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*Official* Fifth Test (The Oval, London) 27-31 July

Qlder

International 12th Man
Who knew Crawley would be the most consistent opener leading into the last test

Duckett had a very good 2nd Test with 98 & 83 but in his other 3 tests he has 57 runs @ 11.40

Khawaja also has dropped off after 300 runs @ 75.00 in first 2 tests, he has 77 runs @ 19.25 in next 2

And no need to say anything about Warner

Edit: Smith similar to Duckett with 110 & 34 in 2nd Test but only 104 runs @ 16.66 in other 3
 
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Spofforth

School Boy/Girl Captain
Apart from possible injuries (not sure how our bowlers pulled up) seems likely the only change for the Aussies will be that one of Marsh/Green will miss out for Murphy. Can only guess that they both played in the last match because the Aussies planned on a weather affected draw.

On form Green would miss out, as Marsh has been in great form. You never know though.
 

Kraken

International 12th Man
Apart from possible injuries (not sure how our bowlers pulled up) seems likely the only change for the Aussies will be that one of Marsh/Green will miss out for Murphy. Can only guess that they both played in the last match because the Aussies planned on a weather affected draw.

On form Green would miss out, as Marsh has been in great form. You never know though.
oh it 100% should be Green to miss out, as Marsh is braining it. However I think Marsh is carrying a niggle, which limits his bowling. Don't be surprised if they drop a bowler to play Murphy
 

Skipper Pup

U19 Debutant
Bring Neser and Abbott into the squad, would also be giving Boland, Murphy and Harris a go.

Harris
Warner (his farewell)
Labuschagne
Smith (C)
Head
Neser
Carey
Abbott
Boland
Hazlewood
Murphy

Really not bothered with the outcome of this test so take the opportunity to rest Cummins, Starc, Khawaja, Marsh and Green.

Nothing would thrill me more than seeing this test end in 3 days after England decimate us - just for the boys to have a parade as they board the plane back home with the urn. Hopefully the UK press can also locate Head and Green in the London nightclubs just hours before the departure time.
 

Kraken

International 12th Man
Bring Neser and Abbott into the squad, would also be giving Boland, Murphy and Harris a go.

Harris
Warner (his farewell)
Labuschagne
Smith (C)
Head
Neser
Carey
Abbott
Boland
Hazlewood
Murphy

Really not bothered with the outcome of this test so take the opportunity to rest Cummins, Starc, Khawaja, Marsh and Green.

Nothing would thrill me more than seeing this test end in 3 days after England decimate us - just for the boys to have a parade as they board the plane back home with the urn. Hopefully the UK press can also locate Head and Green in the London nightclubs just hours before the departure time.
haha ffs this is such a horrible take. We have such a huge chance to win the Ashes in the UK since 2001 and you want to rest everyone? FMD
 

Skipper Pup

U19 Debutant
haha ffs this is such a horrible take. We have such a huge chance to win the Ashes in the UK since 2001 and you want to rest everyone? FMD
We've won the ashes, who actually cares about the series score?

The alternatives are we throw out the best team and risk injuries in a meaningless test that could easily be washed out again. Or we play our best team and lose (likely considering current momentum and no Lyon) in which case the English sook even harder about being the better team but not getting their just rewards.
 

Qlder

International 12th Man
Put simply this test is about future bragging rights

Already Aus can say in '25 Eng haven't won the Ashes in a decade. But I don't want the '27 Poms to go on and on about Aus not winning the Ashes in Eng for 26 years

So Aus must win this last test, oh wait, a rained out draw will do the same 😀
 
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Kraken

International 12th Man
We've won the ashes, who actually cares about the series score?

The alternatives are we throw out the best team and risk injuries in a meaningless test that could easily be washed out again. Or we play our best team and lose (likely considering current momentum and no Lyon) in which case the English sook even harder about being the better team but not getting their just rewards.
We haven't won **** yet. We've retained them, sure, but not won. We start again this game - don't worry about momentum. The poms are going to sook no matter what - who gives a flying **** about Piers Morgan and the like. We're in the business of winning games of cricket - and undisputedly winning the ashes.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
We haven't won **** yet. We've retained them, sure, but not won. We start again this game - don't worry about momentum. The poms are going to sook no matter what - who gives a flying **** about Piers Morgan and the like. We're in the business of winning games of cricket - and undisputedly winning the ashes.
Yeah SP's posts make me think @Uppercut was kinda right in his retaining the trophy thread.

Caring more about retaining the trophy when the trophy matters more is fine, but acting like it's totally indistinguishable from winning a series is nonsense. Even dead rubber Tests still matter because they're Tests - but this isn't even one of those. It's been a great series and Australia should be doing what they can to win it, particularly given what happened in the fourth Test. I don't want to make Baz's "it feels like we're winning" meme into something I have to semi-agree with.

If someone is injured don't push them unnecessarily, but no-one should be rested from a decider like this just to give someone else a hit. It's 2-1 ffs.
 
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Kraken

International 12th Man
Yeah SP's posts make me think @Uppercut was kinda right in his retaining the trophy thread.

Caring more about retaining the trophy when the trophy matters more is fine, but acting like it's totally indistinguishable from winning a series is nonsense. Even dead rubber Tests still matter because they're Tests - but this isn't even one of those. It's been a great series and Australia should be doing what they can to win it, particularly given what happened in the fourth Test. I don't want to make Baz's "it feels like we're winning" meme into something I have to semi-agree with.

If someone is injured don't push them necessarily, but no-one should be rested from a decider like this just to give someone else a hit. It's 2-1 ffs.
Yeah 100% agree
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
I think this series has been a bit all about England, not in a way that is derogatory to Australia or anything. But I just feel when England have been good, they have been great and when they have been bad, they have been horrible. Australia, at their best this series, played good cricket and at their worst, played bad cricket. But they did not hit the extremes that England did.

In a way, England are a bit unlucky that the tests where they played some horrible cricket were not the ones rained off and yet the one they played great cricket in, was. They were also unlucky to lose Leach coz I feel if Lyon was not around for the first test, Australia probably lose that one too.

All that said, a lot of times in cricket, is about making lesser or lower impact mistakes than your opponents and Australia have done that this series so far.

I remember we were lucky with a rained off test in 2007 and then went on to win the series. No reason why Australia should not, either. If the next test goes for a full game and we have a winner, whatever be the result, it would be a deserved 3-1 or 2-2 for either side. But if that is rained off too, Australia would still be deserving winners on account having made lower impact mistakes than England through the series.

Khawaja, Carey, Warner and Labu all have made significant contributions to this scoreline and personally, as they happen to some of my favorite cricketers in this team, it has been great to watch. :)
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
"Who cares whether we win the series" is a massive cope from Australia fans for not having won in England in 20 odd years. You're not fooling anyone. You know it matters, everyone does.
100%. I'm not exactly a typical Australian fan but I definitely care who wins the series.

If it's 2-2 with a rained-out game in which England were dominating then they definitely have proper bragging rights as to being the better side (at least in England). They don't have the urn and that's important but it's not everything. Winning series matters.

Australia haven't won a series in England in 20 years, a period which included English teams far, far less hyped and celebrated than this one. If Australia wins 3-1 here it's absolutely huge.
 

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