Yesterday I read an article describing how the English victory against NZ was calculated mathematically. I've looked for it at length today but can't find it again.

Sorry, in the first test I thought the Aussies essentially ignored bazball and played their usual way. Irrespective of bazball the Aussies won't lose a test in this series. If and when they win the series it would be interesting to see them adopt bazball in a match

Oh yes! That's how they won the first test. They will keep winning because they are an infinitely superior team and England will struggle to bowl them out on any wicket. Earlier I read that the English attack will be invited to play at next year's Glastonbury. 😂

And, without doubt, you are entitled to that opinion. Dinosaur - a person or thing that is outdated or has become obsolete because of failure to adapt to changing circumstances.

When the Aussies have this wrapped up it would be brilliant if they tried bazball.

Vaughan rarely, if ever, has any relevance in the modern game and his previous excellence in the game is equally irrelevant to this discussion.

Vaughan is a dinosaur

I don't hear any open minds here. I understand all the comments and have said every one of them at some point today. Just try to rid your mind of cricket as it was and take on board the very simple concept of bazball, no ifs or buts, just bazball I'm still not sure if I would like it to replace the traditional test match philosophy but, hell, it's interesting. 31% of all test matches played since 1877 have been draws.

That's a fair comment, I could have happily written it myself but I would be ignoring the rules of bazball. 🤠 Yesterday, just as they did throughout the first test, Australia played with a determination not to lose. Bazball dictates that there should/must be a result.

I've been shouting at the laptop about the way we've given wickets away but I'm wrong. I repeat...... If by playing bazball you attain a strong position it is utterly and completely illogical to change tactics.

England got themselves into a potentially strong position earlier this afternoon. They did so by playing bazball. To then play safe and ignore bazball is entirely nonsensical.

The definition of bazball is to entertain and never have drawn matches. Man for man Australia are the best team yet we could and should have won the first test, basic errors cost us the game. Every minute of every day was exciting, we never knew what would happen next. Yesterday was a typically boring day at a test match. Today we have bazball and anything can happen. They say that when you die your life flashes before your eyes ....make sure it's worth watching!! 🤣

Pat Cummins has stated that the first test was the number one, the best match he's ever been involved in.

Ben Stokes on bazball and losing in the first test...... https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c65a1f82-0fa7-11ee-9d84-6e8ed24abaa3?shareToken=c000e408a697fc29b0b2698d9ab4d7bd

I'd settle for them getting 30 or 40 each

@den I love Bazball! It's probably true that shorter versions of the game have added skills to the traditional test format. However in the Ashes winning is everything and it will be interesting how we fare in this series. My prediction is a 4-0 loss. As I write Crawley has thrown his wicket away, absolute stupidity and unprofessional 😕

I think that throughout this series our problem is bowling them out twice 🤔

Apart from Root do you think any other player from this England team would get in the Aussie X I?

Fair enough but I don't think you were successful

1. Who said conditions weren't ideal? 2. I didn't mention Anderson. 3. Who said Anderson is over the hill? 4. Did you quote the wrong post or are you on your own little planet? I don't follow cricket as keenly as I once did but I find it staggering that Anderson still gets in the squad, surely we have better options?

What contradiction? The conditions seemed perfect for bowling. England weren't at the races. I really enjoy Bazball but this Australian team includes the best 3 test batters in the world and the England attack is the worst for many decades.

Blimey surely flights to Austria aren't cheap during the summer holidays. Moan, moan, moan, it's like being at Ewood 😂

Yes indeed 🤠

Perhaps if it was cheaper they'd sell more? 🤠

Sir Alex Ferguson reported to have donated 20k