The Ashes

[Ted Maul]

We will have a five days at this test!!!!....
If this England team has one thing it has an aura that it can chase down any total!!!...

England will have lost by tea tomorrow, don't worry.

[ElbowGrease73]

Beaten by a far better team who know how to win tests in their own country. Perhaps if we'd approached the first test in the same fashion as this one, we'd have had a slim chance. We threw the series away with our cavalier approach.

I genuinely had high hopes that we'd have a chance, and would at least win one, maybe two tests. Can't see that happening now.

Vaughan talks about not making huge changes in the immediate future, but I think we need 3 or 4 changes when we play our next home test. I also think the Baz Ball experiment will reach it's natural conclusion. I've enjoyed watching it, but this team needs proper coaching to compete against the top teams. Just going out and expressing yourself isn't enough against the best players in the world.

[AnelkasBeard]

Only Archer and Root would walk into their side on current form. Brook/Stokes a judgement call. They're well better than us.

Archer has had a good test, but would no way walk in ahead of their seamers! His test record isnt close to the quality of Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Boland.

Archer definitely gets in ahead of Boland, and Hazlewood is injured for the whole series so isn't in the team currently.

I'd also always take Brook and Stokes over Green and Inglis, quite easily too.

Boland’s test record is miles better than Archers I’m afraid. Not even close. Archer averages 32 with the ball, bang average. Had a very good test match so far this time though.

Brook and stokes over green and inglis yeah I’d agree.

Boland has played 5 matches and 8 innings outside of Australia. He averaged 48 in England, he went wicketless in India and he padded his stats a bit in the Windies with 6 wickets in one match (on a bowler friendly wicket where Aus got the Windies out for 27 in the 2nd innings).

Archer has played a few more matches away, 8 with an average of 36. This avg is hugely skewed by a poor tour in NZ where he averaged 100, otherwise he's down near 30. Still pretty average, sure, but better than Boland.

Home stats clearly in Bolands favour, but I'd still rather than Jofra in the team. You also have to consider the standing of each bowler in their respective teams. Archer will have been the best bowler in the attack, Boland is 4th best. The batters will play them very differently.

[Tom Joad 25]

Beaten by a far better team who know how to win tests in their own country. Perhaps if we'd approached the first test in the same fashion as this one, we'd have had a slim chance. We threw the series away with our cavalier approach.

I genuinely had high hopes that we'd have a chance, and would at least win one, maybe two tests. Can't see that happening now.

Vaughan talks about not making huge changes in the immediate future, but I think we need 3 or 4 changes when we play our next home test. I also think the Baz Ball experiment will reach it's natural conclusion. I've enjoyed watching it, but this team needs proper coaching to compete against the top teams. Just going out and expressing yourself isn't enough against the best players in the world.

Is all true. I'd also like to see McCullum moved on to break the B and B golf clique, I'd like selection based on form, promise, ability and mentality. I'd like to see competition for places. I'd also like Rob Key and our anonymous bowling coaches removed. There is much promise there and Stokes is undoubtedly an inspirational captain- his place is not under threat-  but realistically isn't going to be playing for much longer. Once again, England will lose an important series not simply down to ability, but due to a soft mentality.

[backsidebaggie]

Only Archer and Root would walk into their side on current form. Brook/Stokes a judgement call. They're well better than us.

Archer has had a good test, but would no way walk in ahead of their seamers! His test record isnt close to the quality of Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Boland.

Archer definitely gets in ahead of Boland, and Hazlewood is injured for the whole series so isn't in the team currently.

I'd also always take Brook and Stokes over Green and Inglis, quite easily too.

Boland’s test record is miles better than Archers I’m afraid. Not even close. Archer averages 32 with the ball, bang average. Had a very good test match so far this time though.

Brook and stokes over green and inglis yeah I’d agree.

Boland has played 5 matches and 8 innings outside of Australia. He averaged 48 in England, he went wicketless in India and he padded his stats a bit in the Windies with 6 wickets in one match (on a bowler friendly wicket where Aus got the Windies out for 27 in the 2nd innings).

Archer has played a few more matches away, 8 with an average of 36. This avg is hugely skewed by a poor tour in NZ where he averaged 100, otherwise he's down near 30. Still pretty average, sure, but better than Boland.

Home stats clearly in Bolands favour, but I'd still rather than Jofra in the team. You also have to consider the standing of each bowler in their respective teams. Archer will have been the best bowler in the attack, Boland is 4th best. The batters will play them very differently.

Picking and choosing tours? That’s why we have averages. There’s no contest.

Boland’s test record is far superior. Had a crap tour of England but the bowler who gets a wicket every 17 runs is way better than the one who gets a wicket every 32 runs.

Archer also played with Anderson and broad before his injury problems and was not the best bowler in the England attack for most of his tests at all.

[Cheshire East Baggie]

Beaten by a far better team who know how to win tests in their own country. Perhaps if we'd approached the first test in the same fashion as this one, we'd have had a slim chance. We threw the series away with our cavalier approach.

I genuinely had high hopes that we'd have a chance, and would at least win one, maybe two tests. Can't see that happening now.

Vaughan talks about not making huge changes in the immediate future, but I think we need 3 or 4 changes when we play our next home test. I also think the Baz Ball experiment will reach it's natural conclusion. I've enjoyed watching it, but this team needs proper coaching to compete against the top teams. Just going out and expressing yourself isn't enough against the best players in the world.

Is all true. I'd also like to see McCullum moved on to break the B and B golf clique, I'd like selection based on form, promise, ability and mentality. I'd like to see competition for places. I'd also like Rob Key and our anonymous bowling coaches removed. There is much promise there and Stokes is undoubtedly an inspirational captain- his place is not under threat-  but realistically isn't going to be playing for much longer. Once again, England will lose an important series not simply down to ability, but due to a soft mentality.

Inspirational, but not always very good at captaincy. He's made several bad decisions in the field in two of the three Tests so far. I don't think he's really that interested in the bowling side of the game at all, even though he's pretty good at it. Culture and attitude-wise, he's as much part of the problem as Key and McCullum. I think he'll be gone, what with his fitness issues. Not bowling today, the day when the Ashes were lost, says everything about his durability.

I wonder what serious cricketers like Root, Leach and Foakes think of him as a captain.

[SausEggBaton]

I see we've lost the ashes before Christmas again.

[rsbaggy2]

Fortunately the Snicko incident means this is another null and void Ashes tour, the last legit tour down under was 10-11.

Usually agree with a lot you say Ted, but definitely not here.

Australia have performed well, no more. England and their whole approach to Test Cricket has been unprofessional, deluded, cliquey and pathetic together with a huge dose of arrogance.

[Ted Maul]

Fortunately the Snicko incident means this is another null and void Ashes tour, the last legit tour down under was 10-11.

Usually agree with a lot you say Ted, but definitely not here.

Australia have performed well, no more. England and their whole approach to Test Cricket has been unprofessional, deluded, cliquey and pathetic together with a huge dose of arrogance.

Null and void I'm afraid, England won the vibes and the golf.

[MGalea]

Time for another big reset and I'll see you all here for similar comments in 4 years time!

*Think they'll do alright in the next one at home given aging Aussie's and pressure to make some kind of amends after this shambles.