That's a bit misleading - in the days before DRS, there weren't so many LBWs given - Australia only got four decisions (and there were only six test matches played)
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[Cricket] Ashes 2021-22
- Thread starter jakarta
- Start date
That's a bit misleading - in the days before DRS, there weren't so many LBWs given - Australia only got four decisions (and there were only six test matches played)
Nothing at all like watching Sussex. We tend to get decent starts and then have a total collapse ... England can't manage a decent start.
There's a damning stat that I've seen, England opening partnerships in this series total 45 - that's the complete set of runs, not the average
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
Leach's lbw decision was equally close so I don't think that applies at all.
aNothing at all like watching Sussex. We tend to get decent starts and then have a total collapse ... England can't manage a decent start.
There's a damning stat that I've seen, England opening partnerships in this series total 45 - that's the complete set of runs, not the average
I did say "Bit like watching .........". Hmmmm I suppose I need to expand ...Abysmal batting, ok bowling, defeat in short time = Sussex, unless you've been watching a different team!!!
In one game no - fair point. But I’ve been thinking this for a while and over a few series Down Under I’m convinced that the umpiring favours them on those close calls with DRS.
Of course they will say it works the other way when they play here and that might also be true.
Lower West Stander
Well-known member
In one game no - fair point. But I’ve been thinking this for a while and over a few series Down Under I’m convinced that the umpiring favours them on those close calls with DRS.
Of course they will say it works the other way when they play here and that might also be true.
One of my first memories of cricket was watching the 1974 Ashes tour on half hour highlights programmes when I was 8. That was the Lillee and Thomson tour where our batsmen were blown away.
All these years later, my recurring memory of watching those games was how biased the umpiring was.
I’ve never liked the Australian attitude to sport. It’s why their cricket teams are admired but never loved.
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um bongo molongo
Well-known member
Also went out there - were 3-0 down by the time I arrived in the country. Got stopped at customs and the customs guy said with a smirk ‘you here for the cricket, mate?’
I went to 3 tests in the famous 5-0 Freddie tour. So bad was the umpiring at Perth I was actually a member at the WACA that year and sat by the umpire’s’ room and challenged Rudi Koetzen face to face after the day’s play on it about one decision in particular that gave Strauss out leg before to Brett Lee to one that was already over stump height when it hit him and still rising. He didn’t have any come back but the Aussie appealing, crowd and players, was so convincing I can see why he gave it. But it was a crucial decision that turned the game against us. We’d probably have lost anyway, but who knows?
Then in Melbourne, Symonds was plumb in front and given not out just as we had them struggling with 4 down on Boxing Day, and he went on to make a big hundred with Haddin doing the same and it turned the game. Again a crucial decision at a crucial time, ruined the game for me (well not really, it was still great to be there, but still …). Plenty of other examples come to mind but I’ll save my typing fingers on this occasion!
This was all before DRS of course. With DRS I would be interested to see stats of marginal calls and which way they were given or overturned, and see how many of those were at crucial times of the game. It’s just a feeling I have had for a while that if there is a close call by us against a key Aussie batsman such as a Smith or Labuchagne , the decision will go their way and then it can’t be overturned if it’s umpire’s call, but if it’s in reverse (like Malan last night) it will be given out and again it can’t be overturned when umpire’s call. Do I have loads of stats to prove it? Of course not, but it’s just a feeling I have had for a while watching lots of Ashes games over the years and particularly since DRS. That’s not to say it happens every time, so there will be plenty of examples where what I ‘feel’ on this could be countered by other examples going the other way.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,426
Straight away I thought of 83/84 in New Zealand. England were bowled out for under 100 in both innings on Tony Pigott's debut (and only Test)
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...land-vs-england-2nd-test-63362/full-scorecard
I think some of the early Tests were low scoring though.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,426
In one game no - fair point. But I’ve been thinking this for a while and over a few series Down Under I’m convinced that the umpiring favours them on those close calls with DRS.
Of course they will say it works the other way when they play here and that might also be true.
I don't think it is true. Umpires are very scrutinised and ranked these days. I rate Paul Reiffel very highly.
Obviously, we don't get to see the English umpires these days.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,426
I've actually reached the stage where avoiding defeat by an innings seems like a victory.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Not so much the runs needed or left to get, but what the team who won actually scored. NZ scored 307 in that test, if we don’t knock off these 50 odd runs, Aus will have won scoring just 267.
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
Regardless of the umpiring, the England bat-flids are collectively and individually 
I don't remember any worse. They are terrible, even by the standards of previous bad English bat-flids (and there have been lots).
I don't remember any worse. They are terrible, even by the standards of previous bad English bat-flids (and there have been lots).
We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. As I said earlier I believe the grey area is umpire’s call and I imagine whatever decision you give in that case will be considered ok by those who scrutinise as by definition it was marginal either way. I’d love to see some meaningful stats on it, probably they don’t exist or are not widely available.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,426
um bongo molongo
Well-known member
https://www.cricket365.com/the-ashe...e-balance-as-teams-await-coronavirus-results/
Only fair thing to do is void the series
Only fair thing to do is void the series
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
One word to describe this series, Embarrassing.
This Australian side are bang average as well, Cummins is a world class bowler but facing world class bowlers in test cricket is to be expected and this sham of a batting line up have no excuses.
This Australian side are bang average as well, Cummins is a world class bowler but facing world class bowlers in test cricket is to be expected and this sham of a batting line up have no excuses.
This really isn’t true.
Steve Smith is one of the best Test batsman of this century (with an average over 60), and Labuschagne averages an incredible 62.0 at this stage of his Test career. Warner scores freely and still averages just under 50.0.
With the ball they have Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood, who each have 200 or so wickets and are fearsome on home pitches, backed up by a spinner with 400 Test wickets to his name.
Bang average? Hardly.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,426
Quite. The only question mark in their team is Harris. Nice problem to have.
Not bothered about losing. Just that our batsman being selected on the basis that there is nothing better available.
But that's what happens when the Championship is moved to the grotty end of the spring. I just can't see this improving.