Ashes 2025-26.

[Durhamfootman]

Desperation review, thats clearly missing. Although Archer will note once again the very full ball to Weatherald has caused him issues

are you sure he'll note that? He won't see that and decide that banging it in is better?

[sussexpob]

Tennis ball bounce all of a sudden. Labu gets two in a row that trampoline off a length.

Atkinson has 2

[Durhamfootman]

Snivelling Steve get his wish. He wants to do it in sixes

[sussexpob]

Archer bowls a long hop and gets the treatment from Smith. The boundary upsets Archer, who takes the opportunity to unleash a few angry words at Smith.

Smith then responds "You only bowl quick when nothing is on, Champion".... which also doesn't go down well.

Smith then smashes Archer to the boundary and into the stand, and the umpire has to get involved as the battle of retorts starts.

Smith is wound up, and smashes another to the boundary fielder. Whatever Archer said seems to have riled him up, but hes doing the talking with his mouth and his bat....

[Durhamfootman]

Desperation review, thats clearly missing. Although Archer will note once again the very full ball to Weatherald has caused him issues

are you sure he'll note that? He won't see that and decide that banging it in is better?

short ball, bouncer, bouncer.....4,4,6

it's okay though, because seemingly there were 'words'

that's the spirit

[Durhamfootman]

and there you go..... Redemption for sandpaper captain

thanks for playing

[andy]

Archer bowls a long hop and gets the treatment from Smith. The boundary upsets Archer, who takes the opportunity to unleash a few angry words at Smith.

Smith then responds "You only bowl quick when nothing is on, Champion".... which also doesn't go down well.

Smith then smashes Archer to the boundary and into the stand, and the umpire has to get involved as the battle of retorts starts.

Smith is wound up, and smashes another to the boundary fielder. Whatever Archer said seems to have riled him up, but hes doing the talking with his mouth and his bat....

Smith weren't wrong to be fair....can only.hope that fires jofra up for the next test....credit to Australia they thoroughly deserve to be 2-0 up but England have a lot to try and put right and fast......

[Durhamfootman]

his time as stand in captain could not have gone any better for his self esteem

[sussexpob]

As Ali Cook suggests England have got into Smiths head, a visibly pumped Smith smashes another into row Z.....

Far from getting into his head, they seem to have unleashed the beast in him. Scored about 25 runs in 5 balls....

[Durhamfootman]

oh.... 10 overs exactly

what a surprise

[Arthur Crabtree]

England lose by 8 wickets again. At least they are consistent.

[sussexpob]

Smith weren't wrong to be fair....can only.hope that fires jofra up for the next test....credit to Australia they thoroughly deserve to be 2-0 up but England have a lot to try and put right and fast......

I have no issue with a bit of needle, but carrying on like that when youve been embarrassed over two games and your opponent is 10 runs away from completing another lopsided victory just makes you look stupid. As you say, Smith was pretty on the mark. Where was this when the game hung in the balance on day 2? Where was this on day 2 in Perth? Nowhere.

And when Archer sent a thunderbolt around Smith's ear, and Smith responded by playing it like a boss into the crowd at long on, I think Archer learned his lesson. Before Smith could come down the pitch and give him some more comeback, Archer sheepishly turned round and walked back to his mark in silence.

Do your talking with the ball, not your gob, Arch..... because Smith backed up the talk with some excellent shots, you jsut got taken for 17 runs off 4 balls.

[andy]

Smith weren't wrong to be fair....can only.hope that fires jofra up for the next test....credit to Australia they thoroughly deserve to be 2-0 up but England have a lot to try and put right and fast......

I have no issue with a bit of needle, but carrying on like that when youve been embarrassed over two games and your opponent is 10 runs away from completing another lopsided victory just makes you look stupid. As you say, Smith was pretty on the mark. Where was this when the game hung in the balance on day 2? Where was this on day 2 in Perth? Nowhere.

And when Archer sent a thunderbolt around Smith's ear, and Smith responded by playing it like a boss into the crowd at long on, I think Archer learned his lesson. Before Smith could come down the pitch and give him some more comeback, Archer sheepishly turned round and walked back to his mark in silence.

Do your talking with the ball, not your gob, Arch..... because Smith backed up the talk with some excellent shots, you jsut got taken for 17 runs off 4 balls.

Couldn't agree more

[GarlicJam]

I can understand that he is one of many at the moment, but Michael Vaughan was really laying into the England management over the litany of shortcomings and failures that he listed. This was on the telly broadcast before the first session today.

It was forceful stuff, and very well articulated, I thought.

Didn't see that. I don't much like Vaughan as a commentator because he seems to change with the weather - and often strikes me as a man in quest of a smart headline. He does often make some good points I will grant. But easier to criticize from the boundary than work with the players to improve , I guess.

Good point. I fully agree.

As a token Englishman on Kayo's team, that skill/tactic does come in handy. And he is very personable. I think he is a good fit with Australians - far better than Mark Nicholas - he is almost unctious.

I was thinking that I don't think I have seen him so forthright, even pissed off.

[sussexpob]

As a token Englishman on Kayo's team, that skill/tactic does come in handy. And he is very personable. I think he is a good fit with Australians - far better than Mark Nicholas - he is almost unctious

I would fully understand if Australia declared war on Great Britain for sending Mark Nicholas down under. I still remember him claiming Simon Jones was "the greatest striker of the cricket ball he'd ever seen"..... Vaughan is savvy enough to know that media nowadays is about clicks. When he isn't in clickbait mode, he is a shrewd commentator on the game.... but that happens less and less.