The International Cricket Thread

[Nunkin1965]

A balanced Aussie view

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/we-can-all-die-happy-now-cricket-doesn-t-get-any-better-than-this-20190826-p52knk.html

Thanks for this. Good read.

It is, ta for posting.

Yes a great piece on an extraordinary day.

[tomd2103]

Not sure what they do if Jimmy is fit

They pick him and drop Woakes.  Woakes has seemed jaded this series.  I'd drop Roy for Sibley.  What this Test has made absolutely clear is that we need batsmen who can dig the fuck in.

Hope we don't get complacent as there are a few changes that need to be made.  Roy is not a test opener, but I would maybe have a look at him further down the order in place of Jos Buttler who needs a break.  I would give Crawley or Sibley a debut and would also swap Denly and Root and let the latter bat in his favoured position.

If Anderson is properly fit then he will play and poor old Woakesy will miss out again.

I still can't quite believe Stokes' innings earlier.  Not that he got the runs, but more the manner in which he did it.  Probably the closest thing to Botham's innings on the same ground in 1981, but in some ways even more impressive as it was in the fourth innings chasing a total.

[West Derby Villan]

A balanced Aussie view

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/we-can-all-die-happy-now-cricket-doesn-t-get-any-better-than-this-20190826-p52knk.html

Thanks Redsox, "proper cricket rules ok!"

[OzVilla]

Just woken up, didn’t bother watching last night, wasn’t in the mood to see the likes of Warner and Lyon dancing on the ground celebrating.

How did we get on? 😉

All out for 235.  Utter shit, don't bother with the highlights.

Thanks for the heads up Risso.  It must have been dull as literally no ones mentioned it.

[taylorsworkrate]

I said it a couple of days ago. The effort Stokes put in bowling 15 overs on the bounce was heroic. If we had even half a team with hie mindset we would be unstoppable

[Villan For Life]

You can vote for your most thrilling Ashes win on BBC Sport:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49468534

I never thought Edgbaston 2005 would be surpassed but I think that it has been now.

[UK Redsox]

I still can't quite believe Stokes' innings earlier.  Not that he got the runs, but more the manner in which he did it.  Probably the closest thing to Botham's innings on the same ground in 1981, but in some ways even more impressive as it was in the fourth innings chasing a total.

Stokes started off the innings playing like Boycott and finished it like Botham. The ability to adapt to the circumstances is something that a lot of players don't have....... yes Jason Roy, I'm looking at you

[Nev]

I still can't quite believe Stokes' innings earlier.  Not that he got the runs, but more the manner in which he did it.  Probably the closest thing to Botham's innings on the same ground in 1981, but in some ways even more impressive as it was in the fourth innings chasing a total.

Stokes started off the innings playing like Boycott and finished it like Botham. The ability to adapt to the circumstances is something that a lot of players don't have....... yes Jason Roy, I'm looking at you

Absolutely. Cast your mind back to that brainless, scrambled opening run right at the start of the Test for an example of the mind set, we shouldn't be doing that in the first over, only at the death as we saw last night. That measured, disciplined approach in the second innings laid the foundation for Stokes, and he was still leaving in the last hour yesterday.
We need to take that into the last two tests, that stoic approach wore down a good Australia side, forced loose bowling and fielding errors, muddled captaincy and ultimately a Test win. Those first four maiden overs were just what we needed at the start of play yesterday, I was delighted. Defend, defend, wait for the odd slack delivery and have that one quality lacking in so many players, and a lot of fans. Patience.

[paul_e]

But this ignores the counter attack from Bairstow who was scoring at nearly a run a ball not long after he arrived which eased the pressure and put them on the back foot, to a lesser extent Archer was doing the same.

I think it's about control more than patience, Roy, Buttler and a few others feel out of control if they not feeling bat on ball, especially if they scratching for form.

[hilts_coolerking]

You can vote for your most thrilling Ashes win on BBC Sport:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49468534

I never thought Edgbaston 2005 would be surpassed but I think that it has been now.

It's difficult to look beyond yesterday, and Stokes's innings was one of the greatest of all time, but I think the overall quality of the cricket in 2005 was much higher.

[Nev]

But this ignores the counter attack from Bairstow who was scoring at nearly a run a ball not long after he arrived which eased the pressure and put them on the back foot, to a lesser extent Archer was doing the same.

I think it's about control more than patience, Roy, Buttler and a few others feel out of control if they not feeling bat on ball, especially if they scratching for form.

Yes, control is part of the armour but by the time Bairstow was at the crease a lot of spadework had been done. Conventional wisdom has it that your openers are circumspect, with the middle order being a little bit more free to make shots provided said openers have done a good job. At the moment we are lacking a partner for Burns which means the middle order are then under pressure to be more careful but until yesterday, the same mistakes were made all the way down the order. That lead to my comment about the attitude and the coaching which at least until Bairstow's appearance had suddenly gone from white ball to red ball as our batsmen dug in.

[Villan For Life]

You can vote for your most thrilling Ashes win on BBC Sport:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49468534

I never thought Edgbaston 2005 would be surpassed but I think that it has been now.

It's difficult to look beyond yesterday, and Stokes's innings was one of the greatest of all time, but I think the overall quality of the cricket in 2005 was much higher.

It certainly was, well the batting on both sides was anyway. But as an individual test in isolation Headingley 2019 is easily the best.

[olaftab]

OK Sunday was good and total respect to Stokes and Leach for the 10th wicket partnership but the task facing them was always doable. There has been many last wicket partnership of 70 or more runs resulting in a successful outcome in Test matches. 1981 was a much more difficult situation. There were many challenges in that match. First being to avoid an innings defeat after following on. Second was to establish some sort of lead to have a go in bowling the opposition out and third was to defend a very small lead of 129 take 10 wicket and win the match.
The enormity  of the task in 1981 was significantly greater.

[Villan For Life]

I think Botham set out to enjoy himself in 1981 and threw his bat at everything and established a slender lead, setting the stage for one of the greatest fast bowling performances in history with 8-43 from Willis.

However the Ashes weren’t at stake as it was only the second test in that series. Stokes knew that one poor shot, an unplayable delivery or a mindless runout and The Ashes were gone. The way that he started his innings with patient, defensive batting built a platform for what was to come. Stokes single handedly saved the test and also the Ashes. Cricket is a team game played by individuals and Stokes showed courage and skill in his innings.

I remember watching Botham in 1981 when all sport that I followed seemed to be full of excitement but for sheer skill from one player this one tops it.

[Dante Lavelli]

If England go on to win the ashes then 2019 will eclipse everything.  If the Aussies win then it would be behind 1981 and 2005 and remembered as a piece of individual brilliance. Let’s hope it becomes seen as the pivotal moment in this ashes series.