4th Ashes Test - Old Trafford

[Monument View]

All credit to Overton and Leach they dug in well
Stokes didn’t look at it this game especially his bowling
I think perhaps last weeks effort had drained his tank
Unfortunately the Aussies overall have a tighter bowling unit and their changes don’t cost runs or lose team momentum
Archer is a number 11 bat

 

[chopsfc007]

All credit to Overton and Leach they dug in well
Stokes didn’t look at it this game especially his bowling
I think perhaps last weeks effort had drained his tank
Unfortunately the Aussies overall have a tighter bowling unit and their changes don’t cost runs or lose team momentum
Archer is a number 11 bat

Stokes bowling has been poor apart from one innings

 

[Thurston]

Just pleased Warner has had a shite series, cant stand that twat.

Imagine how much worse for England this series would have been so far if he hadn’t. And I’m not even talking about him having a good series like Smith, just a merely average one.

This should be considered a let off.

 

[The Red Telephone]

Be interesting to see if the ECB allow test players to play the last round of county games. They haven't in previous years for example.

I know one they definitely won't allow!

 

[Thurston]

And this is why smith deserved the boos he got. I mean I don’t see Lance Armstrong still getting credit. They brought something onto the pitch to change the outcome of the game.

If you can’t figure out the difference, you cannot be helped.

Australia have gone over 300 twice in four matches.

We have 4 batsmen averaging 25, 25, 16 and 13.

Aye right.

Any idea what the Australian top order (bar Smith and Labuschagne) have been averaging?

 

[safcpelaw]

If you can’t figure out the difference, you cannot be helped.

Any idea what the Australian top order (bar Smith and Labuschagne) have been averaging?

I can figure the difference but I am saying cheating is cheating at any level. It’s shite.

 

[chunkyshanhawk53]

If you can’t figure out the difference, you cannot be helped.

Any idea what the Australian top order (bar Smith and Labuschagne) have been averaging?

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[King Kareoke]

Imagine how much worse for England this series would have been so far if he hadn’t. And I’m not even talking about him having a good series like Smith, just a merely average one.

This should be considered a let off.

Or how much worse for Australia if Anderson had been fit and we had caught Smith on some of the chances - all swings and roundabouts

 

[Steak Pie]

Any idea what the Australian top order (bar Smith and Labuschagne) have been averaging?

Much the same, which is why I put this firmly at the feet of the batters.

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[Jack Torrance]

Much the same, which is why I put this firmly at the feet of the batters.

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Smith's numbers are ridiculous

 

[SAFC11]

Overton is essentially our 6th choice
Woakes would have been the reserve
Anderson would have opened
Broad would have been in with jimmy
Archer would have been the change bowler
woakes wouldn’t be starting.
Stokes usual from the all round man
Overton wouldn’t be near he had a valiant effort with the bat though.

All 4 of their seamers have a career average under 30. Stokes, woakes and wood all north of that. Archer was a wildcard that works and shows real promise. Stone has played one test match. We depend on broad and anderson, have done for years but anderson is now close to the end of his career

 

[Thurston]

I can figure the difference but I am saying cheating is cheating at any level. It’s shite.

There are levels.

Smith, Warner and Bancroft don’t even come close to Armstrong’s systematic level of cheating. It was a frankly amateur effort in the field showing little planning or intelligence, hence it being caught on a big screen during a test. I don’t condone their actions at all, but it doesn’t significantly alter how any of their attributes as specialist batsman should be viewed.

Armstrong was a relatively average rider in grand tours who dominated a sport he had no right to dominate for the best part of a decade. Once you unpack what you mean by the word cheating, the argument breaks down. There is no equivalence.

Much the same, which is why I put this firmly at the feet of the batters.

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I was kind of throwing the idea around in my head during the final few overs how the respective scores for the series would look if you swapped over the respective number fours, or just took them out completely.

It would be fairly embarrassing, no doubt.

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Thanks.

 

[smoker]

Absolute shite.

 

[rentaghost]

8th choice. Stone and Wood are both ahead of Overton.

And is some conditions Curran as well. All things considered he did OK. Was our most economical bowler in this test and looked incredibly solid batting.

 

[SAFC 2012]

Here they go saying peoe.are.tired

Did the aussies not play in the world cup

 

[Thurston]

Or how much worse for Australia if Anderson had been fit and we had caught Smith on some of the chances - all swings and roundabouts

I love JA, keep in mind though, he’s 37 years old.

Younger players should be stepping up and overtaking him at this specific point in his career, anyway. That is the normal way with these things.

 

[Mainze]

It'll be a hollow victory though - and they will claim they took their foot off the gas, having already retained the Ashes,

Hate dead rubber games. F@@king pointless.

Retaining the Ashes isn’t winning an Ashes series. I hope England’s players don’t see this as hollow. Especially with world Test Champ points up for grabs.

 

[rentaghost]

There are levels.

Smith, Warner and Bancroft don’t even come close to Armstrong’s systematic level of cheating. It was a frankly amateur effort in the field showing little planning or intelligence, hence it being caught on a big screen during a test. I don’t condone their actions at all, but it doesn’t significantly alter how any of their attributes as specialist batsman should be viewed.

Armstrong was a relatively average rider in grand tours who dominated a sport he had no right to dominate for the best part of a decade. Once you unpack what you mean by the word cheating, the argument breaks down. There is no equivalence.

I was kind of throwing the idea around in my head during the final few overs how the respective scores for the series would look if you swapped over the respective number fours, or just took them out completely.

It would be fairly embarrassing, no doubt.

Thanks.

Absolutely - Atherton using dirt on the ball was a notch below the Aussies but then again he wasn't banned for a year and had to face the vilification of a nation for it. The Aussies were caught and were heavily sanctioned. Comparing it to Lance Armstrong Perhaps us using sweets on the ball in 2005 is on a par with Ben Johnson and Russian systematic doping.

 

[safcpelaw]

All 4 of their seamers have a career average under 30. Stokes, woakes and wood all north of that. Archer was a wildcard that works and shows real promise. Stone has played one test match. We depend on broad and anderson, have done for years but anderson is now close to the end of his career

I love JA, keep in mind though, he’s 37 years old.

Younger players should be stepping up and overtaking him at this specific point in his career, anyway. That is the normal way with these things.

at the moment I don’t think we have anyone who could replace jimmy to his level.

 

[chunksafc]

A comment on sky this morning really hits home now.

Think it was hussain who said something along the lines of young players can either refine their test technique or concentrate on white ball cricket where all the money is