Any cricket fans out there?

[ilovetomatoes]

Been watching the ashes this week. Need a hand hold 😂😂

I refused to look at the score when I got up - waited for DH and told him to break it to me gently! Being an eternal optimist about Test cricket, I said I'm convinced that England will be awesomely impressive tomorrow and we'll still win the series. DH asked me if I've been drinking

New tailenders! Baby!

I tottered home last night at about half one, put the radio on & DS said 'Mum, please, it's Christmas, don't do this to yourself.' He is wise beyond his years.

@TomPinch I 100% agree with you that a no ball is entirely the fault of the bowler, but enforcing the laws of the game is the responsibility of the umpire. So envious of the set up you have in NZ! I really, really love the way NZ play, I think they must be everyone's favourite second team. It's not just how good they are, but the attitude of the whole set up and the way their players approach every single match. Speaks volumes about how cricket is seen in NZ. Eoin Morgan has said repeatedly he has drawn a huge amount of inspiration from NZ.

@sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea my husband has been calling me a masochist all day.

Sitting here still can’t take my eyes off it. It’s like rubbbernecking a car crash.

Big wicket from Wood!

@ilovetomatoes 'Mum, you listened to it all night. Why are you listening to the highlights, and now the analysis, before listening to cricket AGAIN tonight?'

I properly LOVE Mood Wank as he is known in this house! Oh please, please, please get Smith out!

@sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea because it’s the greatest game in the history of the world. Obviously.

Dare I say a glimmer of confidence from England here? Potential to save a little bit of face?

Yeeeeeeess

One of mine once asked how much longer the cricket would go on for about quarter of an hour into a test match...

Poor thing wasn't expecting the answer another five days.... (Minus the half-hour)

This is more like it, England!

@BlackeyedSusan and how do they feel about it now? Love it I hope?

@TomPinch indeed!

Well, what is there to say? England bowled well - especially Jimmy Anderson who doesn't have a great record in Australia. And then Australia simply moved up a gear. By all accounts Cummins was magnificent today.

@sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea

I think NZ's secret is a) this is a country that loves playing sport and b) is proud of its cricket team regardless of whether they do well.

This evening I practised my bowling in the nets at the local high school. No one around to stop me, no fence, no one minds.

Capitulation. Nothing else to say

No words

One word. Horrific.

Dreadful, Ashes gone now. Batting is just awful. Every ball It feels like another wicket is coming. I don't know why Broad was dropped. Leach is simply not up to the job. My 15 year old could teach him a thing or 2 about line and length.

I still can't understand why they didn't play Broad. He's genuinely one of the few players that the Aussies struggle with. Last night I was kind of laughing with despair. Today I am actually genuinely angry at just how poor the England test team have been. Listening to Aggers & Finny on TMS, and they both seemed kind of shellshocked by it too.

I know there are all sorts of reasons being offered up, and yes, there are mitigating circumstances. But the ECB are ultimately responsible for this utter shambles. I am just SO angry that this will most likely be Jimmy Anderson's last overseas tour, and he has done everything humanly possible to play in it. And he's been so let down by almost everyone else.

Gosh, that sounded sour! I should say massive, massive congratulations to Bolan. That was quite some debut! Entirely fitting that he should be player of the match and win the 1868 belt buckle. Oh, cricket, I do love you really.

yep. Bolan made up for the abyssmal England batting performance. hearing him do so well on his first test.

Aggers was interesting afterwards too. Agree they do not know how to play five day cricket.

Test cricket just isn't a priority for the ECB. Look at how much money, time and publicity they put into the hundred. I just don't see how you get people from that to watching or playing test cricket. If you keep cutting the playing time it isn't cricket anymore.

It was awful to watch as an England supporter.

Absolutely abysmal , I’m glad I’m not an England supporter .

I’ve been feeling low all day. Really feels like a long road ahead from here. Terrible structural issues. Lack of vision from the ECB.

I think the last genuinely good test team we had was the 2011 team

Well, that was grim. Had to watch the lowlights on bbc. Joe sounded like he was trying not to cry. Understandable.