The Ashes June/July 2023

Aussies 2-0 up but is it any surprise with the best composite XI being Khawaja, Duckett, Root, Smith, Head, Stokes, Carey, Cummins, Starc, lyon and Hazlewood.

Expect recrimination and reprisals from England this week, supported by a hostile Headingley crowd already outraged by the Woke racist slurs that has torn apart their club. What Carey did was the ultimate below the belt and cowardly cricketing act. With Mankad, at least the backing up batsman is gaining an advantage. With Bairstow there was nothing to gain, but a quick prod at the pitch.

Agreed, the Australians were seeking revenge for Starc’s legitimate catch that was then overruled by the umpires, but this was not the England players' decision, but a stickler for the outdated rule by the cricketing authority. To somehow believe that such a gutless act by Carey would rectify the situation was naivety beyond belief. Carey has signed his own death warrant. Led by Broad, during the rest of the tour he will be peppered by bouncers and short balls, his life on the batting pitch will be turned into Hell.

As for the black-eyed Cummins comments that what Carey did "was normal practice”, and where the captain refused to overturn the umpire decision for “the spirit of the game’s sake…” Well, it was no wonder that Aggers, Tuffers and the other commentary “..ers” had a sheepish grin on their faces, embarrassed to know what to say.

Sadly, it is all out war now between the two sides.

For the usual docile and emotionally repressed MCC Members to vent their spleen in such a manner said everything about the incident. It is extraordinary that three members have been suspended pending an enquiry, for expressing their feelings, but what else could the MCC do?

The bottom-line is, Australia are freaked out by Bazball. Their morning fielding tactics on Day 1 at Edgbaston were bizarre and showed how England’s new approach to batting has struck the inner depths of the Aussie psyche. If you can’t compete with a new positive mindset or are afraid of it, then you go all out to destroy it.

Michael Atherton on Lord's Day 3 referred to such Australian short ball tactics as “the new body line”. No doubt the Woke thought police had a word with “Athers”, because on Day 4 and 5, his correct comparison disappeared from his later summaries. In retaliation, England repeated the act during the Australian’s second innings leading to a stale-mate. Is this the type of Ashes we want to see?

Tragically, this series will end in tears. A player, perhaps several, may end up injured as reprisal follows reprisal. And what of cricket supporters at the grounds? Booing will become boring after awhile. Throwing stones at the Australian bus? Attempts to poison their food? Playing loud music to stop them from sleeping at night? Accusing certain players of sexual harassment or stealing goods from a shop? All of this has been done and more during a World Cup football tournament towards disliked opposition.

Cummins and Carey need to come forward and apologise for what they did to Bairstow. May be some sort of truce can be found? And for God’s sake, drop all this Bodyline stuff.

It’s pathetic.

Australia didn’t need to cheat, they were always going to win as things stood, in fact their decision nearly cost them the game as Stokes was so furious he was almost super human.