Any England or Australia Fans Who Don't Enjoy The Ashes?

[Burgey]

Johnson 2013-14 was absolutely the best fast bowling I have ever seen. There is nothing like the visceral thrill of seeing a bowler bowling absolutely flat out and blasting through a side.

It was at a level rarely seen across an entire five test series.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Funny when you look at the best fast bowlers in Test history no one would think about Johnson and Ryan Harris but for that one series they were probably about as good an opening bowling pair as there has ever been.

There were even some pretty flat wickets that series but it didn't make a lick of difference to Johnson.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

It was at a level rarely seen across an entire five test series.

Absolutely, I have no doubt you would have seen stuff on par and better, but I am considerably younger. I imagine I would have absolutely loved the Lillee-Thomson days had I been around

 

[Burgey]

Oh I don't know that I have tbh. Not by a single bowler (though Harris of course was great too). I have vague memories of the mid-70s and Thommo pre-shoulder injury just breaking bones and smashing stumps, but I was really young then.

The Windies in the 80s hunted as a pack, but Johnson in 13/14 was just balls-to-the-wall pace for five whole tests, with that horrible, slingy action that makes the ball so hard to pick up when he gets it right. That **** is a nightmare to face. It's the only time I've felt sorry for a Pom, their awful climate aside. They just hjad no clue what they were walking into, notwithstanding he'd bowled really fast and really well in the ODI series just after the away Ashes.

 

[Burgey]

Funny when you look at the best fast bowlers in Test history no one would think about Johnson and Ryan Harris but for that one series they were probably about as good an opening bowling pair as there has ever been.

There were even some pretty flat wickets that series but it didn't make a lick of difference to Johnson.

They were Lillee and Thomson for that summer.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

And on Harris, incredible cricketer. In the earlier days he was little more than a fringe seamer for the Redbacks, probably 130 with a stiff breeze behind him. Then he hit the weights, gained a couple extra yards of pace. Then SACA screwed him over by only offering him a pissy low tier contract, he moved up north to Queensland and the rest is history.

He may have been injury prone but his peak was immense. Brilliant bowler.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Oh I don't know that I have tbh. Not by a single bowler (though Harris of course was great too). I have vague memories of the mid-70s and Thommo pre-shoulder injury just breaking bones and smashing stumps, but I was really young then.

The Windies in the 80s hunted as a pack, but Johnson in 13/14 was just balls-to-the-wall pace for five whole tests, with that horrible, slingy action that makes the ball so hard to pick up when he gets it right. That **** is a nightmare to face. It's the only time I've felt sorry for a Pom, their awful climate aside. They just hjad no clue what they were walking into, notwithstanding he'd bowled really fast and really well in the ODI series just after the away Ashes.

Easily the nastiest fast bowling performance I've watched in real time. I reckon Holding against Eng back in '75 might have been similarly intimidating, if that over to Brian Close is anything to go by. Malcolm Marshall was a terror by all accounts when the WI came calling to India after the 83 WC defeat.

 

[vcs]

Johnson's spell in Adelaide after lunch will always stay in my mind. Nearly every spell he bowled that series was special, mind you.

 

[Burgey]

Patrick Paterson was awful too. Similar to Johnson to some extent as he had extreme pace with that rock-back action. never really hit his straps properly. Dujon said he was the fastest bowler he kept to, easily. And he had some quickish company tstl.

 

[Burgey]

And on Harris, incredible cricketer. In the earlier days he was little more than a fringe seamer for the Redbacks, probably 130 with a stiff breeze behind him. Then he hit the weights, gained a couple extra yards of pace. Then SACA screwed him over by only offering him a pissy low tier contract, he moved up north to Queensland and the rest is history.

He may have been injury prone but his peak was immense. Brilliant bowler.

The 2015 Ashes were lost the day he retired at Essex. I was there that day with the kids, we were doing a European holiday and I'd joined Essex, which got us in. Girl I went to school with had a nephew playing for the locals, so we had a good day out. Well, Burgeinho and I did, not so sure about Burgetta.

Poor Rhino was gutted. Can't blame him.

 

[stephen]

Johnson in that series was flat out the best fast bowler I've ever seen. He just blasted guys out with pure pace on what were largely unresponsive wickets. Closest thing I've seen to it was Warne in 05, taking 40 wickets through sheer bloody minded excellence.

 

[Flem274*]

ryan harris should have been an atg. he's in the top 5 best quicks i've ever seen in my lifetime.

no particular order except for the first 2; mcgrath, steyn, bond, harris and shoaib.

 

[PikeyB]

I can't say I'm that bothered by this years Ashes . Back when Australia were rampant I was a total Ashes fanatic ...cherishing the occasional England dead rubber win or rain draw like it was a gilded Trophy . However after England started winning a few , I felt our Cricket boards were milking the rivalry a bit too much for profit .

I think it was that back-to-back Ashes(and ODIs) in 2013 that changed my mind . It seemed like we were irrelevant in the World game to me ..playing exhibition games for crowds while the rest of the cricket carried on without us ...like the Harlem Globetrotters or something .

After that I started being a bit more critical about the whole Ashes 'rivalry' concept . I'm sure we can all agree that 2005 was an outstanding contest but since then . has there even been a truly great series ? Or even a very good one ? One side is dominant for the most part . We've seen some great batting and bowling ...but rarely at the same time . I still enjoy the cricket ...but it doesn't feel special enough to be put on the pedestal like it is

Of course winning the World Cup at long last , is also a factor for me . If we end up losing this series ,like other World Cup winners before us , I personally won't give a crap . Just a cost of doing business .

 

[Burgey]

Lol

Ok

Flem, NZ's best cricketer just won the WC for England.

 

[Burgey]

I can't say I'm that bothered by this years Ashes . Back when Australia were rampant I was a total Ashes fanatic ...cherishing the occasional England dead rubber win or rain draw like it was a gilded Trophy . However after England started winning a few , I felt our Cricket boards were milking the rivalry a bit too much for profit .

I think it was that back-to-back Ashes(and ODIs) in 2013 that changed my mind . It seemed like we were irrelevant in the World game to me ..playing exhibition games for crowds while the rest of the cricket carried on without us ...like the Harlem Globetrotters or something .

After that I started being a bit more critical about the whole Ashes 'rivalry' concept . I'm sure we can all agree that 2005 was an outstanding contest but since then . has there even been a truly great series ? Or even a very good one ? One side is dominant for the most part . We've seen some great batting and bowling ...but rarely at the same time . I still enjoy the cricket ...but it doesn't feel special enough to be put on the pedestal like it is

Of course winning the World Cup at long last , is also a factor for me . If we end up losing this series ,like other World Cup winners before us , I personally won't give a crap . Just a cost of doing business .

Out of interest, if the Ashes isn't relevant to the world game, what is? A bilateral ODI series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe? The Ashes is it. Nothing else compares with it. The rest of the world tries hard to confect the rivalry which comes naturally to this contest. But they can't. Not up to it. Without the Ashes, cricket dies. In fact, without, it would have been still-born.

Which is why the rest of the world owes Australia in particular (and England to a far, far lesser extent) an enormous debt of gratitude.

 

[Flem274*]

Flem, NZ's best cricketer just won the WC for England.

this is very harsh on trent boults dropped catch given he followed it with a clutch over to force the super over after the dharmathrows.

 

[Flem274*]

the ashes are fun, but no one outside of england and aus looks forward to them any more than they look forward to other major series. indians don't care more, the south africans don't care more and im far more invested in getting england down here for their routine shellacking than the ashes.

im looking forward to the series because i love cricket, but as ever it's nice to see lesser nations like england and the west island get insecure about their place in the world when the world isn't gagging for the ashes.

that is as it should be tbh. this series is for two countries and is special to them. anyone from elsewhere saying they're just as invested as they would be if it were their own country in a big game just enjoys sore knees and a full throat.

 

[Burgey]

All Flem has demonstrated here is his lack of love for and knowledge of cricket. I mean, we all knew that was the case already, but it's sad he had to confirm it all over again.

Of course, when the Rah Rah WC is on, the Kiwis will expect everyone to have some interest in it, which is laughable.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I love the Ashes, but "enjoy"? Seldom whilst it's on.

 

[Gob]

i masturbate while watching the ashes