It's The Ashes (again)

[rsbaggy2]

I love Stokes, he's been a superb captain, but serious discussions need to be had about his continuous inclusion. He is currently a liability with both bat and ball due to not being fully fit.

Could we not drop him, but then have him on the field as a sub to unofficially captain the side?

Whoever he replaces is then effectively removed from participating in the test match for the duration of Stokes presence on field.

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Brook .. foolish.

[AnelkasBeard]

Utterly moronic. What are they doing?!

[Lurker#3]

Aussie's won the mind games...

We are getting caught between playing offensively and not taking the short balls on. Which means the batters have no flow or rhythm for when they do take one on.

[Ted Maul]

This is where the criticism of the new approach is completely valid. There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to capitalise on a flat pitch and playing aggressively, but there will be times when the opposition get on top (now) and it's more than OK to stick it our for an hour or two and only score 30-40 runs. Instead we've barely scored a run but gifted the Aussies four wickets playing ridiculous shots to balls we didn't need to. Anything other than accepting that this isn't good enough against the best test playing nation on the planet from the management and I would question whether they are fit for purpose, unless they enjoy losing.

Even worse when you consider they're missing a bowler - the perfect opportunity to put a few overs in the legs of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins. It's brainless cricket from England, but at least we'll be able to claim the moral victory again eh?

[SuperBob2002]

This England team are full of morons. Get a fucking grip.

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Bazball really is a moronic way to play the game. It's all well and good thinking it's the best thing since sliced veg because we can beat Ireland in a one off Test. But when we come up against the top sides we will (and are) get unstuck - see New Zealand in the winter and the Edgbaston Test. For the second Test running Australia have outsmarted and outplayed England. Now we may well win this Test still, we're good enough to, but if we don't we'll be 2-0 down in a series where we've had more than enough chances to be 2-0 but for a pig headed ignorance.

I know I'll get labelled as miserable and negative but this style of cricket is really frustrating me and, in all honesty, pissing me off.

Time to get back to basics, get a reality check, tell some home truths to players and drop those who aren't performing. Play the match situation, not your arrogant and deluded ideals.

[CA Baggie]

These kind of 'catches' will always happen in cricket, just the presence of multicams and increased definition have resulted in things being analysed to death so much that you can see it as a good or bad catch. Seem to remember Pope taking one against Pakistan recently that looked for all the world as not out. In cases like this it is unfair to accuse anyone of cheating.

Especially not Steve Smith. His integrity is without question.

Like I said before, glass houses and all that.

They all cheat.  Constant appealing is a form of cheating, running across the wicket is cheating and sand papering the ball is cheating.  Other people will eat jelly beans.  

There's some more subtle than others.  You keep implying that England are cheats and shouldn't highlight that Steve Smith is a cheat.  Not sure who in the current England team has sand papered a ball?  Atherton rubbed dirt into the ball from his pocket, Tendulkar picked at seams.  Have we found out yet what Jadeja was applying to his hands?

I'm pretty sure everyone has the right to question Steve Smith and Dave Warner's integrity.

[Ted Maul]

As if by magic, Travis Head brought on to bowl some part time off breaks - Brook and Bairstow couldn't engage their brains and do the tough yards for 80 minutes. Pretty pathetic given we're playing test cricket.

[Lurker#3]

This England team are full of morons. Get a fucking grip.

---

Bazball really is a moronic way to play the game. It's all well and good thinking it's the best thing since sliced veg because we can beat Ireland in a one off Test. But when we come up against the top sides we will (and are) get unstuck - see New Zealand in the winter and the Edgbaston Test. For the second Test running Australia have outsmarted and outplayed England. Now we may well win this Test still, we're good enough to, but if we don't we'll be 2-0 down in a series where we've had more than enough chances to be 2-0 but for a pig headed ignorance.

I know I'll get labelled as miserable and negative but this style of cricket is really frustrating me and, in all honesty, pissing me off.

Time to get back to basics, get a reality check, tell some home truths to players and drop those who aren't performing.

The fact of the matter is, we haven't played baz ball since yesterday afternoon. That's why we haven't scored quickly enough for the amount of wickets we've lost. 

The stats were mentioned earlier. From 80% attacking shots v the short ball, yesterday early afternoon, down to 60% after stokes came in. Then down to 20% today.

[SuperBob2002]

This England team are full of morons. Get a fucking grip.

---

Bazball really is a moronic way to play the game. It's all well and good thinking it's the best thing since sliced veg because we can beat Ireland in a one off Test. But when we come up against the top sides we will (and are) get unstuck - see New Zealand in the winter and the Edgbaston Test. For the second Test running Australia have outsmarted and outplayed England. Now we may well win this Test still, we're good enough to, but if we don't we'll be 2-0 down in a series where we've had more than enough chances to be 2-0 but for a pig headed ignorance.

I know I'll get labelled as miserable and negative but this style of cricket is really frustrating me and, in all honesty, pissing me off.

Time to get back to basics, get a reality check, tell some home truths to players and drop those who aren't performing.

The fact of the matter is, we haven't played baz ball since yesterday afternoon. That's why we haven't scored quickly enough for the amount of wickets we've lost. 

The stats were mentioned earlier. From 80% attacking shots v the short ball, yesterday early afternoon, down to 60% after stokes came in. Then down to 20% today.

Because they've been out-thought by Australia, who have simply played basic, but effective, cricket. 

There's a reason why Test cricket hasn't changed much in 100 or so years.

[Lurker#3]

This England team are full of morons. Get a fucking grip.

---

Bazball really is a moronic way to play the game. It's all well and good thinking it's the best thing since sliced veg because we can beat Ireland in a one off Test. But when we come up against the top sides we will (and are) get unstuck - see New Zealand in the winter and the Edgbaston Test. For the second Test running Australia have outsmarted and outplayed England. Now we may well win this Test still, we're good enough to, but if we don't we'll be 2-0 down in a series where we've had more than enough chances to be 2-0 but for a pig headed ignorance.

I know I'll get labelled as miserable and negative but this style of cricket is really frustrating me and, in all honesty, pissing me off.

Time to get back to basics, get a reality check, tell some home truths to players and drop those who aren't performing.

The fact of the matter is, we haven't played baz ball since yesterday afternoon. That's why we haven't scored quickly enough for the amount of wickets we've lost. 

The stats were mentioned earlier. From 80% attacking shots v the short ball, yesterday early afternoon, down to 60% after stokes came in. Then down to 20% today.

Because they've been out-thought by Australia, who have simply played basic, but effective, cricket. 

There's a reason why Test cricket hasn't changed much in 100 or so years.

The point is, it isn't the "brand" that's cost us wickets today. It's been fantastic by the Aussie's and poor by us.