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Cricket Thread: Ashes 2025-26 Pink Test

Series result?

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    2
  • Poll closed .

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Mostyn said:
Wow - going into a test with only three frontline bowlers seems really reckless.

This attack seems pretty lackluster.
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Uninspiring.

Given how Marnus is batting, would not have lost much batting strength swapping him for Murphy.

Selectors have missed an opportunity to give Murphy a go whilst Lyon is injured. It's almost like they are trying to protect Lyon's position.
 
Kane McGoodwin said:
Uninspiring.

Given how Marnus is batting, would not have lost much batting strength swapping him for Murphy.

Selectors have missed an opportunity to give Murphy a go whilst Lyon is injured. It's almost like they are trying to protect Lyon's position.
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... or they REALLY don't think much about the next generation of spinners.

Or both.
 

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Vader said:
... or they REALLY don't think much about the next generation of spinners.

Or both.
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Yet Murphy has a better average than Lyon & far better at the same number of games.

It's a poor selection!

We need to be making plans for time after Lyon.
 
Vader said:
... or they REALLY don't think much about the next generation of spinners.

Or both.
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I got the feeling that Smith was less than impressed with him on the last Ashes tour. There were just a couple of things when Murph was bowling, he missed a straight forward caught and bowled off Stokes and England went from potentially being 100 behind on the first innings to 20 odd
 
Kane McGoodwin said:
Yet Murphy has a better average than Lyon & far better at the same number of games.

It's a poor selection!

We need to be making plans for time after Lyon.
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We need our curators to start preparing pitches which deteriorate, allowing spinners to have an influence on games. These days the drop-in pitches are just too good - they don't degrade at all, so it's advantage quicks from start to finish.

I agree that they selectors really need to start succession planning. This season Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon, Smith and Khawaja have all missed at least 1 game due to injury. Professsionalism has seen players' best performances pushed out well into the 30s, where previously they were retired by this stage, but Time still reigns as the undefeated champion. This current batch of players are mostly in their late 30s, and even with the age-shift in peak performances they are still getting perilously close to the end.

Worryingly, the only player we have in the team who is of the younger generation is Australia's single worst performer of the entire Ashes series (Green).
 
spenze said:
I got the feeling that Smith was less than impressed with him on the last Ashes tour. There were just a couple of things when Murph was bowling, he missed a straight forward caught and bowled off Stokes and England went from potentially being 100 behind on the first innings to 20 odd
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... and then Kuhnemann pantsed him on the recent Sri Lanka tour. I get the feeling Murphy was added to the squad by the selectors, and the Captain has said "he'll be picked in the team over my dead body".
 
Kane McGoodwin said:
Yet Murphy has a better average than Lyon & far better at the same number of games.

It's a poor selection!

We need to be making plans for time after Lyon.
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The issue I have is one you are right - ( not an issue ) but if Lyon was fit I think he plays

If thats the position taken ie Lyon plays in Sydney - then it must be true that you bring in a spinner to cover the person you would play

Its also about over rates
 

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What is going on out there?

First Green gets a wicket off a no-ball. OK, that's not surprising, given that 2/3 of his deliveries appeared to be no-balls (and that is NOT an exaggeration) in the Boxing Day Test. He clearly gets too close to the line, too often, and Australia paid the price on this occasion.

The next delivery Smith nicks it and the ball flies high between Carey & Webster - with neither of them going for it. Webster needs to get his eyes checked, given the number of blunders he's made in the slips this morning (moving right to a catchable ball which flew to his left earlier). Not sure why Carey didn't go for it either.
 
Having said that, Green has bowled much better in this spell - easily the best he's bowled all Ashes. Prior to this spell he was looking like a Temu version of Mitch Marsh, with both bat & ball - and Marsh was horrible with both. Yesterday his half-trackers were the catalyst for the Brook/Root partnership really getting going.

Today, he's been bang on the spot, threatening both Smith & Root. It's the first time he's looked like a proper bowler in a VERY long time.

He does have one 5-for, against the Saffies in the 2022 Boxing Day Test, and a 3/21 against the Poms in Hobart in the same series - but those are the only times he's taken more than 2 wickets in an innings. I wish we would see more of the 2022 Cam Green, and less of the Temu WoaT, bowling right arm rubbish half-trackers which are usually his stock in trade.
 
Vader said:
What is going on out there?

First Green gets a wicket off a no-ball. OK, that's not surprising, given that 2/3 of his deliveries appeared to be no-balls (and that is NOT an exaggeration) in the Boxing Day Test. He clearly gets too close to the line, too often, and Australia paid the price on this occasion.

The next delivery Smith nicks it and the ball flies high between Carey & Webster - with neither of them going for it. Webster needs to get his eyes checked, given the number of blunders he's made in the slips this morning (moving right to a catchable ball which flew to his left earlier). Not sure why Carey didn't go for it either.
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The biggest question is why was Webster at first slip?? Why not have Smith and Labs 1/2?
 

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BRL121 said:
The biggest question is why was Webster at first slip?? Why not have Smith and Labs 1/2?
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Height?

Though with Green bowling he would be better used at Gully
 
Hate to say it, but Joe Root has been outstanding.

Standing Ovation Clap GIF
 

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Cricket Thread: Ashes 2025-26 Pink Test

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