Cricket

Could you lend the umpires your lightmeter?

Bollocks.

Roy should have been dropped after the second test, but it's hard to lose when you have Steve Smith in your side. He's gotta be one of the greatest batsmen of all time, if not the greatest?

It was hard to argue against them

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A fair result. They’ve been the better side all series. Well done Aus.

It hurts

Yeah, well done Australia. Kept your nerve pretty much throughout.

https://twitter.com/dpcoverdale/status/1170783545759080448?s=09 Classy.

Meh. No different to Jofra taking the piss out of Smith's leaves in the nets.

Seriously?!? I thought the Aussies were supposed to be the thin-skinned ones?

Another great test. I have to admit, a little bit of poo did start to come out at around 6pm...

Jack Leach does look like he has a train set in his loft

So was having this debate elsewhere, if you had to pick a combined team after 4 tests, who would you pick? There are a couple of spots I am genuinely struggling to fill...

1. Burns
   
2. ?
   
3. Labuschagne
   
4. Smith
   5.?
   
5. Stokes
   
6. ?
   
7. Cummins
   
8. Hazelwood
   
9. Leach
   
10. Broad
    
    

None of the other openers have shown any form, Denley at least battled in this test, but isn't really an opener. at 5 god knows, some have had one or 2 decent innings (Head, Root), but no one been consistent. Don't think either of the keepers have exactly set the world on fire. Same with the spinners, Lyon has taken more wickets, but has a worse average and strike rate, and hasn't had a really telling impact on any game, Leach at least gave us a sniff at Lords.

I'd pick Warner, just for the pleasure of seeing him get out for zip. Also unpick Broad, so he can bowl Warner out for zip.

I was having this chat with someone too

Lyon as the spinner. Warner as the other opener (just to have a laugh when the wand gets rolled for another duck)

Hahahaha snap!

Well I did originally have Warner in the team, figuring if Broad was in the team, he has a chance at least of getting past zero.
Curveball was to make Smith open, not like he hasn't been in early plenty of times, and no one has shown that they might get him out at any point anyway.
Don't think either spinner has been overly impressive, but given Lyons class he has been disappointing to me: Worst average of any Aussie to have taken a wicket, and a strike rate of 80, compared to Leach's 55, although Lyon was good at Edgbaston. Tempted to have no frontline spinner, bring in Archer and just blast them out with pace, Smith and Labuschagne can turn their arms over for a bit of leg spin if needed.

“Nipbacker” can fuck right off.

We've assembled quite a likeable team (finally) and seem to have toned down the sledging. With that said, Wade is a massive cock, particularly for a specialist batsman who averages 27.87. The drivel picked up on the stump mic was embarrassing. Might be time for M.Marsh....again.

There is no doubt this england team have the ability to play proper test cricket for time to time, but seem to go off the boil at key moments in the match (mainly the first innings). It is particularly galling to see batsman who can clearly occupy the crease throw away their wickets. The challenge for the future will be to capture the stoicism, like they did in 2009. I'm not sure root is part of the solution though.

Wade seems deadweight for the ausies and bit of a gobshite (I kinda like that in an Australian side though. You need a comedy hate figure), Labushagne a revelation this series and Smith is really the difference. Cummins and Hazelwood both been class.

We've been hamstrung by selectors who seem determined to make a test batsman out of Jason Roy despite now eight innings of evidence that he's really not. Root should be in the side, but batting at 4. I can't see an obvious replacement for him as captain, possibly Stokes? Not sure.

Surely for english fan it doesnt get any better than Warner. A cock who is completely on the rack against broad!

As captain,Burns has a very good record at county level. Seems fairly level headed and I really like his weird technique. Im not sure the stokes could bowl, bat, field AND captain but the man is superhuman and seems to raise his game when under pressure.

Root should definitely stay in, he used to be such a formidable batsman. I remember feeling dread when he came in. Still excellent, but now seems to have developed some flaws.

Don't feel like he's been giving it as much as Wade, but Warner's batting has been one of the few highlights of these ashes, the pair was very enjoyable, I don't know what's happened to him as he's looked a solid batman in the past.

^^i agree with all of this.

davey is enough of a b'lend for any english fan, surely?

I don't understand when burns isn't in the mix. too inexperiencwed at test level? from my (limited) understanding of his county career, he lead a successful surrey team and seems to have the temperament everyone is crying out for.

he does take guard like a broken eval knieval figurine and that is probably enough for me to rule him out...

If Stokes' shoulder is knackered and he can't bowl will they drop Roy and bring in Sam Curran for the Oval?

Will we finally see pope?