The Trashes

Two mediocre teams, a couple of terrible pitches, the overall outcome was decided early, poor technology acting as a distraction, baffling selections, commentary howlers, and that weight transfer shit.

Yet is was still theatre.  But it will be remembered primarily for some pretty averagege cricket, and what surrounded it.

When you cover a sport remotely (a real COVID hangover) with people who don’t understand a complicated sport (no excuse) you turn a multi million production effort into farce.

‘Worst commentary ever heard’ at the Ashes as TNT Sports’ reporter, who usually works on cycling, confuses a replay for live action in ‘amateur’ error | Daily Mail Online

Then there was snicko, and its range of malfunctions.  Microphones not synched?  At least it will actually be held accountable, and could well be the first victim of the Trashes.

“Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this, is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing,”

Then there was the Ben Duckett Recorded Drunk In Noosa Australia Uber to the nets entered the cricket lexicon.

A slightly complicated issue in that sports people are allowed to blow a gasket even in a sleepy retirement village that is Noosa, but every time Duckett ran out of puff chasing yet another square cut he was open to ridicule.

Cam Green played in all 5 tests.  The way Beau Webster turned up in Sydney to highlight the folly was poetic.

Jake Weatherald is possibly not the answer either.  Who knew David Warner would be so missed?

Matt Potts turned in one of the great tests having sat around playing gold for 6 weeks.   The ultimate Project player ranked 97^th in terms of bowling averages in last year’s County Championship.  He did not bowl on the final day in Sydney.

Anyway, we’re in for another turn off of 18 months hype.