England have got a 300 lead, with two days to go, and rain showers forecast for the next two days.

Should declare and put them in straight away

considering Katich isn’t opening they really need to get the aussies in asap

I think Strauss will have them slog for an hour, just to ram it home psychologically and mash the pitch a little. Then he’ll let Anderson and Broad rip with a catching field to encourage the Aussies to hit out and reach that target. Swanny will go at it soon too. Here’s hoping!

So that’s why they’re playing Doherty – to get KP out before he gets a really big score. If only he could avoid getting out to the left arm spinners all the time he might be a half decent batter.

Day 4 – must be time for Botham to start playing ‘spot the ozzy’ in the crowd again….

Quite where do they all go so suddenly?

…nice to see the ball’s moving around out there today, both for the quicks and the spinners.

England declared on 1137 for 6 😀

Definitely the right move to bat on a bit – 7.5 an over run rate must be making the Aussies rather fed up right now.

Then he’ll let Anderson and Broad rip with a catching field to encourage the Aussies to hit out and reach that target.

erm, even if Aus do reach the target, we’ve got another innings yet.

Rub it in a bit more. Make them feel absolutely impotent.

[edit] that’s enough. 375 in front.

My later suggestion/prediction was about right then 9 overs and 69 runs.

Well, more rain forecast here tomorrow. This will be tight, especially if North does indeed make a good attempt at saving his career.

Haddin I’m less worried about as whilst he does score well, given half the chance he’ll hit out, which is not what the aussies need right now. Their tail can hardly hold a bat between them.

That wicket makes a big difference imho.

Both Hussey and Clarke are technically good batsmen and could have used up a lot of time. I think North and Haddin both will need to play shots in order to survive and Swann and KP will make hay. Bowling KP was a good move, he doesn’t have the control of a proper spinner but (like everything he does) he does give it a rip and we’re only half a dozen good balls / bits of luck away from the win. With a new ball to take when we fancy it.

Weather is the only thing that’ll save them.

Bad vibes about the weather…. 🙁

As KP averages 50 and has 17 hundreds, i think he is already a “half decent batter”. As the man says, in over 100 innings he has been out to left handers only 17 times, and someone has to get him out.

What’re the odds for Aussies not reaching 200 all out?
Where is Psychle when you need him? 😉

I’m just thankful this guy’s wearing a suit and not a baggy green

Warnie! by Mark-Farrell, on Flickr

More Ashes photos here if you’re interested… I’ll update with (hopefully) a winning scoreboard tomorrow…

What’re the odds for Aussies not reaching 200 all out?

I’d say the odds are quite low – I’m even prepared to put a bit of money on that – say £10 that they make more than 200?

Scamper – I’m kind of surprised you didn’t also dispute my assertion that it’s a good job Doh got him before he got a really big score.

Some wierd “wobble” effects going on in your pics there zokes, especially in the background. Is it broken ? 🙂

Clarke was a huge wicket. Realistically North is unlikely to score big which leave Hussy and Haddin to stay in all day (assuming the weather holds). The main problem that Oz have is that after them it is a very long tail. This means that the Oz batsman have to focus on staying in rather than scoring, which creates a new set of pressures. If England can get two wickets in the morning session, then an hour/two after lunch is all it needs. No wickets taken by lunch then it will be a draw.

I reckon England will squeak home – just before the weather closes in. North to be out cheaply, Hussy to get a ton and then get out to Anderson, before Finn cleans up the tail just after lunch.

At least then I can go to bed at a reasonable time rather than watching ‘just one more over’!

Where is Psychle when you need him? 😉

Don’t fret, I’m here…

Clarke was a huge wicket

Can’t believe he got out to the last ball of the day, from Pietersen of all bowlers… was a strange one, bounced rather dramatically didn’t it!

I reckon England will squeak home – just before the weather closes in. North to be out cheaply, Hussy to get a ton and then get out to Anderson, before Finn cleans up the tail just after lunch.

About my assessment as well, though don’t be suprised if North does step up to the plate with Hussey… and Haddin won’t be a pushover, between the 3 of them I reckon they could bat out the day (with the assistance of weather), we shall see I guess.

This is just one game chaps, 3 more to go, so I’m not giving up hope even if ya’ll go 1-0 up in the series… though, the Aussies need to find some bloody spine rather quickly that’s for sure!

‘just one more over’!

Don’t talk about it. I’ve got 3 days of meetings with the global Vice President of my department, and I’m trying to get by on an average of 4.5 hours sleep a night. These back to back tests are bloody hard, I can hardly stay awake!

We have to win today, the momentum that Aus would gain by saving the game would be almost like a win to them. Plus, if we win today, 1 up with 3 to play, I can’t see Aus winning 2 out of 3 and we’ll be a large step towards retaining the little urn.

AND; Aus will have to rethink again anyway – Katich looks crocked, the seamers need another rethink, Xavier’s bowled his last ball in test cricket…….

It’s morning over there. What’s the weather doing Zokes.

It’s morning over there. What’s the weather doing Zokes.

Anyone else praying for sunshine? 😉

Southern Australian weather is fairly predictable, based on fronts moving from west to east generally, so if the forecast is for rain then it’ll be pretty accurate… I reckon Strauss might’ve been a bit too negative in his declaration, today will tell I guess!

Sunny at the moment. Keep a firm eye on this….

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR643.loop.shtml#skip

I’m using a very old manual focus mirror lens, hence the strange effects. Security won’t let in ‘professional’ cameras 🙁

edit: double post sheenanigans…

Even if we draw this test I’ve seen nothing that makes me think the Aussies will regain the ashes, far from it.

My gut feeling says we’ll win this one after a small run chase of say 75 runs…with the weather playing it’s part.

Broad out for the rest of the series – stomach tear.

Good start, Hussey gone. Weather closing in apparently though.

Hussey out, 5 down now and they’re still 100 odd runs short… Come on boys, you can do this without having to bat again even!

Bad news about Broad, he will be missed. It will make winning this test match even more crucial in the long run…

6

Haddin gone for 12, 286-6. C’mon England.

Don’t normally ‘get’ cricket, but for some reason this Ashes series has raised my interest.

7

8

Is that 3 off 3 balls?

Not going to be a late night after all 😀

Ohhhhhhhhh Jimmy Jimmy……

Think I’ve just woke the neighbours up! Jimmy on a hatrick as well…. 😀

Woohoo! This review system has ditched the benefit of the doubt completely.

4 balls

This is just one game chaps, 3 more to go, so I’m not giving up hope even if ya’ll go 1-0 up in the series… though, the Aussies need to find some bloody spine rather quickly that’s for sure!

When we shortly win this one we’ll only need one more win to keep the urn though.

Should get an early night!

Could have just been earlier!!!!

How did the stumps stay on there?