Test The Ashes Third Test December 17-21 1000hrs @ The Adelaide Oval

[Cataholic]

Yes he had injury problems with his back.
Hate to break it to you mate but he’s just turned 72

Bloody hell

 

[Kappa]

may be true but if you've spent any time in and around inner melbourne you'd know they certainly don't adhere to that.

I think 1 or 2 beers at dinner is different to partying and getting drunk

 

[katana]

I think 1 or 2 beers at dinner is different to partying and getting drunk

mate if you think afl players are not going out and having big nights in season i have a bridge to sell you.

i've seen dozens.

you also previously said 'no alcohol policy' lol.

 

[icyflakes]

I'm gunna get abused for this no doubt but i absolutely love the passion Stokes shows when he gets out or they miss out on a wicket. Cant fault a bloke for hating to lose and caring too much

I have no issue with a bloke showing some passion. Marnus wears his heart on his sleeve, Head does show frustration at times as well.

I have zero belief that Stokes does it for any other reason but the cameras. So much of the Baz era is based around saying you don't care about the media while doing everything you can to show the media your vibes. It's transparent as ****.

 

[Pistol Night]

I have no issue with a bloke showing some passion. Marnus wears his heart on his sleeve, Head does show frustration at times as well.

I have zero belief that Stokes does it for any other reason but the cameras. So much of the Baz era is based around saying you don't care about the media while doing everything you can to show the media your vibes. It's transparent as ****.

Yeah maybe. It’s a bit of a reflection of society today in a way. He’s the poster child for narcissistic self promotion. He just uses the media opposed to social media

 

[AJ_2000]

Well kids have eyes, and they can see it for themselves

 

[icyflakes]

Listening to the Grade Cricketer boys. They were far more down on the poms than I am - they basically said they have no idea how to win and didn't see much chance of a victory in the next 2.

While they're obviously just a media outlet and its grain of salt stuff, they're usually pretty level headed (after they get the jokes out of the way) and have been a good inside voice as to what the commentators & some of the players really think.

 

[Purple Suit]

Listening to the Grade Cricketer boys. They were far more down on the poms than I am - they basically said they have no idea how to win and didn't see much chance of a victory in the next 2.

While they're obviously just a media outlet and its grain of salt stuff, they're usually pretty level headed (after they get the jokes out of the way) and have been a good inside voice as to what the commentators & some of the players really think.

While dead rubbers usually makes it easier to snag a win, this series is different as England is imploding before our eyes. Bazball is out the window and I can't see them getting it together in big enough numbers to challenge, weather it's bazball or normal cricket.

Our back-ups will still be better than most of the English and the Poms have no reserves here to make big changes. I recon they are spot on.

 

[Pistol Night]

Listening to the Grade Cricketer boys. They were far more down on the poms than I am - they basically said they have no idea how to win and didn't see much chance of a victory in the next 2.

While they're obviously just a media outlet and its grain of salt stuff, they're usually pretty level headed (after they get the jokes out of the way) and have been a good inside voice as to what the commentators & some of the players really think.

I usually piss my pants after the intro and miss the level headed stuff sometimes

 

[Pistol Night]

While dead rubbers usually makes it easier to snag a win, this series is different as England is imploding before our eyes. Bazball is out the window and I can't see them getting it together in big enough numbers to challenge, weather it's bazball or normal cricket.

Our back-ups will still be better than most of the English and the Poms have no reserves here to make big changes. I recon they are spot on.

They’re caught between trying to play Bazball and proper test cricket and the confusion is stifling them

 

[western royboy]

Interesting cricket Aus has Cooper Connolly’s name thrown in with the spinner. Actually do think.

With Careys form with the bat, I actually think Cooper makes a way more fitting 7 than Inglis. Can Bowl a bit too and can make his way up the batting order eventually

Happy to be quoted - he will not make it will not make it as a red ball bat.

 

[icyflakes]

While dead rubbers usually makes it easier to snag a win, this series is different as England is imploding before our eyes. Bazball is out the window and I can't see them getting it together in big enough numbers to challenge, weather it's bazball or normal cricket.

Our back-ups will still be better than most of the English and the Poms have no reserves here to make big changes. I recon they are spot on.

They might be internally imploding (and rightfully so) but more and more of the players are starting to hitch their wagon to the Stokes "play normal cricket" train, and they're seeing far better outcomes for it.

I can easily see them dominating Melbourne, though I don't see a 3-2 scenario playing out.

 

[kenneje]

Happy to be quoted - he will not make it will not make it as a red ball bat.

Why do you say that?

Looks a tremendous talent, and not yet 23.

 

[KennyHuntersBlues]

She'll never let him live it down if he wants a "rest". Legend

If he’s anything like a lot of us he would rather keep playing even if he’s knackered than confront the list of things that she wants done around the home

 

[AJ_2000]

England haven't been "close" to winning a test match in Australia since 10/11. Crazy to think that they'd swan in and knock us over when they've been fundamentally curb stomped in their last 3 visits.

My non scientific definition of Close = 3 wickets or 50 runs. All 4 results in the 2023 Ashes were decided within this definition.

Ain't no heartbreaking close losses on this list....

25/26 3-0 lost 8 wickets, 8 wickets, 82 runs.

21/22 - 4-0 lost by 9 wickets, 275 runs, an innings, 125 runs. Best result was clinging of for a draw in the 4th test 9/270 chasing 388.

17/18 4-0 lost by 10 wickets, 120, innings, innings. Best result was 4th test draw on a dead wicket, with only 24 wickets taken

13/14 5-0 lost by 381, 218, 150, 8 wickets, 281.

16 losses, 2 draws. Most recent test was their closes loss. They had 3 X first innings leads across 18 tests.

If they're serious about competing (not beating just competing) they've fundamentally need to change their approach

 

[western royboy]

Why do you say that?

Looks a tremendous talent, and not yet 23.

Split grip

 

[icyflakes]

England haven't been "close" to winning a test match in Australia since 10/11. Crazy to think that they'd swan in and knock us over when they've been fundamentally curb stomped in their last 3 visits.

My non scientific definition of Close = 3 wickets or 50 runs. All 4 results in the 2023 Ashes were decided within this definition.

Ain't no heartbreaking close losses on this list....

25/26 3-0 lost 8 wickets, 8 wickets, 82 runs.

21/22 - 4-0 lost by 9 wickets, 275 runs, an innings, 125 runs. Best result was clinging of for a draw in the 4th test 9/270 chasing 388.

17/18 4-0 lost by 10 wickets, 120, innings, innings. Best result was 4th test draw on a dead wicket, with only 24 wickets taken

13/14 5-0 lost by 381, 218, 150, 8 wickets, 281.

16 losses, 2 draws. Most recent test was their closes loss. They had 3 X first innings leads across 18 tests.

If they're serious about competing (not beating just competing) they've fundamentally need to change their approach

They were extremely close in the Perth match this series, but the bazball mindset caused them to shit the bed. I know the numbers don't line up but we were dead and buried in that test.

 

[kenneje]

Split grip

So did Faf!

 

[AJ_2000]

They were extremely close in the Perth match this series, but the bazball mindset caused them to shit the bed. I know the numbers don't line up but we were dead and buried in that test.

Lead of 1/100, they had the upper hand for sure - but we were far from dead and burried. Shocking how quickly the game moved and turned, but we're never out of it.

 

[grumbleguts]

It’s not bagging him at all, it’s adding context, it was a flat pitch.

Wow, you are seriously hard of thinking.

He faced more balls than any other batsman on either side in an entire series, not a one-off match, batting out of position. But you do you.

 

[caveman72]

I have no issue with a bloke showing some passion. Marnus wears his heart on his sleeve, Head does show frustration at times as well.

I have zero belief that Stokes does it for any other reason but the cameras. So much of the Baz era is based around saying you don't care about the media while doing everything you can to show the media your vibes. It's transparent as ****.

He's a Kiwi playing for the Poms If he doesn't have some form of dislike of Aussies, there's something wrong

 

[grumbleguts]

Damien Martyn was a good batsman. But rating him in Australia's top 15 batsmen is ridiculous. He wouldn't make the top 30.

He had the 24th highest batting average for any Australian ever, maybe you should have watched him play? Just a suggestion.

 

[grumbleguts]

You can't just go by average or aggregate. You have to consider how good players were relative to their contemporaries in the Australian team and in the teams we faced. Obviously a hard task comparing eras but going down the list of Australian bats by test runs scored I rank this lot clearly better.

Ponting
Border
S Waugh
Smith
Clarke
Hayden
Langer
Taylor
Boon
G Chappell

Bradman
Hussey
Harvey
Gilchrist
Walters
I Chappell
Lawry
Simpson
Labuschagne
Jones

Morris
Hill
Trumper
Hassett
Armstrong
McCabe
Bardsley
Woodfull
Macartney
Ponsford

Theres 30 even without some like M Waugh, Billy Murdoch, Brown, Fingleton, Miller who you could debate are on a similar level to Martyn.

You can't do that either. Comparing them to all batsmen of the day not just their team mates works, and Martyn compares favourably on that score. He also scored at a greater clip than most of his contemoraries.

You're digging this hole because you started digging it.

 

[Purple Suit]

They might be internally imploding (and rightfully so) but more and more of the players are starting to hitch their wagon to the Stokes "play normal cricket" train, and they're seeing far better outcomes for it.

I can easily see them dominating Melbourne, though I don't see a 3-2 scenario playing out.

Only if we’re missing Smudge plus Cummins / Lyon. Starc would need to be tired too and the selectors get it wrong.

The Poms just can’t string enough sessions together. They can take a day but will continue to leave the door open and do dumb things.

 

[icyflakes]

Only if we’re missing Smudge plus Cummins / Lyon. Starc would need to be tired too and the selectors get it wrong.

The Poms just can’t string enough sessions together. They can take a day but will continue to leave the door open and do dumb things.

I agree - we've basically won this series off of continuing the plan and letting them Bazball their way into a wicket. I do worry that Stokes has now said **** it and taken a few of the players with him back to traditional test cricket (a coward saving his career after screwing over so many people), that they may win off the back of playing standard stuff next test. We are a broken team so unless Starc, Boland, Kez and Head can save the day, we're in big trouble.