Robert Fleming
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8bitcricket.bsky.social
Robert Fleming
@8bitcricket.bsky.social
One-time Aussie grade cricketer, now an umpire.
Historian of armies, empire, espionage, maps & cricket.
@flemingrob.bsky.social for history content.
London & Tasmania/lutruwita. Born on the traditional lands of the Palawa/Pakana people.
Surely now, "attack at all costs" is dead for England?

Surely they go back to disciplined - and if needs be - attritional batting?

www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashes-...
December 8, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Wow. #Rockstar offered GTAO for free to gamers who have been playing it for over a decade (and some of whom bought it on two different generations of consoles); to GTA+ cash for people who own all the cars in the game; to please buy merch from us after we've delayed #GTA6 & laid off loads of staff.
December 7, 2025 at 7:19 PM
The Windies still have the will and the fight for test cricket.

Let's save the greatest form of the game.
December 6, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Pretty happy getting Trump's free-passers in the group stage.
December 5, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Absolute scenes in the Women's Big Bash at Rolton Oval, Adelaide.

Adelaide Strikers 4/167 (20) vs Hobart Hurricanes: remarkably during the innings break fielding warm up, a stray ball rolled under the heavy roller & was pressed into the pitch!

Match abandoned!
www.espncricinfo.com/series/women...
37th Match, Adelaide, December 05, 2025, Women's Big Bash League (Amanda-Jade Wellington 8*, Madeline Penna 63*, Linsey Smith 1/25, AS-W vs HH-W live score, 37th Match, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide, De...
Check Strikers vs Hurricanes 37th Match 2025 live cricket score from Adelaide. Get the live score updates and ball by ball commentary of AS-W vs HH-W 37th Match, 2025. Fastest scorecard and detailed a...
www.espncricinfo.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:59 AM
I predicted this 10 months ago.

"Mumbai Indians London". 👎

www.bbc.com/sport/cricke...
December 4, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Frankly, this is madness. And I bet there is golf involved.

The idea that batters struggling to adjust to length and bounce shouldn't spend as much time as possible in the middle is pure madness. They need to go back to more pre-series tour games, not avoid them.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
The Ashes: England will not send first-choice batters to pink-ball tour game
England pass up the opportunity to send their first-choice batters to gain match practice in an Ashes tour game in Canberra, despite a dismal defeat in the first Test.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Ooft. Runs galore in the Shield at Cricket Centre in Sydney. Three big tons for Tassie as they pile on 600+.

NSW 391/9d & 9/0 (5 ov)
TAS 623/8d
Day 3 - NSW trail by 223 runs.

@espncricinfo.com :
www.espncricinfo.com/series/sheff...
14th Match, Sydney, November 22 - 25, 2025, Sheffield Shield (Sam Konstas 6*, Ryan Hicks 3*, Matthew Kuhnemann 0/6, NSW vs TAS live score, 14th Match, day 3, Cricket Central, Sydney, November 22 - 25,...
Check NSW vs Tasmania 14th Match 2025 live cricket score from Sydney. Get the live score updates and ball by ball commentary of NSW vs TAS 14th Match, 2025. Fastest scorecard and detailed analysis of ...
www.espncricinfo.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:13 AM
In the print version this head line goes on to say "fatal addiction to showing off".

I can see why their sub has tried to soften the tone on the digital version, but Paul Hayward was right in the original: test cricket is about balance, attack AND defence.

observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...
Ben Stokes’s England just can’t kick their fatal addiction | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 11:39 AM
"Bazball" strikes again.

It's all well and good trying to "entertain" and score at 5rpo+, but if you're all out under 180 twice and lose on day two you could probably think about making better use of the time you have to build a defendable score.
#TheAshes
November 22, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Is #TheAshes simply just the single greatest rivalry in all of sport?

It just may well be.

youtu.be/9DZmA6o7NUU?...
Cricket - The Ashes - Promo 2013
YouTube video by Airmackeee
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Reposted by Robert Fleming
It took me a good 30 seconds of staring at this photo to realise that I wasn't absolutely hammered and/or hallucinating. #theashes
November 20, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The social media eruption of thousands of accounts across two G20 nations suddenly obsessing about something called #TheAshes can be baffling to those unfamiliar with #Cricket or adjacent to a cricket-obsessed love one.

Gideon Haigh's new book 'The Ashes' might help you along. amzn.eu/d/g4ixDpZ
On the Ashes
On the Ashes : Haigh, Gideon: Amazon.co.uk: Books
amzn.eu
November 21, 2025 at 10:50 AM
"England have been batting like there's a bus waiting outside and they want to get to the pub." - Jim Maxwell.
November 21, 2025 at 8:44 AM
If you are a cricket lover and a gamer, unsurprisingly, the next edition of Big Ant's Cricket series, Cricket 26 is out in time for the Ashes.

youtu.be/fJKs13lxx8M?...
Cricket 26 | Official Trailer
YouTube video by Cricket Australia
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Three shots from the pub.

youtu.be/7CcRZzFBMJY?...
The Dunvegan Shot
YouTube video by Random Golf Club
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 8:43 AM
"When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn; Studds, Steel, Read and Tylecote return, return;
The welkin will ring loud;
The great crowd will feel proud;
Seeing Barlow and Bates with the urn, the urn;
And the rest coming home with the urn."
#TheAshes
#TheGreatestChallenge
November 15, 2025 at 7:55 PM
This is truly horrific.

The US government needs to set up a taskforce to hunt down these thugs threatening professional athletes instead of wasting money ruining the lives of hardworking migrants that keep service and hospitality running.
The Athletic polled hundreds of players from across the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL about their opinions surrounding how sports betting impacts players — the responses were haunting.
November 15, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Result
South Aust (195) vs Tasmania (196/6)

Tasmania won by 4 wickets (with 62 balls remaining)
www.espncricinfo.com/series/one-d...
TAS vs SOA Cricket Scorecard, 14th Match at Hobart, November 15, 2025
Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Tasmania vs South Australia 14th Match, cricket scorecard, One-Day Cup (AUS) 2025/26 dated November 15, 2025.
www.espncricinfo.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Okay. Losing Cummins AND Hazlewood might be an issue.

www.espncricinfo.com/story/austra...
Hazlewood out of Ashes opener with hamstring injury
Michael Neser has been added to the squad, and Brendan Doggett could be closing in on a Test debut in Perth
www.espncricinfo.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:57 AM
I'm really enjoying the old-school feel of the Dean Jones One-Day Cup in the Aussie domestic season - but in particular the old school feel of more mixing Sheffield Shield and ODLA fixtures.

I know the ECB are so fixated on 100 they wont conaider it, but Champ/ODC more integrated would work!
November 14, 2025 at 11:46 PM