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FIRST ASHES TEST: Edgbaston

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Metoffice gives it no more than 10% chance throughout any of the hourly intervals tomorrow. Expecting a fully dry day.

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I'm hoping Roy comes out and plays his natural game because he won't survive long just poking round. We will need to attack Lyon to knock him off his line and length
 
Sharpshooter said:
There appear to be some long term concern for the rest of the series if these new duke balls are starting to behave more like kookaburra balls, England will likely have less lateral movement and the series overall will start resembling something like in Australia with England's attack will become more one dimensional as a result.

A lot of pressure on Archer if that becomes the case.
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I think a lot of it has to do with the pitch. More than a few pundits noted on Day 1 how straw-coloured and dry the pitch was - almost Australian in its appearance.

Looking ahead - I think the ground selections have been strange too. No Trent Bridge is the biggest surprise, closely followed by deciding to play at Headingley, which has not been a very happy hunting ground for England in the modern era.
 
brandon said:
I think a lot of it has to do with the pitch. More than a few pundits noted on Day 1 how straw-coloured and dry the pitch was - almost Australian in its appearance.

Looking ahead - I think the ground selections have been strange too. No Trent Bridge is the biggest surprise, closely followed by deciding to play at Headingley, which has not been a very happy hunting ground for England in the modern era.
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England's win percentage is worst at Trent Bridge of all the major grounds.

Surprised me too, but it edges Old Trafford out. Edgbaston is miles ahead as the best.

The stats are quite modern too. Way back we only really played in London.

We got our arses handed to us at Trent Bridge last year by India.

Against Australia specifically, removing Lords would make a lot of sense - but they'll never do that.
brandon said:
I’d be interested to know the last time we batted all day for a draw too (at home), would it be Cardiff back in 2009?
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Nearly did it at versus Sri Lanka at Headingly when Moeen anchored it with an unbeaten century. Yep, you read that right.

Unfortunately, Jimmy fucked it up by getting done on the 2nd last ball.
 
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Comeback_Kenwyne said:
England's win percentage is worst at Trent Bridge of all the major grounds.

Surprised me too, but it edges Old Trafford out. Edgbaston is miles ahead as the best.

The stats are quite modern too. Way back we only really played in London.

We got our arses handed to us at Trent Bridge last year by India.

Against Australia specifically, removing Lords would make a lot of sense - but they'll never do that.


Nearly did it at versus Sri Lanka at Headingly when Moeen anchored it with an unbeaten century. Yep, you read that right.

Unfortunately, Jimmy fucked it up by getting done on the 2nd last ball.
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What about against Australia though? Big wins against them in 2005, 2013 and last time wasn’t there?

I knew about Headingley and Moeen, but we lost, so when was the last time we batted all day for a draw? Cardiff 2009?
 
Payne could have dropped a bollock with that declaration.

England know they just need to come out and bat out a day on a reasonably good batting wicket . 300 or thereabouts and we would have had Roy and co chucking their wickets away trying to chase it down.

That said, I am not altogether confident we will bat the day and not just fold like a pack of cards.
 
brandon said:
What about against Australia though? Big wins against them in 2005, 2013 and last time wasn’t there?

I knew about Headingley and Moeen, but we lost, so when was the last time we batted all day for a draw? Cardiff 2009?
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Aye tbf. We've barely played against them at Headingly, so they had to have a turn. Got hammered in 2009. But no game in 05, 13, or 15.

If you were making a bloody-minded case for which grounds to cut out though, you'd have to start with the London grounds v the Aussies. Lords especially.
 
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brandon said:
What about against Australia though? Big wins against them in 2005, 2013 and last time wasn’t there?

I knew about Headingley and Moeen, but we lost, so when was the last time we batted all day for a draw? Cardiff 2009?
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I think we'll be alright. It's a featherbed, even the spin is slow.

No excuse for the batsman - and if they bat it out, they'll learn a lot about test cricket too. Positives here.

A lot of pitches in England are going this way - yes, they have some grass first day, but they're soft, slow and strong (i.e. hasn't broken up). If you get a run of non-swinging days, like here, then there's every chance of draws. It's turning, but every pitch will turn after five days. It's not particularly dangerous turn because it's so slow. Not like the ragging square pitches you get in Somerset or Hampshire.

Like I say, no excuses - they should get it done tomorrow. I think they will.

Lords will be different. The drainage is so absurd there these days, you can have them out in a thunderstorm basically. It never used to be a swinger like Headingly or Trent Bridge, but the drainage is so good now it's probably the swingiest venue in the world. Always seams too - though they'll fancy that too.
 
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Love it if we manage to save it just to shut my dad up. Already peddling the 5-0 shite. Has City already relegated after a narrow 2-1 at Swansea as well and I thought I was a miserable pessimistic sod!
 
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