OT - The Ashes

[Herman 9,770]

A good day of cricket. Well done lads.👏

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,821]

I understand the decision, but Root was flying and Robinson looked comfortable as the support act. There could easily have been plenty more runs there, and England needed a wicket to justify the declaration, and they didn't get it.

[Yellowfuture 71]

23 minutes ago, ricardo said:

If it works then Stokes is a genius. If it doesn't he is just a brave fool.

Wrong decision as it turned out, but on another occasion it will come off. With Root playing as he was there was possibly a 50 run swing there. 

[ricardo 7,395]

3 minutes ago, Yellowfuture said:

Wrong decision as it turned out, but on another occasion it will come off. With Root playing as he was there was possibly a 50 run swing there. 

My feeling has always been that with first use of the pitch you bat it right out to the death on day one in a five day test.

A brave decision but an unnecessary one imo.

[BroadstairsR 2,173]

4 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

I was hoping for a spot of consolidation but still scoring positively - can look to make hay against the tiring attack later…Brook does seem intent on having a right old go, though. 

I'd actually heard more than I've seen of Brook, and the latter not much at all. He impressed as a natural who was busy, in control and seemed quite keen to keep the runs ticking over. He was very unlucky with that dismissal.

He might well be the top scoring England batter this series, although Root is sure setting the pace as usual. 

Bairstow settled in as if he hadn't been away. I had wondered if he could keep his form up, but he hit  his usual cultured/classy/slogger style from the word go.

I understood why Stokes declared, especially with the Warner/Broad battle to excite the paying spectators, but I thought that the very highest score possible and well into the 400s on the very first day of the Ashes would have been a real psychological set-back for the feared Aussie attack. Doubts might have set in from the word go.Robinson looked very comfortable and Root was on fire.    

Edited June 16, 2023 by BroadstairsR

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

20 minutes ago, ricardo said:

My feeling has always been that with first use of the pitch you bat it right out to the death on day one in a five day test.

A brave decision but an unnecessary one imo.

I understand wanting to put the Aussies in. And they have to start twice. And its helped Joe's average of course.

And it says to them, we are in control, we think we hsve enough.

Edited June 16, 2023 by keelansgrandad

[Ken Hairy 3,773]

52 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

I understand the decision, but Root was flying and Robinson looked comfortable as the support act. There could easily have been plenty more runs there, and England needed a wicket to justify the declaration, and they didn't get it.

Root was only smashing boundaries in the last couple of overs though because he'd got the nod of a declaration. I personally wouldn't have made that decision,  but it's calls like that why we love Stokes.

Edited June 16, 2023 by Ken Hairy

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

30 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

I understand wanting to put the Aussies in. And they have to start twice. And its helped Joe's average of course.

And it says to them, we are in control, we think we hsve enough.

If we make inroads in the morning then it's an inspired decision. However, if Labuschagne/Smith/Head put us to the sword and we end up with a significant first-innings deficit, it will look pretty daft on a track like this.

[Canary73 160]

This is England's blueprint though and unless they are soundly beaten across the series then they wont change their approach. I doubt Australia will be as caviler with the bat but 340/4 at stumps tomorrow would represent a good day for them and if they get a lead of 75+ then they have some control. However, if they are bowled out for fewer then 300 then England will look for quick runs in the 2nd innings. I don't see Stokes looking to bat them out of it - He's sure to dangle the carrot to try and force a win.   

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,821]

31 minutes ago, Ken Hairy said:

Root was only smashing boundaries in the last couple of overs though because he'd got the nod of a declaration. I personally wouldn't have made that decision,  but it's calls like that why we love Stokes.

Oh, of course, but he was still in complete control and scoring at a decent rate anyway, so I just feel it was a bit premature. After all, it's the first day.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

My feeling has always been that with first use of the pitch you bat it right out to the death on day one in a five day test.

A brave decision but an unnecessary one imo.

The track looks flat . Another 25 -50 runs could prove useful . I thought it was a bonkers decision , not brave.  .  
 

We should have settled for 425-50 in day one. That’s a strong start in any form of cricket . 
 

Would have loved to be there though. 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,821]

6 minutes ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

We should have settled for 425-50 in day one.

That's a lot of wickets to lose.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

1 hour ago, Feedthewolf said:

If we make inroads in the morning then it's an inspired decision. However, if Labuschagne/Smith/Head put us to the sword and we end up with a significant first-innings deficit, it will look pretty daft on a track like this.

But Stokes and McCallum don't think what if. They do what they think will win us the game at the time. They chanced that we would take a wicket tonight against more runs.

We will die by the sword every now and then but considering there were only 84 overs bowled, it was a bleddy good days cricket.

[Barham Blitz 653]

8 hours ago, Feedthewolf said:

Yes, I see your logic there. The risk versus reward is already extremely expansive – you just want that middle order coming in against tired bowlers after 40 overs or so, ideally. Where Bazball can fail is where the openers get out early doing silly stuff, then the middle order are more vulnerable to fresher bowlers with their tails up. I just think the first session of a Test match is all about tiring out the frontline quicks rather than accelerating the scoreboard.

As a remarkably old school opening bat whose job on a Saturday is solely to see off the opening bowlers so that the youngsters in our middle order can come in and tonk the first and second change around the park I also see your logic.  I guess we'll see over the series - if it works against the Aussie attack it'll work anywhere.  Certainly won't be dull.

[Barham Blitz 653]

1 hour ago, Feedthewolf said:

If we make inroads in the morning then it's an inspired decision. However, if Labuschagne/Smith/Head put us to the sword and we end up with a significant first-innings deficit, it will look pretty daft on a track like this.

Personally I'd have kept going a bit longer given the wicket and the fact that Root and Robinson were looking decent but I see the benefit of two opening goes against them.  Plus there is also the threat of losing a bowler to a broken finger in a team already looking a little light given the state of Stoke's knee.

Judging by Lyon's spell over the quicks we are going to be putting a lot of faith in Moeen.  I think our lack of a proper frontline spinner is the most worrying element of today.

[Pockthorpe 531]

Brilliant first day of Ashes . Thought we were a bit unlucky really when some our batsmen looked set . Brave declaration - I’m all for that . I did expect Anderson to bowl I must admit . 
Could be a great series - got tickets for Headingley, can’t wait !! 

[Jim Smith 2,319]

20 minutes ago, Barham Blitz said:

Personally I'd have kept going a bit longer given the wicket and the fact that Root and Robinson were looking decent but I see the benefit of two opening goes against them.  Plus there is also the threat of losing a bowler to a broken finger in a team already looking a little light given the state of Stoke's knee.

Judging by Lyon's spell over the quicks we are going to be putting a lot of faith in Moeen.  I think our lack of a proper frontline spinner is the most worrying element of today.

Maybe although Lyon was handed his wickets really. He didn’t bowl many great balls in my view. I get Bazball but I still don’t see why it can’t be modified to avoid throwing away quite so many wickets. The two stumpings today were stupid and both batsmen who were in and looking good. 

[Indy 3,300]

2 hours ago, Feedthewolf said:

If we make inroads in the morning then it's an inspired decision. However, if Labuschagne/Smith/Head put us to the sword and we end up with a significant first-innings deficit, it will look pretty daft on a track like this.

Indeed I think we will rue that choice, should have carried on and tried to get the 450 runs, had forty minutes at them before lunch tomorrow. This track is an easy bat and we have handed the initiative back to them and made it look like we're so confident we don't need to bat a full first innings! Time will tell but a poor choice first day of the first test in a ashes.

[Pockthorpe 531]

I think you go 100 % Bazball or not at all . Surely that’s the point . Aggressive and risk taking all the way . 

[Midlands Yellow 3,988]

2 hours ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

The track looks flat . Another 25 -50 runs could prove useful . I thought it was a bonkers decision , not brave.  .  
 

We should have settled for 425-50 in day one. That’s a strong start in any form of cricket . 
 

Would have loved to be there though. 

What a change though from knowing everyone would be bored to death in a mind numbing 5 day yawn draw. Cricket is evolving and getting bums on seats for the modern fan. 

[Branston Pickle 3,660]

2 hours ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

Oh, of course, but he was still in complete control and scoring at a decent rate anyway, so I just feel it was a bit premature. After all, it's the first day.

Yup - I was at Lord’s for what ended up a rather good t20 game (228 v 215, Kent winning thankfully). At 6, when  I said we were between innings in the test, everyone assumed we’d been bowled out…there was astonishment from all around when I said we’d declared (and for under 400).  The thought was ‘Bold but surely unnecessary’: we’re only 1/5th the way through the game time-wise, and may regret it; the potential gain seemed limited (and didn’t happen).

But it is the way we play these days so it is what it is!

Edited June 16, 2023 by Branston Pickle

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

7 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

What a change though from knowing everyone would be bored to death in a mind numbing 5 day yawn draw. Cricket is evolving and getting bums on seats for the modern fan. 

400 in a days test cricket is hardly a yawn fest. Particularly with only 82 overs bowled.  
 

I watched Gavaskar bat all day at Lords once and India closed on 200 odd. 
 

Now that was boring . 

[Nora's Ghost 157]

7 hours ago, ......and Smith must score. said:

The sledging gets a bit OTT sometimes but there’s more sportsmanship than ever will be in football

Yep. Cricket at all levels is still mostly about 'playing the game' and treasuring it's history. I'm just enjoying it while I still can.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,024]

I wonder if Stokes had one eye on the weather forecast when making the decision to declare, forecast to get more humid and with more cloud cover (plus potentially a fair bit of rain Sunday onwards), the conditions might change to help the England bowlers get the ball swinging............

[Branston Pickle 3,660]

43 minutes ago, Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB said:

I wonder if Stokes had one eye on the weather forecast when making the decision to declare, forecast to get more humid and with more cloud cover (plus potentially a fair bit of rain Sunday onwards), the conditions might change to help the England bowlers get the ball swinging............

Possibly- there used to be an adage about not playing to the weather forecast (as it often doesn’t happen), but bazball has thrown a lot of things up in the air!

[Fen Canary 828]

10 hours ago, Feedthewolf said:

Best Ashes sledge:

Rod Marsh to Ian Botham: "Hi Beefy. How's your wife and my kids?"

Ian Botham to Rod Marsh, quick as a flash: "The wife's fine, but the kids are retarded."

Not Ashes this but a fine one nonetheless 

Glenn McGrath to Eddo Brandes

”Oi Brandes, why are you so fat”

Brandes reply

”Coz every time I sh@g your missus she gives me a biscuit!”

[dylanisabaddog 4,930]

Phil Tufnell getting a bit confused

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/65935443

[Ken Hairy 3,773]

7 hours ago, Pockthorpe said:

I think you go 100 % Bazball or not at all . Surely that’s the point . Aggressive and risk taking all the way . 

Agree with this, like I said it wouldn't have been my decision,  but I absolutely love he had the balls on the first day of an Ashes summer to do that. 

[Midlands Yellow 3,988]

8 hours ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

400 in a days test cricket is hardly a yawn fest. Particularly with only 82 overs bowled.  
 

I watched Gavaskar bat all day at Lords once and India closed on 200 odd. 
 

Now that was boring . 

Fully agree, I meant from the era you mention. 

[BroadstairsR 2,173]

42 minutes ago, Ken Hairy said:

Agree with this, like I said it wouldn't have been my decision,  but I absolutely love he had the balls on the first day of an Ashes summer to do that. 

The wicket is a good one and will suit the Aussie batsmen to a tee. The weather should be on their side too and if they have the same conditions our batsmen enjoyed, with little movement then, unless our bowlers perform out of their skins (possible) then they will have a field day. If it clouds over Anderson could.

Another factor not mentioned is the benefit that would have accrued for keeping the Aussies in the field for as long as possible with the bowlers being worked to the fullest available time. We could conceivably have held out for yesterday's (hot) session and even into the first session today irrespective of any lead we may have built up. This may have paid dividends in our second innings and even theirs. It could be a  long demanding test match, and it's a long series in any case.

We all like Bazball and Cummins's tactics yesterday clearly showed respect for it but some of the tried and tested tactics should not be totally abandoned.