1st ASHES Test: Australia v England @ Optus Stadium PERTH Nov 21-25, 2025

[mave]

Yeah, 9 of Renshaw's 14 tests have been outside of Australia. At 29 though, he's still got time on his side and recently got selected to play the ODI series vs India.

Renshaw has been the most mismanaged player in CAs history.

Mainly thanks to God-King Warnes endless commentary about his slow strike rate compared to Warner.

 

[Bazal]

Renshaw has been the most mismanaged player in CAs history.

Mainly thanks to God-King Warnes endless commentary about his slow strike rate compared to Warner.

Let's not forget the then Aussie coach in waiting white anting him relentlessly in the media to get Cam Bancroft a gig

 

[Wizardman]

Good sides in most sports do one particular thing very well.....they are able to turn over squads fairly regularly and trade players out a year early rather than a year late.

Australian cricket used to be very good with not keeping players in too long if they were not performing, a better option is in the wings or were getting to the point where their career was not going to get better.

Ian Healy, while performing competently, was not given a farewell test at the gabba. It was Gilchrist's time and he obviously took his opportunity with both hands. All the while, Warner was given a farewell tour despite basically not giving a younger option an opening bat against weaker nations.

We are repeating the same thing with Uzi. He has averaged 18 in his last 10 tests. Why bother playing him any longer at this point of his career? We got what we deserved with his mishaps today.

Here is the more harsh truth. The guys that have really kept this side going in the bowling cartel have had a lot of miles on the clock now and are not getting younger. We really need to identify some younger bowlers and give them a chance (even before their time) against nations other than the two big ones in India and England. Guys like Hazelwood, Lyon and Starc need to start to get the "Broad / Anderson" treatment and only wheel them out for the big ticket series.

 

[Cheese sandwich]

Good sides in most sports do one particular thing very well.....they are able to turn over squads fairly regularly and trade players out a year early rather than a year late.

Australian cricket used to be very good with not keeping players in too long if they were not performing, a better option is in the wings or were getting to the point where their career was not going to get better.

Ian Healy, while performing competently, was not given a farewell test at the gabba. It was Gilchrist's time and he obviously took his opportunity with both hands. All the while, Warner was given a farewell tour despite basically not giving a younger option an opening bat against weaker nations.

We are repeating the same thing with Uzi. He has averaged 18 in his last 10 tests. Why bother playing him any longer at this point of his career? We got what we deserved with his mishaps today.

Here is the more harsh truth. The guys that have really kept this side going in the bowling cartel have had a lot of miles on the clock now and are not getting younger. We really need to identify some younger bowlers and give them a chance (even before their time) against nations other than the two big ones in India and England. Guys like Hazelwood, Lyon and Starc need to start to get the "Broad / Anderson" treatment and only wheel them out for the big ticket series.

I suspect the test team is just one big boys club where they don't like any new inclusions and I'd bet this is why players haven't been blooded in series against the Windies etc. Plus the added bonus of stat padding.

Andrew McDonald and George Bailey are too pissweak to upset the apple cart, especially McDonald since the players pushed Langer out and pretty well installed him into the position.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Day 1 first test in Perth was a Carbon copy of last year against India.

Our batting was the obivous weak point coming in and the England just exposed it even more.

The reality is not many in shield cricket are banging down the door and just further proof of this is the fact Inglis, Webster and Marsh are probably the next 3 in line in the selectors eyes which is just as concerning.

I think reality set in last night this is going to be an awkward summer. Losing to the poms at home will be simply unaccpetable.

Unless weather washes out a test match were going to need 3 wins i dont see a draw happening on the basis of both teams unable to bat for long periods.

 

[simmo1]

We played badly yesterday but England bowled pretty much at their best level. Yet we will still only trail by 40ish. Like last summer, probably not time to panic.

 

[Twizzle]

We played badly yesterday but England bowled pretty much at their best level. Yet we will still only trail by 40ish. Like last summer, probably not time to panic.

They said in the build up interviews yesterday that this is pretty much the best attack England can assemble as they have all had injury issues and haven't played together very much.

They also said they will all be rested/rotated as none of them are fit enough to play 5 in a row. The quality after this 4 drops away pretty quick and their spinner is Monty Panasar level.

 

[Twizzle]

Maybe unpopular opinion but Barrell's days are done for mine.

Sure he was all over the shop at the start, that can happen to anyone, but when he got his rhythm and line and length, he just bowls 132k pies and at that pace he is not gonna worry too many international players.

He's never been quick, but he at least bowled high 130s, now it's very low 130s and he's 36 ffs so he really is slowing down. Brooke had so much time to play him, it didn't matter where bowled, there was planty of time to play T20 shots.

We got bowlers in just about every state that bowl 140k plus, time to get some one else in the squad for mine.

 

[Twizzle]

Also, Weatherald's stance is one for the history books, never seen anything like it and I do have an interest in techniques.

Now, put your device down and take guard, stick your bum at to backward square, crouch down till your left arm touches your left thigh (assuming you are right hander).

Now try and play a cover drive, my bat hits the ground before it bottoms out and how the f**k do you play a pull, or hook shot.

His technique works for him but I'm f**ked if I know how he does it.

 

[LeedsRhinos]

England have to win from here or it's going to be a long series, if we can't win this one with the Aussie injuries don't see how we have a chance to win the series.

 

[Chins]

Head and Carey's ridiculous shots the difference here.
Talk of the selectors f**king up is very much overstated, who exactly should have been picked? We have no one available.
The only realistic change is Labs to open and Webster in for Usman.

And Boland dropped for anyone

 

[undertaker]

Good sides in most sports do one particular thing very well.....they are able to turn over squads fairly regularly and trade players out a year early rather than a year late.

Australian cricket used to be very good with not keeping players in too long if they were not performing, a better option is in the wings or were getting to the point where their career was not going to get better.

Ian Healy, while performing competently, was not given a farewell test at the gabba. It was Gilchrist's time and he obviously took his opportunity with both hands. All the while, Warner was given a farewell tour despite basically not giving a younger option an opening bat against weaker nations.

We are repeating the same thing with Uzi. He has averaged 18 in his last 10 tests. Why bother playing him any longer at this point of his career? We got what we deserved with his mishaps today.

Here is the more harsh truth. The guys that have really kept this side going in the bowling cartel have had a lot of miles on the clock now and are not getting younger. We really need to identify some younger bowlers and give them a chance (even before their time) against nations other than the two big ones in India and England. Guys like Hazelwood, Lyon and Starc need to start to get the "Broad / Anderson" treatment and only wheel them out for the big ticket series.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the-australia-selectors-aversion-to-risk-might-have-boxed-them-into-a-corner-1510552

 

[RealdEel]

Not just Phil Jaques....Matthew Elliott, Jamie Cox, Michael Di Venuto and co. from the 1990s who piled on thousands of runs at Shield level in more difficult conditions all say hello!

I still maintain it was not only a mistake to hold onto Warner in the test side for as long as he did and guaranteeing him a farewell series, but the following two test series (vs West Indies and New Zealand) got wasted having Smith as opener.

Yeah, 9 of Renshaw's 14 tests have been outside of Australia. At 29 though, he's still got time on his side and recently got selected to play the ODI series vs India.

As for what McSweeney and Konstas' chances of returning to the test team....who knows.

What is certain though is there's going to be a HUGE player turnover between now (the start of this 2025/26 Ashes) and the end of the 2027 Ashes tour, given the ages of the current test squad. George Bailey et al. play a very major role in this. The 2028 CA contract list is going to look vastly different from the current one.

George Bailey is hopeless..

Seriously though how are we developing our players for the future? It doesn't seem like anyone is coming through.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/batting-most-runs-career/sheffield-shield-2025-26-17419

 

[Bazal]

Head and Carey's ridiculous shots the difference here.
Talk of the selectors f**king up is very much overstated, who exactly should have been picked? We have no one available.
The only realistic change is Labs to open and Webster in for Usman.

And Boland dropped for anyone

I think the selectors have picked about the best team they could. Even Boland, without Cummins and Haze. Maybe in hindsight you might pick O'Neill and Renshaw could always get a go over Weatherald, but really that's nitpicking IMO.

The problem with the selectors is one of planning. There's been no plan for back ups, next cabs etc for literally a decade

 

[Grigor]

It would be interesting to see how long the test went if both sides faced a top line bowling attack like the 80s windies side

 

[Benchtiger]

It says a lot about the Australian batting when you bowl a team out for 172, in good batting conditions that batted reckless than by the end of the day they have the advantage.For the life of me I don't know what Usman is doing in the team, he seems like a nice bloke but his best days have past him bye as he offers nothing.

 

[simmo1]

We have debuted 4* top 6 batters in the past 12 months - McSweeney, Konstas, Connolly and Webster (and now Wetherald) with only one of them really succeeding. How many players should have been given a go? And who would you have dropped?

There is a point to be made that Khawaja should have been moved on, and I said as much last summer. However Bumrah was carving through our top order, and it probably wouldnt have been a great idea to open with two rookies.

*EDIT: Actually 5 batters. Forgot about Inglis, who did score 100. But he isn't a top 3 batter, and isn't going to replace Smith, Head or Green at this stage.

 

[This Year?]

Just watched the mini of day one and my takeaways are Brook will score the most runs this series and Starc will take the most wickets.

 

[undertaker]

We have debuted 4* top 6 batters in the past 12 months - McSweeney, Konstas, Connolly and Webster (and now Wetherald) with only one of them really succeeding. How many players should have been given a go? And who would you have dropped?

There is a point to be made that Khawaja should have been moved on, and I said as much last summer. However Bumrah was carving through our top order, and it probably wouldnt have been a great idea to open with two rookies.

*EDIT: Actually 5 batters. Forgot about Inglis, who did score 100. But he isn't a top 3 batter, and isn't going to replace Smith, Head or Green at this stage.

Webster was very unlucky to be dropped.

Of all those mentioned above in the first paragraph, he's the only one that has proven to show composure under pressure in bowler-friendly conditions, most notably on test debut where he scored a vital fifty that went a long way for Australia winning the BGT, and also the first innings of the WTC final at Lord's.

Edit: two more fifties scored on sub-standard pitches in the Caribbean.

 

[undertaker]

It would be interesting to see how long the test went if both sides faced a top line bowling attack like the 80s windies side

Marshall/Garner/Holding rissoled the Aussies in the first innings for 76 at the WACA back in 1984:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-tour-of-australia-1984-85-61908/australia-vs-west-indies-1st-test-63383/full-scorecard

It would be like watching a game of boys vs men if the current teams went into a time machine and travelled back to the '80s to take on that bowling Windies attack. Even Ambrose/Walsh/Bishop from the 1992/93 summer would've torn all of the current teams a new one.