The Ashes 2017/2018

[Lightning McQueen]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

[bennymacca]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Not so sure about that.

All coulda woulda shoulda obviously, but In the first test We were 7/209 chasing 302 and made 328

In the second test we were 5/209 and made 442

Third test we were 4/248 and made 662

In all cases we were arguably 1 more wicket away from a lowish score and managed to recover. Ben stokes making something happen with the old ball could have been all the difference.

[mighty_tiger_79]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

Thats the problem....im not sure Stokes is the answer to solving the pea hearts they have.

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[johntheclaret]

Would England have been a vastly better/different side with Stokes in it?

England wouldn’t have been any better if you’d wired their testicles to a car battery and driven to Darwin.

Their problem is they spend all summer bowling on green pitches with plenty of seam and swing in moist air
They come south and haven’t any answers to the dry, straight, hard tracks.

[Dogwatcher]

but Anderson, Broad and Overton I think have bowled well without much luck, occasionally wrong lengths for too long, but when they're on and swinging the ball they're dangerous. They've had the Aussies on the ropes on occasions, and have had a run of close DRS calls go against them.

I can't agree with this part, mate.

If I was to say a percentile of Broad and Anderson bowling "well" I'd say Broad has bowled "well" about 50% of the time and Anderson about 60% of the time. Both were average in our 2nd innings in Brisbane and fair dinkum rubbish in our 1st innings here in Adelaide. Then 4/260 combined in Perth ( Broad 0/142 ).

More troublesome for them is they haven't looked interested if the ball isn't hooping around, they've both looked like they had better things to do in Adelaide on day 1 ( perhaps the captain did piss them off bowling first ) and when Smith and Marsh were plundering the ball around they were rolling in at half pace. That has then put the heat on Woakes who has been ok but again, too short and Overton who looks a fighter but with a cracked rib might be missing for the next couple of Tests. Throw in Ali looking like a part timer at best and their bowling attack hasn't looked like taking 20 wickets from us. I reckon Broad might get dropped for Melbourne.

That's pretty much how I see the English bowling effort. For Anderson, it continues a pattern established over several tours.

[Dogwatcher]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

Anderson: "We were given the wrong information by our bowling coaches". FFS.

[mighty_tiger_79]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

Anderson: "We were given the wrong information by our bowling coaches". FFS.

Someone with his experience should know better....

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[Spargo]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

Anderson: "We were given the wrong information by our bowling coaches". FFS.

Someone with his experience should know better....

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Me, me, me.

[Corona Man]

Both Broad & Ali should be dropped for Melbourne.... but what's left in the touring party?

Cupboard may be bare.

Never heard of him but I say get him dressed and in the team.

He was not born in the UK.... so he is a perfect fit for the team.

[bennymacca]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

Anderson: "We were given the wrong information by our bowling coaches". FFS.

Someone with his experience should know better....

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Exactly.

I can’t believe that someone with 500 test wickets doesn’t have the scope to change his plans if he thinks they aren’t working. Whether that’s telling the coaches or joe root what he would like to try as a plan

[westcoastpanther]

Is everyone overrating Stokes a little? Good cricketer, but if he is the saviour of English cricket they really are lost.

[heater31]

Is everyone overrating Stokes a little? Good cricketer, but if he is the saviour of English cricket they really are lost.

If he's at 6 in the batting line up its the last chance of protecting the tail when their 8, 9, 10 & 11 can't bat!

[Dogwatcher]

He also brings a spirit to the side - competitiveness, but also a release valve when the pressure's on - that's sadly lacking from the side at the moment. He's the ying to Anderson's ultra-serious and self-absorbed yang. That can be really beneficial to a side and change their outlook.

[batmanbegins]

We wouldn't have won the ashes but Stokes makes a huge difference. The whole dynamic of our lineup changes when hes not there just to add to the fact hes an incredible cricketer proven by his last two years (anybody that thinks hes overrated go watch some of his innings over the last few years).

Our middle to lower order has been huge over the past few years due to the allowance of having stokes and Ali. A line up of the following is much deeper with the bat especially at 8 where he might be better suited to in australia:

Stoneman
Cook
Vince
Root
Malan
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes/Overton
Broad
Anderson

We still would have lost the ashes don't get me wrong as we lack the pace with the ball you have but Stokes is our most important player which has severely hurt our chances of at least winning a test.

Anderson: "We were given the wrong information by our bowling coaches". FFS.[/quote]Someone with his experience should know better....

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Exactly.

I can’t believe that someone with 500 test wickets doesn’t have the scope to change his plans if he thinks they aren’t working. Whether that’s telling the coaches or joe root what he would like to try as a plan[/quote]

I know Anderson annoys people but hes been comfortably our best bowler this series and i don't get why people have a go at him. To have the year he has had at 35 is incredible. The Broad criticisms on the other hand i completely get as hes been useless.

[Dogwatcher]

Anderson has gone missing at various times of the series, starting day 4 in Brisbane. He barely bowled that day, but was out on the field. Day one in Adelaide is pretty obvious. Then there was a day while England was betting belted around in Perth where he barely bowled. That's why I criticise him.

[The Bedge]

Anderson has gone missing at various times of the series, starting day 4 in Brisbane. He barely bowled that day, but was out on the field. Day one in Adelaide is pretty obvious. Then there was a day while England was betting belted around in Perth where he barely bowled. That's why I criticise him.

Is that him not wanting to bowl or Root not using him? Maybe Root only rates him as a new ball bowler when it's moving - after that he just becomes medium pace fodder.

[batmanbegins]

Anderson has gone missing at various times of the series, starting day 4 in Brisbane. He barely bowled that day, but was out on the field. Day one in Adelaide is pretty obvious. Then there was a day while England was betting belted around in Perth where he barely bowled. That's why I criticise him.

Is that him not wanting to bowl or Root not using him? Maybe Root only rates him as a new ball bowler when it's moving - after that he just becomes medium pace fodder.

He bowled poorly day 1 in Adelaide absolutely agree. He bowled 40 overs in Brisbane the most overs by an English bowler and then he bowled almost 40 overs in the Perth test the second most just behind Woakes so i strongly disagree with your other arguments. He always has given his best for England and been a terrific bowler, he just has a grumpy exterior when he plays cricket but id much rather that then nothing. He also has 12 wickets at 25.83 this series by far the best by any of our bowlers.

[Brodlach]

Anderson has gone missing at various times of the series, starting day 4 in Brisbane. He barely bowled that day, but was out on the field. Day one in Adelaide is pretty obvious. Then there was a day while England was betting belted around in Perth where he barely bowled. That's why I criticise him.

In Brisbane that was because he was struck on the shoulder and it became very tight

[Dogwatcher]

Anderson has gone missing at various times of the series, starting day 4 in Brisbane. He barely bowled that day, but was out on the field. Day one in Adelaide is pretty obvious. Then there was a day while England was betting belted around in Perth where he barely bowled. That's why I criticise him.

That was because he was struck on the shoulder and it became very tight

Each of those times I've mentioned, the commentators were questioning why he wasn't bowling.

[johntheclaret]

The Poms may have shown a little bit more effort. But even with Stokes it wouldnt have been enough to win any of the matches. They may have 'saved' Perth at best but that is all.

Could've won in Adelaide if they did some research, and then showed some backbone.

Anderson: "We were given the wrong information by our bowling coaches". FFS.

He is actually right.
Bowling coaches actually said bowl the round leather thing at the wooden sticks as fast as you can without the bloke with the plank hitting it.