Ashes 3rd test @ The WACA

[Adelaide Hawk]

I understand that some people would prefer a series that wasn't over after 3 Tests.

However, having followed umpteen Ashes series I can say that I am more than happy to be 3-0 now and would be even happier to see a 5-0 result.

As much as I love competitive cricket, when it comes to Ashes series that goes out the window for me. I just want to crush 'em.

I just don't understand this "Oh, it's 3-0 now, the Ashes have been won, now for 2 dead rubbers". Yes, the Ashes have been won, but so what? It's a decrepit old urn that is housed in England, no matter who wins them. Each Test match had it's own identity, and it's every bit as important we win those two as it was the first three. The last thing we want to hear is England returning home saying "We only lost 2-3, and it should have been 2-2 with 1 draw, but we were made to play on a pitch that was rain effected". That would suck.

 

[philreich]

Pretty damning. And while we've been pretty bad in the years after legends retired it's a credit that we haven't been white washed over there even as massive underdogs at times.

I think we are a genuine chance in 2019, and I haven't said that since 2005.

Well you have to think that Anderson and Broad won't be around by then, and even if they are, they're both well past their best. I agree that it's our best chance in a long time to retain the Ashes on English soil, and wow it'll be sweet if we can pull it off!!!!

 

[Gough]

I just don't understand this "Oh, it's 3-0 now, the Ashes have been won, now for 2 dead rubbers". Yes, the Ashes have been won, but so what? It's a decrepit old urn that is housed in England, no matter who wins them. Each Test match had it's own identity, and it's every bit as important we win those two as it was the first three. The last thing we want to hear is England returning home saying "We only lost 2-3, and it should have been 2-2 with 1 draw, but we were made to play on a pitch that was rain effected". That would suck.

Nobody remembers the 1979/80 series.

 

[Outshined]

Pretty damning. And while we've been pretty bad in the years after legends retired it's a credit that we haven't been white washed over there even as massive underdogs at times.

I think we are a genuine chance in 2019, and I haven't said that since 2005.

Yep. I know it gets hammed up a lot but we've sent some less than impressive teams to England and while we haven't deserved to win any of the recent series we've been light years more competitive than the 14-3 it's been over here since 2006/07.

Bowling will be critical as Gough said. Hazelwood, Starc, Cummins and a 4th seamer of Bird/Sayers' ilk will be tough to handle for even the most seasoned and technically adept English batsmen. More important for mine though is finding just 1 or 2 more genuinely quality top order bats that can ride out a session of movement/swing to support Smith. Too often in recent series we've rolled them for a sub-par score and then gone to water when it's our turn to bat.

 

[Freofalcon]

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Nobody remembers the 1979/80 series.

Beefy bowled a long hop to GS for a 6 to get him a century and Australia to a win at the SCG.

Actually signalled it as he bowled it.

 

[Andrew Mc]

I understand that some people would prefer a series that wasn't over after 3 Tests.

However, having followed umpteen Ashes series I can say that I am more than happy to be 3-0 now and would be even happier to see a 5-0 result.

As much as I love competitive cricket, when it comes to Ashes series that goes out the window for me. I just want to crush 'em.

The only thing better than a 5-0 Ashes win would be a 6-0 Ashes win.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Nobody remembers the 1979/80 series.

Why? Because England wouldn't put the Ashes up for grabs? I remember it, and it's also in Wisden

 

[Gough]

I'm in favour of a rest day returning for day night Tests.

 

[Gough]

Why? Because England wouldn't put the Ashes up for grabs? I remember it, and it's also in Wisden

I remember it too, I saw my first Test during that series but it's not an Ashes series, it doesn't have that mystique.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Why? Because England wouldn't put the Ashes up for grabs? I remember it, and it's also in Wisden

Correct.

Was the Tri-series ODI year when Brearley put 8 on the fence to win the game against the West Indies in a D/N at the SCG.

 

[Moonwatcher]

I remember it too, I saw my first Test during that series but it's not an Ashes series, it doesn't have that mystique.

Why wasn't it an Ashes series?

 

[dogs105]

He's cooked
Piss off, you're out

What do you think about Root?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Why wasn't it an Ashes series?

Because Australia won.

 

[Cold Sober]

I'm in favour of a rest day returning for day night Tests.

Do they last long enough for a rest day.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Same thing happened in regards to the Centenary Test.

 

[Stax on the mill]

Why wasn't it an Ashes series?

Poms wouldn’t agree to put ashes on the line, as it was only 3 tests. Said it had to be at least 5 tests to be an ashes series.

 

[MeltFlog]

 

[Moonwatcher]

Poms wouldn’t agree to put ashes on the line, as it was only 3 tests. Said it had to be at least 5 tests to be an ashes series.

Seems reasonable.

 

[Cold Sober]

I'm afraid some of us do remember cricket in the 70's, even some of the 60's.
The 70's, how good, esky full of piss, pkt of smokes, few fights, pub crawl on the drive home, back the next day and do it all again. Way back when men were allowed to go to the cricket unsupervised, when freedom of speech actually existed, when you were allowed to barrack openly, a proper day out.
As for peoples criticism of Cook, it wasn't so long ago we couldn't get him out. He's a great cricketer with a great record, I hope he bounces back.

 

[philreich]

Just received a text from a mate, "Are the Poms Rooted, Cooked, or just Malancholy???"

 

[sherb]

Nobody remembers the 1979/80 series.

I do!

 

[rippersnipper]

Bodes as one of the best series in a number of years.

Both sides have absolutely awesome fast bowling attacks at the moment.

Headed up by a captain averaging 62.

Rabada has 100 wickets in 22 games at an average of 22, the Australians quicks have a bit to prove to show they are at the same level.

Rabada is destined to be an all time great at the moment. He's quick and swings it. Has a serious yorker too

 

[DaRick]

Yes! Get in!

A smashing innings victory by Australia and with plenty of time to spare!

I can't much criticise Smith or the bowlers today. Smith generally got his tactics right (tempting Woakes into hitting a boundary, bringing on Lyon for Ali, bringing on Hazlewood to hit the deck and exploit unevenness in the pitch, bringing on Cummins to rough up the tail) and the bowlers responded superbly. This pitch, with uneven bounce, was tailor made for Hazlewood and he exploited it brilliantly. He also didn't try and bowl too short or fast the way he did for most of the last two Test matches. Lyon was not bad, Starc wasn't at his best and while I thought Cummins was a little short and below his best pace, he did the job at the end.

The issue with the covers was a farce, but I'm not sure an accident like that actually contravenes the laws of the game in the same way that watering the pitch does.

I won't pretend we don't have problems - Bancroft/Mitch Marsh are not yet proven, Warner/Khawaja have been less dominant than expected and who knows whether or not Shaun Marsh will keep up his Ashes form - plus greater challenges lie ahead - but we have certainly deserved to win all 3 Tests.

If Starc/Cummins/Hazlewood/Lyon remain fit this is a very talented, diverse bowling lineup which should win games in almost every environment. In Starc we have a Wasim/Steyn hybrid, in Hazlewood we have the successor to McGrath/Clark, in Cummins we have an all-wicket enforcer and Lyon ATM is in Warne-esque form.

England have far more serious problems. Cook is out-of-form; his head isn't still when he plays the ball so that affects his strokeplay, plus we've mostly avoided bowling short to him. I think Root has some potential as captain, but the pressures appear to be affecting his game. Problem is, if you remove him, who else is there? Most of this side's experienced players bar Anderson are out-of-form (and he's aging).

Plus there is the issue of making 400+ and then losing by an innings. Their bowlers lack potency on flat wickets overseas due to a lack of pace and quality spin (although Overton has tried hard). Ali is nowhere near the player he is at home whereas Broad seems to have lost pace, movement and increasingly accuracy (over the past year he's averaged 40). Stokes is a loss here because he's sharp enough to get wickets in unfavourable conditions at times.

Vince and Malan have impressed me this match, particularly Malan. Vince has made more of an effort to bat for a long time rather than a good time, while Malan's technical issues have been less exposed on a bouncier pitch where we've honestly bowled a bit too short to him on the whole (plus off-spinners don't turn the ball much at the WACA).

At this point, Ali has been so ineffectual that I would play Foakes and free Bairstow from the burden of keeping. Maybe try Mason Crane at the MCG but he'll probably get pummeled there.

 

[2006_Eagles]

Wow. Keep your envy in check mate.

I don't understand why this escalated so quickly, or why it escalated