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Amid the impending doom back home, the rejuvenated England squad will start their first test of this calendar year at 1am (our time, obvs.)
NZ have their injury and selection problems, whilst we seem to have a wealth of players chafing at the leash to show how positive and talented they are. All this, under a captain who may just go down as our GOAT. Typically, he's more interested in bringing out the best in others:
There would be no need for any of that if it was just made clear that every over would be bowled in a day, natural stoppages permitting, regardless of when they finished.
Yep, and you'd soon see the over rates improved, as if by a miracle...
So now we've had confirmation of the abandonment (which was never really in doubt all day), it's time for the cricketing authorities to start asking some serious questions about the playing format for Test cricket
There's no doubt that England's style of play over the past 12 months or so has started to attract new fans, but many of those - perhaps unfamiliar with the arcane rules and regulations - must be bewildered how the result of the most anticipated Ashes series for a generation can end this way (yeah, i know we can draw level but that's hardly the point)
Some ideas that i've seen put forward are:
- rethink the archaic lunch/tea intervals - rethink the finishing time when play has been lost - if play can't continue for bad light, switch to a pink ball with the lights on - stop fining teams for slow over rates, just make them play for longer - keep a day in reserve for all test matches (the weather tomorrow looks great)
There will be plenty of other ideas, but the major obstacle is the televised schedules which hinder changes to the format, and that's where most of the finance comes from
Right now, i can't see myself taking as much notice of the final test, but that'll probably change once it starts. We can't change the weather but surely there are things that can change to keep the game ongoing whenever possible - the future of the format depends on it
[Post edited 26 Jul 2023 17:36]
A bit like yourself, I can’t get that motivated about the last match. Shame that the rain spoiled what could have been an all time great series
Experts are trying to build up the importance of the game, but the ashes is about who holds the urn at the end of it. Not losing a series since 2001 against the Aussies is very small beer especially when they have kept the ashes with draws in the last 2
I am wondering if Jimmy will retire after this match, especially if he doesn’t get many wickets. Great servant but probably time to move on.
A bit like yourself, I can’t get that motivated about the last match. Shame that the rain spoiled what could have been an all time great series
Experts are trying to build up the importance of the game, but the ashes is about who holds the urn at the end of it. Not losing a series since 2001 against the Aussies is very small beer especially when they have kept the ashes with draws in the last 2
I am wondering if Jimmy will retire after this match, especially if he doesn’t get many wickets. Great servant but probably time to move on.
Can't wait for the test to start, good in background when working from home.
You shouldn't really win the ashes by virtue of drawing the contest and the only reason you won is that you held it in the first place. Change that then there should be no draws.
Jimmy should have retired after the Lords test, it was overcast and all his swinging conditions turned up yet he couldn't do it. His return of 4 wkts is poor and he should not have been selected and they should have gone with Woakes instead.
Bairstow, slips all day long. At wkt he 5 dropped catches, one missed stumping and a severe case of crease wandering. His bat is fantastic. Replace him with Foakes who can show him why wicket keepers wear gloves and also stay in their crease. Can't get over that, wicket keepers of all people should know.
No balls have been an issue 13, felt the bat has been there all the time for England and it was the bowling that wasn't.
Brilliant finish to a brilliant series, with an "oh what might've been" but for the Manchester rain and our over-cavalier attitude at the start
Both Broad and Moeen finish their test careers with great bowling spells. Wonder if Jimmy will feature again? Certainly not in the Ashes
So that's the final test for us this calendar year, India away first up in 2024. I hope Stokes has chance to undergo whatever surgery it takes on his knee to get him back to full fitness during the five-month break
Brilliant finish to a brilliant series, with an "oh what might've been" but for the Manchester rain and our over-cavalier attitude at the start
Both Broad and Moeen finish their test careers with great bowling spells. Wonder if Jimmy will feature again? Certainly not in the Ashes
So that's the final test for us this calendar year, India away first up in 2024. I hope Stokes has chance to undergo whatever surgery it takes on his knee to get him back to full fitness during the five-month break
Incredible, from the first ball of the series to the last.
If you watched it in a film youd say it could never have happenened like that.
This ashes series seems to have perked up people's interest in cricket again. It would be great if those people now carried on supporting cricket by attending local league clubs games ( when it stops raining) as any extra attendance would be greatly received.
We have some great local clubs in the area playing at a good standard in very competitive leagues.
The whinging convicts are STILL moaning about the ball that was replaced, legitimately, by the umpires, in the last test. Whinge whinge whinge. Same old Aussies, always cheating. Still not won an Ashes series here in 22 years. A lot longer than when we won the Ashes over their (3-1 win 2010/11). Ask Mitchell Johnson, another cry baby. More tears than Roger that lot. They seem to forget things that blatantly broke the rules / the "spirit of cricket" when it suits them.
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