| Ashes 2023 16:47 - Jun 8 with 89934 views | Hoopstar |
Ah the home Ashes series is almost upon us, my personal favourite sporting event (not down under, that's just generally depressing.) I need something big sporting wise to focus on and quit my worrying about QPR for a while.
Anyone going?
I was at the first day of the World Test Championship at the Oval yesterday. The Aussies looked in depressingly good nick with the bat and their pace attack appears as terrifying as ever.
I think it's going to be an exciting, tough, tense series that'll go down to the wire. I only managed to get tickets to the very final day of the Ashes on 31st July at the Oval, you never know.
I predict...
Crawley to average less than 20 with Duckett getting closer to mid 30s
Brook to really secure his position as an outstanding talent and mainstay of the team
Pope to struggle again~
Root, in what could be his last home Ashes, proving his worth again
Bairstow - haven't a clue which version turns up post broken foot
Broad - an Ashes too far? You'd be mad to write him or Jimmy off.
Robinson to nab Smith at least four times..
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| Ashes 2023 on 17:53 - Jul 20 with 1968 views | BlackCrowe |
Cummins captaincy erratic, not helped by Piggy Smith still thinking he's in the hot seat. Lovely stuff. |  |
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| Ashes 2023 on 18:02 - Jul 20 with 1934 views | Malintabuk |
| Ashes 2023 on 17:53 - Jul 20 by BlackCrowe |
Cummins captaincy erratic, not helped by Piggy Smith still thinking he's in the hot seat. Lovely stuff. |
If we can manufacture a win here... what an atmosphere there will be at the Oval... absolutely electric |  | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 18:41 - Jul 20 with 1896 views | MrSheen |
| Ashes 2023 on 17:53 - Jul 20 by BlackCrowe |
Cummins captaincy erratic, not helped by Piggy Smith still thinking he's in the hot seat. Lovely stuff. |
The overthrows just before Crawley got out seemed to generate a bit of anger between Cummins and Smith. Shame the wicket happened to stop it boiling over, they were a shambles at that point. |  | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 20:06 - Jul 20 with 1799 views | MedwayR |
Crawley has played well this series without turning a start into something meaningful, today he did that.
I've always been of the opinion that he's a no.3 batting out of position as an opener, I haven't really changed my mind on that but perhaps he's starting to adapt his game to become an opener and could be why the selectors have kept faith in him, that and a lack of options of course. |  |
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| Ashes 2023 on 20:57 - Jul 20 with 1706 views | BlackCrowe |
Watching his interview post stumps today he admits he's a streaky batsmen and that he'll get out cheaply just as he'll make big scores....that's pure McCullum/Stokes attitude. He's likely to flourish in this era. | |
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| Ashes 2023 on 22:07 - Jul 20 with 1624 views | Malintabuk |
Can't help thinking where this new bazzball cricket will take players. Cricket as always been one of the more statistics based sports. A batter is judged on his averages. I wonder at an end of a career some may look back on finishing with an average of 30 and wonder if that was the way to go ?
It is great entertainment though and perhaps they will be content with that, but you have to wonder.
What was also good tonight was young Brook I had my doubts about him and test cricket, but that match winning knock at Headingley and that one tonight with Stokes augers well for him
A great day tomorrow in store | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 22:53 - Jul 20 with 1588 views | Hooparoo |
I know it’s very unpatriotic of me but I almost hope that we do get to have the decider at the Oval with the series locked at 2-2. Media here are talking about Cummins’ “erratic” captaincy and Smith interfering in the background. Sounds like a bit of trouble in the camp.
If it’s all square at the Oval I think the momentum is with England. |  |
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| Ashes 2023 on 23:12 - Jul 20 with 1562 views | SydneyRs |
Weather is the biggest problem now. Need quick runs and then get them in. If only we hadn't thrown away the first test.
No media headlines here about the demise of "bazball" today, funny that. They were desperate to prove it wouldn't work against them. | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:19 - Jul 20 with 1549 views | thame_hoops |
The weather doesn’t look as bad as was previously forecast.
If we don’t win this because of weather, as much as I will be annoyed, we will come out of it with tremendous credit. Onto the Oval to get a 2-2draw like four years ago would be a superb result all things considered.
What a series |  | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:20 - Jul 20 with 1547 views | thame_hoops |
I spent a couple of minutes chatting to Crawley at Lord’s after the Middlesex County champ game this year. I had my photo taken with him, I am 6’4”, but he towered over me. | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:34 - Jul 20 with 1531 views | daveB |
went to the cinema this afternoon to see the new Indiana Jones film, can't believe i missed that batting, sounds incredible. I think England have been a lot more sensible with the batting since the first 2 tests, Crawley got himself in today and then went for it after lunch.
In a great position now if we can get a 150+ lead in the morning and put the pressure on them |  | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:45 - Jul 20 with 1513 views | thame_hoops |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:34 - Jul 20 by daveB |
went to the cinema this afternoon to see the new Indiana Jones film, can't believe i missed that batting, sounds incredible. I think England have been a lot more sensible with the batting since the first 2 tests, Crawley got himself in today and then went for it after lunch.
In a great position now if we can get a 150+ lead in the morning and put the pressure on them |
Was Indiana Jones any good? | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:57 - Jul 20 with 1487 views | daveB |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:45 - Jul 20 by thame_hoops |
Was Indiana Jones any good? |
I quite enjoyed it, a typical action adventure film where you can switch your brain off for a few hours but one of those that might not be as good if I ever watch it again as I did think it was too long and dragged a bit in the middle, his relationship with his goddaughter didn't really work, i found her annoying but was better than I expected certainly better than the last one they did. | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 00:26 - Jul 21 with 1449 views | thame_hoops |
| Ashes 2023 on 23:57 - Jul 20 by daveB |
I quite enjoyed it, a typical action adventure film where you can switch your brain off for a few hours but one of those that might not be as good if I ever watch it again as I did think it was too long and dragged a bit in the middle, his relationship with his goddaughter didn't really work, i found her annoying but was better than I expected certainly better than the last one they did. |
Ok thanks. I rewatched kingdom of the Crystal Skull recently, and it was a lot better than I remembered. | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 07:48 - Jul 21 with 1318 views | Monkey_Roots |
What do we reckon then - go mental with bat this morning and then put them in and try and knock them over, or gamble on the weather and hope for the best? |  | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 08:10 - Jul 21 with 1293 views | thame_hoops |
| Ashes 2023 on 07:48 - Jul 21 by Monkey_Roots |
What do we reckon then - go mental with bat this morning and then put them in and try and knock them over, or gamble on the weather and hope for the best? |
Hopefully play with some sense and not just thrash at every ball, and then all out with a lead of just 100. Bat them out the game | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 08:34 - Jul 21 with 1272 views | GaryBannister86 |
Anyone seen this on Crawley by Jonathan Liew in The Guardian? I normally like his stuff, especially as he winds up Jonathan Agnew, but this is absurd.
He is basically saying that Crawley is only able to play in such a carefree way because his Dad is one of wealthiest people in Britain. So he knows if he fails, life is still good. How can you get away with writing and publishing something so utterly ridiculous? And the comparison with Bopara is just crass. Crawley has more talent in his little finger than Bopara ever had. Why can't England ever just enjoy super-talented, flawed, maverick sportspeople?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/20/zakball-comes-home-as-crawley-rewa | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 08:48 - Jul 21 with 1249 views | Hoopstar |
Weather forecast looking worse than it was last night - looked like we're losing some of this morning at least to rain going by the BBC forecast anyway?
I don't think there's much doubt Eng will go hard this morning. I reckon they'll declare at 150 ahead unless someone is absolutely smashing the ball around for fun again.
Aussies looked utterly spent yesterday but overnight is always a long time in test cricket. | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 09:44 - Jul 21 with 1165 views | robith |
| Ashes 2023 on 22:07 - Jul 20 by Malintabuk |
Can't help thinking where this new bazzball cricket will take players. Cricket as always been one of the more statistics based sports. A batter is judged on his averages. I wonder at an end of a career some may look back on finishing with an average of 30 and wonder if that was the way to go ?
It is great entertainment though and perhaps they will be content with that, but you have to wonder.
What was also good tonight was young Brook I had my doubts about him and test cricket, but that match winning knock at Headingley and that one tonight with Stokes augers well for him
A great day tomorrow in store |
Brook's batting is much better suited to 5 imo |  | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 09:55 - Jul 21 with 1138 views | daveB |
| Ashes 2023 on 22:07 - Jul 20 by Malintabuk |
Can't help thinking where this new bazzball cricket will take players. Cricket as always been one of the more statistics based sports. A batter is judged on his averages. I wonder at an end of a career some may look back on finishing with an average of 30 and wonder if that was the way to go ?
It is great entertainment though and perhaps they will be content with that, but you have to wonder.
What was also good tonight was young Brook I had my doubts about him and test cricket, but that match winning knock at Headingley and that one tonight with Stokes augers well for him
A great day tomorrow in store |
It is stat based but you look at someone like Flintoff who didn't have amazing stats but had some incredible unforgettable moments that will live forever. Stokes as well will he look back at his batting average or winning us 2 world cups with amazing innings and that headingly test
Stats, numbers are important but creating great moments is what this team want to do and they are achieving that at the moment | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 10:05 - Jul 21 with 1113 views | toboboly |
| Ashes 2023 on 00:26 - Jul 21 by thame_hoops |
Ok thanks. I rewatched kingdom of the Crystal Skull recently, and it was a lot better than I remembered. |
I might have to block you with that comment  |  |
| Sexy Asian dwarves wanted. |
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| Ashes 2023 on 10:15 - Jul 21 with 1085 views | Antti_Heinola |
| Ashes 2023 on 08:34 - Jul 21 by GaryBannister86 |
Anyone seen this on Crawley by Jonathan Liew in The Guardian? I normally like his stuff, especially as he winds up Jonathan Agnew, but this is absurd.
He is basically saying that Crawley is only able to play in such a carefree way because his Dad is one of wealthiest people in Britain. So he knows if he fails, life is still good. How can you get away with writing and publishing something so utterly ridiculous? And the comparison with Bopara is just crass. Crawley has more talent in his little finger than Bopara ever had. Why can't England ever just enjoy super-talented, flawed, maverick sportspeople?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/20/zakball-comes-home-as-crawley-rewa |
Liew has written some really odd, sarcy, snarky stuff this summer. I read that this morning too and thought it was abominable stuff. Idiotic at times. He's better than this. |  |
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| Ashes 2023 on 10:20 - Jul 21 with 1067 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Ashes 2023 on 10:15 - Jul 21 by Antti_Heinola |
Liew has written some really odd, sarcy, snarky stuff this summer. I read that this morning too and thought it was abominable stuff. Idiotic at times. He's better than this. |
I know, such a strange time to take a pop at someone. Sam Billings has reacted to him on Twitter and he has responded saying privilege means they can take failure more or something. What a load of abject nonsense.
About 90% of English test cricketers come from backgrounds where they aren't going to worry too much about financial aspects, so it is really odd. Also, any cricketer that gets to Test cricket, will always have the fall back of country / franchise contracts anyway so I think it is a joke point.
And as I said comparing Zak to Ravi - he had to dig deep for that one.
Snarky, yes, Good word for it. Why can't we just celebrate the achievement? | | | |
| Ashes 2023 on 10:22 - Jul 21 with 1056 views | GaryBannister86 |
...and of course, to think they have stuck with Crawley because he is rich / white / his Dad's best mates with Rob Key....when the reason, surely, is Bazball. End of. | | | |
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