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England Cricket 2025

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  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,940
    3-0 Aussies or 3-1 with us winning a dead rubber. 

    Hopefully we take it longer than 11 days or whatever the thrashing was a while back. 
  • Addick Addict
    Addick Addict Posts: 39,953
    edited 11:28AM
    With the possible exception of one or two, all of Australia's 15-man squad for the first Test are playing in the current round of Sheffield Shield matches. What a waste of energy and time. 

    Meanwhile our boys, having been over burdened with game after game in Australian conditions in the last couple of months,     are relaxing on the beach and golf course so they are fully tuned up and mentally in the right place for the First Test in 11 days time.

    The batter's overwhelming success in the recent ODI series only serves to confirm that there is no need for them to do anything too serious. So the squad might, providing they can fit it in, have a hit in the nets or even venture to the middle for a fun game against each other and with the Lions to make up the numbers - right handers will be forced to bat left handed (and vice-versa) and our quicks will be expected to bowl spin. 
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,380
    I don't think there's a very close correlation between the number of warm-up games England play before an away Ashes series and the success of the team in the series.  

    2013-14 - three warm-up matches, result Australia 5-0 England 
    2017-18 - four warm-up matches, result Australia 4-0 England 
    2021-22 - two warm-up games, result Australia 4-0 England 

    I can certainly see that there are lots of calls for England to schedule more matches.  But when those matches comprise low-quality, players playing in unfamiliar roles (Joe Root keeping wicket, for instance!) and meaningless result-avoidance, there's also a strong argument to say just playing lots of games isn't the ideal preparation.  

    At some point, coaches need to trust players to ensure they're properly prepared.  After all, they're experienced, professional, adult players.  We might find out that just one, concentrated match against young players from England, all desperate to prove themselves against the elite team, turns out to be good prep for a a Test.  And that one Test is the best preparation for the subsequent one, and so on...
  • Zulu
    Zulu Posts: 178
    Just realised the 1st Test starts before we play our next league game !

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