Cricket Thread: Ashes 2025-26 Pink Test

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[Eagleboy2011]

 

[Interloperer]

(EDST times)

Looks like all the Australian T20 world cup matches are at almost watchable times which is rare. But without any of them being really convenient at all.

 

[spenze]

The Poms no cricket just beach time is either going to be a great idea or haunting for them. They'd want to play some bloody good cricket, anything else and Baz will be out on his arse.

 

[Vader]

The Poms no cricket just beach time is either going to be a great idea or haunting for them. They'd want to play some bloody good cricket, anything else and Baz will be out on his arse.

I actually don't mind it. They're in the middle of a 5-test series, and the last 3 Tests come back-to-back-to-back. This is the only real break they have in the entire series. The Australians would have been doing something similar if the Ashes was in England (albeit nobody in their right mind goes to the beach in Old Blighty).

The problem was their lack of preparation before the start of the Ashes, and the inappropriateness of the games/grounds that they did play at. The Indians chose to have a warm-up game at the WACA, where the bounce is very similar to Perth Stadium; the poms chose Lilac Hill, where the bounce is (apparently) much lower. Their (optional) preparation game for the pink ball Test was in Canberra, where (again) the pitch is nothing like what was expected at the Gabba. None of their Test players participated in the PM XI game in Canberra, so effectively their only warm-up game was an intra-team hit & giggle on a pitch which was completely unlike anything they experienced in the first 2 Tests.

 

[spenze]

I actually don't mind it. They're in the middle of a 5-test series, and the last 3 Tests come back-to-back-to-back. This is the only real break they have in the entire series. The Australians would have been doing something similar if the Ashes was in England (albeit nobody in their right mind goes to the beach in Old Blighty).

The problem was their lack of preparation before the start of the Ashes, and the inappropriateness of the games/grounds that they did play at. The Indians chose to have a warm-up game at the WACA, where the bounce is very similar to Perth Stadium; the poms chose Lilac Hill, where the bounce is (apparently) much lower. Their (optional) preparation game for the pink ball Test was in Canberra, where (again) the pitch is nothing like what was expected at the Gabba. None of their Test players participated in the PM XI game in Canberra, so effectively their only warm-up game was an intra-team hit & giggle on a pitch which was completely unlike anything they experienced in the first 2 Tests.

I get it, all I m saying is that if they lose, it will be the end for him. The press have gone on enough about them not playing a pink ball game

 

[Rabish Binney]

I actually don't mind it. They're in the middle of a 5-test series, and the last 3 Tests come back-to-back-to-back. This is the only real break they have in the entire series. The Australians would have been doing something similar if the Ashes was in England (albeit nobody in their right mind goes to the beach in Old Blighty).

The problem was their lack of preparation before the start of the Ashes, and the inappropriateness of the games/grounds that they did play at. The Indians chose to have a warm-up game at the WACA, where the bounce is very similar to Perth Stadium; the poms chose Lilac Hill, where the bounce is (apparently) much lower. Their (optional) preparation game for the pink ball Test was in Canberra, where (again) the pitch is nothing like what was expected at the Gabba. None of their Test players participated in the PM XI game in Canberra, so effectively their only warm-up game was an intra-team hit & giggle on a pitch which was completely unlike anything they experienced in the first 2 Tests.

Weather forecast for the 1st day is anywhere between 35c - 38c, with the hot weather to continue for the duration of the test

Hope we win the toss and bat.......

 

[crows dude]

Weather forecast for the 1st day is anywhere between 35c - 38c, with the hot weather to continue for the duration of the test

Hope we win the toss and bat.......

and bat and bat. That way it may last 5 days. If we are bowling first we will be out there gain before stumps day 1 and the game will be over by day 4

 

[jackster83]

I actually don't mind it. They're in the middle of a 5-test series, and the last 3 Tests come back-to-back-to-back. This is the only real break they have in the entire series. The Australians would have been doing something similar if the Ashes was in England (albeit nobody in their right mind goes to the beach in Old Blighty).

The problem was their lack of preparation before the start of the Ashes, and the inappropriateness of the games/grounds that they did play at. The Indians chose to have a warm-up game at the WACA, where the bounce is very similar to Perth Stadium; the poms chose Lilac Hill, where the bounce is (apparently) much lower. Their (optional) preparation game for the pink ball Test was in Canberra, where (again) the pitch is nothing like what was expected at the Gabba. None of their Test players participated in the PM XI game in Canberra, so effectively their only warm-up game was an intra-team hit & giggle on a pitch which was completely unlike anything they experienced in the first 2 Tests.

They asked for the WACA but it was not available.

CA do tend to schedule warm up games on useless featherbed pitches, which is part of the reason opposition teams rarely bother playing them.

 

[Vader]

They asked for the WACA but it was not available.

CA do tend to schedule warm up games on useless featherbed pitches, which is part of the reason opposition teams rarely bother playing them.

Yeah, I know the WACA wasn't available - because CA had scheduled a Sheffield Shield game there. Curious scheduling...

Surely they could have found somewhere else with decent bounce, other than the WACA? What are the WA District level grounds like? Playing them at Lilac Hill did them no favours at all.

Of course, they could have just arrived earlier, and allowed themselves more than intra-team game (at Lilac Hill) to acclimatise.

 

[Interloperer]

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-in-new-zealand-2025-26-1491681/new-zealand-vs-west-indies-2nd-test-1491733/full-scorecard

Windies revert to type sadly. Lose by 9 wickets inside 3 days

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Has Warner realised he is no longer an Australian player & meant to be a commemtator...

'Of course': Warner's firm call on Khawaja return

'The selectors have a headache'

wwos.nine.com.au

Then again he isn't that smart.

 

[GreyCrow]

Has Warner realised he is no longer an Australian player & meant to be a commemtator...

'Of course': Warner's firm call on Khawaja return

'The selectors have a headache'

wwos.nine.com.au

Then again he isn't that smart.

Because he still thinks like the rest do. '' its up to the player to make the call '' brigade need a hard lesson in reality

 

[Mostyn]

He's still #3 on the list. Lowest batting average for all players at #6, having batted a minimum of 50 innings in that position (i.e. that was their regular batting position).

He was the WoT. He's no longer the WoaT, but he's still very close to the top (bottom) of the list.

Mitchell Marsh averages 47 in Ashes tests, across eight years of playing them.

 

[Vader]

Mitchell Marsh averages 47 in Ashes tests, across eight years of playing them.

Yeah, that's a massive outlier. His overall Test average is 28.53, which is on the sad side of pathetic for a Test batsman, particularly one who has been given as many opportunities as Marsh.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Khawaja is a good player of spin but England don't have one

 

[Vader]

Khawaja is a good player of spin but England don't have one

View attachment 2496025

Pretty good handler of spin off the field as well, given the lengths he & his supporters have gone to in pushing his case via the media.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Decent team

From that era I'd have Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag ahead of Langer. Apart from that... pretty good effort, Ricky

 

[GreyCrow]

Decent team

From that era I'd have Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag ahead of Langer. Apart from that... pretty good effort, Ricky

View attachment 2496189

All time?

Misuse of thr word all there

 

[Vader]

All time?

Misuse of thr word all there

Without knowing the source, I'm assuming it's a list of the best players Ponting played with or against. Agree with DABM that Langer is the obvious weak link on the team list.

Any "all time" list without Bradman is obviously wrong.

 

[Vader]

There's some good news today! The selectors have stuck with Head/Weatherald as openers, with Inglis holding his position in the middle order. Khawaja was fit to play, but hasn't been selected.
Source: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...-ashes-spot-for-adelaide-20251216-p5no1r.html

Khawaja and his supporters have been spinning like a top in recent days, trying to argue that he could play in the middle order if not needed as an opener. Anything to get him back into the side.

The reality is that he's 39 years old and his reflexes are shot. He's simply a walking wicket now, when it comes to fast bowlers (though he remains quality against spinners). It's time to thank him for his service, honour his achievements, and move forwards with the team.

I wouldn't mind seeing him given a farewell/retirement test in Sydney, provided that the Ashes have already been secured by then. I definitely don't want to see him selected at any stage while the Ashes are in any way "live".

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Prediction:

Lose the toss

Poms all out for 250 on Day 1. Cummins 5 for
Weatherald and Head both unbeaten at stumps

The openers finish Day 2 150+ not out each with the English bowlers wilting in 40 degree heat. Joffra Archer off the field with a "side strain"

 

[Vader]

Interestingly, the selectors have chosen to omit Doggett and Neser, making way for Lyon & Cummins. There was a school of thought that they may have chosen to rest Boland, giving Neser another go (as a just reward for his Michelle at the Gabba). This would have left Boland cherry-ripe for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG - his happy hunting ground.

It turns out that the selectors have/had other ideas.

I'm honestly not fussed either way - both Boland & Neser have shown a bit. The one who missed out was always going to feel hard done-by, and the one who was retained would always have a strong enough body of work to justify the decision.