2019 4th Ashes Test 2019 Old Trafford

[woota]

1) true; everyone is in agreement about Smith being THE difference,
however
2) Third Test was a cliffhanger without Smith. We rolled them for 67 in the first dig and had a good lead. Then we had three very strong chances to close it out but fluffed them all.
--- Harris dropped catch/ run-out throw to wrong end, take your pick (I'm counting that as ONE chance)
--- wasted referral which cost us Stokes plumb lbw, given not out, no referral left
--- Lyon snatching at the ball when he had plenty of time for the Leach run-out.
Take any one of those chances and we win the 3rd Test, without Smith. I get your point, though. Maybe (probably) we'd have had more runs if Smith had batted?

Really? I seem to be the only person arguing that. All I'm hearing is that if Smith played in the third test then he would have made a pair and Australia would still have lost.

I get your point, though. Maybe (probably) we'd have had more runs if Smith had batted?

Yes, the guy averaging 134 for the series would have likely effected the outcome of the match in Australia's favor. Shocking I know.

 

[CrowBloke]

The sourest grapes possible.

Also irrelevant, by Cook . Has nothing to do with this series, or the 4th Test result.
We won't ever see him commenting about Pommie mint-juice, or Atherton's pocket full of sand, ffs.

 

[Kappa]

If Smith played then Australia would be 3-0. Without Smith, Australia cannot win.

Did you watch the 3rd test? Serious question?

Do you think we could of won that test?

 

[frankrizzo]

I said during the sandpaper rubbish that aussie fans are the biggest holier than thou w***ers in sport only took an ashes success in england to remind me aussies fans are rank amateurs when it comes to being self righteous tossers.

Did love one of the pommy writers(hoult i think) talking about how england should give smith an abusive reception in the 5th test for being "disrespectful" err yeah you were mocking and abusing him when he had concussion you twats, smith has handled it ll with class and no matter what he did he was going to be abused in the 5th test.

 

[CrowBloke]

Without Smith, Australia cannot win.

It's a pity you're sticking to your hard line. I thought logic would appeal to you, plus the fact no-one (not a single poster) has agreed with you.
I'll try again.
Admittedly, Australia did not win the 3rd Test without Smith. They had their chances, but did not take them.
The difference between "cannot" (ie not possible) and "did not" (ie can win, but didn't) is huge.

Here's why your statement above is wrong:
"

Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia)	2018/19		India	2-1 (4)
Warne-Muralitharan Trophy (Sri Lanka in Australia)	2018/19		Australia	2-0 (2

".(http://stats.espncricinfo.com/austr...am/series_results.html?class=1;id=2;type=team)
Autralia won a Test against India, and 2 vs Sri Lanka, yes, without Smith .

 

[frankrizzo]

England would love to have cook around tbh rn.

His ashes record in england was pretty poor to be honest, never even made a home ashes ton.

 

[CrowBloke]

1) Really? I seem to be the only person arguing that.
2) All I'm hearing is that if Smith played in the third test then he would have made a pair and Australia would still have lost.

1) C'mon. Aussie & Pommie players and commentators are saying that Smith has been the difference in this series, not in the 3rd Test (we both know he didn't play).
2) That's ALL you're hearing? Please read my posts again, because I said no such thing.

Also, please back off on the tone as well. I'm not mocking or abusing you.

 

[frankrizzo]

Also irrelevant, by Cook . Has nothing to do with this series, or the 4th Test result.
We won't ever see him commenting about Pommie mint-juice, or Atherton's pocket full of sand, ffs.

Seems pretty unbelievable, that was such a bitter series if warner admitted to ball tampering back then the poms would have leaked it for sure especially after bancroft outing bairstow for his "headbutt".

With warner having such a bad rep home and away cook knows nobody would believe him if he denied it though so it's basically a free shot.

 

[CrowBloke]

Shocking I know.

Mate, save your sarcasm for those giving you sarcasm, ok? My concession was polite and fair.

 

[frankrizzo]

1) C'mon. Aussie & Pommie players and commentators are saying that Smith has been the difference in this series, not in the 3rd Test (we both know he didn't play).
2) That's ALL you're hearing? Please read my posts again, because I said no such thing.

Also, please back off on the tone as well. I'm not mocking or abusing you.

You could say our bowling depth is the difference as well, we had starc hazlewood ect waiting in the wings they had overton.

For all the talk about broad hazlewood has been as good as him yet he started as a backup for us.

Our bowlers have built more sustained pressure as well, England known for their aggression have scored much slower than us in their own home conditions, england have run through our lefties early but once it stops swinging they have been unable to build the same pressure.

 

[Balls In]

Loving the whinging from the POMs at Steve Smiths glasses wearing celebrations. Of course he was taking the piss out of Leach... as he should.

 

[frankrizzo]

Loving the whinging from the POMs at Steve Smiths glasses wearing celebrations. Of course he was taking the piss out of Leach... as he should.

I have no idea what it was about as you said who cares?

Archer was making fun of smith after lords in the nets while smith was concussed, of course the poms at the time thought it was fantastic banter, just like the hilarious time wasting at manchester all delightful "bants" when it's them doing it.

 

[010203]

Steve Smith mocking Jack Leach wouldn't be a story if the media was prepared to let team celebrations be sacrosanct. All I'm interested in is maybe some footage of the team song, a photo of the team celebrating with their beers and that's it.

 

[ROOTA#6]

Steve Smith mocking Jack Leach wouldn't be a story if the media was prepared to let team celebrations be sacrosanct. All I'm interested in is maybe some footage of the team song, a photo of the team celebrating with their beers and that's it.

Exactly...the blokes can’t even celebrate without a camera in their face

 

[CrowBloke]

Loving the whinging from the POMs at Steve Smiths glasses wearing celebrations. Of course he was taking the piss out of Leach... as he should.

+

Steve Smith mocking Jack Leach wouldn't be a story if the media was prepared to let team celebrations be sacrosanct. All I'm interested in is maybe some footage of the team song, a photo of the team celebrating with their beers and that's it.

So, not believing their explanation he/they were poking fun at Chris Rogers?

I just do not care, either way. Nor do I care about the Pommie press.
They deserve to celebrate and have some fun.

 

[Suspense]

Seems pretty unbelievable, that was such a bitter series if warner admitted to ball tampering back then the poms would have leaked it for sure especially after bancroft outing bairstow for his "headbutt".

In light of the barefaced stupidity of sandpapergate; David Warner a few beers deep after having won the Ashes 4-0 - I can totally believe it.

What I don't understand is why this is even news?
Australia obviously ball tampered and has most likely been doing so for years (like most other teams have done).

 

[010203]

+

So, not believing their explanation he/they were poking fun at Chris Rogers?

I just do not care, either way. Nor do I care about the Pommie press.
They deserve to celebrate and have some fun.

Australia has won series and celebrated many victories since Chris Rogers retired 4 years ago and this is the first time they've mocked him. It doesn't add up for me but I don't care as this should have stayed within their four walls.

 

[frankrizzo]

In light of the barefaced stupidity of sandpapergate; David Warner a few beers deep after having won the Ashes 4-0 - I can totally believe it.

What I don't understand is why this is even news?
Australia obviously ball tampered and has most likely been doing so for years (like most other teams have done).

England's way to deal with losing the ashes is try and claim the moral highground, that its a series where they have abused our lot non stop makes it incredibly difficult for them to pull off but they will keep trying.

 

[Crankitup]

Been checking back into this thread on and off looking forward to seeing a gracious congratulatory post from the great eddiesmith. Very surprisingly he hasn't posted in here since at least 5 hours before we sealed the win. Surely this is out of character? I'm worried.

Eddie?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Australia has won series and celebrated many victories since Chris Rogers retired 4 years ago and this is the first time they've mocked him. It doesn't add up for me but I don't care as this should have stayed within their four walls.

He wasn't mocking Rogers, he was paying tribute to him for the help and advice he gave Smith about how to play in England.
He's one of the elements in the long-term planning Paine spoke about after the match.

 

[010203]

So apparently that photo wasn't mocking Leach and Smith was paying tribute to Chris Rogers.

In 2015 Rogers appeared to be the only player who knew the conditions. Even Smith failed when he ball was moving while Rogers survived because he knew how to play and the rest of the batting unit let him down in those really tough games where we were getting knocked over for **** all.

At that point it was the only time Smith really let us down, I think he felt that as well and probably learned a lot off Rogers and probably credits him and knows without that guidance he wouldn't have succeeded in England in all conditions like he has now.

Paine made a point of mentioning this didn't just start a few months ago, it was years in the making and the lessons Rogers gave them about batting in England, how to learn from their failures the last couple of times was probably part of that and Smith remembers.

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Santana]

Who else keeps rewatching the highlight video of the last day?

Feels good man

 

[Punchy Bassett]

We've got the Ashes in our hands,
We've got the Ashes in our hands,
We've got the Ashes in our hands,
And England can go and get ****ed!

 

[CrowBloke]

Re: the beach ball ---
"The day previous, a rogue beach ball had been carried on to the pitch by a subtler yet unrelenting wind. Smith swept it for four. The photograph caught and subsequently adorned across papers the next day might be the enduring one of his career, a simple conclusive statement on how much bigger the ball seems to be to him than anyone else in the world. "
So true.
(https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...orld-cup-summer-next-generation-a9097301.html)

 

[Topkent]

In light of the barefaced stupidity of sandpapergate; David Warner a few beers deep after having won the Ashes 4-0 - I can totally believe it.

What I don't understand is why this is even news?
Australia obviously ball tampered and has most likely been doing so for years (like most other teams have done).

Yeah remember when Ben Stokes slammed the ball into the pitch?

Warner's an idiot and they could have easily stopped when there were suspicions on them but * the naivety of fans thinking we were the only country doing it.