The Ashes 2017-18

[PaoloSanchez]

^

You want to listen to Michael Vaughan on that. On Australia's chances of winning in England (vs England's chances of winning in Australia), on the Test grounds for the next Ashes, on the hopeless preparation we give our spinners, and on Malan vs Stoneham when it comes to practicing to make up for mistakes.

Makes a lot of sense.

Indeed Vaughny made some good points, as did Boycs. As with all these things it's easier to tell other people what to do and where they're going wrong than to actually do it yourself. Vaughn didn't win an Ashes in Australia himself. Lots of armchair generals who apparently know what to do. Well if they're so clever give them the job and get them to do it.

Sometimes you just have to accept that the other team is better, and in this case the Aussies were. They managed to engineer it so that all of their bowlers were fit for the whole series, and if it wasn't for Starc's absence might well have got the whitewash. England didn't have the bowling firepower to put their batsmen under as much pressure. Accept it, move on, and try to improve for the next Ashes.

 

[PaoloSanchez]

Boycott with da mic drop!!

It was more of a slam dunk than a drop, lol.
Geoffrey is always good value, grumpy Man United supporting Yorshireman.

 

[Casual Observer]

The best commentator/analyst by a distance is Ricky Ponting. Michael Vaughan is good too but I can't see his 'play a couple of county games' overseas idea going anywhere. The Malan/Stoneman comparison was interesting - I wonder how many others that could be applied to and what Mark Ramprakash has to say about it.

 

[PaoloSanchez]

The best commentator/analyst by a distance is Ricky Ponting. Michael Vaughan is good too but I can't see his 'play a couple of county games' overseas idea going anywhere. The Malan/Stoneman comparison was interesting - I wonder how many others that could be applied to and what Mark Ramprakash has to say about it.

I'm not sure I've heard much of Ricky Ponting's analysis, I didn't really listen to too much of the "chat" on BT Sport and mostly listened to TMS. Boycott, Vaughn, Swann, Ebony RB, Marks and McGrath. All pretty good in their own way, a good balance of opinions and insights.

 

[Reiabuzz]

Swann? Seriously?

He’s the single worst commentator I’ve ever heard, and I’m including Danny Morrison in that.

 

[Idaho]

I don't mind swann. Anyone is better than Norcross.

 

[PaoloSanchez]

I've not heard Swann as a commentator (I presume he does that on BT Sport) but I think he's alright on TMS as the commentators sidekick/summariser.

I don't get all the Norcross hate, he's fine.

 

[BlueSquareThing]

Swann? Seriously?

He’s the single worst commentator I’ve ever heard, and I’m including Danny Morrison in that.

^ this - although I extend it to his work as a summariser as well.

His accents are particularly horrid.

 

[PaoloSanchez]

He was a good sport on innuendo bingo...


Although I thought Aggers one was better...

 

[littlebabyjesus]

^ this - although I extend it to his work as a summariser as well.

His accents are particularly horrid.

I don't mind his accents. He's quite good at them at least. I do mind his 'banter' with Simon Mann, which is excruciating to listen to.

Tuffers is both much wittier and has a much keener cricket brain.

But my strong dislike is reserved for Norcross, tbh.

 

[Ted Striker]

I have a bit of an irrational hatred of Tuffers...Supposedly edgy establishment light sports entertainer. Tbh I'm just jealous he bowls left arm finger spin*. And managed to carve out a career in the ocean of mediocrity the era provided.

That said, whilst I'd love the idea of hurling every delivery with the chance you'll get the Hollywood delivery nicking the outside edge...finger spin (common or garden off break) really isn't suited for that kind of Warne-esque rip required (And there is merit in being the consistent (right arm) offy hunting for the bat/pad gap

 

[Ted Striker]

The chutzpah and lack of self awareness of Swann The Quitter critiquing our performances is quite something tho.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The likes of Agnew, Marks and others understand the rule that you should never make your listener feel awkward. That involves setting your ego aside. Swann hasn't learnt that.

 

[Casual Observer]

Swann comes across better when he's commentating live on the telly but can be annoying when he's summarising/analysing on TMS. Maybe he'll improve with time. Luckily the streams were pretty good for most of the series so I didn't have to rely on the radio too much. The thought of more Norcross is enough to put me off cricket altogether.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I have a bit of an irrational hatred of Tuffers...Supposedly edgy establishment light sports entertainer. Tbh I'm just jealous he bowls left arm finger spin*. And managed to carve out a career in the ocean of mediocrity the era provided.

That said, whilst I'd love the idea of hurling every delivery with the chance you'll get the Hollywood delivery nicking the outside edge...finger spin (common or garden off break) really isn't suited for that kind of Warne-esque rip required (And there is merit in being the consistent (right arm) offy hunting for the bat/pad gap

Monty P was your kind of left-armer.

Something to be said for it even as a left-armer.

Much as I love Moeen, he is found out as a bowler with his inability to probe - in India and now Aus, would hate to see his combined record. And we feared this before the start. Surely a form spinner from the CC was worth a punt. That is one thing I don't get at all. For India, they also didn't just pick a hot spinner from the CC - Batty, ffs, Batty. Fuck me, India against Batty? It will never work.

They were just hoping Moeen wouldn't be a disaster with the ball, I think. Ten wickets at 40 in the series, maybe, a la Giles. But he's not even good enough to do a Giles. We all sort of knew that.

Ironically enough, England's been a great place to be a finger spinner in tests in recent years. Swann, Panesar and Ali have all had their best success at home.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Squad for NZ announced. Everyone keeps their place except Ball, Ballance and Curran. Wood comes in, plus Livingstone.

No problem with Livingstone. Or Wood for that matter, although one has to think that he's become fit for the wrong tour. Gary Ballance must be wondering what exactly he's done wrong (not that I'm a big fan, but his treatment is puzzling). Basically, nobody is being punished for the Ashes failure. It's that old story of 'everyone failed, so nobody failed'. Not quite sure who's the luckiest to still be there: Stoneman, Vince, Ali, Woakes or Broad.

 

[kabbes]

Stoneman did okay, I thought. We’re not exactly replete with openers and he consistently hit least got us a start. Cook had an amazing innings and loads of shit ones, which was much less helpful in the context of the series as a whole.

 

[squirrelp]

Really we need to get the positions sorted out for the next ashes series. The commentary ones. Not so bothered about the players

 

[Mumbles274]

As my sleep issues are still ongoing I find myself watching pyjama cricket... Should be a little more even the one sayers

Anyone else glutton for punishment and awake for it?

 

[Reiabuzz]

Maybe needs a new thread but great work by England today. Roy was very very lucky it has to be said, so many chances. Roots innings was actually far better.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

So two genuine quicks and a leggie with decent control and a good wrong-un. Add Jimmy Anderson to that mix and you have the makings of a test attack for Australia. Promising stuff ahead of the test seri... oh.

 

[SpookyFrank]

The chutzpah and lack of self awareness of Swann The Quitter critiquing our performances is quite something tho.

Are we calling him Swann The Quitter because he left a tour when physically unable to bowl?

If so, are there people in other jobs who you think should show up for work even when unable to do their jobs? Bus drivers with cataracts, surgeons with Parkinsons, presidents with narcissistic personality disorders and early stage alzheimers?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yeah you can't say his reason for stopping wasn't genuine. His final test match was also his final competitive game of cricket.

 

[Spymaster]

Stokes charged with affray.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Stokes charged with affray.

120 hours' community service, then?

Bet the blokes he hit wish the thing hadn't been filmed. They've copped affray as well.

 

[Spymaster]

120 hours' community service, then?

Bet the blokes he hit wish the thing hadn't been filmed. They've copped affray as well.

3 years chokey max. Not that he'll get anything like that or do any time at all.

 

[butchersapron]

I think as a free inhabitant he should fail to recognise this common law nonsense.

 

[Reiabuzz]

So will he be able to travel downunder?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

3 years chokey max. Not that he'll get anything like that or do any time at all.

Zero chance of doing time, I would have thought. Smart move for all three of them would be to plead guilty and express huge remorse.

 

[Spymaster]

So will he be able to travel downunder?

I'm not sure he'd get a visa.