Really? Not ONE of you lot even thought to open the thread that will run all summer?
So. What do we think?
Ballance won’t move his feet even to stand for attention to the National Anthem?
Moen Ali will make Monty seem like a spinner?
Stuart Broad will look like a shellshocked war veteran?
Mitchell Johnson will make the Barmy Army eat the words to their song?
Or will new legends arise? New heroes stand up and be counted? Joe Root? Ben Stokes? heck even Jos Buttler & Mark Wood?
Whaddaya think gang? Are we going to be gripped by a saga more gripping than a Saints transfer saga or are we gonna run a book on the first “GET KP IN” post?
Me? I think our top 4 are too weak and we’ll fight hard but get blown away.
Over to you lot
Short of a miracle and the second coming of the bastard love child of Ian Botham and Bob willis, we are going to get humped.
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Oh, and I would rather capitulate by five innings defeats than let than let Pieterson near the team.
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We have a long way to go on the test front, that’s for sure. The 1 Day series should be very interesting.
I will of course be watching tomorrow and hoping, that we can put up some sort of fight!
Have to admit I turned down offers of free golf over the next 5 days (not that hard in 41C & 72% humidity) and cleared the decks in my office of all my chores, booked the sofa & stocked up on OSH.
IMHO it all comes down to Bell & Balance as I think one of Cook or Lyth will get blown away (I think England dropped a bollock not giving Adam Lyth more experience in the Caribbean). Really don’t think B&B are up to it form wise atm which puts far too much pressure on the middle order. Honestly think Johnson will blow our top order away and we will be scraping for runs against whoever comes in for Ryan Harris.
BUT if Cook & Lyth can somehow get through the 1st hour of the 1st Test then we have a chance, Barmy Army can get under MJ’s skin again and anything is possible.
IF we get our noses in front we have a slim chance - about the same odds as Saints being in the CL in 2016/7…
You defeatist bastards! Fuck the Aussies and fuck Mitchell Johnson - dirty looking bastard. Bollocks will we get blown away either. I fancy this. I’ll be back on this thread in 24 hours to call you out as the gutless cowards you are*.
*all on the assumption that we don’t bowl a Harmison pant shitting wide as the first ball of the series…
So you will be back after the first day of a 5 series test match, to shout the odds… A very brave man indeed. 
Oh behave. At least we weren’t all Alpine!
I think we have a chance BUT I worry about Ballance’s foot movement & Ali’s spin
Originally posted by @Sfcsim
So you will be back after the first day of a 5 series test match, to shout the odds… A very brave man indeed.
Hey, I never claimed my opinion was measured or in any way well thought through. It’s the Ashes - irrational nerves are par for the course. FWIW, I’d be well happy with a drawn series.
No idea what state the wicket is in tomorrow but if the Aussies bat first then a couple of early wickets might well set the tone for the series.
We lost the first test heavily in 2005… I would take a repeat of that series.
Me too. I’d also settle for a draw in Cardiff (doesn’t look like the pitch is up to much), one rain ruined test and wins at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston.
I feel better about our prospects than I did before the NZ series.
On the down side, Cook is still captain
As the last two paragraphs suggest, cautious optimism:
Have you guise even seen the trophy? I would let them keep it tbh. It’s the shittest trophy ever! We should buy a giant golden trophy and award it to ourselves for 2nd Place. The Oz bros will be so MUGS if we do that!
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:McInnes: to Bear.
2 great ironies already.
Watching a man with Umbrella behind Gower et al as they do their big lead up and then the covers come on.
The fact that the Welsh are supporting England for the next 5 days (or if you are Alps for the next 24 hours.)
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I may have been optimistic thinking this test could last 24 hours.
How many years did they have to prepare a pitch for this?
#villagecricketpudding
Thanks the lords I’m out of the country for the next 2 weeks, I’ve already spent 30 minutes watching the cricket and not working…at least abroad I’ll only check the scores once a day…
Great to see a Pride of Hampshire Saints flag at the Taff end.
I’d have taken that as a 1st day tea score last night.