So the Ashes is here again. Are you ready? Don’t worry if you feel less prepared than a priest at a brothel. You can’t be less prepared than England are. Half our team haven’t played more than a single first class game all season, and some of them are still drunk after the World Cup celebrations. Bodes well doesn’t it. Fortunately, the visiting Australians are no great shakes. And it’s a good thing too. Had it been the Waughs, Ponting, Warne, and McGrath turning up...
Three Is An Ashes Number
Style or substance? Resolute defence or blistering attack? Mercurial talent or dogged resistance? It is a fun quirk of this sumptuous cricketing summer that the World Cup is running parallel to the County Championship. And while the formats are very different, players in both are vying for one identical prize: a place in England’s top order for the opening Ashes test. Here is the low down on the main contenders for England’s top three. I have considered playing style (PS), first class average...
Should Jason Roy Play In The Ashes?
So the news is mixed. Jason Roy’s scan has indeed revealed a hamstring tear. But it’s not a bad one. Allegedly. England are insisting he’ll miss just two games – the somewhat inconsequential match ups against Afghanistan, who England will be expected to beat in their sleep, and Sri Lanka, who England will be expected to beat half-asleep. Roy’s injury therefore shouldn’t affect England’s chances of winning the World Cup. We’ll still be worth a...
Don’t Forget It’s An Ashes Year
A home World Cup is always a super occasion. The last time it happened I was actually travelling around Australia. We’d just endured another Ashes defeat, and I decided to come home after a few months specifically to catch the end of the tournament. Unfortunately England got knocked out before I flew into Heathrow. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Back then we had a few months to recover from our Ashes trauma before the action began. This time, however, there’s virtually no...
Ireland, Out Of The Ashes
Today we welcome Irish writer Kevin Galvin back to TFT. Here are his latest thoughts on cricket in the Emerald Isle. The enthralling third test between India and South Africa, which was a fascinating battle amongst the gratuitious run-scoring of limited overs cricket, exhibited why many people are of the credence that the long-form needs to be protected. But while in both England and Australia, the shorter form of the game, particularly T20, is becoming an almost uncontrollable behemoth, here...
A Team To Win The 2019 Ashes
Who needs Jim, Gus and Mick when you’ve got cricket bloggers eh? Picking Ashes winning sides is as easy as pie for us keyboard warriors. You just need good batsmen, a balanced attack that covers all bases and, erm, a bit of luck. The kind of luck that unexpectedly kept Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins on the park for the last two months. Australia will be a hard team to beat in England in 2019, especially if they can keep their pacemen fit again, therefore it’s essential for England to...
