[Cricket] First Ashes Test Australia vs England Brisbane 23rd-27th November

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

I admit to not "being an expert" and I only speak as I see it as an interested follower and of how it appears to me. I would agree that Alli's bowling falls into the same class as not good enough for a test team but he possibly gets in because of his occasional ability with the bat, given that we have not much choice. My biggest moan is Woakes who is not good enough with either bat or ball IMHO. Both Ball and Woakes bowled too many bowls that lacked length and direction and allowed the batsmen to score runs when we needed to tie them down and frustrate them. Just my opinion having watched most of the game so far.

Can you please explain to me how the fact that we never win at The Gabba has any baring on the result as the match was going and the position that we were in after lunch on day 3.

If you read my post, it says that the next three test venues will better suit our attack than The Gabba.
What i'm saying about losing this test,as we always do here, is it doesnt mean we have lost the Ashes...yet.

 

[BensGrandad]

If you read my post, it says that the next three test venues will better suit our attack than The Gabba.
What i'm saying about losing this test,as we always do here, is it doesnt mean we have lost the Ashes...yet.

That may well be the case but we were in good position to post a target of 250+ for them to chase on the 2nd innings but messed it up. Not that I thin k that would have been enough but would have given us a little chance provided we could get Smith out, which doesnt look likely for the 5 tests.

 

[GT49er]

How come after three innings, batting has suddenly become easier?

 

[BensGrandad]

How come after three innings, batting has suddenly become easier?

How did the Aussies openers manage to accumulate 114 without loss when nobody else could do it in any other innings?

 

[big nuts]

How come after three innings, batting has suddenly become easier?

I'm not sure it necessarily has. Felt like resigned effort from our bowling attack plus the pitch has been pretty decent from day 1 despite the average totals.

Ball has been really disappointing, no real pace and little sideways movement. Someone mentioned Wood earlier and he would be a certainty if he was fit. One player who I've always felt has ben harshly treated by selectors is Liam Plunkett who has genuine pace and bowls a quality bouncer. On typical Aussie pitches he would be a handful.

Our 3rd and 4th seamers need to stand up as we will end up bowling Anderson & Broad into the ground and the Aussie's know that. See them off and then plunder runs at 4 per over against the rest.

Last time we won in Aus we had Tremlett, Finn & Bresnan who all contributed and gave admirable back up to Broad & Anderson.

 

[BensGrandad]

The inevitable has happened Australia win by 10 wickets. The problem is that we do not have many selection options before Saturday and Adelaide.

 

[OzMike]

It was always going to end in tears when Cook decided to go for the hook so early in his innings, I thought he would bed in a bit before trying one of those.
Malan's edge was avoidable, the ball was so high what was his bat doing anywhere near it, just duck.
Ali had a part of his sole just over the line, so should have been given the benefit of the doubt, Australian 3rd umpire.
We just don't seem to value our wickets the way that the Aussies do, Steve Smith played a proper test innings.
He wears me out watching all his ticks and twitches when he is at the crease, but he has the best temperament for a batsman.

 

[vegster]

This ashes series was decided the night stokes decided to bash some chav in Bristol .
His absence tips the balance in aus favour, rather than marginally in ours.

Indeed. Who better to take on the Convicts than our own Convict?

 

[spring hall convert]

His absence tips the balance in aus favour, rather than marginally in ours.

I thought more it made a series we could win into one we definitely won't.

 

[BensGrandad]

Unfortunately we were 2nd best in the two major areas batting and bowling I suppose the only plus was that our fielding was OK

 

[Pavilionaire]

As if the defeat wasn't enough we now have "Headbuttgate" to contend with.

Bairstow looks an idiot when you see his version of events interspersed with Cameron Bancroft's version. After Strauss has thrown the book at the squad they'll be grounded, bored and morale will be affected. The Aussies are right where they wanted to be going into the 2nd Test.

The writing is on the wall, and even if the England players respond I think the way Lyon got the ball turning on that Brisbane pitch on the first day and his subsequent performance in the test means that they've got a weapon we'll struggle to handle.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Not sure where we go to from here (yes, I know it's Adelaide). I think the team was picked on the assumption that Moeen would play in every game and that he would not be injured and/or lose form as a spinner. I think they might have picked Crane on the gamble that they might play with 2 spinners in one of the Tests and, in that case, that a 2nd off-spinner would be inappropriate. So if Moeen can't get the ball to spin they might still play him for his batting and need to find a place for Crane elsewhere? Or simply drop Moeen for Crane and weaken the fragile batting even further. In short the selectors are in a bit of a pickle - of their 2 all-rounders, one is helping the police with their enquiries and the other is beginning to look a bit ropey.
Hope I'm totally wrong and that Moeen gets a '5-fer' in the 2nd Test...........................

 

[BensGrandad]

We have 2 reputed all rounders in the squad neither of whom is good enough with both bat and ball. Moeen Ali is reasonable with the bat but not a very good bowler generally. Woakes is not good enough with either bat or bowling.

 

[Rodney Thomas]

We have 2 reputed all rounders in the squad neither of whom is good enough with both bat and ball. Moeen Ali is reasonable with the bat but not a very good bowler generally. Woakes is not good enough with either bat or bowling.

Please stop this. Before Woakes got injured he was the best bowler in the team for 12 to 18 months and contributed considerably with the bat. He's had an injury but is still a very good bowling allrounder. You simply cannot just dismiss him as not good enough when he has clearly proved before that he is very much good enough!

 

[Uncle Buck]

We have 2 reputed all rounders in the squad neither of whom is good enough with both bat and ball. Moeen Ali is reasonable with the bat but not a very good bowler generally. Woakes is not good enough with either bat or bowling.

Wow.

Moen with 130 test wickets, who had a decent summer with the ball. Woakes who prior the injury, against Pakistan was probably the pick of the quicks.

From what I saw of the Brisbane test, too often England were overly cautious. If the Aussies are going to pick four bowlers, they need to wear them down, especially with their injury records.

If Stokes had been playing, you just felt he might have taken the game away from them.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

We have 2 reputed all rounders in the squad neither of whom is good enough with both bat and ball. Moeen Ali is reasonable with the bat but not a very good bowler generally..

Christ. Moeen has just had one off game with the ball, for sure, but that is drivel.

He is statistically in the top five all-rounders in world (Test) cricket.

This 'not very good' bowler, spun England to a comprehensive series win over one of the best sides in the world, South Africa, just this summer, taking 25 wickets in a FOUR Test series. An astonishing bowling performance.

 

[BensGrandad]

Please stop this. Before Woakes got injured he was the best bowler in the team for 12 to 18 months and contributed considerably with the bat. He's had an injury but is still a very good bowling allrounder. You simply cannot just dismiss him as not good enough when he has clearly proved before that he is very much good enough!

I was comparing them to Stokes and you are only as good as your last match. That is a worry if referenced to Cook, but Woakes batting and bowling was very poor in this latest test and it is no good referring to his ability pre injury. We need his ability now not what he was a year or so ago.
If he is not good or fit enough at the moment he shouldnt be in the squad and his place gone to somebody who is.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I was comparing them to Stokes and you are only as good as your last match. That is a worry if referenced to Cook, but Woakes batting and bowling was very poor in this latest test and it is no good referring to his ability pre injury. We need his ability now not what he was a year or so ago.
If he is not good or fit enough at the moment he shouldnt be in the squad and his place gone to somebody who is.

Move away from the keyboard.

 

[BensGrandad]

I sat up and watched every ball bowled and thought that we lost the game through our bad bowling after lunch on day 3 when Ball Woakes and Alli allowed them off the hook aided by some poor field placing by an inexperienced captain still learning the ropes. IMHO they should have used Anderson and Broad more during that period as the others werent doing the business. Through having no other option we must hope that Ball Woakes and Alli rise to the occasion on Saturday in Adelaide and show the ability that you are saying they have. I would like an opinion on how and who will get Smith out 8 times now before the end of the series.

 

[spring hall convert]

I was comparing them to Stokes

Who is the most talented cricketer in the world. Not everyone needs to be at that level

and you are only as good as your last match.

Were you a selector in the 90's?