to Aussies, that 2-0 lead was too much to pull back sadly. 

I'm not sure there's much future in the bowling attack that played in this test.

A tale of two declarations from Stokes (or rather lack of in one case). At Edgbaston he declared far too early and gave Australia the initiative in the early on in the series. Then in this test he batted on too long for Bairstow to get his hundred and allow them to justify his selection but in the end his selection has not been justified as his performance behind the stumps has had a huge bearing on this series..

5 minutes ago, den said:

Well done to them?

Theyve just suffered a hammering that wasn’t completed only because of virtually two full days of cricket washed out. That would have made it 2-2 with the momentum in Englands favour. 

They deservedly got themselves ahead 2-0 up early and that has made sure that they retained the urn. If you go 2-0 down as England did then you are always going to be a hostage to circumstances.

2 hours ago, RoverDom said:

What's with all the stupid breaks in cricket. It was clear there was limited playing time yesterday but they still took afternoon  tea. They've been having drinks breaks galore and now they're taking lunch 5mins after the pitch inspection

The biggest loser of time is overrates. England's overrate yesterday as it has been all series was unacceptable and so has Australia's for that matter. 26 overs lost due to slow overrates in the first 3 days of this test and that is with the additional half an hour as well.

At least we won't have this problem in the next Ashes Series over here with 3 tests being held in the glorious south.

5 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

A bizarre interview from a supremely arrogant poor wicketkeeper.

His 99 have him the opening for this, a low score he would have kept his gob shut.

One swallow caught doesn't make a summer

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/66272611

He actually (unintentionally) makes the case for him not keeping wicket.

8 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

And 4 suits Root more. Ali wants to bat 3 and he helps keep our key players in the correct batting order they want to bat in

In that case bat Root at 5 that him even more he averages over 68 batting there.

17 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

its what suits the team first. Team is more important and moving Root, Brook and Stokes up the order doesn't suit them and the team. 

But batting Moeen at 3 doesn't suit him. Moeen averages 13.14 batting at 3 whereas Root averages 39.67, so it clearly suits Root more than Moeen.

But I'd bat Stokes at 3 he is perfectly suited to bat there and given how little he has bowled of late he is being wasted down at 6.

Not picking Woakes at Lords could end up being a series defining mistake.

13 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

have to disagree there, Root and Brook best form comes at 4 and 5 so why change things when it already works. 

England could have gone for Dan Lawrence at 3 and not play a seamer or Ali but they want 5 fully fit bowlers and Stokes isn't one

But 3 it is not Moeen's best position he averages 13 batting at 3 that is more than half his career average. If Stokes isn't going to be bowling much he should bat at 3 he's got the technique & temperament to bat there. And the Aussie's would hate to see it as they are clueless as to how to bowl at him.

12 hours ago, Silas said:

Exciting though right.

The fact that it was in effect lost by the 3 run margin a few days ago.

Tightest of margins. 

Not saying I agree with the format, but it's like the women's football chat in the other thread, it's not always about quality, it's competitiveness and entertainment that wins the day.

Can't say this women's ashes series hasn't had both of those qualities. 

Sadly, I'm not confident the men will follow suit. Hope I'm massively wrong.

A great turnout at Taunton yesterday incredible to see how the crowds have grown over the years in the Women's game, when I think back to the crowds we had at Taunton when hosting the entire group stage of the 2009 Women's T20 World Cup.

England got a lot closer to Australia than I thought they would this series (although I don't think you can understate how big the absence of Meg Lanning was) the big difference in the end was fielding Australia are a gun fielding side whereas England resemble more a club cricket team especially when it comes to catching. If England catch better they most likely win the test and the ODI at Southampton.

I think the format is perfect for the women's game & has improved the Women's Ashes as a competition immeasurably. It's only right that the test match the purest form of the game holds the most weight. Although I do think that they were right to lower it from 6 to 4 points as they did after the 13/14 series as that weighted it slightly too much in favour of the test.

Forget Foakes, forget Bairstow. The future of English wicket keeping is James Rew, a very special talent.

10 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

The IPL trio have flattered to deceive throughout the entire comp - fair play to Salt he's turned up in the County Championship so I'll curb my criticism of him somewhat. 

Is Buttler still contracted for red ball cricket? If he's played 20 red ball games in his 10 seasons there I'd be surprised.

Another year of Southern dominance in the blast for the second time in 3 seasons its an all south finals day. At this rate they are going to have give the Southern group an extra place in the quarter finals.

Another drop from Bairstow but thankfully not an expensive one this time. Bairstow's performance with the gloves this series has been embarrassing he cannot continue with them.

5 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

250 will be too much for England to chase

Need to knock them over for less than 200

If England are chasing 250 then they will win this test.

6 minutes ago, JohnD said:

So 27 between Broad and Anderson, I wonder out of how many innings?

57 

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

Steve Waugh used to talk about mental disintegration. Well we've certainly seen that from Warner whenever Broad is bowling and the whole Aussie team when Stokes is at the crease. 

Whatever England have to chase second innings here Stokes will fancy it. Australia look a shambles in the field when Stokes is at the crease.

Australia are terrified of Stokes they have no clue how to get him out and are basically just hoping that he miss hits one in the air.

2 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

In theory - the tail is fairly strong.

In theory.

The problem is the tail starts at 7.

2 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

The Aussies are absolutely ruthless, when their foot is on the throat they keep the pressure on.

They lost 6 wickets for 23 runs yesterday.