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[The Ashes] first Test - Brisbane

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I think we’ll win.

Sounds obvious but if we bat first a lot rests on Cook to set the tone. If he gets a ton it sets the whole tour up nicely.

Quietly fancy Stoneman and Malan to get runs and Vince to do ok.

But I’m usually hopelessly optimistic where the England cricket team is concerned.
 
I hope Rocky does Ok and doesn’t flash at much
Vince has done nothing to merit selection and I think Ball will be battered all ower
We will soon find out
 
Win the toss and bat first - put a big score on and get them under pressure - lets see how they react to it. I think they will be thinking the same thing as well.
 
Both sides have a handful of good-great players floating on top of a bunch of mercurial and flat average ones. On top of the recent trend of most batsmen being increasingly incapable of building an innings I expect it to be a very weird series, with a few draws and a few thrashings on each side. England aren't quite good enough to beat an ok Aussie team away, Aussies are just good enough to not lose it themselves.

SAFC2403 said:
Win the toss and bat first - put a big score on and get them under pressure - lets see how they react to it. I think they will be thinking the same thing as well.
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With only 4 in the attack, gotta focus on keeping them in the field for a while I think. I don't trust in the top order having the discipline to occupy and chip away to make that happen though.
 
sonson said:
Both sides have a handful of good-great players floating on top of a bunch of mercurial and flat average ones. On top of the recent trend of most batsmen being increasingly incapable of building an innings I expect it to be a very weird series, with a few draws and a few thrashings on each side. England aren't quite good enough to beat an ok Aussie team away, Aussies are just good enough to not lose it themselves.


With only 4 in the attack, gotta focus on keeping them in the field for a while I think. I don't trust in the top order having the discipline to occupy and chip away to make that happen though.
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only really Cook and Root capable of those big innings that i've seen so far - hoping a couple of others take their chances and step up to the plate and chip in with some scores. Hoping Stoneman can get a start.
 
Still stunned Vince even made the plane and very worried about Ball but ha'way lads, avoid defeat at The Gabba and the Aussies are on the backfoot straight away :):):)
 
SAFC2403 said:
only really Cook and Root capable of those big innings that i've seen so far - hoping a couple of others take their chances and step up to the plate and chip in with some scores. Hoping Stoneman can get a start.
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It swings both ways. Past 5 years or so it feels like the art of test batting and knowing how to either build a platform or accelerate has really taken a dive. It feels like most batsmen even in the top orders have one setting. That said it does tend to mean if someone can dig in those out in the field don't have a clue what to do because they're also not used to it anymore. And on form there's few better at Cook than building that kind of platform. Combine that with the pressure they'll feel from the home support if someone just won't leave the crease they could easily crush themselves.

I think that's best hope for England, attritional play. Without Stokes I don't think we will beat them with aggressive cricket.
 
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Just give us a strong first day to get some doubts in their heads. When you look at it their batting there's not that much to write home about imo and I hope we're in their faces letting them know that Haddin isn't around this time to bail them out.
 
chunkylover53 said:
I agree. We should be looking to get them 50-3 and then they can be skittled
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Really hope Warner gets a bad start and we can get Smith in early while it's still doing a bit.

Can't wait now like, just hope the first day isn't a car crash cos I'd seriously question our ability to bounce back from that.
 
Assuming that's their 11, neither top order is entirely convincing. We're reliant on Cook/Root and they're relying on Smith but Warner and Khawaja are good support for him. 5 to 7, possibly the edge goes to us, even without Stokes, as far as batting is concerned. Bairstow is strong and Modern is a modern cricket icon. Their three seamers are all strong whilst Ball may be a weak link for us and it depends on which Woakes turns up as to how he goes. Woakes gives us the edge on batting depth. Lyon just edges Moeen as far as spin is concerned but will it be a factor in Brisbane?
 
Does it start midnight tonight or midnight tomorrow? I have BT Broadband but it is Business not Residential and I don't think I can get BT Sport to watch The Ashes. Gutted I didn't phone BT and/or Sky to sort this out earlier today.
 
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