Cricket

[SuspectUsual]

England are having a warm-up match against the England Lions. The Lions batted first and in their first innings, there was a notable knock by no 9 batsman Matthew Potts of Durham who scored 53 from 41 balls with 5 x 6 and 3 x 4 and was last man out, by which time England Lions had scored a reputable total of 382.

Stokes had a good bowling return of 16 - 3 - 52 - 6. Wood only bowled a small number of overs and was treated for a problem with a hamstring.

Utterly futile

Yes, Stokes took 6, but 5 were catches on the boundary because the Lions were slogging in their best Bazball style and therefore doing nothing to replicate how the Aussies might play.

Hoe Root got the "never got a hundred in Australia" monkey off his back though. Unfortunately it was by conceding a hundred of his bowling rather than scoring runs.

Has this done anything to prepare them for the Ashes? I don't think so

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Utterly futile

Yes, Stokes took 6, but 5 were catches on the boundary because the Lions were slogging in their best Bazball style and therefore doing nothing to replicate how the Aussies might play.

Hoe Root got the "never got a hundred in Australia" monkey off his back though. Unfortunately it was by conceding a hundred of his bowling rather than scoring runs.

Has this done anything to prepare them for the Ashes? I don't think so

What a press fuelled negative way to look at it. Lets be honest Australia arent the Australia of old. If England go into the ashes after a few wins even if only against the lions. Its good morale and confidence which is half the battle sometimes. Lets not write them off before they have even started.

 

[SuspectUsual]

What a press fuelled negative way to look at it. Lets be honest Australia arent the Australia of old. If England go into the ashes after a few wins even if only against the lions. Its good morale and confidence which is half the battle sometimes. Lets not write them off before they have even started.

Press fuelled? No. My own opinion. Not sure how they’ll drum up “a few wins even if only against the lions” when their entire preparation consists of…..one match

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Joe Root did achieve his dream of making a century in Australia.........just with the ball.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In reply to the England Lions, England had a 1st innings opening stand of 182 by Crawley (82) and Duckett (92), Pope in at no 3 made 100 and Stokes in at number 6 made 84.

On the downside, Root, Brook, Smith, Atkinson and Carse were all dismissed with single figure scores. England have a first innings lead of 51 runs.

Bethell had a bowling return of 4.3 - 0 - 14 - 3.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Nov 2025 ==

At Lilac Hill Park in Perth, in their second innings, England Lions declared when their total had reached 251-6 after 45 overs, with McKinney 68, Bethell 70 and Cox 57 all getting 50s.

In reply, England in their second innings did not have the same type of opening stand of 169 they produced in their first innings with Crawley (3) and Duckett (0) falling very quickly.

When I last checked, England in their second innings were 33-2 from 8 overs, still needing a further 169 runs to win with 35 overs still remaining.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

England bowled out in 33 overs for 172.

Not a hard batting track and Australia weren't exactly bowling well.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

England bowled out in 33 overs for 172.

Not a hard batting track and Australia weren't exactly bowling well.

Good opening over (and a wicket) by England's Jofra Archer in response. Wonder who will end up with a first innings lead?

 

[D1511]

England's last 5 wickets fell for 12 runs.
Taking Bazball to a whole new level of abject stupidity.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

England bowled out in 33 overs for 172.

Not a hard batting track and Australia weren't exactly bowling well.

Remarkable bowling return by Starc.....12.5 - 4 - 58 - 7

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

England's last 5 wickets fell for 12 runs.
Taking Bazball to a whole new level of abject stupidity.

Bazball is all gas and no brakes. There were times in the innings were the English batters just had to slow down a touch. Instead it was throw the bat around. The larger grounds make swinging the bat around a much more dangerous endeavour. 3 were caught in the deep.

In the end England have just played the shortest innings in Australia by a visiting team since 1932.

Good opening over (and a wicket) by England's Jofra Archer in response. Wonder who will end up with a first innings lead?

Apparently it's the first time in Ashes cricket that both sides were 1/0 in the same innings.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

At the tea interval, Australia were 15-1 from 10 overs, having a totally different mindset to the England "bazball" fiasco and still have nine first innings wickets standing with four days and a final first day session still to come.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Australia now 31/4

I detest Bazball, but if neither team can avoid getting out with depressing regularity, the team scoring at 5.2 runs an over will generally do better than the one scoring at 1.7 runs an over

 

[Haywain]

I detest Bazball, but if neither team can avoid getting out with depressing regularity, the team scoring at 5.2 runs an over will generally do better than the one scoring at 1.7 runs an over

Bazball? Scoring fast and playing positively is what Australia were doing 20 years ago. It makes for faster, more exciting test cricket.

As for this match, judging the result before the end of the first day is always high risk.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Bazball? Scoring fast and playing positively is what Australia were doing 20 years ago. It makes for faster, more exciting test cricket.

As for this match, judging the result before the end of the first day is always high risk.

Bazball lacks brakes. Australia always pulled back when needed to.

Australia now 31/4

I detest Bazball, but if neither team can avoid getting out with depressing regularity, the team scoring at 5.2 runs an over will generally do better than the one scoring at 1.7 runs an over

Our top order has been made of glass for years. Today is no exception.

There has been some real ordinary batting going on today.

 

[ainsworth74]

Our top order has been made of glass for years. Today is no exception.

At 80/5 how far down does the top order go?

There has been some real ordinary batting going on today.

100% doesn't seem like there's demons in the pitch and yet we've had 15 wickets in one day. Hope no-one has tickets for Monday!

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

100% doesn't seem like there's demons in the pitch and yet we've had 15 wickets in one day. Hope no-one has tickets for Monday!

16 now!

The pitch is more than fine. It's just there's 22 clowns out there who don't know how to bat. It is astounding.

 

[DarloRich]

Absolute madness! There appears to be complete head loss on both sides. I know England have no batting brakes and a pretty pacey, er, pace attack but cant anyone just defend for a bit? The pitch cant be that bad surely?

Starc has got 7 for and is already batting! Bet he thought he could get his feet up for a bit

IF England could get a couple more tonight..............

#Digin

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Australia now 121-8. Stokes has now four wickets.

 

[Darandio]

Make that 9 wickets and 5 for Stokes. Insane day of play.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

This is the Ashes. The pinnacle of cricket. There's 22 players out there right now who have turned it into a circus.

 

[DarloRich]

Make that 9 wickets and 5 for Stokes. Insane day of play.

This is the Ashes. The pinnacle of cricket. There's 22 players out there right now who have turned it into a circus.

utter madness.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

utter madness.

It's T20 brain. No one has patience any more.

Good luck to anyone who has tickets to day three. It's not going to get there at this rate.

 

[DarloRich]

It's T20 brain. No one has patience any more.

I thought moving away from the WACA to the new Perth stadium might change things a bit but not this much!

Close:
England 172 all out
Australia 123-9

England lead by 49 runs
19 wickets.

 

[Darandio]

Hope no-one has tickets for Monday!

Make that Sunday!

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

I thought moving away from the WACA to the new Perth stadium might change things a bit but not this much!

Close:
England 172 all out
Australia 123-9

England lead by 49 runs
19 wickets.

I'd give the day to England purely because they're 49 in front.

We are going to need a stiff drink to get through tomorrow it seems!

 

[DarloRich]

I'd give the day to England purely because they're 49 in front.

We are going to need a stiff drink to get through tomorrow it seems!

it cant be like that again surely?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Utter madness. Players with their brains fried by one day and T20 cricket. Nobody seems willing or able to build an innings these days.

Its a perfectly good wicket as well, no demons in it at all

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

it cant be like that again surely?

Who knows.
It's been a wild day of test cricket.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

On this first day, England first innings lasted 32.5 overs, then there were the usual breaks plus the changeover to the Australian reply which at the end of play did not even reach 40 overs.

Will any fines be imposed for paucity of overs bowled during a day's play in a Test Match?

 

[Haywain]

Its a perfectly good wicket as well, no demons in it at all

Based on what? The fact is that the bowlers are finding it very much to their liking.