Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Losing this test puts a dampener on the ashes as it would have been good to win the series.

But for a horrible review by Paine, we would have won it 3-1.

[lemmon]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Shame for it to end this way. Think the only thing to really come out of this test now is whether Marsh and Wade can do enough to make themselves undroppable for the home summer.

[lemmon]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Good knock from Wade. He's really played the spin well.

[lemmon]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Why is Marsh even playing at that? He'd padded Leach away bowling the same line. That's absolute rubbish.

[Ozza]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Frustrating end to the series.

Whats even more frustrating is hearing Ricky Ponting of all people, saying that the only 3 'locks' for the batting line up are Smith, Labuschagne and WARNER.

Really, Warner is a 'lock' after his disaster series. How he was in the team in the first place with no red ball form and no history of success outside of Australia and South Africa was enough of a stretch for me. But they are happy to dump Head, a 25 year old averaging nearly 43 - and were pretty quick to dump Renshaw and Burns recently.

Mohammed Aamer will have his way with Warner.

[ledge]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Frustrating end to the series.

Whats even more frustrating is hearing Ricky Ponting of all people, saying that the only 3 'locks' for the batting line up are Smith, Labuschagne and WARNER.

Really, Warner is a 'lock' after his disaster series. How he was in the team in the first place with no red ball form and no history of success outside of Australia and South Africa was enough of a stretch for me. But they are happy to dump Head, a 25 year old averaging nearly 43 - and were pretty quick to dump Renshaw and Burns recently.

Mohammed Aamer will have his way with Warner.

Warner is a lock because he is in the boys club and as langer said with him it’s about the dressing room and his crowd involvement, nothing to do with him making runs as proved, even Leach had a better average for the series.

[Topdog]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

I know he was poor in tests 2,3 & 4 but surely Wade has earned his position for a bit longer with 2 centuries in the series and 5th most runs overall.

2 centuries and an overall average of 33 shows how poor some of those innings were.

[Topdog]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Warner averaged 9.50 over 10 innings and he is a "lock"? *!*!*!*! me. 1 century in his past 25 test innings

[lemmon]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Funny that we retain the Ashes yet I'd argue more of our batsman came away with reputations hurt rather than enhanced:

*Warner - He'll play the home summer because he's dominant in Australian conditions but he'll always have a significant smudge on his record in England. He needs runs against Pakistan or his time is up.

*Bancroft - Dropping him after two tests and the poor performance of Harris may have saved his international aspirations. No doubt he's slipped back in the pecking order, but he doesn't look like a player that learnt from his first crack at test cricket. He did manage to bat time and his work at short leg are the marginal positives.

*Harris - Think he's destined for a long stint in the domestic cricket wilderness - a real shame after a pretty productive home summer. He looks to be in a similar boat to Warner - his technique isn't suited to the swinging ball.

*Khawaja - Similar to Warner - they'll pick him at home where he bashes up on attacks that get nothing out of the conditions. Think he probably finds himself opening the batting come Pakistan. Another that will never get the chance to put their record in England right.

*Labuschagne - One to have come away with an enhanced rep. He wouldn't have been in my touring party but showed excellent judgement around off-stump, great discipline and is up for the fight. Think he bats three through the home summer.

*Smith - Enough said. Best since Bradman.

*Head - Gritted out some important runs at times but I think he was lucky to be coming in at 5 and often after or with Labuschagne and Smith. The selectors clearly like him so I think they'll persist. The question will be how his technique holds up outside of Australia. Still a lot of question marks for me.

*Wade - Two tons and some fighting 30s, I thought his hand was a little underrated and think he deserves to be in the middle order come the home summer. Played spin beautifully which augers well for tours to the subcontinent.

*M Marsh - Think we've seen enough. You can't play he and Paine in the same side.


It wasn't the worst series for the likes of Burns, Patterson and Pucovski to miss. There are 4 Shield rounds before our next Test, whoever scores runs will get a place.

[Ozza]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Funny that we retain the Ashes yet I'd argue more of our batsman came away with reputations hurt rather than enhanced:

*Warner - He'll play the home summer because he's dominant in Australian conditions but he'll always have a significant smudge on his record in England. He needs runs against Pakistan or his time is up.

*Bancroft - Dropping him after two tests and the poor performance of Harris may have saved his international aspirations. No doubt he's slipped back in the pecking order, but he doesn't look like a player that learnt from his first crack at test cricket. He did manage to bat time and his work at short leg are the marginal positives.

*Harris - Think he's destined for a long stint in the domestic cricket wilderness - a real shame after a pretty productive home summer. He looks to be in a similar boat to Warner - his technique isn't suited to the swinging ball.

*Khawaja - Similar to Warner - they'll pick him at home where he bashes up on attacks that get nothing out of the conditions. Think he probably finds himself opening the batting come Pakistan. Another that will never get the chance to put their record in England right.

*Labuschagne - One to have come away with an enhanced rep. He wouldn't have been in my touring party but showed excellent judgement around off-stump, great discipline and is up for the fight. Think he bats three through the home summer.

*Smith - Enough said. Best since Bradman.

*Head - Gritted out some important runs at times but I think he was lucky to be coming in at 5 and often after or with Labuschagne and Smith. The selectors clearly like him so I think they'll persist. The question will be how his technique holds up outside of Australia. Still a lot of question marks for me.

*Wade - Two tons and some fighting 30s, I thought his hand was a little underrated and think he deserves to be in the middle order come the home summer. Played spin beautifully which augers well for tours to the subcontinent.

*M Marsh - Think we've seen enough. You can't play he and Paine in the same side.


It wasn't the worst series for the likes of Burns, Patterson and Pucovski to miss. There are 4 Shield rounds before our next Test, whoever scores runs will get a place.

Good summary. Can't really argue with any of that. I'm a little more glass half full on Head - and would prefer to stick with him for the long term.

Agree that when its Marsh at 6 and Paine at 7.....the tail starts really early.

[Axe Man]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Mohammed Aamer will have his way with Warner.

Not in tests he won't - Amir has retired from test cricket.

[Ozza]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

Not in tests he won't - Amir has retired from test cricket.

I didn't realise that.
That is a shame. Prodigious talent who made a bad mistake as a teenager, who could have been great.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: Fifth Ashes Test - The Oval - 12th to 17th September 2019

I know he was poor in tests 2,3 & 4 but surely Wade has earned his position for a bit longer with 2 centuries in the series and 5th most runs overall.

2 centuries and an overall average of 33 shows how poor some of those innings were.

I agree. Wade was desparately unlucky in the 1st innings when you compare the not out's given to the 2 English guys that Paine didn't review. He has done enough to hold his spot for the first test of the Summer.

Mitchell Marsh, is in the same position he was before this test. A better than average 5th bowler (4th seamer) who just doesn't do it often enough with the bat. He is a luxury player in a team with not enough coin to spend on luxury items. If Marsh averages 30 with the ball and 35 with the bat I'd take him and keep him in the side. He doesn't though and hasn't throughout his career. His shot in the 1st innings was awful in the situation. No need to do that. His get out in the 2nd reinforces the view that he is not a good enough batsman to bat in the top 6 at test level.