It's The Ashes (again)

[SuperBob2002]

Shout out to the umpires, they've gotten little wrong.

[Borin' Baggie]

Fielding needs to be better next match, difficult chance for Root but you'd back that to stick for Root.

[SuperBob2002]

Fielding needs to be better next match, difficult chance for Root but you'd back that to stick for Root.

And another very tough chance. First one I'd back him to take that and argue it's a drop. Second is no more than half a chance. 

The general fielding has been good.

[backsidebaggie]

There’s some right nonsense on this thread about one team being home and dry, then the other, should have won from there etc. It’s bloody close, it’s been close since day 1, no ones ever been fully on top, it’s just swung narrowly between the two teams.

[Cunninghamismagic]

Looking promising now...

[Borin' Baggie]

Fielding needs to be better next match, difficult chance for Root but you'd back that to stick for Root.

And another very tough chance. First one I'd back him to take that and argue it's a drop. Second is no more than half a chance. 

The general fielding has been good.

And he just does that

[SuperBob2002]

He's deserved that. That's a carbon copy of the one he dropped! Superb catch.

England's to lose now, surely.

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Phenomenal captaincy from Stokes. I'd have taken the new ball and given it to Jimmy and Broad. Why would you even do anything different!

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Come on then, hands up. Who else would have taken the new ball as soon as it became available?

If you say no, yam a bloody fibber.

[Cunninghamismagic]

Odd not to take the new ball

[Borin' Baggie]

Shit me

[SuperBob2002]

If we don't win, we've only ourselves to blame. Another tough chance, and it's a great effort, but they need to stick.

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Odd not to take the new ball

It's bizarre now.

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Can we have the old ball back!

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Deflating, but what an effort from both teams to put on a classic. Superb cricket on display during every day and from both teams.

England will be kicking themselves. So many chances have come and have not been taken. Credit to Australia deserved winners. Onto the next test. Foakes has to come in and we need to find a full time and match fit spinner.

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I know I sound miserable and moan about the recklessness of the batting, but I really do like the idea of us being aggressive and positive, it just needs reigning in when the match situation dictates. Sometimes you need to bat time and sensible. I know the mentality won't change, but it'll cost us.