Thread: 2023 ASHES CHALLENGE; May the best team win.

I guess the Aussies are favoutites but the POMS can never be trusted and always produce match winners out of the blue.

It is my wish the games are close, and weather permitting, each side has equal luck.

Let the games begin.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I guess the Aussies are favoutites <sic>

^^There is absolutely no basis whatsoever for making Australia favourites.

You haven't won / retained the Ashes in England for 22 years, a fact which you in particular seem to forget.

England squad announced. Archer never made it.

England Men's selection panel have named a 15-strong squad for the LV= Insurance Test match against Ireland at Lord’s starting on Thursday 1 June 2023.


England Men's Test Squad:


Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)

Yorkshire wicketkeeper-batter Jonathan Bairstow is now fully fit, following his broken left leg and dislocated ankle, and is back with England for the first time since last August.

Warwickshire seamer Chris Woakes returns to the Test squad for the first time since March 2022, and if selected, this will be his first Test appearance on home soil since August 2020.

After taking a break from the tour of New Zealand, Durham fast bowler Mark Wood is back in the squad.

Surrey batter Ollie Pope has been officially confirmed as England’s vice-captain with immediate effect.

Sussex fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the rest of the summer after recent scans revealed he has sustained a recurrence of a stress fracture to his right elbow. He will now spend time with the England and Sussex medical teams, who will work on his injury management.

lots of rumours, Anderson crooked, Stokes to open

If you would have asked me, before the last Ashes series, whether Anderson and Broad would play in the next Ashes series I would have said no way.

Credit to both of them for maintaining their form and fitness in spite of their age.

Seems the Aussie quicks are struggling to stay fit despite being much younger.

What a treat!

June and July are looking like two great months

edit

weather permitting

Weather will always interfere with the cricket in Uk. It’s a give. Looking forward to June 16

Here's hoping that the matches are as entertaining as the Eng v AoNZ Basin Reserve test match earlier this year.

I am very interested to see how Harry Brooks handles the Aussie fast bowling attack particularly if all the front line bowlers are fit.

He is a wonderful batting talent but this will be a test for him.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

He is a wonderful batting talent but this will be a test for him.

Cracking pun.

19 days and 44 minutes.



OK, kind of early for popcorn.

^ Olly Robinson is quite handy as long as he doesn't use words like Paki in his social media account between now and the start at Lords

^^And clouds 20 shades darker than joe90's rims are always good for swing.

So basically, we just need as 'unaustralian' a summer as possible.


Actually this could be our last chance.

Olly Robinson made a complete tit of himself, apologised, and it was a while back when he was barely more than a kid.

No, that's not nearly 40, as per willy's estimates.

The world has moved on, but not Telegraph subscribers.

^ Yeah, heavy cloud cover and the edge of rain at all times, plus maybe some heavy rain on day 4 or 5 when the Aussies are looking like they'll win a test.

^^ Indeed. Keep the racist and other slurs for the Convicts.

Yep, conditions, along with who wins the toss is a major factor who will win this upcoming series.

I also feel the Aussies touring squad includes a few very good leg spinners which has been missing since Warney retired.

Once again let's hope it is a close and intense series and not a one way thrashing like when these teams play down under.

Which is pretty much what every England series ends up being due to the weather. How the fuck England managed to invent and enjoy a game that needs to be played in summer conditions baffles…

Well the bookies have made Australia favourites which confirms my original prediction.

The weatherman predicts a pleasant dry first day with the temperature rising to 26 degrees but possible rain on day two.


The pitch will suit the seamers
Edgbaston's pitch is balanced. Thus, the seamers will get enough assistance from the surface. However, batting will not be effortless on the surface, especially for the first two days, and batters must work hard to score runs. In the first test, we can expect equal competition between the bat and the ball.

^ kunt; hope you get crucified. I also hope that you lose the cricket...
(I can't believe that you called me a ladyboy...)

Now, that the Ashes are on, I'm in full on hate the Convicts mode, and it's quite enjoyable.

Should be an interesting first session today; let's hope Broad gets Warner (the usual way, slanting in then moves away off the seam or swings away and Warner nicks it to slip).

Looks like mostly sunny today in Birmingham with some cloud. Maybe a batting day then?

^ With a name of Betty , having a lump in your crutch with a voice like Lee

If you are not a ladyboy you must be a gay fvck.

Anyway I hope your hatred for us convicts increases over the next 5 tests.

Whoever wins the toss will bowl and risk the chance of batting last on this pitch.

ANYWAY..............In spite of the obvious rivalry betwen our nations, when it comes to cricket, I really hope the best side wins.

Hmm. Ramps isn't sounding particularly optimistic.

I was confident England would win the Ashes … and then I saw the Aussies | Ashes 2023 | The Guardian

I think it's also fair to say he's not a fan of the decision to include Moeen.