You didn’t really think you were going to get away with it did you? The comments I mean, not the, ahem, “ball tampering”… 
They didn’t get away with it and I do think the Kiwis are the only test side that hasn’t been guilty of some form of cheating.
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Lets all move on. We should have a tasty series ahead, and one I think is very hard to call.
Warner and Smith look very hungry to me. Can England carry on their ODI confidence?
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Thank you.
Well whatever happens Aus will win their lead up game 
At least we won the netball 
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Yes, well done. It’s good for the sport all around (my wife’s a big supporter). And we’ve retained the Womens Ashes.
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I just hope the English men do better than the ladies. Much as I love cricket and the personal endeavour involved at all levels, watching parts of the ladies’ match yesterday was hard going. The Aussie ladies appear to be operating at another level, which is magnified the longer the format.
Memo to Sky - it ain’t ‘The Ashes’, stop titling it as such.
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I was at Taunton yesterday and had a nice day out but was disappointed at the lack of intensity. If Australia had declared at tea they would have been in no danger of losing and would have had a chance of bowling England out. As it was, it fizzled out into the most boring cricket I’ve endured in years and we left early.
The women’s game has surprised me this year with the skill and power of both batting and bowling but IMHO the fitness levels leave something to be desired - several fielders made Chris Gayle and Inzimam Ul Haq look positively sprightly!
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They refer to it as the “Ashes” here as well. 
One of the TV commentators bemoaned the wicket was too slow for a ladies game i.e. the better cricket is played when there’s pace on the ball and off the wicket.
Generally, I admire the skills on show, noting many of the ladies play/have played in good quality men’s leagues - but when the going gets tough, things like technique do seem to fall apart quite quickly, especially for the England team in this series.
Apparently there are up to 4 places to be confirmed for the first Ashes team after the Aus v Aus2 game. Should make the game interesting.
Australia should win that one then…
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Odds on, although there’s always the English weather 
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Aussies lost 17 wickets for 200 runs, either the bowlers were on fire or we have serous problems with batting.
Looking at the squads I have a feeling that none of the Ashes matches are likely to be slow draws.
Not vintage teams but exciting players plus a few weaknesses.
It may be fun seeing how England go against Ireland but not sure how it will reflect (or change) the starting 11 for Edgbaston.
Bruce
I think 20/20 has killed stroke play, everyone’s so dam inpatient. It’s like backyard cricket when we were kids 6 and/or out.
Apparently the Aussies did bowl well, but the batsmen surely didn’t play well. We might turn up under prepared.
I have Day 4 tickets 
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It might pay to have plan B
I told you Australia would win!
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