The ashes

[ActonArthur]

This is an intriguing Test. I stayed up all night watching the first day and, despite the slow pace, found it absorbing - proper old-school cricket. It was a shame we collapsed on the second day but it augers well that our three 'unknowns' scored the bulk of the runs. Cook (probably) and Root (certainly) will get runs this series.

Brisbane is traditionally where the Aussies land a huge opening punch. Those effectively finished us off in 2006 & 2013. The same looked to have happened in 2010, especially with us conceding a huge first innings' deficit when, for a while, parity, or even a lead seemed more likely. The batting of Strauss, Cook and Trott knocked the wind out of the Australians' sails and effectively set us up for a series win. The main thing is not to lose at the 'Gabba - the convicts rely on that flying start and the momentum it brings.

We have an interesting three days coming up. But if we don't get a wicket before lunch then I fear the worst.

That’s well good that is.

[ActonArthur]

Ah well. That dream went the way of so many other England disappointments. Sounds like our bowling attack is ageing and not as effective as Australia’s. Moeen injury does not help.

Additionally, our key batsmen did not deliver. I wonder if we will see one or more retirements after this series. That said, if we do win in Adelaide, it will be game on again. Perhaps stokes might be back.

[westlondonlalala]

Ah well. That dream went the way of so many other England disappointments. Sounds like our bowling attack is ageing and not as effective as Australia’s. Moeen injury does not help.

Additionally, our key batsmen did not deliver. I wonder if we will see one or more retirements after this series. That said, if we do win in Adelaide, it will be game on again. Perhaps stokes might be back.

5-0 Australia was a big price sumfin like 6/1
I so wish I'd backed it.

[ActonArthur]

Strangely proud of the team today. Very pleased to see AK score big. He was honest and delighted. Will be nice to win the test but long way to go for that..

[Andy_N19]

At least England played well in the 4th test unlike West Indies who
were white-washed on their tour - I fear for cricket in the Caribbean.

[westlondonlalala]

At least England played well in the 4th test unlike West Indies who
were white-washed on their tour - I fear for cricket in the Caribbean.

I’m sure the rum bums & beaches will make up for the cricket

[westlondonlalala]

Ah well. That dream went the way of so many other England disappointments. Sounds like our bowling attack is ageing and not as effective as Australia’s. Moeen injury does not help.

Additionally, our key batsmen did not deliver. I wonder if we will see one or more retirements after this series. That said, if we do win in Adelaide, it will be game on again. Perhaps stokes might be back.

5-0 Australia was a big price sumfin like 6/1
I so wish I'd backed it.

Very pleased to see I didn’t miss out on the 5-0, it looked well worth a punt but now looking like 4-0 makes me feel a whole lot better.

[Satch]

At least England played well in the 4th test unlike West Indies who
were white-washed on their tour - I fear for cricket in the Caribbean.

Me too. It's an absolute tragedy, some of the crowds for test cricket are abysmal now and the infrastructure is falling apart. I'd still love to go next winter.

[WA Hoop]

Whitewash or not, IMHO this has been a terrible Ashes tour...and in my several decades of watching Test cricket I have a bit of a benchmark against which to judge matters!

We've made an ordinary Aussie team look like a team of World beaters. Only a handful of the English team will be able to return with their heads held somewhat high and they certainly aren't the established individuals. If I were the ECB I would make most of them swim home!

[westlondonlalala]

Whitewash or not, IMHO this has been a terrible Ashes tour...and in my several decades of watching Test cricket I have a bit of a benchmark against which to judge matters!

We've made an ordinary Aussie team look like a team of World beaters. Only a handful of the English team will be able to return with their heads held somewhat high and they certainly aren't the established individuals. If I were the ECB I would make most of them swim home!

Maybe it’s because they are all English, haven’t we had a large South African influence over recent years, isn’t our best player the banned ginger a New Zealand’r?

[WA Hoop]

Whitewash or not, IMHO this has been a terrible Ashes tour...and in my several decades of watching Test cricket I have a bit of a benchmark against which to judge matters!

We've made an ordinary Aussie team look like a team of World beaters. Only a handful of the English team will be able to return with their heads held somewhat high and they certainly aren't the established individuals. If I were the ECB I would make most of them swim home!

Maybe it’s because they are all English, haven’t we had a large South African influence over recent years, isn’t our best player the banned ginger a New Zealand’r?

Well, a lack of preparation might be part of the problem. Ahead of the Perth test they were too busy playing golf down the road from me or visiting WA's splendid wineries...go figure.

[Damien]

Whitewash or not, IMHO this has been a terrible Ashes tour...and in my several decades of watching Test cricket I have a bit of a benchmark against which to judge matters!

We've made an ordinary Aussie team look like a team of World beaters. Only a handful of the English team will be able to return with their heads held somewhat high and they certainly aren't the established individuals. If I were the ECB I would make most of them swim home!

Maybe it’s because they are all English, haven’t we had a large South African influence over recent years, isn’t our best player the banned ginger a New Zealand’r?

[BiscuitRanger]

No doubt it was a desperately disappointing series... probably the dullest involving England I can remember. We may have won the odd session or two but rarely, if ever, were we competitive.
No doubt the team underperformed, as they are not so far away from being top 2 or 3 in world.
Maybe the one day matches will cheer me up...

[222gers]

We need to concentrate on proper cricket in this country ie county cricket and of course test cricket. Limited over cricket is just glorified baseball by another name. We don't have batsmen used to accumulating runs with concentration. We don't have enough fast bowlers. They used to say you could holler down a pit in Yorkshire and a fast bowler would pop up. Not any more.

[SheepRanger]

Whitewash or not, IMHO this has been a terrible Ashes tour...and in my several decades of watching Test cricket I have a bit of a benchmark against which to judge matters!

We've made an ordinary Aussie team look like a team of World beaters. Only a handful of the English team will be able to return with their heads held somewhat high and they certainly aren't the established individuals. If I were the ECB I would make most of them swim home!

Maybe it’s because they are all English, haven’t we had a large South African influence over recent years, isn’t our best player the banned ginger a New Zealand’r?

The lack of Welsh players in the England & Wales team was a big mistake, or blatant racist bias which caused a divided squad.