Ashes 2025/6

Catogrande

@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.

Virgil

@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….

Duluth

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 Boland

England
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 Tongue

England choose to bowl

Virgil

Apparently there’s a lot more grass left on the pitch than normal. Even Smith said if they had won the toss they would have bowled too
Can’t help feel England are toothless without Archer

MN5

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.

canefan

@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

MN5

Atkinson has taken three wickets at 78 this season. That's "Mid 90s Black Caps" bad.

Ouch.

Virgil

Smith bowled by a beauty.
51/4 opps I mean 4/51

Donsteppa

Very telling that Steve Smith would have bowled had Australia won the toss.

Khawaja once again with a chance to ride to the rescue

booboo

@Virgil said in Ashes 2025/6:

Smith bowled by a beauty.
51/4 opps I mean 4/51

No, right the first time.

Donsteppa

Now Green's chance to take charge after being dropped down the order.

Donsteppa

He'll need to now for Australia with Carey falling for the Obvious Trap.

MN5

Magnificent run out from Carse.

The kind that should go on someone’s stats, Green disappoints again

sparky

Green and Narse were going well, put on a fifty partnership, then Green gets run out by Carse.

I'd be worried if I had third or fourth day tickets.

Virgil

Now Starc gone too, England looking likely to be getting a bat before the close of play

MN5

Tongue on a hat trick for the next innings. Took a Michelle. Excellent stuff young fella.

Gonna make my standard "Brook to get a massive score" prediction. Like the old broken clock I'm sure I'll be right at some stage.

sparky

152 from Australia, probably 40-50 runs short on this. Can England's batsmen take advantage?

MN5

@sparky said in Ashes 2025/6:

152 from Australia, probably 40-50 runs short on this. Can England's batsmen take advantage?

Like clockwork one of their openers goes early.

Duckett still pissed perhaps ?

MN5

Bethel hasn't got a first class century.

Falls 99 short today. Neser gets him

Root in. 8-2.

MN5

Commentators just referred to Root as the best English batsman of all time.

Comforting to know we have one even better than that

#lovekw

The Silver Fern

Ashes 2025/6