Ashes 2025/6

[bwildered]

 All but three sessions to go ( probably less if the wonder kid gets a first baller ).
Well I?ve had two visits to the dentist since the start of the series , much more pleasant . Who would have thought it could be has worse has the women?s tour last winter, but it has.
Thompson,  Gould, Key and McCullum take a bow, all got the credentials to run a water company or Man Utd, all raise a glass to their incompetence .

[dazedpenguin]

A terrific first test (and First Class) hundred from Jacob Bethell today. Great technique, playing sensibly, ducking rather than hooking or charging down the pitch when he got a bit bored. It'll never catch on. He will be some player across all formats.

A rare bright spot on what has been a horrible tour. Although no worse than the last few.

[Andy]

Let us hope that Jacob Bethell retains a grounded approach in both his batting and his approach to fame as a whole.  Remember that similarly gushing things were said about Harry Brook up until a few months ago.

[JasonP]

A terrific first test (and First Class) hundred from Jacob Bethell today. Great technique, playing sensibly, ducking rather than hooking or charging down the pitch when he got a bit bored. It'll never catch on. He will be some player across all formats.

A rare bright spot on what has been a horrible tour. Although no worse than the last few.

I think this has been the worst.  In the last three Ashes, they were too good for us really.  A strong, settled batting line up and a world class bowling team.  In their own conditions an incredibly tough task. 
This series they've had no Hazelwood, pretty much no Cummins and also Lyon has played a pretty limited role.  Without these, their bowling, Starc apart, is really nothing special and the batting pretty average as well.  England have generally bowled terribly but Australia have still given up plenty of chances that England have missed.  As bad as they've been with bat and ball dropped catches have cost them over 550 runs this series which would have made the series a lot more competitive, which shows how pretty average the Aussies are in general really.

[Oldhasbeen]

Jacks' dismissal was almost as bad as Smith's in the first innings. Neither should be let anywhere near the Test team until they've learned to use their brains day in, day out.
Yet again, if we'd cut out a few brainless shots and held our catches, we could have won this Test.

[Andy]

Jacks' dismissal was almost as bad as Smith's in the first innings. Neither should be let anywhere near the Test team until they've learned to use their brains day in, day out.
Yet again, if we'd cut out a few brainless shots and held our catches, we could have won this Test.

Jacks started out OK but I fear that either Stokes or Mccullum has messed with their minds.

The question is whether it is better to have Stokes in the side at all or whether a more sensible coaching staff would enable him to think more clearly so he would perform better. His performance with the bat suggests his brain has gone and his hobbling off mid over certainly Indicates his abductor has gone.

[nat]

Jacks' dismissal was almost as bad as Smith's in the first innings. Neither should be let anywhere near the Test team until they've learned to use their brains day in, day out.
Yet again, if we'd cut out a few brainless shots and held our catches, we could have won this Test.

Jacks started out OK but I fear that either Stokes or Mccullum has messed with their minds.

The question is whether it is better to have Stokes in the side at all or whether a more sensible coaching staff would enable him to think more clearly so he would perform better. His performance with the bat suggests his brain has gone and his hobbling off mid over certainly Indicates his abductor has gone.

Everyone is scared of Stokes. He won't/can't go back to the 'other ranks'. Needs a complete clear out.

[NotAMember]

The question is whether it is better to have Stokes in the side at all or whether a more sensible coaching staff would enable him to think more clearly so he would perform better. His performance with the bat suggests his brain has gone and his hobbling off mid over certainly indicates his abductor has gone.

I see a lot of calls for Stokes to stay but as I have mentioned before his injury problems haven't gone away and he is 35 at the start of next summer's Tests.

I am amazed he lasted to the fifth Test but it must have taken a huge toll and predictably he eventually broke.

How much has he left in the can - months, weeks or nothing?

[Andy]

Strange the way the incident with Brooks was kept quiet until now. I guess it was to avoid it overshadowing the start of The Ashes but whether it was better to draw a line under it ASAP I am not sure.

 Now it just places greater importance upon a change of leadership because it now links with the Duckett incident and suggests that discipline as well as accountability have fallen away under this regime.

[vim]

I wonder if as was the case years ago. When David Acfield, the club chairman, was observed before play speaking to an Essex player about behaviour that was not acceptable. Whilst he was speaking, the player was observed having the attitude of not caring less about what was being said.

[Oldhasbeen]

The question is whether it is better to have Stokes in the side at all or whether a more sensible coaching staff would enable him to think more clearly so he would perform better. His performance with the bat suggests his brain has gone and his hobbling off mid over certainly indicates his abductor has gone.

I see a lot of calls for Stokes to stay but as I have mentioned before his injury problems haven't gone away and he is 35 at the start of next summer's Tests.

I am amazed he lasted to the fifth Test but it must have taken a huge toll and predictably he eventually broke.

How much has he left in the can - months, weeks or nothing?

NAM, I agree - but who are the alternatives to Stokes, both as a captain and as an all-rounder? The cupboard looks petty damn bare to me

[nat]

McCullum and Stokes are joined at the hip. If McCullum goes (as he should) then Stokes has to go too. If he wants to play on as an allrounder then fine but I suspect he wouldn't.

What exactly does McCullum do apart from trousering ?2m/year and losing cricket matches?

I'd make the 'coach' position redundant. Employ some 'assistants' (to watch county cricket for instance) to the captain and make it clear that the captain is responsible for selection etc. If they want some skills coaches (e.g. fielding but they shouldn't need to) then they can get some L2 coaches on a temporary basis.

Get the best captain amongst the counties. Someone like Tom Abell or the Sussex fella. They don't need to average 40+ to justify their place in the team.

[NotAMember]

NAM, I agree - but who are the alternatives to Stokes, both as a captain and as an all-rounder? The cupboard looks petty damn bare to me

I think the cupboard will always be bare in that regard.

As captain it is now more so as we don't choose captains from county cricket any more. Personally I would be picking Haseeb Hameed - a Championship-winning captain - for this summer's Tests with a view to the captaincy. Incidentally, I think the way he has been treated, compared with Crawley, who has been given chance upon chance, is a disgrace.

However, just as suggested above with Tom Abell, I just can't see it happening.

On the all-rounder front I just don't know. But Stokes' time is very limited at best. I can't see him lasting beyond this summer, if he even makes that. His match-winning performances are also becoming less and less, like Botham and Flintoff before, he is raging against the dying of the light.

[Slogger]

My lad was pointing out it will cost a fortune to sack McCullam as he tecently signed a new contract when he took over the white ball team.

I made a rather snide aside to him the other morning that Upminster's finest, Big Beau, and the Aussies generally had found out the three Surrey public schoolboys. Maybe the mouthier Lawrence might have done better?

[Andy]

I wonder if as was the case years ago. When David Acfield, the club chairman, was observed before play speaking to an Essex player about behaviour that was not acceptable. Whilst he was speaking, the player was observed having the attitude of not caring less about what was being said.

DA taught my brother in law at secondary school. Apparently the kids there had the same reaction.

Seemingly the current generation even more are either too arrogant to listen or having anxiety issues.