The Ashes... again

[morgieb]

Out first ball.

Even I feel sorry for England fans now.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So England are now 251 for 5. Stokes has top scored (72) and is still in, but with only Prior and the tail left... er... no, it's not happening. Congratulations Australia (or I call fix).

But Pietersen is a selfish prick who needs to be dropped. From a great height.

Additionally, the bowling is now also clearly A Problem. Partially that's because Broad is currently out of the attack, but I think they need to shake things up on that front for the next test.

[morgieb]

Back where it belongs

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Well, at least Stokes made his century (and a very good one it was as well), so finally there's something positive, even if the Ashes are lost.

But a for a man who was surely playing to keep his place, that was an atrocious way for Prior to get out...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

...and Graeme Swann has just (like, right now) retired from all forms of cricket, effective immediately.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And now the fourth test at the MCG. Two days in and things are a little different. England batted first and were all out for 255. Australia are currently 164 for 9.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Australia were all out for 204. England are now on 16 for nowt.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

54 for nowt. 42 of those are Cook's.

[morgieb]

Wow...England's batting was retarded.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

...

...

...


Just...

...

what the fyck guys?


...


urgh

179 all out in the end. Australia now thirty for nowt. Now in theory England are still in a reasonable position (it being surprisingly difficult to chase the sort of lead that resulted), but given what's happened it would take a miracle.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

England 255 all out and 179 all out. Australia 204 all out and 231 for two. Australia win by eight (count them) wickets. A hammering in a match that, actually, England ought to have won at a canter.

[morgieb]

Yeah, you really should've batted us out of the match in that 3rd innings.

Instead we win in a canter.

What feels worse - this or 06/07?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And the final layer of whitewash test match at Sydney. Australia were all out for 326. England are 8 for 1. Miracles do happen, but right now the only bright spot for England (again) appears to be Stokes, who took six wickets.

Comment must be passed at this point on the curious choice of team made by England. Rankin, Borthwick and Ballance are in. Bresnan and Panesar (treated so poorly by Cook in the last test for reasons that remain obscure) are out. Root dropped, but Carberry kept (?!). So not only is there no specialist spinner, but the player who can do it fairly well is also gone. Borthwick's not good legbreaks went for seven an over. Rankin is off with an injury but was almost certainly not match-fit in any case. So... what? I don't understand. I have given up all attempts at understanding.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

14 for 3...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What feels worse - this or 06/07?

Oh, this one. By far.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

17 for 4...

...


...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

23 for 5...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Comparative stability at a mighty 61 for 5.

[morgieb]

Bailed out by foreigners...lol

[Platypus]

Comparative stability at a mighty 61 for 5.

Make that 6/62

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Well, so long as they get to 80. That 70-something they got bowled out for a Lords ages ago remains my personal benchmark for beyond absolutely fycking dire.

[YL]

I think that was even worse than 2006/07.

[morgieb]

I think that was even worse than 2006/07.

Well given that you lost the same scoreline to the greatest team of all time to a bunch of mugs you just beat 3-0, you'd have to think so


Good to see that the state of the cricketing world is the way it should be.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Heads should roll.