2nd Ashes Test: Australia v England @ The Gabba Thu Dec 4-8, 2025

[King-Gutho94]

I'm starting to wonder if we haven't all misjudged Buzz McClymont.

What if he's not the saviour of English cricket?

What if he's the saviour world cricket, a plant who knows that if nothing else, every single Test nation just absolutely loves belting the Poms?

English fans on socials last night are now claiming he is double agent from NZ only there for revenge after the Kiwis got shafted in the 2019 world cup final haha.

I think the polish & spin Baz has put on this squad the shine has well truly worn off.

Ex players are getting more vocal and the fans are now as well.

Another 4-0 or 5-0 result and England might have to blow the setup again after wasting 4 years on building on a plan to win in Australia only to end up in the same position.

 

[Chins]

English fans on socials last night are now claiming he is double agent from NZ only there for revenge after the Kiwis got shafted in the 2019 world cup final haha.

I think the polish & spin Baz has put on this squad the shine has well truly worn off.

Ex players are getting more vocal and the fans are now as well.

Another 4-0 or 5-0 result and England might have to blow the setup again after wasting 4 years on building on a plan to win in Australia only to end up in the same position.

Don't cry because Bazball is over, smile because it happened. Over and over and over........maybe they will keep going.

 

[JJ]

He stabbed Ross Taylor in the back to get the NZ captaincy.

Not sure that's quite true - and Taylor was a terrible captain - but how it played out was awful... Taylor amongst the nicest of the nice guys...

I see McCullum now saying they trained too much.... LMAO... whether it's no game time, too much practice, too little practice, selecting players that are just flat out bad test cricketers (Crawley, Pope), flogging mindlessly at every ball, and then buckling down when 6 down and staring an innings defeat in the face... these are your calls champ, and you had plenty of time to think about them...

Australia is the hardest place to tour, no mistake... they're not the first team to get flogged - but remember this is with a pretty ordinary Aust batting lineup and missing two legit great fast bowlers...

And, by the way, this is just immense from Starc, as we all know.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Not sure that's quite true - and Taylor was a terrible captain - but how it played out was awful... Taylor amongst the nicest of the nice guys...

Not sure the full circumstances you would know more but that's just how it come across.

In terms of being Taylor being a terrible captain well he is the only NZ test captain with a test win against the Aussies in my life time so your right he is terrible and went completely against the grain haha.

 

[Twizzle]

Just browsing an English site and big Mac said to the English media that they over prepared.

f**king lols.

 

[Twizzle]

I missed the days play as I was at Good Things festival all day. Got home to the motel and hit the Irish pub next door, about 11 oclock, and this barmy army dude was totally legless and almost had to be carried out by all these other legless dudes.

 

[JJ]

Not sure the full circumstances you would know more but that's just how it come across.

In terms of being Taylor being a terrible captain well he is the only NZ test captain with a test win against the Aussies in my life time so your right he is terrible and went completely against the grain haha.

Yeah, there was clearly an element of that - and Taylor was certainly aggrieved... I've never really been a McCullum fan, and his narrative has changed continually - to the current self appointed "saviour" of cricket...

One (fortunate) test doesn't make a great captain... he's not a leader of me, interestingly with a similar quiet personality Williamson was, and easily the best captain of them... We've had some very good captains - Williamson, Fleming, Coney, Howarth, Reid... Taylor not amongst them...

On topic, can England find a way to get to day 5, or is it better to burn out in 2-4 days.

Also, how good is Carey going??

 

[King hit]

English fans on socials last night are now claiming he is double agent from NZ only there for revenge after the Kiwis got shafted in the 2019 world cup final haha.

I think the polish & spin Baz has put on this squad the shine has well truly worn off.

Ex players are getting more vocal and the fans are now as well.

Another 4-0 or 5-0 result and England might have to blow the setup again after wasting 4 years on building on a plan to win in Australia only to end up in the same position.

If it continues the British coppers would have to arrest every English supporter for their mean social media posts.

That’s seriously something that happens there

 

[PARRA_FAN]

You can never underestimate the blokes in our team who will step up in key periods, Smithy is a gun with the bat and in the field, when we thought Stokes and Jacks could hang around a bit longer, Smith comes up with a brilliant catch and add to that takes a few more in the field.

Starc was brilliant again, not just with the ball but with the bat.

Its scary to think that Cummins and Lyon will come back in the next test, still some doubts over Khawaja, but even with some injuries to bowlers, look at what Neser did yesterday brilliant.

The Poms look to have shot themselves in the foot with their strange tactics, lack of preparation and bowlers who are either unfit or not up to the Aussies conditions. Just seeing the comments from McCullum and Stokes seems very strange. As good as Stokes is as a player, he doesnt seem like a good captain.

Some of their ex players like Vaughan, Botham and Hussain arent particularly happy and I cant blame them.

 

[King hit]

 

[85 Baby]

Just browsing an English site and big Mac said to the English media that they over prepared.

f**king lols.

“I think the boys just need a few days off”
- Brendon McCullum 7th Dec 2025

 

[TheParraboy]

I missed the days play as I was at Good Things festival all day. Got home to the motel and hit the Irish pub next door, about 11 oclock, and this barmy army dude was totally legless and almost had to be carried out by all these other legless dudes.

Did you thank him for his service?
(blowing his coin on our tourism, hospitality and alcohol industries)

 

[jargan83]

Bring back Boycott. Gooch. Cooky

Bring back Phil Tufnell

 

[JJ]

“I think the boys just need a few days off”
- Brendon McCullum 7th Dec 2025

working 5 and a half days of a possible 10 is a bit hard on them

 

[Twizzle]

Did you thank him for his service?
(blowing his coin on our tourism, hospitality and alcohol industries)

they were not impressed with their team, they had good reason to drink

 

[hineyrulz]

I missed the days play as I was at Good Things festival all day. Got home to the motel and hit the Irish pub next door, about 11 oclock, and this barmy army dude was totally legless and almost had to be carried out by all these other legless dudes.

Was tool headlining??

 

[Twizzle]

Some of their ex players like Vaughan, Botham and Hussain arent particularly happy and I cant blame them.

Don't forget Monty Panesar

 

[Twizzle]

Was tool headlining??

Yes, and the support band (second last) was Weezer, lols, nearly went to sleep

Machine Head were f**king awesome too

 

[85 Baby]

working 5 and a half days of a possible 10 is a bit hard on them

ECB should dock their annual leave for missed days

 

[JJ]

Tool are just special, insanely good