The Ashes 2013/14

[Deleted]

No Ashes thread yet? Here, have some crickety goodness. Pull up a chair, confuse some Americans and listen to the sound of leather on willow.

http://www.icc-cricket.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/
http://www.espncricinfo.com/
http://www.lords.org/mcc/about-mcc/

Jonathan Agnew, Michael Vaughan, Bumble.

Wednesday 10th July Trent Bridge - ENGLAND 215 & 375 beat Australia 280 & 296 by 14 runs.
Thursday 18th July Lord's - ENGLAND 361 & 349-7dec beat Australia 128 & 235 by 347 runs.
Thursday 1st August Old Trafford - Australia 527-7 dec & 172-7 dec DRAW with England 368 & 37-3
Friday 9th August Chester-le-Street - ENGLAND 238 & 330 beat Australia 270 & 224 by 74 runs.
Wednesday 21st August The Oval - Australia 492-9 dec & 111-6 dec DRAW with England 377 & 206-5

England win The Ashes 3-0

Thursday 21st November The Gabba
Thursday 5th December Adelaide Oval
Friday 13th December WACA
Wednesday 25th December MCG
Thursday 2nd January, 2014 SCG

All dates are GMT.

Test Match Special has live commentary and analysis, the match will be shown on Sky Sports and as always, there'll be live text commentary on the BBC Sport website.

[Tradewind]

ah Cricket..the only game in the world where tests can last 3 days and still end in a tie.

[Deleted]

You don't exclusively confuse Americans with this.

[Tradewind]

You don't exclusively confuse Americans with this.

Of course not, you can also confuse them with the letter U and calling it Aluminium.

[Northern Goblin]

So they haven't watered this pitch for 8 days and left the covers on to make it intentionally hot?

After 20 balls on the first day there were cracks you could swipe a credit card through, this match is going to be a spin bowler's dream if it doesn't rain.

[Deleted]

Some howlers in this innings. Broad was out there, but Trott and Root were very hard done by earlier on.

[Northern Goblin]

Agar should have gone the day before, there have been some very questionable decisions made in this first match. Bell's century has rescued England here, need some solid bowling to sweep this first game up.


Would not want to bat on that surface now.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

ah Cricket..the only game in the world where tests can last 3 days and still end in a tie.

And they have a break in the afternoon for tea.

[Deleted]

Clarke has been thoroughly embarrassed with his use of the DRS system. Cook has managed to use his far more strategically and it has paid off. I'm pretty amazed this game has made it to day five with 14 wickets going down on the first day. I'm equally amazed that the weather has held out for the entire Test.

- - - Updated - - -

HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT.

Wow.

[Northern Goblin]

I'm amazed that last one had to go to DRS, I heard the snick as it past the bat on the actual delivery.

Suppose we'll all be giving Haddin stick for not walking now?


Anyway second Test in two days, Anderson to rest up and Finn out are my guesses.

[Deleted]

Jimmy will be in the team, and I doubt they'll drop Finn, even though Onions or Tremlett might be a better shout. Possibly Bresnan, though I don't think he poses enough of a wicket taking threat.

[Northern Goblin]

I meant Jimmy is likely to get the next two days off as opposed to heading back to the Farm. There's no way they can play Finn again though, he was completely without confidence in all aspects. Onions will probably be in, in his place.

[sircaw]

As a Neutral here, what a fantastic game this was.

I was very surprised just how close it was, pound for pound i expected the aussies to be simply outclassed but thankfully at least in this match it was not the case.

One thing that did annoy me was the blantent time wasting just before lunch, watching broad rip off his shoes and then inners etc, i understand that this was probaly not his decison alone and the cook and co were involved in this but i really just dont like it as it feels wrong and not in the spirit of the game, was pretty happy when the umps said there you go have another over.

Anderson proved he is a class above the rest and everyone played there parts.

Can not wait for the next game.

[Deleted]

It was a very good game all round, with some poor umpiring compared to the normal high standards. Before this final day's play I didn't give the Aussies a sniff, but they played damn well and ran us close. For Aus, Cowan looks rubbish and the middle order is confused. Hughes at six? Weird. For us, Bairstow doesn't deserve his place, and Finn was the wrong choice for this test. His selection has done him the power of harm, and now he needs to be dropped.

I think we made a bit of a meal of things today, but a win's a win. Hopefully, the powers-that-be won't get this greedy again, because 10 tests by January is a sufficiently crowded schedule that even fans like me will be bored of it by the time it's done.

My changes for the 2nd Test: Compton back in for Bairstow, Root back down the order (despite his county record, he looks out of place opening for England), Bresnan for Finn (Onions at a pinch). I'd also like to get Bopara in the team, but hard to see where. He's been playing terrifically well since he got his most recent lifeline.

Also, with my little red MCC book in front of me, I'll be enjoying the Lords test live and in person :-) Good times.

[Al Gorefiend]

Well, you certainly didn't lie when you said you'd confuse some Americans.

Some howlers in this innings. Broad was out there, but Trott and Root were very hard done by earlier on.

Ah, reminds me of falling asleep to the Big 10 network a few years back and waking up around 3am to the sound of cricket sports analysts discussing bouncer and short pitch. My left eyebrow wouldn't sleep that night.

[Northern Goblin]

Also, with my little red MCC book in front of me, I'll be enjoying the Lords test live and in person :-) Good times.

Lucky!

I was trying to get seats for the third test at OT, but I simply can't afford those prices.

[Ambrosse]

England won first Test by 14 runs after hard work. Ian Bell score century in the second Inning which played vital role in the winning of England. Graeme Swan bowling is good in particular match.

[Deleted]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013...g-compensation

Mickey Arthur is to sue Cricket Australia, and claims there is a major rift between Watson and Clarke. Really couldn't have come at a worse time for the Aussies. Getting Lehman in will probably pay off in the long run, but they could do without all this right now.

[Northern Goblin]

No change to the England lineup, which surprises me. I expected Finn to get dropped quicker than ..


I'll let you finish that metaphor in your heads.

[Deleted]

I've seen the squad is unchanged but not the lineup, they could swap Finn out for Onions or Bresnan.