@Virgil said in Ashes 2025/6:
Probably the only time Brookes batting approach was justified Get as many runs as you can before a ball with your name on it ends your innings.
He's disappointed this series but third behind Crawley ( ?!?! ) and Root in runs scored for England this series.
@antipodean said in Ashes 2025/6:
Just when this Ashes series wasn't enough of a farce, the MCG provides that pitch. Groundsman should be sacked.
Yep, from a shot of it this morning, my first reaction was they'd forgotten to mow it.
Gus Atkinson has done his hamstring and won't bowl again in the match or the series. Opportunity for Australia to post a big score now.
Somewhat ironically, it's the sort of game where Bazball is the most likely of the 4th innings tactics to have a chance.
Five down. Khawaja on ball two. Seemed surprised by the bounce, but a very half hearted shot.
Carse gets another! Six down - I was thinking Carey and Smith are Australia's two most obdurate batsmen, but they 're quickly parted.
Bounce is all over the shop. Batting looks hard as fuck.
Head faced 50-odd balls and never looked comfortable.
Beautiful day at the G too. Glad I'm in the shade for the rest of the day
Love the shade on cricinfo, ‘welcome back hope you are all making other plans for tomorrow’
Random unrelated observations ...
9
Carse bowls a no ball and thought it was over ... nup, re-bowl that. So Starc gives first slip catching practice.
Smith abdicating responsibility to Richardson was cowardice.
30 wickets in 4 and a bit sessions?
@mariner4life said in Ashes 2025/6:
Smith abdicating responsibility to Richardson was cowardice.
30 wickets in 4 and a bit sessions?
The strike rate for wickets in this test to date is a wicket every 21.93 balls
@Virgil said in Ashes 2025/6:
@mariner4life said in Ashes 2025/6:
Smith abdicating responsibility to Richardson was cowardice.
30 wickets in 4 and a bit sessions?
The strike rate for wickets in this test to date is a wicket every 21.93 balls
Wow, that would be elite in ordinary stats, especially for fast bowlers.
Billion dollar stadium, Ashes Boxing Day Test, thousands travelling halfway around the world, and a two dollar groundsman.
Looking at the score board from the 1st test in Perth given it’s so similar at the moment.
England’s 2nd innings there only lasted 34.4 overs
Aussies 2nd innings just now lasted 34.3 overs
England 13/0 in the third. On track to be 3 - 1 in the series unless Boland reproduces statue form.
Starc does what he normally does in the first over. 51 runs too late? Who the fuck knows with this match!
Starc finally hits a very full length. Time for Boland at the other end... but Smith goes with Richardson.
Carse some sort of pinch hitter.
England are well in this. I wonder how they'll fuck this up
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest blazing away at shit balls outside off.
Baz going for a big "save his job" play by showing how clever he is with the Carse promotion.
Either that or just to try and rub the Aussies noses in it on Day 2 at the MCG.
@Donsteppa said in Ashes 2025/6:
Billion dollar stadium, Ashes Boxing Day Test, thousands travelling halfway around the world, and a two dollar groundsman.
Is this all down to the pitch? Do the batsmen need to take any responsibility?
And that's tea. 98 to win, 8 in hand.
@booboo said in Ashes 2025/6:
@Donsteppa said in Ashes 2025/6:
Billion dollar stadium, Ashes Boxing Day Test, thousands travelling halfway around the world, and a two dollar groundsman.
Is this all down to the pitch? Do the batsmen need to take any responsibility?
And that's tea. 98 to win, 8 in hand.
Not the pitch that’s making the ball swing so much
Definitely too much movement seam wise but mixed with poor batting as well
@booboo said in Ashes 2025/6:
@Donsteppa said in Ashes 2025/6:
Billion dollar stadium, Ashes Boxing Day Test, thousands travelling halfway around the world, and a two dollar groundsman.
Is this all down to the pitch? Do the batsmen need to take any responsibility?
And that's tea. 98 to win, 8 in hand.
Clincher for me was Steve Smith admitting he'd have bowled first. Given the received wisdom in Australian Test captaincy about batting first always, going back to Ian Chappell. Especially at home.
Some of the shots are definitely another story, but I'm not sure this Test was going into a fourth day regardless of who was playing.
@booboo said in Ashes 2025/6:
@Donsteppa said in Ashes 2025/6:
Billion dollar stadium, Ashes Boxing Day Test, thousands travelling halfway around the world, and a two dollar groundsman.
Is this all down to the pitch? Do the batsmen need to take any responsibility?
And that's tea. 98 to win, 8 in hand.
For mine you could compare this pitch to a pitch in India that is taking far too much turn. There is consistent movement off the seam which means that there is going to be a ball with your name on it sooner or later, so you really need to score as many as you can before then. Very poor pitch, and a bit of an equalizer really.
England right in this.
Get ready for Baz's mates to spin this as the greatest victory of all time if England win.
