England v Australia, 1st Test, Edgbaston, 16-20 June, 2023

Onward and upward  lads.

I'm not speaking to Stokes and his men (they can't hear me anyhow ... ...) I mean Lara (howya btw), beamer and any other Poms still alive on here.

Despite the old stiff upper lip about "wewon't change", I don't imagine there won't be some -as they now say - learnings from the shortcomings in this Test. Some listed above. FWIW I don't think the declaration was the standout problem, or turning point.

Moeen's injury hurt you blokes a lot.

lardbucket wrote:Moeen's injury hurt you blokes a lot.

Was a gamble that didn't really pay off.

But hey, I am not going Old Testament prophet.

I think the lack of a penetrative (i.e. fast) bowler hurt England as much.

But ... hindsight and distance are easy wisdom. Even tho ... well, you can complete the sentence!

And the keeping misses ... etc etc

Well - it's too late to go to bed now. Best get ready for work. I think the adrenalin will carry me through til 5!

Had better!
Sleep well!

lardbucket wrote:Well - it's too late to go to bed now. Best get ready for work. I think the adrenalin will carry me through til 5!

Bit the same. I am jittery after two espressos and nerves that won’t settle.

Commiserations to the English comrades.

We need to hit back at Lord’s but have a poor record there. There obviously won’t be a big rethink of approach but changes are needed, and we perhaps have to do what they won’t expect us to do, selection-wise.

horace wrote:

lardbucket wrote:Well - it's too late to go to bed now. Best get ready for work. I think the adrenalin will carry me through til 5!

Bit the same. I am jittery after two espressos and nerves that won’t settle.

Commiserations to the English comrades.

No babies have died in the streets ... there are greater tragedies than cricket match outcomes ...

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:We need to hit back at Lord’s but have a poor record there. There obviously won’t be a big rethink of approach but changes are needed, and we perhaps have to do what they won’t expect us to do, selection-wise.

A return for Kerrigan?

Two of our 3 Number 11s played great roles in this 4th dig. Still stunned with Bolands knock and Elmer gave Robinson a real up yours.

I think the groundstaff deserve a vote of thanks. We're fortunate to have had such a stirring finish at all.

PeterCS wrote:

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:We need to hit back at Lord’s but have a poor record there. There obviously won’t be a big rethink of approach but changes are needed, and we perhaps have to do what they won’t expect us to do, selection-wise.

A return for Kerrigan?

Is Lord’s going to freeze over, and we’ll need our skates on? Aussies would call up Tonya Harding as the enforcer, anyway…

Heh

Is The Big Nancy still playing at County level?

lardbucket wrote:Is The Big Nancy still playing at County level?

Still on the books at NorthPants it seems, but playing second XI cricket this season, with his last FC game nearly a year ago. His career never really recovered from that Test debut debacle (was it really 10 years ago?)

I remember Woakes also made his debut in the same Oval dead rubber, and was tarred with the same brush for a while, but remains in the picture a decade on, despite often seemingly playing the role of the tour mascot. Even if it seems unlikely we’ll ever see Stokes, Woakes and Foakes in the same side again (think it only ever happened in one series!)

PeterCS wrote:Had better!
Sleep well!

I'd better rephrase the second.

I meant: when you get there!

I'd jacked it in at Carey's wicket, after seriously considering it at Quodge's. Amazing result! Usually Aus make a late dash at these targets after they become impossible then go back into panic mode when the big chase suddenly becomes small.

PC Pat was marvellous with bat and ball, ending a worrying length of time being occasionally better than moderately good with one or the other. (No the situation with his Mum wouldn't have helped, and neither would his handbag-swing with the S Bend, but his batting form had been more fitting the no 10 spot than no 8 for a while before all that stuff)

All the bit players played a bit - even out fave warm-up man Despicable Dave's second innings runs and momentum grab turned out to be vital. Dunder, Snot and Mariah all made important runs in both innings. And Quodge's effort needs just one stat to show its epic-nrss: he scored 207 runs for the match. The two opening batsmen per innings in 2019 contributed (amassed?) a combined 197 for the series.

Wake up Skully!

The joys of shift work , caught the tail end of the game and all I can say is wow.
Aus go someway to putting to bed their 4th innings collapses, with a record chase. Also the first time England have failed to bowl a team out twice , in 13 test matches.

horace wrote:Wake up Skully!

I'm up!!! Holy Moley, we did it!!!

Went to bed hopefully but knowing history. Looked at my phone as I boiled the jug at this morning and it contained a joyous text from my bro.

But the details blow me away. Cummins 44 not out, Lyon 16 not out!!!

At 8-227 the Hollies stand must've been in full voice. But to have our captain and one of the ferrets take it away from them is poetry!!!

Viva la Test Cricket!!!

Blackadder wrote:The joys of shift work , caught the tail end of the game and all I can say is wow.
Aus go someway to putting to bed their 4th innings collapses, with a record chase. Also the first time England have failed to bowl a team out twice , in 13 test matches.

And there appears to be the weakness in Stokes' request for flat decks. It made it very hard for their champion opening pair, not to mention their lack of a hardened Test class spinner. Mo is OK but clearly the lack of proper cricket left his spinning finger underdone.

skully wrote:As a biased Aussie, I can only hope to wake up to a result in Antipodean favour.

Check!!!

lardbucket wrote:and that'll be the game

lardbucket wrote:Root has certainly outbowled Moeen ... there's the out to permit Foakes to come in

lardbucket wrote:no timing from any of these batsmen

lardbucket wrote:that last stand between Broad and Anderson looking more and more important

lardbucket wrote:

lardbucket wrote:that last stand between Broad and Anderson looking more and more important

England's last two wickets added 44 ... which is the remaining margin

lardbucket wrote:

lardbucket wrote:still hanging in, transfixed

I don't think it can be a draw, unless there's more rain around ... I just don't think we can bat for 38 overs and NOT make the required runs. We'll fall about 30 short.

posted two hours ago

lardbucket wrote:30 required, 13 overs, 2 wickets

whatever happens, a great Test match

lardbucket wrote:closer than expected now

23 to win, 2 wickets, 11 overs is enough

lardbucket wrote:14 to win; I feel ill. We never win these close ones.

lardbucket wrote:Some of England's earlier fielding - eg Pope saving crucial runs - looks very important now

lardbucket wrote:tensest bloke at Edgbaston at present - Josh Hazlewood

lardbucket wrote:Jesus, 7 to win.

lardbucket wrote:definitely no draw ... 7 overs left

lardbucket wrote:anyone fancy a tie?

lardbucket wrote:still 5 to win

Broad to bowl for the match

lardbucket wrote:4 to win

lardbucket wrote:Oz win!!!

Men of the match: Khawaja, Cummins, Lyon, Root, Broad

lardbucket wrote:FMD, that is absolutely unbelievable

The gloom then the tension must've been unbearable.

And 10 pages of posts in this thread tells you what this Test and the Ashes mean to us few hardy remainers.

We are heading for our best posting month since June last year (730 posts)