The Ashes 25/26

[PatowalongaPirate]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

[daysofourlives]

Reverse swing will be back in Sydney, the pitch will be dryer than a nuns ... CA will make sure of that.

IMO its purely down to the pitches currently being prepared in Australia.

I cant remember the last time both teams made over 400 in the 1st innings. I would love to know the highest scores over the last 5 years in 1st innings for both teams, anybody good at doing stats?

Without looking at the stats I’d say that the last time both sides made 400+ first dig in Australia was probably the Ashes in 2017?
I remember us getting near on 700 at the WACA and the Poms made 450 ish for memory

Doesn’t help that in the last 4-5 years we have played a heap of series against minnows here. A couple of series against the Windies plus tours from Pakistan and Sri Lanka plus the South African team that was terrible at the time.

I've had a quick look and yeah, at the WACA in 2017 England made 403 and Australia 9/662 declared. It hasn't happened since the WTC has been adopted (2019) and it didn't happen when India won in Australia in 2018/19.

@daysofourlives
https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/to ... 2027-16977
The highest match aggregates in the 2025-2027 WTC so far, you can just match up the aggregates in the Australian test matches and same with the 2023-25 cycle-
https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/to ... 2025-15144
And the 2021-2023 cycle- https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/to ... 2023-14028

The question that raises for me is, Are we putting the chase for the WTC Final ahead of the health of the game in Australia and by that i mean 2 day Tests or even 3 day Tests dont pay the bills. Its all very well to say we should be doing everything to win the WTC every two years but at what expense?
Eventually it has to bite us and effect our standing in World cricket when the funding for grass roots dries up. We've already seen CA pull out of funding the Australian Country Championships. Is womens cricket next?
This disastrous English series will result in the BBL franchises being sold to private Indian franchises. What that does to cricket in this country remains to be seen but im sure they will want all the Test players available for the whole BBL

[Sharksta]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

Some interesting takes on his part. Criticism of his form and preparation are racial [emoji848]


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[The Dark Knight]

https://youtu.be/J7kfFY1X6cM?si=0OsI7FLnfE6usrRj

[whufc]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

Some interesting takes on his part. Criticism of his form and preparation are racial [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please tell me he didn't say that!!!!!

[whufc]

Well done to Uzzy on a very solid test career.

Probably hung on longer than he should have been given but fair play to him if they keep selecting him. The time is more than overdue for a change at the top of the order.

At his best was absolutely classy, maybe not to the same level but when on song had left-handed Damien Martyn vibes. Also got out very soft at time in much of a Damien Martyn way as well. He was a pretty tough mental cricketer overcoming flaws in his game to continuously improve. His soft dismissals probably undervalue how tough mentally he was at the crease. Remember there were times when he was considered horrible against the short ball, then there was a time when he was considered not to play spin very well, only to have a couple of great series on the sub-continent.

By all reports is/was a very valued member of the team by his peers which slightly surprises me given from the outside and in particular late in his career felt he became a bit selfish. It's clear watching the inner sanctum looks both in the Ashes series and then Brisbane Roar Kayo series that he was a players advocate and didn't always see eye to eye with coaches/administration. He had strong opinions on training and preparation often ones I've probably agreed on.

Given his nature to say exactly what his thinking for good/bad/controversial i could easily see him slipping into media work over the coming years.

[stampy]

sunday
Shower or two. Storm.

Min19°
Max29°
Rainfall
0 to 8 millimetres0–8mm

Monday

Shower or two.

Min19°
Max28°
Rainfall
0 to 3 millimetres0–3mm

[Sharksta]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

Some interesting takes on his part. Criticism of his form and preparation are racial [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please tell me he didn't say that!!!!!

“The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me. I could have copped it for about 2 days, but I copped it for about five days straight,” he said.

“And it wasn’t even about my performances. It was about something very personal. It was about my preparation. And the way everyone came at me about my preparation was quite personal.

“People saying he’s not committed to the team. He was only worried about himself. He played this golf comp the day before. He’s selfish. He didn’t train hard enough. He didn’t train the day before the game.

“These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.”


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[The Dark Knight]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

Some interesting takes on his part. Criticism of his form and preparation are racial [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please tell me he didn't say that!!!!!

Watch the press conference I posted.

[whufc]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

Some interesting takes on his part. Criticism of his form and preparation are racial [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please tell me he didn't say that!!!!!

“The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me. I could have copped it for about 2 days, but I copped it for about five days straight,” he said.

“And it wasn’t even about my performances. It was about something very personal. It was about my preparation. And the way everyone came at me about my preparation was quite personal.

“People saying he’s not committed to the team. He was only worried about himself. He played this golf comp the day before. He’s selfish. He didn’t train hard enough. He didn’t train the day before the game.

“These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lost respect!!!!

He obviously hasn’t seen what England have copped!!

The bloke clearly can’t handle criticism look how he behaved when Langer gave him a bit. Nothing to do with racism.

[Jimmy_041]

Uzzy just announced his retirement from all International Cricket after the Sydney Test.

Some interesting takes on his part. Criticism of his form and preparation are racial [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please tell me he didn't say that!!!!!

“The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me. I could have copped it for about 2 days, but I copped it for about five days straight,” he said.

“And it wasn’t even about my performances. It was about something very personal. It was about my preparation. And the way everyone came at me about my preparation was quite personal.

“People saying he’s not committed to the team. He was only worried about himself. He played this golf comp the day before. He’s selfish. He didn’t train hard enough. He didn’t train the day before the game.

“These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dedja]

He could have rightly celebrated his career and left it at that, earning the accolades he deserves, then once retired, let loose as a ‘free agent’ to say whatever he wants, but no, rightly or wrongly, Uzi is a different cat.

[Dutchy]

Another reminder that these professional sportspeople, in the main, have had an adult life of privilege

[Jimmy_041]

He could have rightly celebrated his career and left it at that, earning the accolades he deserves, then once retired, let loose as a ‘free agent’ to say whatever he wants, but no, rightly or wrongly, Uzi is a different cat.

Like Warner - hubris

Jason Gillespie ->

Former Australian paceman Jason Gillespie said he experienced "a tinge of disappointment" watching Khawaja's press conference, but called the retiring batter a "great role model".

Gillespie referenced the criticism from some quarters surrounding Khawaja's golf hit prior to the Ashes opener as being valid.

"I'm not questioning the racism that Usman has faced throughout his life," he told ABC Sport.

"I've actually always admired him and applauded him for speaking up because racism is a big stain on our society, and it always needs to be called out.

"He referenced racism when he was talking about criticism that he received.

"A few former players came out and quite rightly questioned whether that [playing golf] was the best possible preparation.

"Being questioned over that and being held to account over your choices, that's not bullying, it's not abuse, that's all part and parcel of being a professional.

"You can't really throw a temper tantrum when asked to take accountability for the job you're actually paid to do.

"I think the media in this space have been very consistent throughout this Ashes series. They've consistently questioned the preparation of the England side. I don't see how that's been any different.

"Usman also referenced that he's been called lazy his whole life. I haven't seen anything in the media that's been said or written by anyone that's referenced Usman being lazy, so I'm not sure where that's come from."

[stampy]

really uzi?? ffs............

[Rik E Boy]

Our current cricketing culture is a direct result of the Sandpapergate shermozzle. We have attempted to be all light and fluffy with kid gloves for 'the group' with an almost corpoate approach to how we handle things. Instead of form and winning being the driving force, it's more about what is good for 'the group'. A direct result of this is keeping both Warner and Usman in the team long after their feet had stopped moving and there more nicks than a blind barbers. Meanwhile Cameron Bancroft was not selected when he was in form, Sam Konstas was brought in to bash because McSweeney, Usman and Marnus couldn't hit the ball off the square, and Matt Renshaw was not selected when he was in form.

Usman says he wasn't being selfish but this is only true at the individual level, at the clique level, the current Australian team is the very eptimone of selfishness. 'The group' does not seem to understand they are tempoary custodians of the game. Usman has been cooked for two years and that's how I will remember him, as a player who played more test cricket than he should have, just like Dave Warner. The next home Ashes series is going to be dire until 'the group' is retired.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

Reverse swing will be back in Sydney, the pitch will be dryer than a nuns ... CA will make sure of that.

IMO its purely down to the pitches currently being prepared in Australia.

I cant remember the last time both teams made over 400 in the 1st innings. I would love to know the highest scores over the last 5 years in 1st innings for both teams, anybody good at doing stats?

Without looking at the stats I’d say that the last time both sides made 400+ first dig in Australia was probably the Ashes in 2017?
I remember us getting near on 700 at the WACA and the Poms made 450 ish for memory

Doesn’t help that in the last 4-5 years we have played a heap of series against minnows here. A couple of series against the Windies plus tours from Pakistan and Sri Lanka plus the South African team that was terrible at the time.

I've had a quick look and yeah, at the WACA in 2017 England made 403 and Australia 9/662 declared. It hasn't happened since the WTC has been adopted (2019) and it didn't happen when India won in Australia in 2018/19.

@daysofourlives
https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/to ... 2027-16977
The highest match aggregates in the 2025-2027 WTC so far, you can just match up the aggregates in the Australian test matches and same with the 2023-25 cycle-
https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/to ... 2025-15144
And the 2021-2023 cycle- https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/to ... 2023-14028

The question that raises for me is, Are we putting the chase for the WTC Final ahead of the health of the game in Australia and by that i mean 2 day Tests or even 3 day Tests dont pay the bills. Its all very well to say we should be doing everything to win the WTC every two years but at what expense?
Eventually it has to bite us and effect our standing in World cricket when the funding for grass roots dries up. We've already seen CA pull out of funding the Australian Country Championships. Is womens cricket next?
This disastrous English series will result in the BBL franchises being sold to private Indian franchises. What that does to cricket in this country remains to be seen but im sure they will want all the Test players available for the whole BBL

I was of the believe we never needed teeball in the first place. It's a horrible format where batsman swipe away like Shane Warne did. Now it's happening in tests. All about Greed and money. Ok for some levels of cricket but shouldn't be near the elite level of the game.

regards,

REB

[stampy]

brilliant posts riki

[The Dark Knight]

.

[Sharksta]

Our current cricketing culture is a direct result of the Sandpapergate shermozzle. We have attempted to be all light and fluffy with kid gloves for 'the group' with an almost corpoate approach to how we handle things. Instead of form and winning being the driving force, it's more about what is good for 'the group'. A direct result of this is keeping both Warner and Usman in the team long after their feet had stopped moving and there more nicks than a blind barbers. Meanwhile Cameron Bancroft was not selected when he was in form, Sam Konstas was brought in to bash because McSweeney, Usman and Marnus couldn't hit the ball off the square, and Matt Renshaw was not selected when he was in form.

Usman says he wasn't being selfish but this is only true at the individual level, at the clique level, the current Australian team is the very eptimone of selfishness. 'The group' does not seem to understand they are tempoary custodians of the game. Usman has been cooked for two years and that's how I will remember him, as a player who played more test cricket than he should have, just like Dave Warner. The next home Ashes series is going to be dire until 'the group' is retired.

regards,

REB

Well said. I’ve never thought of Usman as anything other than an Australian cricketer. I don’t give a 5hit about his heritage nor his faith. I care about his cricketing ability and performance.

For that reason I was annoyed he was picked for the first test. I share REBs opinion that he should have retired several years ago. I was even more annoyed that he showed little respect for his privileged position as an Australian test cricketer that he prepared not in the nets but on the golf course.

I’m not sure on the link with sandpaper gate. I feel it’s more generational. We see the same thing through other sports and workplaces where the young generations don’t like being told what to do nor any perceived authoritarianism in leadership. Simple performance conversations become accusations of bullying etc. Hence the players ousted Langer who they felt was too hard on them.

Australias current coaching set up is full of mediocre cricketers (with the exception of Vettori.) Guys who couldn’t really make it as players and who now get to be part to the game at the highest level. Yes men who are non threatening and won’t risk their role by making them ouch decisions and standing up to the players.

Enough of the tail wagging the dog. All players have the opportunity to choose then they think the hey should retire. If they choose to go on and age and form overtake them then those at CA need a make the tough decisions and give them the tap on the shoulder and make the call for them.


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