1st Test Fri 16-20 June 2023 - Edgbaston

[ZeroTheHero]

In a one off test, you can see the point of the declaration (perhaps). In a 5 test series, it was just daft.

 

[SteMerritt]

Predictable focus on the declaration, but we would have won if we had batted properly when Root was flying on day 4, if our batsmen hadn't run past the ball and got stumped three times, if Bairstow had taken some of the chances he missed, if someone had thought that perhaps Moeen wasn't ready for 5 days of Test Cricket. It wasn't just the declaration.

Frustrating.

 

[unification]

That declaration…

I said it was 50 runs short and so it proved.

Annoying but you can’t argue against the entertainment.

That Aussie tail can just about bat past Carey. Cummins is no mug and the experienced Lyon has elevated himself to a 9 or 10 to hang around.

 

[tonyw]

That declaration…

I said it was 50 runs short and so it proved.

Annoying but you can’t argue against the entertainment.

That Aussie tail can just about bat past Carey. Cummins is no mug and the experienced Lyon has elevated himself to a 9 or 10 to hang around.

So this was one of Stokes' many quotes in his post-match interview:

"Everyone would have been on the edge of their seat here and everyone at home will have been glued to their TV. That's what we want to be remembered as as a team".
And "That's the thing about not being a results driven team."

Maybe I've been in America too long, but to me, that's just loser talk.
If you're a professional sportsperson, you play first and foremost to win the series, not to entertain. If all you want to do is entertain, you should go and join the circus.

I just want to see us beat the Aussies and win the Ashes. Don't much care how we do it.

 

[Oufcrealist]

We started to throw that game away on day one. That was a first innings 500 run pitch. Get that and Australia won't win the game.
But no. Players getting in and throwing their wickets away at will.
Poor, ill judged declaration when we should have carried on.
Our bowlers had to work harder to get their wickets than Australia's.
We get a small lead and had we been more sensible could have set Australia 350 easily. But no, we bat fairly recklessly again. Once again the bowlers done well but didn't have enough runs to play with.
So we lost a game that in part we handed to them.
Australia now have the momentum and it will be hard work trying to get back into the series.
If we continue exclusively with 'bazball' against Australia they'll win more than us.
I don't like Warner but when interviewed he said let England bat that way and throw wickets away in the process, we'll continue to bat how we do and we'll be ok.
He was right unfortunately.
Foakes should have played. Hes our best keeper and Bairstow made costly mistakes . Crawley will play for sure but if he let's us down (and it's only a matter of time) drop him and try Bairstow higher up, won't happen.
We also lacked pace so maybe Wood should come in, perhaps give Anderson a rest.
Onto the next one.

 

[Blox21]

Whether some people like it or not sport is entertainment, I’ve been watching and playing cricket for a long time and this past year or so is the most excited I’ve been following the England cricket team. As Stokesy has said we will win games when we shouldn’t , we will lose the odd game when we shouldn’t
Long live Bazzball !!!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I think all (at least the vast majority) of us have enjoyed the test being played this 'new' way. The frustrating thing is that with just a little more attention to detail, a little more quality in a couple of areas and a little more logical thought, we would have won that game and it not only have been just as exciting, but we'd also have had the *extra* enjoyment of having beaten the Aussies and being one up in the series.

 

[Foley]

Maybe I've been in America too long, but to me, that's just loser talk.
If you're a professional sportsperson, you play first and foremost to win the series, not to entertain. If all you want to do is entertain, you should go and join the

I am.not sure that you have been in America too long Tony.
We can still play with flair and excitement, but try a little harder to win/ avoid defeat.
The declaration still appears strange and- unnecessaey.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

That declaration! The difference between winning and losing this test.

 

[andystroud]

That declaration! The difference between winning and losing this test.

It wasn't that black and white. The missed chances and the injury to Mo Ali had an even bigger impact.
Cummins and Lyon looked as though they could have batted for another 50 runs. Whilst it was great captaincy to keep Root on for an extra over, taking the wicket of Carey, it was mistke to keep him on for another over, when Cummins took him for 14 runs. That over gave the Aussies the belief they needed.
Hey-ho, on to Lord's.

 

[38yearsofpain]

It wasn't that black and white. The missed chances and the injury to Mo Ali had an even bigger impact.
Cummins and Lyon looked as though they could have batted for another 50 runs. Whilst it was great captaincy to keep Root on for an extra over, taking the wicket of Carey, it was mistke to keep him on for another over, when Cummins took him for 14 runs. That over gave the Aussies the belief they needed.
Hey-ho, on to Lord's.

We made a number of small mistakes, declaration was one. Playing Anderson on that pitch was another, watching Jimmy bowl from the Hollies yesterday showed his days are numbered. Some insane batting in our second innings, poor keeping by Bairstow, playing a spinner who couldn't last a five day test match. Stokes drop on the boundary. Root bowling one over too many. A big opportunity missed because Smith and Labuasagne are unlikely to both fail in many tests.
In the ground you never felt we were never going to get over the line.
Funniest moment though was chanting at an Aussie in the Hollies, We've never seen an Aussie drink a pint, he drinks it. We've never seen an Aussie drink 2 pints he drinks it to great applause. We've never seen an Aussie drink 3 pints , he drinks it to applause and gets ejected.
Fun day of cricket, even if the result was disappointing.