Ashes - the most overrated sporting contest?

[Howard Littlejohn]

usually whenever this comes up, someone posts that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy > The Ashes...

Which depends on how you view it.

The BGT is probably more competitive more often. Over a long time the Ashes are often competitive in England, rarely in Australia. And BGT is often the best two teams in the world or close to it.
In terms of Australian public interest, history of the rivalry, cultural significance and recognition beyond the sport, etc, Ashes is still clearly on top.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Ashes in England is riveting, Ashes in Australia is generally a one sided affair.

Last 4 Ashes in Australia

13/14 - Australia 5-0

17/18 - Australia 4-0

21/22 - Australia 4-0

25/26 - Australia 3-1*

Australia 16-1

Last 4 Ashes in England

2013 - England 3-0

2015 - England 3-2

2019 - Drawn 2-2

2023 - Drawn 2-2

England 10-6

 

[Hamingja]

Anzac Day

 

[Bedi]

Shocking series from both teams really. Atmosphere is always good when we play each other though and the tourism boost massive.

Adelaide test was pretty good wasn't it? Hard to impress otherwise.

 

[Bedi]

2 Days of an Ashes test is far better than a season of Womens Big Bash.

EFA

 

[PhatBoy]

There’s two sides to it.

Even I as someone who has no leaning to either team ‘look forward to it’ as a cricket fan because of the history and rivalry.

But the volume of series I’ve watched where both teams actually play at a high level has been so minimal in my three and a half decades that it’s almost become like a less one-sided version of State of Origin.

Origin in the last 20 years gets hyped the way it always has been, like the Ashes, and during that time it’s been Qld 15-5 overall. But it’s (almost) always been competitive and great to watch and the quality is invariably high.

The Ashes gets hyped to the shithouse and I guess at least since 2005 England have won a number of series, drawn a couple, and in 1997 they won a live test and made the series 3-2 so there’s been some theoretical competitiveness there. But man the quality stinks at times and it really does now. Take Starc and Head and to a lesser extent Carey out of the Australian team and their quality goes back to depending on the reliability of Boland, Neser and little more, while England have spent the series giving express lessons on how to almost claw your way to parity and then jump back off the ledge again in free-fall, reliant on a sequence of cameos from Brook that would look good if they were offset by a standout hundred, two dogged half centuries from Stokes, one classy Root innings and little else, and Zak Crawley of all people, and a bowling attack who seem hell bent on following up every good spell with 2-3 bad ones.

 

[Cold Sober]

EFA

FU

 

[Cold Sober]

There’s two sides to it.

Even I as someone who has no leaning to either team ‘look forward to it’ as a cricket fan because of the history and rivalry.

But the volume of series I’ve watched where both teams actually play at a high level has been so minimal in my three and a half decades that it’s almost become like a less one-sided version of State of Origin.

Origin in the last 20 years gets hyped the way it always has been, like the Ashes, and during that time it’s been Qld 15-5 overall. But it’s (almost) always been competitive and great to watch and the quality is invariably high.

The Ashes gets hyped to the shithouse and I guess at least since 2005 England have won a number of series, drawn a couple, and in 1997 they won a live test and made the series 3-2 so there’s been some theoretical competitiveness there. But man the quality stinks at times and it really does now. Take Starc and Head and to a lesser extent Carey out of the Australian team and their quality goes back to depending on the reliability of Boland, Neser and little more, while England have spent the series giving express lessons on how to almost claw your way to parity and then jump back off the ledge again in free-fall, reliant on a sequence of cameos from Brook that would look good if they were offset by a standout hundred, two dogged half centuries from Stokes, one classy Root innings and little else, and Zak Crawley of all people, and a bowling attack who seem hell bent on following up every good spell with 2-3 bad ones.

Sums this series up perfectly.
Must add, Root only got his ton because Australia were scared to bat for 20 minutes.

 

[Bedi]

FU

sorry buckethead, didn't realise how much you loved the Big Bash.

 

[Daka]

The Ashes is still historically the greatest sporting rivalry in sporting history.

Aus 35 wins - England 32. even if we smash them more when they come here.

The BGT is probably closing fast, the last few have been a lot more competitive than the Ashes.

 

[Greenstar5]

There was a huge build up for this series. I think it made everyone believe it was going to be the greatest before a ball had been bowled and it hasn't turned out that way. People feel disappointed.

But I have still enjoyed watching it. Games have moved along and so far.... no lost play to rain.

 

[010203]

There was a huge build up for this series. I think it made everyone believe it was going to be the greatest before a ball had been bowled and it hasn't turned out that way. People feel disappointed.

But I have still enjoyed watching it. Games have moved along and so far.... no lost play to rain.

Yet.... the Sydney Test starts Sunday.

 

[PhatBoy]

The Ashes is still historically the greatest sporting rivalry in sporting history.

Aus 35 wins - England 32. even if we smash them more when they come here.

The BGT is probably closing fast, the last few have been a lot more competitive than the Ashes.

You know there’s other countries and other sports and also teams within countries that play sport, right?

Hell, 137 years after the first ‘Old Firm’ match in Scottish football, the ledger is literally tied at 171 wins apiece in major competitions, and 55 top tier league championships each. Even in Cup titles there are only 2 between them. That’s one right there just immediately off the top of my head that jumps off the page.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Been watching Ashes cricket since the mid-60s. It aways had some magic about it. However, I must admit, over the past few years I look forward to Australia v India more than the Ashes. I hoped this series would rekindle my interest but sadly it has been a disappointment. When I see players standing out of Tests to be fit for the upcoming T20 World Cup, that's pretty much the nail in the coffin.

 

[katana]

Sums this series up perfectly.
Must add, Root only got his ton because Australia were scared to bat for 20 minutes.

i thought it was because he made 138 not out?

 

[Hamingja]

You know there’s other countries and other sports and also teams within countries that play sport, right?

Hell, 137 years after the first ‘Old Firm’ match in Scottish football, the ledger is literally tied at 171 wins apiece in major competitions, and 55 top tier league championships each. Even in Cup titles there are only 2 between them. That’s one right there just immediately off the top of my head that jumps off the page.

Rangers died my friend. Cheated financially and got caught. They went into administration and were liquidated due to the money owing to HRMC.

The phoenix club has 1 league title.

 

[Cold Sober]

i thought it was because he made 138 not out?

I was talking about the night before, it wasn't rocket science.

 

[Gough]

The weight of history tends to mean that in cricket England are the arch nemesis for most teams.

 

[010203]

Dan Brettig taking on role of Sandra Sully with the late news: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cri...and-s-chances-down-under-20260103-p5nrcv.html

 

[katana]

I was talking about the night before, it wasn't rocket science.

night before what?

 

[katana]

night before what?

I was talking about the night before, it wasn't rocket science.

you gonna answer this or...?

 

[Cold Sober]

you gonna answer this or...?

Go back and watch a replay, I've moved on.

 

[SparklingAle69]

you gonna answer this or...?

Tis was the night before Christmas

 

[PhatBoy]

Go back and watch a replay, I've moved on.

Why would anyone need to watch a replay? Most of us just watched him play a fairly classy innings where he hit 138 runs, in real time. Not sure why it needs to be insecurely explained out of existence

 

[katana]

Go back and watch a replay, I've moved on.

i was at the game actually.