Cricket

[Pakenhamtrain]

England would have won.



A hint of sourness in the grapes there perhaps?



It has been a brilliant series - 4 close matches, twists and turns everywhere, either side could have won all the matches that had a result, the series has at last got Zak Crawley playing consistently, superb stuff

I mean we retained the Urn so no

 

[DarloRich]

An exciting series that England could (perhaps should?) have won but I think the draw is a fair result. 2 good ( if not great) sides going at it with both sides capable of winning each test.

 

[bspahh]

In the series, there was one draw, Australia won tests by 2 wickets and 43 runs, England won tests by 3 wickets and 49 runs.

 

[Busaholic]

England would have won.

It ain't necessarily so. By that analysis, if the match yesterday had been rained off with Australia 263-3 with plenty of overs left and Smith and Head in steam you (and a lot of other people) would have assumed that the Aussies would have won it if the game had come to a conclusion. I never doubted that England would do it at the Oval (and I'm not jingoistic) whereas I had great doubts about England's chances at Old Trafford.

 

[ian1944]

I can't be alone in thinking that Anderson should make a graceful retirement. He has had a consistently ineffective series, hardly any wickets (5 at 85, 17th out of 18 in the series averages for both sides, taken at one in each of five innings, none in the other three) including none in the final innings. Even on the grounds, which I don't accept for an opening bowler, that his value is in economy falls down in that innings - only one other of the six bowlers, part-time spinner Root, had a higher RPO.

 

[75A]

Fantstic career and going out at the top of his game.
Hits a 6 with the last ball he faced in Test Cricket and took a wicket with the last ball he bowled, this is Boys Own stuff.
Probably the only people happy to see the back of him are the Umpires who must have got fed up with him whining about the ball.

 

[birchesgreen]

Unfortunately with Broad's last ball heroics, Anderson has lost the chance to have a notable retirement as befits someone of his status and level and any kind of public send-off unless he continues to play on even if just 1 or 2 more tests. Is that it for test matches this summer now?

 

[HST43257]

Unfortunately with Broad's last ball heroics, Anderson has lost the chance to have a notable retirement as befits someone of his status and level and any kind of public send-off unless he continues to play on even if just 1 or 2 more tests. Is that it for test matches this summer now?

Hundred in August, Limited overs in September then World Cup in October and November. Windies limited overs series in December then India Test series January onwards. I'd be happy if Jimmy stayed till next summer and took some massive hauls vs Windies and Sri Lanka or whoever it is

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes i think Jimmy deserves one more series, he is entitled to a bad one after his long career of success!

Cricket is a sentimental sport so it'll probably happen, if he wants it.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I'd like him to take good wickets for Lancs in the remaining CC matches, to get back in the groove.
Trouble is, in his absence Lancs have developed some decent younger bowlers instead.
He'll probably end up in the TMS commentary box for the pyjama games.

 

[Typhoon]

Hundred in August, Limited overs in September then World Cup in October and November. Windies limited overs series in December then India Test series January onwards. I'd be happy if Jimmy stayed till next summer and took some massive hauls vs Windies and Sri Lanka or whoever it is

First test against Sri Lanka is at Old Trafford.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'd like him to take good wickets for Lancs in the remaining CC matches, to get back in the groove.
Trouble is, in his absence Lancs have developed some decent younger bowlers instead.
He'll probably end up in the TMS commentary box for the pyjama games.

How is Tom Bailey rated by Lancashire as an opening seam bowler?

 

[HST43257]

How is Tom Bailey rated by Lancashire as an opening seam bowler?

Him and Will Williams, followed by George Balderson, was their 3-prong seam attack going into the final block of games, where they picked 2 spinners (last year Parkinson and Hartley, this year maybe Hartley and Morley, unsure). I think Bailey operates very well leading the attack when Jimmy is not around, and I get the impression Lancs feel the same.

 

[Harvester]

I don’t think Anderson will tour India this coming winter! Whether he is selected against the West Indies next summer remains to be seen. He may well end up like Statham, Truman, Underwood and Snow who all played their last Test without realising at the time it was final!

 

[Busaholic]

Unfortunately with Broad's last ball heroics, Anderson has lost the chance to have a notable retirement as befits someone of his status and level and any kind of public send-off unless he continues to play on even if just 1 or 2 more tests. Is that it for test matches this summer now?

Yes, that's it for tests until next July. Money talks, particularly the huge amounts emanating from Indian Premier League moneymen, Microsoft CEO etc. to advance T20 leagues around the world.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes, that's it for tests until next July. Money talks, particularly the huge amounts emanating from Indian Premier League moneymen, Microsoft CEO etc. to advance T20 leagues around the world.

Does seem quite strange to be at the start of august and the Tests summer is over.

 

[SteveM70]

Does seem quite strange to be at the start of august and the Tests summer is over.

Obviously there's no link between the ECB scheduling the tests to finish by 31 July and their new(ish) flagship white ball competition starting literally the following day

 

[birchesgreen]

Obviously there's no link between the ECB scheduling the tests to finish by 31 July and their new(ish) flagship white ball competition starting literally the following day

Ah yes the battle of the crisps.

 

[DarloRich]

Obviously there's no link between the ECB scheduling the tests to finish by 31 July and their new(ish) flagship white ball competition starting literally the following day

It was on BBC last night which is the key to the whole thing. The Southern Shaman took on the Trent Bridgers. No idea who won but there was lots of exciting thrashing and it was very loud and colourful.

It isn't worth rehashing the Hundred debate but I still feel it is an important way to get more people, especially the young and the previously disinterested, into watching cricket. ( i still feel that once the current 20/20 contracts expire the two will merge in a UKPL mind)

I know people who have gone from Hundred to 20/20 and this year gone to a test match. They were not cricket people before the Hundred. Thier kids wanted to watch the Hundred due to the PR and the fact it was on BBC not sky and they all got into it as a family. They loved the Ashes test they went to at Old Trafford. Cant see them going to a county championship match mind!

Yes, that's it for tests until next July

apart from the 5 test series in India ( Hundred aside there is a one day world cup Oct > December and a warm up series in September)

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Anderson does probably need to be tapped on the shoulder.

 

[DarloRich]

Anderson does probably need to be tapped on the shoulder.

i think he will get another go next summer. I cant see him touring this winter mind.

 

[Whistler40145]

What authority has Ricky Ponting got to question anything about the final Ashes Test or any other?

 

[SteveM70]

What authority has Ricky Ponting got to question anything about the final Ashes Test or any other?

The same as the likes of Pietersen has to question the Bairstow run out I guess

Ponting is bang right in what he says. As I said upthread, for there to be no suitable replacement ball beggars belief

 

[Whistler40145]

The same as the likes of Pietersen has to question the Bairstow run out I guess

Ponting is bang right in what he says. As I said upthread, for there to be no suitable replacement ball beggars belief

The Australian Team is far from perfect, messers Warner and Smith are definitely not squeaky clean

 

[SteveM70]

The Australian Team is far from perfect, messers Warner and Smith are definitely not squeaky clean

I never said they were. Pundits are employed to have opinions, and are encouraged to be "edgy" or controversial. All about the clicks on social media etc etc

 

[ian1944]

What authority has Ricky Ponting got to question anything about the final Ashes Test or any other?

What authority has any Australian got to question the condition of the ball? At least England roughen it by unpolishing rather than depolishing. To be fair, the final innings ball swop was ludicrous - with the untold millions slopping around the game, the Oval authorities can't even produce a box of balls to provide a close match to any one being taken out of use.

To add to Broad's last-ball achievments batting and bowling, getting Carey dismissed by Bairstow had a nice symmetry. He was of course wrong when he told Carey that the controversial dismissal would be all that he would be remembered for - being Broad's last wicket has a certain notability.

 

[Mikey C]

While I'm sure the Hundred is the main reason for the Ashes being ridiculously early in the summer, there is also a slight timing justification due to the ODI WC starting October. Hence England will be concentrating on white ball cricket from the end of August.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

While I'm sure the Hundred is the main reason for the Ashes being ridiculously early in the summer, there is also a slight timing justification due to the ODI WC starting October. Hence England will be concentrating on white ball cricket from the end of August.

Noting the rainfall in the time of the just-completed Ashes series, is there more chance normally of rain in July than in August?

 

[Mikey C]

Noting the rainfall in the time of the just-completed Ashes series, is there more chance normally of rain in July than in August?

I think August statistically is slightly wetter than July.

 

[SteveM70]

While I'm sure the Hundred is the main reason for the Ashes being ridiculously early in the summer, there is also a slight timing justification due to the ODI WC starting October. Hence England will be concentrating on white ball cricket from the end of August.

The ECB have been clear that the Hundred must be played in the school summer holidays, so the only other alternative to what we have would have been dragging the hundred forward a fortnight and splitting the Ashes either side of it, which seems an even worse idea to me