@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
England XI for fourth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben "Uber to the nets" Duckett, Jacob "YMCA" Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
Creepy ?
@Crazy-Horse said in Ashes 2025/6:
@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
I am surprised he lasted this long.
He was superb in the last test, basically carried them. But then in the 2nd innings Aus did to him what England should have done to Starc in the first test and blunted him for 20 runs from 13 overs with just the wicket of Boland. Talentwise this English side could have won this Ashes, or at least been SO much more competitive, but the difference between the sides has been IQ.
It's a real shame Archer has had such bad injury problems though, he really could have been an all time great for England.
The Aussies are fighters. It's the DNA of their Cricket. If you're not a fighter you can fuck off out of their system. The whole focus of the Australian Cricket system is about fighting and ultimately winning.
By contrast, the ECB is an organisation about chasing easy money. The England players are developed to flog maize and potato snacks. In the pressure cooker of an Australia tour they get exposed again and again and again.
@Catogrande said in Ashes 2025/6:
@NTA We've got the pace attack to do the job IF both Wood and Archer stay fit. After those two I struggle to see how we will take 20 wickets unless Bashir has one of his moments, but even then he won't run through your line up cheaply.
I'll just leave this here.
@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
England XI for fourth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben "Uber to the nets" Duckett, Jacob "YMCA" Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
As seen on Reddit, problem for England losing Archer isn’t just they lost a bowler but also their 2nd best batsman….
Australia
1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Usman Khawaja, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Cameron Green, 8 Michael Neser, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Jhye Richardson, 11 Scott Boland
England
1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Brydon Carse, 11 Josh Tongue
England choose to bowl
Apparently there’s a lot more grass left on the pitch than normal. Even Smith said if they had won the toss they would have bowled too
Can’t help feel England are toothless without Archer
Beefy and Merv have definitely eaten well since they've retired by the looks of things.
Looks freezing in Melbourne, England should feel at home at least.
Always cool seeing a massive crowd at the Boxing Day test. Puts anything NZ can do to shame.
BIg call putting Bethel in for England but they needed to change that top three.
Crawley and Duckett probably lucky there aren't a host of alternatives.
@MN5 said in Ashes 2025/6:
Beefy and Merv have definitely eaten well since they've retired by the looks of things.
Looks freezing in Melbourne, England should feel at home at least.
Always cool seeing a massive crowd at the Boxing Day test. Puts anything NZ can do to shame.
BIg call putting Bethel in for England but they needed to change that top three.
Crawley and Duckett probably lucky there aren't a host of alternatives.
My sister lives in Melbourne. Apparently the temps will be in the high twenties by the weekend
Very telling that Steve Smith would have bowled had Australia won the toss.
Khawaja once again with a chance to ride to the rescue
@Virgil said in Ashes 2025/6:
Smith bowled by a beauty.
51/4 opps I mean 4/51
No, right the first time.
Magnificent run out from Carse.
The kind that should go on someone’s stats, Green disappoints again
Green and Narse were going well, put on a fifty partnership, then Green gets run out by Carse.
I'd be worried if I had third or fourth day tickets.
Tongue on a hat trick for the next innings. Took a Michelle. Excellent stuff young fella.
Gonna make my standard "Brook to get a massive score" prediction. Like the old broken clock I'm sure I'll be right at some stage.
