The Ashes

[Josh1873]

Fact is we've been flying by the seat of our pants with an XI that contains at a push six test standard cricketers. We've done well to win as many games as we have with as many holes in our line up as there are.

Just wait until Root goes because then we truly are in the shit.

This. 6 is generous too.

We've got spaces up for grabs at 1, 3, 7 (keeper), 8, 9

Build around Duckett, Root, Brook, Stokes, Atkinson and Archer.

The pool of players isn't as bad as some will have you believe. It's certainly better than the pathetic performances we're being subjected to all too regularly under McCullum. 

The first step to take in getting England back to some level of respectability is to sack Key, and McCullum.

[Ted Maul]

Fact is we've been flying by the seat of our pants with an XI that contains at a push six test standard cricketers. We've done well to win as many games as we have with as many holes in our line up as there are.

Just wait until Root goes because then we truly are in the shit.

This. 6 is generous too.

We've got spaces up for grabs at 1, 3, 7 (keeper), 8, 9

Build around Duckett, Root, Brook, Stokes, Atkinson and Archer.

Duckett, an opening bat who can't play the leave?

For me we've got 4. Root, Brook, Stokes and Archer. Harsh on Atkinson perhaps but he's got 1 wicket on this tour.

Flip a coin for Atkinson or Duckett. Duckett I don't mind so much as he's a little more consistent and does make scores. Crawley burned through partners until Duckett came on scene.

[Jacko]

Anyway, here's to a Stokes double ton tomorrow 

[Josh1873]

Anyway, here's to a Stokes double ton tomorrow 

Any chance of us batting all through the helpful day conditions and getting some defendable total, and then skitling out Australia under the floodlights in the trickier twilight batting conditions?

[rsbaggy2]

Anyway, here's to a Stokes double ton tomorrow 

Any chance of us batting all through the helpful day conditions and getting some defendable total, and then skitling out Australia under the floodlights in the trickier twilight batting conditions?

Like they didn't do yesterday?

[Josh1873]

[Gzbaggy]

Archer?
Not fit often enough, I suspect he may give Test cricket up to focus on T20 before long

[Josh1873]

Anyway, here's to a Stokes double ton tomorrow 

Any chance of us batting all through the helpful day conditions and getting some defendable total, and then skitling out Australia under the floodlights in the trickier twilight batting conditions?

Like they didn't do yesterday?

Quite. I'm not sure how you've seen it as a neutral, but it's very much a case of England losing the match, rather than Australia doing anything special to win it.

[Bob Fossil]

Do they even bother selling tickets for day 5?

[Gzbaggy]

That reeks of arrogance in that we only lose matches the opposition does not beat us. I would argue that Australia are a far better side than England. The likes of Head, Smith, Starc, Hazelwood, Lyon and Cummins are far better than what we have and the last three are not playing in this match.