O/T:- The Ashes 2023

Root gone. It's Stokes o'clock...

Does Stokes have any history of doing anything special at Headingley.

"Are You Not Entertained? Are You Not Entertained? Is This Not Why You Are Here?"

We won, I'll take that anyway it comes.

Result was key obviously but what a series so far. All three tests are close, all swing in favour of both sides at various stages, all are evenly poised going into the last day of play and all go down to exciting nail biting finishes.

Fantastic stuff so far.

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Originally Posted by laddo

Result was key obviously but what a series so far. All three tests are close, all swing in favour of both sides at various stages, all are evenly poised going into the last day of play and all go down to exciting nail biting finishes.

Fantastic stuff so far.

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It’s only close because England make too many mistakes. Take this test as an example. We won which was great, however, we should have bowled Australia out on the first day for far less runs. We have dropped chances in all the games.
England have got a dilemma with selection. For me Bairstow needs replacing by Foakes. He’s a better glove man and can’t be any worse with the bat.

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Originally Posted by Notts78

It’s only close because England make too many mistakes. Take this test as an example. We won which was great, however, we should have bowled Australia out on the first day for far less runs. We have dropped chances in all the games.
England have got a dilemma with selection. For me Bairstow needs replacing by Foakes. He’s a better glove man and can’t be any worse with the bat.

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Been saying Foakes is a far better option since after the first test.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Notts78

It’s only close because England make too many mistakes. Take this test as an example. We won which was great, however, we should have bowled Australia out on the first day for far less runs. We have dropped chances in all the games.
England have got a dilemma with selection. For me Bairstow needs replacing by Foakes. He’s a better glove man and can’t be any worse with the bat.

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True. Catches and dropped catches have been the biggest difference between the sides.

Mistakes often make test matches more thrilling and closer. Ideally we would be 3 up at a canter having taken the vast majority of our chances but if this close entertaining thrilling series is option B, I'll take it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laddo

Mistakes often make test matches more thrilling and closer. Ideally we would be 3 up at a canter having taken the vast majority of our chances but if this close entertaining thrilling series is option B, I'll take it.

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Have I read this right? Apologies if I've got it wrong.

So you would rather us be 2-1 down than "3 up at a canter" if we had taken our chances because it's more entertaining and thrilling? Seriously?

While this is a really good series, I would take us being 3-0 up in a heartbeat however dull the matches were.

I think he said he would definitely prefer us to be 3 up at a canter. However as that is not the case we do at least have an exciting ashes series.