Ashes 2025/6
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all this shit does is reinforce that the only thing that matters is winning.
If the poms had held a couple of catches and played one or two more discreet shots, they would be lauded for escaping the pressure cooker of an Australian summer.
On the other hand, in October the narrative around the Australian coaches and selectors was one of conservatism so extreme it was actively holding back the team. The top order was in complete disarray, and there was no depth to Australian cricket. Now Andrew MacDonald and co are winners because they are so good at backing the playing group.
Win, and everything else fades away. lose and everything you do is wrong.
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Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
England XI for fourth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben "Uber to the nets" Duckett, Jacob "YMCA" Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
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@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
I am surprised he lasted this long.
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@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
England XI for fourth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben "Uber to the nets" Duckett, Jacob "YMCA" Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
Creepy ?
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@Crazy-Horse said in Ashes 2025/6:
@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
I am surprised he lasted this long.
He was superb in the last test, basically carried them. But then in the 2nd innings Aus did to him what England should have done to Starc in the first test and blunted him for 20 runs from 13 overs with just the wicket of Boland. Talentwise this English side could have won this Ashes, or at least been SO much more competitive, but the difference between the sides has been IQ.
It's a real shame Archer has had such bad injury problems though, he really could have been an all time great for England.
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The Aussies are fighters. It's the DNA of their Cricket. If you're not a fighter you can fuck off out of their system. The whole focus of the Australian Cricket system is about fighting and ultimately winning.
By contrast, the ECB is an organisation about chasing easy money. The England players are developed to flog maize and potato snacks. In the pressure cooker of an Australia tour they get exposed again and again and again.
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@Catogrande said in Ashes 2025/6:
@NTA We've got the pace attack to do the job IF both Wood and Archer stay fit. After those two I struggle to see how we will take 20 wickets unless Bashir has one of his moments, but even then he won't run through your line up cheaply.
I'll just leave this here.
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@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:
Joffra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a side strain.
England XI for fourth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben "Uber to the nets" Duckett, Jacob "YMCA" Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
As seen on Reddit, problem for England losing Archer isn’t just they lost a bowler but also their 2nd best batsman….
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Australia
1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Usman Khawaja, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Cameron Green, 8 Michael Neser, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Jhye Richardson, 11 Scott BolandEngland
1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Brydon Carse, 11 Josh TongueEngland choose to bowl
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Beefy and Merv have definitely eaten well since they've retired by the looks of things.
Looks freezing in Melbourne, England should feel at home at least.
Always cool seeing a massive crowd at the Boxing Day test. Puts anything NZ can do to shame.
BIg call putting Bethel in for England but they needed to change that top three.
Crawley and Duckett probably lucky there aren't a host of alternatives.
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@MN5 said in Ashes 2025/6:
Beefy and Merv have definitely eaten well since they've retired by the looks of things.
Looks freezing in Melbourne, England should feel at home at least.
Always cool seeing a massive crowd at the Boxing Day test. Puts anything NZ can do to shame.
BIg call putting Bethel in for England but they needed to change that top three.
Crawley and Duckett probably lucky there aren't a host of alternatives.
My sister lives in Melbourne. Apparently the temps will be in the high twenties by the weekend