England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

[Axe Man]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Pattinson at least managed a few Shield games in the summer (Cummins played 0, last year or the one previous) .

If he is deemed nowhere near ready for Tests, how is Cummins ready on the back of 2 First-Class matches in the last 3 years?

Whether or not Cummins was ready to play a test wasn't my point (I've got no idea if he's up to it - best ask him or his physio). I was simply pointing out that Pattinson is not ready yet.

[LostDoggy]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Fair enough AxeMan.

My point is that Cummins should never have been on this tour. The guy has actually not played a Shield game since 2011 and needs a lot more work before he has earnt a Test spot back.

They picked him too early once before and it cost him 4 years.

People were critical of Siddle being selected ahead of Cummins in this Test, but the selectors needed a reliable option who can bowl solid overs, Cummins is so not that guy.

I don't quite get why everyone is so down on Siddle. Sure he's not super quick, but he is a warrior and he builds pressure which helps the likes of Johnson and Starc.

People seem to think he is ancient, but he is super fit and 3 years younger than Johnson. He could easily be bowling in the next Ashes squad.

[Bornadog]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Steve Smith on 97

[GVGjr]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Our fascination with all-rounders can leave us a batsman short at times.
I'm not sure what to make of Mitchell Marsh. His bowling is quite good but his batting just isn't consistent enough.

Do we stick with him this summer or look elsewhere?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Our fascination with all-rounders can leave us a batsman short at times.
I'm not sure what to make of Mitchell Marsh. His bowling is quite good but his batting just isn't consistent enough.

Do we stick with him this summer or look elsewhere?

Unless the all rounder is something special, then let's put the AR koolaid down is my take. Hazlewood, Johnson, Cummins, Starc, Pattinson, Bird, Coulter-Nile. Surely we don't need more medium-quick bowling at the expense of batting depth in a top order making it a speciality of not getting 100 in an innings. We need runs. We have good quicks. It defies logic.

I guess they're consistent in defying logic at least.

[GVGjr]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Unless the all rounder is something special, then let's put the AR koolaid down is my take. Hazlewood, Johnson, Cummins, Starc, Pattinson, Bird, Coulter-Nile. Surely we don't need more medium-quick bowling at the expense of batting depth in a top order making it a speciality of not getting 100 in an innings. We need runs. We have good quicks. It defies logic.

I guess they're consistent in defying logic at least.

A decent all rounder can do wonders for a bowling attack allowing the strike bowlers like we have shorter and hopefully sharper spells but it can also come at the expense of having big enough scores to bowl at.

Assuming Watson is out of the mix I guess the candidates for the batting all-rounders spot are:
Marsh
Maxwell
Henriques
Faulkner
Stoinis

Have I missed anyone?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

A decent all rounder can do wonders for a bowling attack allowing the strike bowlers like we have shorter and hopefully sharper spells but it can also come at the expense of having big enough scores to bowl at.

Assuming Watson is out of the mix I guess the candidates for the batting all-rounders spot are:
Marsh
Maxwell
Henriques
Faulkner
Stoinis

Have I missed anyone?

Marsh is the only boarder line test player in that list. And I'm not sold he can contribute a net gain to them overall team as it stands. We need runs.

[LostDoggy]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

I prefer an all-rounder too.

Last Test we experimented with a 6 batsman, 4 bowler line up and the bowlers went terribly with the extra demands. Even with 6 top line bats, we were knocked out for 60.

Marsh doesn't look the answer with bat or ball at present (7 Tests; 4 wickets at 57 with ball, averaging 28 with bat).

I'd like Maxwell to get a shot against the Bangers on the slow wickets. If he's no good, I'd love to see Faulkner get a chance.

[Eastdog]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Haven't followed this series closely but its been a dramatic series for our team.

[LostDoggy]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Has there ever been a worse batsman to open every innings in a victorious Ashes series than Adam Lyth? Dead set turnip.

[Remi Moses]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

It's interesting how the Aussies decide to play with patience and concentration when the series is shot .
On a side note Peter Siddle has been superb

[SlimPickens]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

I know the Aussies are on top but geez this has been a pathetic test series. Not one competitive tight test, very concerning for followers of test cricket.

[Sedat]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

I know the Aussies are on top but geez this has been a pathetic test series. Not one competitive tight test, very concerning for followers of test cricket.

Said it after the last test - this England side is rubbish and it is an indictment on us that we've lost the series to them. Apart from Root, none of their batsmen have barely averaged 30. Their keeper hasn't made a run all series. They have a part time spinner as their frontline one. Our arrogance, both at selection and in our attempt to dominate the bowling, has cost us a series we should never have lost given the poor calibre of the opposition. The same opposition who could not even beat the truly awful Windies in a test series a few months ago.

[GVGjr]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Marsh's bowling performance is why we keep chasing all-rounders. Unbelievably poor series to be honest and while England have prevailed I think the standard of test cricket is as low as it's been for a long while.

[Twodogs]

Re: England v Australia, Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval

Marsh's bowling performance is why we keep chasing all-rounders. Unbelievably poor series to be honest and while England have prevailed I think the standard of test cricket is as low as it's been for a long while.

There are some great players playing test match cricket right now but some very ordinary ones. Players with little skill and dingy techniques are walk up starts. Mooin Ali being a frontline spinner is a joke but the way he's played by our batsmen makes him look like Jim Laker. Big extravagant back lifts, no footwork, head no where near the ball. Of course he is going to take wickets.


What really pisses me off. What really annoys me and gets up my nose is we decided to wait until the last test after we had pissed the ashes up against the wall with some pretty stupid cricket to play properly.

We are so more talented than England. But we stood in front of the camera and pulled our own pants down. Not once, but three times. We repeated the same mistake THREE TIMES inside four games. For that fact alone most of this team should never play for Australia again.