[Cricket] Fifth and Final Ashes Test - England v Australia - The Oval

[Hampster Gull]

Rain stopped play. Woo hoo

 

[jakarta]

Covers coming off, last session of the Ashes to start shortly.

Really not been enthralled by this series, the overall quality has just not been good enough from both sides.

 

[Postman Pat]

Really not been enthralled by this series, the overall quality has just not been good enough from both sides.

Agree entirely, a mate of mine who lives in Kenya asked if the hype had been the same as the last series, I said no as all the games had been so one sided.

I can't see how we've had a 3-2 series result that hasn't been competitive at any stage.

We've had two teams that both seem to be in a state of disarray.

 

[Mackenzie]

Covers coming off, last session of the Ashes to start shortly.

Really not been enthralled by this series, the overall quality has just not been good enough from both sides.

Im pleased that we won, but the matches have all been big wins lacking the drama of a close finish. Not a memorable series.

 

[BensGrandad]

Sunny now in Haywards Heath hope it isnt at The Oval.

 

[jakarta]

Not too often you win the Ashes with half your team places up for grabs!

I wonder how many of our lot will be Down Under in 2017-18?

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Im pleased that we won, but the matches have all been big wins lacking the drama of a close finish. Not a memorable series.

In terms of quality ( or lack of it )..the worst Ashes series I have seen in England in 50 years.

 

[knocky1]

I think the slow pitches prepared in 2013 produced a worse Series. Perversely the two slow ones this time gave us innings defeats.

 

[Eeyore]

It's been a very poor late summer for worthy Cricket. The only saviour being the fact that The Ashes, being what it is, has papered some of the cracks. But the way batsman play these days, with the onset of the limited overs game, has polluted the five day game. As off the wall Geoff Boycott may be, he's been right in much of what he said. Had the attritional game still been around some of the folks who had booked fifth day tickets might actually have got to see some play.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

It's been a very poor late summer for worthy Cricket. The only saviour being the fact that The Ashes, being what it is, has papered some of the cracks. But the way batsman play these days, with the onset of the limited overs game, has polluted the five day game. As off the wall Geoff Boycott may be, he's been right in much of what he said. Had the attritional game still been around some of the folks who had booked fifth day tickets might actually have got to see some play.

...which is the whole purpose of five day cricket at the highest level....a test between bat and ball. Both sides attempting to show some control over play. Tight field placings. Batsmen having to work for runs and bowlers having to work for wickets. Technical ability to the fore. Good judgement over line and length.
The T20 game has attracted lots of money to cricket and lots of fans who haven't got the faintest idea about the finer points of cricket but enjoy seeing the ball slogged to all parts. It has also undermined Test cricket to such an extent, that the whole fabric of the game is now under jeopardy. Players are taking all the rashness of T20 into the Test arena. This series has seen poor shot after poor shot. Wickets tossed away. Bowlers picking up cheap wicket after cheap wicket. No attempt by captains to control the game. Packing the slip cordon but employing no third man, resulting in every thick edge going for four. Players now lacking judgement over lbw calls, seduced by Hawkeye into thinking that every ball is clipping the top of the stumps.
Perhaps I'm worrying too much. Perhaps these are just two very ordinary sets of players, who have collectively played below par. The warning signs are there, though, and the commercial side of the game is going to take a massive hammering if 3 and 4 day finishes become the norm.