Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Who would have thought Wade would be the Aussies fourth innings hero?

Hundred for Wade. Can he do a Stokes?

Probably justified to give England brief, stiff nod of the head for drawing the series level. Which will take a few layers of lacquer off the win for the tourists I'm sure. Pleased to see Leach get a few. Bit of a cult figure I imagine.

Stokes and Smith are the POTS.

Archer the POTM.

Well done to the Aussies for taking home the plastic replica.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Smith out of 23. You'd take that.

someone mentioned on telly, at the start of Smith's innings, that he averages 31 in 4th innings, with no centuries.

A chink!

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Archer the POTM.

Well done to the Aussies for taking home the plastic replica.

At least for Australia, the Ashes are a state of mind, not an object. Since we are not allowed to take the trophy home

GarlicJam wrote:

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Smith out of 23. You'd take that.

someone mentioned on telly, at the start of Smith's innings, that he averages 31 in 4th innings, with no centuries.

A chink!

Surprising stat.

GarlicJam wrote:

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Archer the POTM.

Well done to the Aussies for taking home the plastic replica.

At least for Australia, the Ashes are a state of mind, not an object. Since we are not allowed to take the trophy home

They were in Australia on the only time I visited. The only time I've seen them was in Australia. Can't remember if it was Melbourne or Sydney now.

Yes, the competition feels unique because it is for something more than a trophy, or even bragging rights (though they will matter) but a symbol of the long history and rich tradition of the contest. Which might not be all that common in sport.

After Bradman, best batters in the fourth innings were Boycott and Gavaskar. Minimum 700 runs.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=batting

The most tons scored in the fourth innings is Younis Khan's 5, so not that many for Smith to catch up.

well done England. Convincing win to square things up

After OT and the retention of the ashes for Australia, I was quite prepared to give it all up and rest some players who have not just given everything, but actually made to give too much... I'm thinking Stokes and Archer here... there's been a few pain killing injections for those two, and they shouldn't be having to risk long term injury for short term gain, but I was wrong. The ashes may be retained by Australia, but it does feel important to have not lost the series. It'll keep Root's captaincy career going a bit longer, if nothing else, so he'll be relieved

Bayleaf is gone..... woo hoo!

shut the door on the way out

Bit harsh , Footman ? Bayliss did a fine job with the ODI outfit...if the Test side got a bit messed about I'm more inclined to blame Ed Smith for his overdone hunch selecting...
Agree it might have been better to have a coach who actually considered county cricket to have some significance...but I guess you could argue that all day...

Goes out with a win ; players seem to have enjoyed working with him...hope ECB do the right thing and appoint Paul Collingwood now. Think he'd be a good man going forward.

Quiet thread for an England-Australia game. Well done AC for keeping the chat going. Why so quiet? Lack of interest with the urn gone, end of a long summer (according to the BBC test cricket has never been played this late in the year in England), something else?

Hats off to England for their best all-round performance of the series. They capitalised on Australia being off-colour, no doubt - even at the time I was surprised at the decision to bowl first, not a common one at the Oval, and they put down a heck of a lot of chances. But England did manage to take advantage of it and bat time in a way they haven't in the rest of the series. Australian hangover from retaining the urn? Maybe.

There's not a huge amount between these sides, Smith apart. At least in English conditions. 2-2 seems a reasonable result, although it could easily have been 4-1 Australia or 4-1 England had the cards fallen just a little differently.

I can't see England winning in Australia. Still, 2 and a half years is a long time - if they focus on that now, they stand a chance. Might need some short term pain as they blood some new talent in the near term and play home summers with less-than-helpful pitches or maybe even (gasp) try the Kookaburra ball.

A trip to South Africa is a good place to start. South African conditions are probably the closest you can get to Australia, and funnily enough it's been England's best touring destination of the last 15 years. South Africa currently look a bit on the weak side, especially with the bat, following the departure of de Villiers, Amla and Steyn. That said, a side featuring Rabada, Philander and Ngidi as the pace attack demands respect.

NZ first. Who will start favourites.