3rd Ashes Test: Australia v England @ Adelaide Oval Dec 17-21, 2025

[Fangs]

England need to sack Bozz. And possibly Stokes as captain even.

It's getting into areas where they will start to actually waste or destroy talented players like Brook, who could have long and top shelf careers, over some egomaniac idea about SaViNg CrIcKeT

They're both gone.

If they have the balls they'll do it for the 4th test. But more likely a 'review' followed by sackings.

Stokes is a good cricketer. Take the captaincy off his shoulders and get the most out of what is left of his career.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Cummins. Smith. If Injured
Who's the Cover captain ?

Give it to Labs for the banter.

 

[Bazal]

Head probably id imagine ?

Or Carey. Both have been VC

 

[TheParraboy]

Or Carey. Both have been VC

Thought of him, but Head is most likely longer term when Paddy retires or out injured

So give him some cracks at it now, for experience

Not sure Smith plays beyond the 2027 150th anniversary test vs the poms , which is about 15 months away

 

[blue bags]

Or Carey. Both have been VC

Carey would be a good captain
With sharkie Vice

 

[undertaker]

What's also caught my attention is Australia's scoring at 4 runs/over.

Should be comfortably looking at a 350+ run lead by stumps today.

Australia lead by 356 runs at stumps.

More importantly, Head and Carey still at the crease.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Lyon should run England through in the 2nd innings. I wouldn’t even give them a go if I was Cummins. Keep them in the field until stumps on day 5. f**k ‘em

This will happen before you get to stumps on day 5

 

[Bazal]

Thought of him, but Head is most likely longer term when Paddy retires or out injured

So give him some cracks at it now, for experience

Not sure Smith plays beyond the 2027 150th anniversary test vs the poms , which is about 15 months away

Yeah probs depends on the situation. If a few tests or a series (scary thought) I'd go Head.

If just a fill in for a game or part of it, maybe Carey is less different

 

[undertaker]

Interesting article:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashes-tours-can-end-careers-ollie-pope-could-be-next-1516133

I wonder who will be the scapegoats in the England squad to suffer the same fate that happened to Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler after the 2021/22 Ashes.

 

[Chins]

Head isn't a captain, just not the right personality type.

 

[Bazal]

Head isn't a captain, just not the right personality type.

Bro led the worst state on the planet to a Shield final. He's different but he knows what he's doing

 

[Fangs]

Interesting article:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashes-tours-can-end-careers-ollie-pope-could-be-next-1516133

I wonder who will be the scapegoats in the England squad to suffer the same fate that happened to Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler after the 2021/22 Ashes.

Always thought Dawid Malan should have been around the team for longer. He looked a good bat.

 

[85 Baby]

Interesting article:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashes-tours-can-end-careers-ollie-pope-could-be-next-1516133

I wonder who will be the scapegoats in the England squad to suffer the same fate that happened to Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler after the 2021/22 Ashes.

What will be glorious is if it is just Pope that’s gone

 

[undertaker]

Thought of him, but Head is most likely longer term when Paddy retires or out injured

So give him some cracks at it now, for experience

Not sure Smith plays beyond the 2027 150th anniversary test vs the poms , which is about 15 months away

If Smith makes it to the 150th anniversary test, odds on he will DEFINITELY be on the plane to the UK for the 2027 Ashes tour.

Looking at the currently Cricket Australia contract list and how many of the test players are 34 years old or over is a worry:

- Usman Khawaja (39)
- Nathan Lyon (38)
- Steve Smith (36)
- Scott Boland (36)
- Mitchell Starc (35, turning 36 next month)
- Michael Neser (35)
- Josh Hazlewood (34, turning 35 next month)
- Alex Carey (34)

Add another year and a half to those ages by the time of the 2027 Ashes tour.

There's going to be a large player turnover on the CA contract list between now and the end of the 2027 Ashes tour. The blame solely lays at the feet of George Bailey et al. who is very short-sighted, and has been very reluctant to gradually blood younger players (especially fast bowlers) into the set-up, giving the Australian cricket team the 'old boys club' vibe to it.

I 100% agree with Brett Lee last summer, when he strongly suggested the selectors need to blood a express-pace bowler in their early 20s who can consistently bowl 145km/h+ on Australian pitches and hope to get a good ten years or so out of him. However, that sort of change needed to be made a couple of summers ago during the test series vs West Indies and the tour of New Zealand.

 

[85 Baby]

Always thought Dawid Malan should have been around the team for longer. He looked a good bat.

You are probably thinking of ODI Malan. Test Malan was another Ollie Poop

 

[undertaker]

They're both gone.

If they have the balls they'll do it for the 4th test. But more likely a 'review' followed by sackings.

Stokes is a good cricketer. Take the captaincy off his shoulders and get the most out of what is left of his career.

It won't happen for the 4th test. Remember, the Poms are out here enjoying the sunshine on a well-paid holiday (even squeezing in trips to Noosa). The "review" from the ECB will be performed as damage control after the Ashes is over.

With the injuries Stokes has been battling in recent years, I have extreme doubts he'll be back out here for the 2029/30 Ashes series.

 

[undertaker]

Always thought Dawid Malan should have been around the team for longer. He looked a good bat.

His parents forgot how to spell David properly.

 

[undertaker]

Carey would be a good captain
With sharkie Vice

Hypothetically, if Cummins and Smith both came down with a bout of the runs from eating a dodgy Vindaloo on the eve of the Boxing Day test and were subsequently ruled out, Carey would be the best option as fill-in captain from the current squad.

Not only is he performing well on the field (which is critically important. You don't want to give a leadership position to someone who's out of form or struggling to keep their spot in the team), but from what I've observed since he made his test debut, Carey has that match awareness and tactical nous.

 

[Fangs]

You are probably thinking of ODI Malan. Test Malan was another Ollie Poop

He numbers are crap in tests. First class not much chop.

I really only got to see him on the Ashes tour to Australia. I thought he looked pretty good. I think Pope isn't the right comparison he just looks all at sea and down on confidence.

 

[TheParraboy]

If Smith makes it to the 150th anniversary test, odds on he will DEFINITELY be on the plane to the UK for the 2027 Ashes tour.

Looking at the currently Cricket Australia contract list and how many of the test players are 34 years old or over is a worry:

- Usman Khawaja (39)
- Nathan Lyon (38)
- Steve Smith (36)
- Scott Boland (36)
- Mitchell Starc (35, turning 36 next month)
- Michael Neser (35)
- Josh Hazlewood (34, turning 35 next month)
- Alex Carey (34)

Add another year and a half to those ages by the time of the 2027 Ashes tour.

There's going to be a large player turnover on the CA contract list between now and the end of the 2027 Ashes tour. The blame solely lays at the feet of George Bailey et al. who is very short-sighted, and has been very reluctant to gradually blood younger players (especially fast bowlers) into the set-up, giving the Australian cricket team the 'old boys club' vibe to it.

I 100% agree with Brett Lee last summer, when he strongly suggested the selectors need to blood a express-pace bowler in their early 20s who can consistently bowl 145km/h+ on Australian pitches and get a good ten years or so out of him. However, that sort of change needed to be made a couple of summers ago during the test series vs West Indies and the tour of New Zealand.

Think Khawaja goes after these ashes. Still think Renshaw (30 in March) be his best replacement

Todd Murphy (25yo) is a direct replacement for Lyon, that should happen over the next couple of years id imagine. Thats probably least of our problems

The pace bowling cartel could be a worry, but Cummins will be around for a bit

Pretty sure they ear marked Lance Morris at one point, who is express, but he is out all season injured


A fit Jhye Richardson (29yo) is test standard IMO, but the bloke breaks down regularly and randomly. I wouldnt discount him just yet

2026/27 summer 4 test kiwi series is pretty crucial. It leads into the 5 test indian series and ashes - both away

Cam Green may been to bowl like a front line bowler if we dont bring the next crew up...