My dear old things, it's STW TMS!

just watching the end of the 3rd ODI, what a beautiful keeper Sarah Taylor is. Brilliant generally and just taken a worldy leg side stumping.

I know it’s tough to compare with the difference in pace, etc., but for sheer technique I don’t think there’s a better keeper in the world game currently. Men or women.

So, what do we make of the men’s chances? Flakey batting yet again, but the d/n looks like it may make for nearly unplayable conditions around dusk if today’s anything to go by: http://m.bbc.com/sport/cricket/41942690

That said, it was pretty much ideal swing bowling conditions here in Adelaide today.

PSA Henry Blofeld on Have I got news for you (on iplayer)

Also looks like Craig Overton is in for the first test

Craig’s bowling is still inconsistent, but would be v. unlucky not to show an improvement in his batting in the Townsville game… Not sure there are many other quicks available and in form.

I think Woakes will be the star of this tour. The whole Stokes Fiasco is such a shame. A middle order of Stokes , Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Overton is very strong.

Shaun Marsh again! Bring the Paine!

http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/42013093

I think Woakes will be the star of this tour. The whole Stokes Fiasco is such a shame. A middle order of Stokes , Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Overton is very strong.

Agreed. Woakes looks in pretty good form with bat and ball, and has the potential to be a genuine bowling all rounder. Personally, I’d play Foakes as keeper, shove Bairstow up the order and drop Vince. Bairstow/ Foakes/ Moeen/ Woakes/ Overton is very strong.

shove Bairstow up the order and drop Vince

That sounds promising and Vince certainly doesn’t seem up to it, but I’d love to see him make runs. Problem is that shoves Root up to 3 which he doesn’t seem to want to do and takes the gloves from Jonny. He seems to be comforted by being keeper, like it gives freedom to his batting. They are both too important to the team to have changes imposed at this point which may unsettle our two best batsmen, shame though.

That sounds promising and Vince certainly doesn’t seem up to it, but I’d love to see him make runs.

If he’d been scoring a bucketload in the CC, I’d say that he deserves a run. But he’s been nearly as rubbish there this season as he has been in the test side. Take your point about moving Root, but traditionally don’t you play your best batsman at 3?

Shaun Marsh again! Bring the Paine!

This is why the Aussies don’t worry me. Picking Paine is just plain weird. It might turn out to be the ‘Peter Who’ moment for the 2010s but more than likely it won’t.

As for Shaun Marsh, he’s another who wouldn’t get into the England side, so happy days. Are they still picking his brother as the token allrounder who wouldn’t get into their team as either a batsman or bowler?

don’t you play your best batsman at 3?

That’s the Aussie way, best player puffs out chest and in he goes. The English way seems to protect our best player. Thinking Root now, KP never came in at 3, Vaughan did the 3 slot but I bet his stats suffered as a result and was he ever our best batsman? Thorpe always at 5. Trott was the one who played it best, the only we time we “solved” the number 3 problem and we went and won the Ashes in Aus, coincidence?

Oh yes!

Not a bad lineup. And Botham there to run out Boycott if he’s being a bit slow 🙂

Gary Pratt sub fielder

😆

Denis Lillee and Geoffrey Boycott in the same team, ain’t going to happen.

The real shame is our 3 should be James Taylor.

Steve Smith is by far and away Australia’s best player but bats at 4.

Anyone else bemused by the bogan chat and talking themselves up? They do it every time, do they not know how stupid they look?
“Opening old wounds?”
How does all out for 60 sound? 😆

Good point James Taylor would slot into the batting lineup nicely.

Bit of a PSA I realised that TV coverage is on BT Sport. Wondered how you get legal access to this? I have plusnet broadband who are now part of BT and via the plusnet site was able to get the BT Sport app for £5 per month. Bargain price and I can cast it to my TV via chrome cast.

Can’t wait to watch the first session in less than 48 hours time!

Just realised I get 3 months of BT sport app with EE 😀

BT Sport app won’t work overseas with a vpn.

It requires access to yourgps location.

Exciting finish in prospect in final game of Women’s Ashes

Team announced here

Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Ball, Anderson

Surprised Ball instead of Overton, I think it’s a hight/bounce thing.

It requires access to yourgps location.

There are a couple of GPS spoofers for android about.

It’s going to be fast, bouncy and probably moving a lot in the first session. Batting first and getting to Lunch/0 is the key thing there. The aim for this one is survival. Tale the game to them in the day night in Adelaide and use the swing to get up on them.

For the Aussies it’s all about intimidation at this point they need to make them scared to come out and bat.

If they get in England have the deeper batting order so getting a good score should be possible.

Losing the toss might be a good thing, sure we’d have to bat if we win it, but if there’s pace n bounce around we’re forced to bowl we could get into them early.

Losing the toss might be a good thing,

Local consensus says otherwise, if you want to win draw you need to get a lead and not be batting last up there.

Even as a Brit out here put all thoughts of winning to bed right now
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/match_results.html?class=1;id=209;type=ground
Last team to win a test was WI in 88, there have only been 7 draws since then.

Australia using distinctly average Glenn Maxwell as cover for distinctly average Shaun Marsh(!) And David Warner…..

This is one of the hardest series for a long time to call. England go in without their star allrounder Henry Cooper Ben Stokes, and with notable inexperience and dubious players in their batting line up. I am also very sceptical about Jake Ball – he’s just a medium pace straight up and down trundler from what I’ve seen so far (at international level).

Australia go in at least one first-choice quick down, picking a clubbie as wicketkeeper and also with dubious players (who have been given extensive chances to make an impact) in their line up. When Aussies are getting in a tizz about the likes of Wade, Nevill and Ed Cowan not being picked you know they are scraping around to find eleven decent players.

On the James Taylor note – it is a massive shame. I know him (a little bit) and he is one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet. He’s never been ‘big time’ in even the slightest way, always asks after family etc and hasn’t changed in this regard through being an unbelievably talented youngster to a pro to an international player to an enforced retirement into punditry.

People still talk about the catch he took during a President’s Day game at his old club (also my old club) – which he played in despite already being a full-time pro. Running full tilt along a boundary he stuck one hand out to take a skier that was going to plop a couple of feet over the rope. He took the catch without breaking stride and made it look like the easiest thing in the world.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-23/ashes-australia-sweats-on-david-warner-and-shaun-marsh-injuries/9182956
Just a couple of hours to go and still no Aussie team news. Either they are all sorted and playing games or it’s going till the last minute. Not sure Warner or Marsh will like a long day in the field with niggles.

My wife thinks that I’m working late in my study, half true but the I wouldn’t be in here if it wasn’t for the Ashes 😀

Lol I’m starting late here… Just got the full online package chucked in with my phone plan so I can catch it on the go

Always stay up until lunch for the first Australian Ashes match. Predictions for the lunchtime score? I’m going 90-3.

Yeah England won the toss.

oh dear…

An exciting start

Well I’d say as expected one to go, got the TMS/ABC team in one ear, the TV on in front of me, obviously about 1 ball apart in timing

What would you take at lunch?

60-2?

Brissie? Something light probably a salad and a nice crisp Riesling. The beer just makes you want to piss a lot up there…

As far as England it’s not a fast pitch so far so any score and no more wickets. Aussies don’t have an all rounder to do some extra bowling so a long game suits England more.

Probably the advantage for England is there won’t be as much footage and experience for some of the England guys to make plans for.

*Raises glass to blowers, retired but not forgotten

The beer just makes you want to piss a lot up there…

You’re drinking the wrong beer…