Posted down there as well but the hyperbole about that ashes series still really annoys me

And probably goes a long way towards explaining how we got here.

It was not a debacle. On the pitch it was statistically comfortably better than the previous 3 ashes, and those preceeding our solitary series win this Century.

England have won a series in Australia ONCE since 2000.

Failed to win a single test 4 times.

Cook and Root never won there.

Under Stokes we took 20 wickets twice, Root and Cook took 15 tests between them to manage that.

Averaged nearly 16 wickets per match, only Strauss managed more at 18.

Stokes innings average was 90 lower than Aus over the series, only time its been lower than 100 this century, except the sole series win.
The difference in average wickets per match was 3.4, again the closest this century in a lost series.

So in all metrics Stokes was closer to the Aussies than any other england captain this century in defeat.

Was it great? Of course not.
But to call it a debacle is hyperbole, England were well in that series and lost it in moments or sessions

Posted By: megson on June 29th 2026 at 13:24:07

Message Thread

What a 12 month cluster fuck the England Cricket team is (n/m) (General Chat) - big member, Jun 29, 11:54:55
- What are they doing? (General Chat) - norwaay, Jun 29, 14:48:13
- Posted down there as well but the hyperbole about that ashes series still really annoys me (General Chat) - megson, Jun 29, 13:24:07
  - “Averaged nearly 16 wickets per match, only Strauss managed more at 18” (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:29:42
  - Media hyperbole, I agree with you (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:26:51
    - Also gap in av run rate was 0.36 in Aus favour in that series. (General Chat) - megson, Jun 29, 13:35:00
    - (Not saying you are, obvs) (n/m) (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:27:15
  - I think it was the way we lost, meggers (General Chat) - Old Git, Jun 29, 13:26:12
    - Would it? We patiently applied ourselves in defeat in 5 other series, under 4 (General Chat) - megson, Jun 29, 13:32:06
      - For example Root and Cook both averaged under 3 runs per over (General Chat) - megson, Jun 29, 13:36:11
        
        You often hear about “English conditions” being an advantage (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 14:01:58
    - We’ll never know (n/m) (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:27:49
      - we'll never know, precisely because of how we played (General Chat) - paulg, Jun 29, 13:35:44
        
        We’ll never know, because it’s in the past (n/m) (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:58:40
        
        Everything was shit, is shit, and will always be shit (n/m) (General Chat) - jamesward, Jun 29, 14:00:10
        
        Except englands actual record in Australia shows us what the most likely outcome (General Chat) - megson, Jun 29, 13:38:47
        
        I was frustrated because they organised themselves like a rabble (n/m) (General Chat) - paulg, Jun 29, 13:57:45
        
        Correct (General Chat) - norwaay, Jun 29, 14:47:41
        
        I don’t entirely disagree with that (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 14:57:15
- 223 to win. Keep the faith (n/m) (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Jun 29, 11:56:13
  - even if they somehow win (General Chat) - big member, Jun 29, 12:53:33
    - Maybe this (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:24:38
      - Also it was a very very good toss to win. Batting day one and two much easier. (n/m) (General Chat) - DrDublin, Jun 29, 13:32:08
        
        ✅ (n/m) (General Chat) - APB, Jun 29, 13:56:14
  - I’m with you Dubs. (n/m) (General Chat) - Atta nassio here, Jun 29, 12:12:11
    - Not over until Gatting sings. (n/m) (General Chat) - DrDublin, Jun 29, 12:20:03
  - Ten at a time, we'll win it by tea. (n/m) (General Chat) - DrDublin, Jun 29, 12:03:04

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