I do get that people see England as stubbornly optimistic to the point of denying reality. I’ve been just as frustrated by it as anyone.

But now Stokes and McCullum have both given unvarnished public criticism of their team, we are going to see people jumping on them for that. You can’t have both.

Given that all of England’s specialist quicks can handle themselves with the bat, interesting to see how Stokes plays this. This is usually the point where he goes from a normal batter to some sort of rampaging comic book villain trying to burn down the world single-handedly.

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
#MensAshes

Leah Williamson and Kim Little warming up got a bigger cheer than the goal. You suspect a direct correlation between the scoreline and how many minutes they get.

#WomensSuperLeague

This is nowhere near as bad as England were in 21/22. Or most of 17/18. Or 13/14, or 06/07…you get the idea.

But going 2-0 down to a an Australia team without Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or in any meaningful sense Nathan Lyon would be one of the most disappointing #MensAshes performances ever.

One off, I’ll take that. Taylor Hinds starts at left-back, so both summer signings from Liverpool face their old club. Steph Catley captains.

McCabe, Williamson, Little all on a bench that also includes 17 yo keeper Amy Liddiard & the seemingly soon to depart Jenna Nighswonger.

#WomensSuperLeague

Let’s see if you like this on Bluesky, shall we?

A couple of weeks ago, @lucymorgan.bsky.social at @glamour.com asked me to cover the brilliant Goal Diggers’s continuing fight for their trans teammates in the face of the FA’s ban. #LetTheDollsPlay

www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/fa-t...

#TeamsIdLikeToSee for Arsenal against Liverpool today:

Anneke Borbe; Emily Fox, Lotte-Wubben Moy, Steph Catley, Katie McCabe; Mariona Caldentey, Kyra Cooney-Cross; Olivia Smith, Frida Leonhardsen Maanum, Beth Mead; Alessia Russo

No need to risk Leah Williamson or Kim Little from the start, surely?

Welp. Guess we’re going to find out how good Anneke Borbe is.

What an odd career Justin Greaves has had.

12 Tests in, 50% of his runs have come in two unbeaten tons, one a match-winner, one a match-saver. He’s only made one other 50.

His 4 top scores are all not out, they’re his only not outs. It’s like he’s been playing under self-imposed stunt conditions.

#StatWatch Mitchell Starc’s the first to take a five-for and score a 50 in the same #MensAshes Test since Mitchell Johnson, also at the Gabba, in 2013.

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

argghfhffhhhhhhh

Most competitive single day of #MensAshes cricket in Australia since…?

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

#StatWatch

• This is 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿’s first 50+ 10th wicket stand in 🇦🇺 since Derek Pringle & Norman Cowans at the WACA in 1982
• This is a higher score than 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 managed across the whole of the 2021/22 series
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 have now batted (significantly) longer than both innings from Perth combined

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
#MensAshes

Would England be *that* unhappy if they got bowled out in time to have half an hour at Australia tonight?

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
#MensAshes

A very happy We Don’t Have To See Matthew Hayden Nude Day to those who celebrate

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
#MensAshes

#StatWatch Ben Stokes is the first captain to be run out in the #MensAshes since Ricky Ponting was famously sniped by Andrew Flintoff at The Oval in 2009.

#AUSvENG🏏🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[📷: Getty]

Gorgeous tribute to Robin Smith by Mark Nicholas - the sort of obituary that makes you wish you’d known the person who passed on, and makes you want to hug the people left behind.

I found this passage on the famous Judge moniker particularly moving.

www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/151419...