It's The Ashes (again)

[Ted Maul]

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.

Ride it out and we don't lose as many wickets, if they'd have bowled us nine great deliveries you say fair enough. As it stands we've been absolutely village.

[rsbaggy2]

91 lead for the Aussies.
England capitulation.
Bairstow should have been more responsible.

[SausEggBaton]

Well, that was as shitter morning session than you could have ever imagined.

[MGalea]

Playing these short balls is the cricket equavilent of passing it from the back for the sake of it...

[SuperBob2002]

Well, barring an Aussie collapse this afternoon that's the match and series done and dusted. Completely avoidable.

[Ted Maul]

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.

It is, Bairstow and Brook, Pope, Duckett and Root yesterday all getting out playing mindless shots they didn't need to play. Grind them down, we've had the best of all the conditions and thrown it completely away. Australians won't be able to believe their luck there.

[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.

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.

We're watching a different game. Attacking and trying to play shots consistently to short balls is a product of this ridiculous brand. Duck, evade and/or defend the ball, see off the bowlers and go again. It really is simple and basic. But our arrogance won't allow sensible cricket.

[Peachy]

What a fucking terrible mornings play. Shambles today and undone all our hard work. I bet the aussies can't believe they have a lead going into the 2nd innings.

We need quick wickets now otherwise this one is gone!

[rsbaggy2]

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.

I'm not absolving anyone of practising dark arts. Just think that Smith was not cheating with the catch. In this context there was no element of cheating.

[SuperBob2002]

Spider-Man gif;

McCullum coaching England and Mowbray coaching WBA in the Prem.

Same vibe of having a pretty principle but being too arrogant and stubborn to move away from your ideology for the betterment of the team.