O/T:- The Ashes 2023

[Elite_Pie]

Wow! An unprecedented declaration on what looks a good pitch.

England are rewriting the tactics of cricket.

[i961pie]

My Kiwi son in law keeps reminding me where Mc Cullum and Stokes were born😜

[laddo]

Stunning! You've got to love it. Being listening in the car and checking the score throughout the afternoon.

Test cricket today (England) is unrecognisable compared to what I grew up with and used to. 393 off 78 overs in a test match?! Day one?! And then declare.

Superb.

I do hope we bat first at the Oval.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

I’m there tomorrow.

I have a feeling I’ll be watching a lot of Aussie batting…..

[countygump]

I’m there tomorrow.

I have a feeling I’ll be watching a lot of Aussie batting…..

It was a very flat track today, little or no movement. Let's hope that England can coax a bit of swing out of it, or get their spinners into the game.

[Magpies1959]

It is possible that the way England's test team play their cricket, could breath life into the two innings format of the game, (tests and county championship and overseas equivalents) rather than the hope that the 'Hundred' would drag in new fans. Amazingly enough I think that format might die off before test cricket now, hopefully.
In the last couple of days we have seen the beauty of the two innings formats of the game. Notts epic rearguard action to gain an unlikely draw against Warwickshire, and England's gung ho style in which to get them firmly on the front foot. Both fantastic to watch in their different ways.

[queenslandpie]

Not sure how to describe the first day. Exciting, baffling,weird or all three. It's certainly interesting. What's the weather forecast pommies?

[Ex_Southwell_Magpie]

At least a hundred runs short on that track looking at it. It’s going to be a long two days in the field for us unless we van get the ball to reverse.

[countygump]

At least a hundred runs short on that track looking at it. It’s going to be a long two days in the field for us unless we van get the ball to reverse.

We would have certainly got closer to 500 if we had carried on batting and not declared, but we don't appear to play in such a conventional manner anymore?

[Magpies1959]

Hopefully the same cloud cover at Edgbaston as there is here.