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We only needed one over for two of them - I hope Strauss reminded him of this fact 😉
the Aussies are rattled for sure.
Junkyard - you evil man
Tee hee
Let's not forget the Convicts were in an almost identical position at the end of the first day of the last game though...
Very true m_f you can't really tell till we have had a bat. Hoping we can see out the new ball and build a lead, it would be perfect to be 200 ahead and putting them in to save the test 🙂
According to cricinfo, Punter was complaining that Jimmy was sledging too much and Strauss wasn't doing enough to stop him. You couldn't make it up!
I'd certainly not say we're anywhere near there yet, but who can remember Australia making two panicked changes to their team after the first test (arguably not even dropping the two most out of form guys in their team either), and then getting upset by sledging? They're on the back foot for sure.
http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/thebuzz/archives/2010/12/ponting_verbals_show_pressure.php
BTW, on this "spoiler" business, is anybody really waiting until the highlights in the evening to find out the score?
Strauss really doesn't back away does he. It's a tough thing to do, being the captain and the opening batsman he'll be copping stick anyway without going toe to toe with Ponting and Haddin for fun. Let's hope he can back his actions up this morning. C'mon boys!
Straus out !
🙄
what is strauss on here you go get me out I'll even lift my bat out the way 3-1 the true england way
well left by Strauss! 😯 😈
good going so far by England. Be great to beat Australia by a innings
fluided - Member
what is strauss on here you go get me out I'll even lift my bat out the way 3-1 the true england way
Is this code for something?
Going well so far, 50 for Pierterson, 100 for Cook and 265/2. Now to start putting the pressure on, and hopefully a big enough score that we don't have to bat again!
'A day beyond expectation!'
lovely to see KP wasting time in the middle, preventing the last over starting, and now Ricky's chuntering again.
After 3 wickets in 12 hours Ricky, i'd have thought you'd be glad to get off the pitch.
<bump>
w00t! 🙂
🙂 looking good, can't wait till we stick them back in and start to turn the screw. This is what it must feel like if you were an ozzy for the last 20 odd years!
When the Aussies are praying for rain you know the worm really has turned 😀
Make sure you check out Swanny's 12th Man videos on the ECB website. Comedy gold!
Priceless irony that Ponting would surely have loved a reduction in overs when KP was smashing them left right and centre. Well, mostly left and centre.
Get in there England. Twist the knife - no mercy!
Hate is such a powerful emotion, and a hard one to call upon, but I hate you!
Well, your hate got me wet this afternoon. Only 2 more days of glorious cricket to go.
It has to be said, for all the slagging off I, and many others, have given KP, he sure is an amazing batsman to watch in the flesh. It all looks so natural.
And as for the sledging, I guess Punter's a bit put out that the best they've managed to come up with for KP is to call him PK! Perhaps they're hoping he'll laugh at the wrong moment or something?!?
Lots more rain on/off forecast for the next two days though. Declaration could be cruical, and with humidity comes swing - cue Jimmy!
Even Marcus North (that world class spin bowler - you have to assume he's in the team for his bowling, he certainly doesn't merit it for his batting) was getting some turn today. As KP pointed out, we have the world's best spin bowler in our team. Looks promising.
Can't see anything other than a declaration before start of play tomorrow.
Yep, an overnight declaration and an Anderson/Swanny double act to finish them off by lunch on day five.
Times like this I wish I'd kept my Sky Sports subscription, not that I could possibly stay awake, even for matches like this.
<cough>Plenty of places you can watch online ...</cough>
I reckon they'll continue for a short time, tell KP to just go for it and get a 350+ lead. Muck the Aussies (specifically the injured opener Katich) about about my making them have to take the field first thing and then switch to batting.
I an sure we'll have a swing around for a few overs - treat it like a 20-20 and get a few more runs in quickly.
With Bell and KP there, and Prior, Broad and Swanny to come, it would be rude not to!
(And as a paying custome of SACA, it's a spectacle I'd like to see in person!)
CaptainFlashheart - Member
Make sure you check out Swanny's 12th Man videos on the ECB website. Comedy gold!
Good call, instalment 4 is especially good.
CaptainFlashheart - Member
Make sure you check out Swanny's 12th Man videos on the ECB website. Comedy gold!
Good call, instalment 4 is especially good.
Just wondering from an occasional watcher...
What point would England declare then?
In normal circumstances, ie: weather not a factor they'd bat on 'positively but properly' and try and score as many as possible in the first innings that they can then bowl Aus out again and win without batting a second time, or chasing very few in the 2nd dig. And we can have men all in catching positions without much worry for saving runs.
But weather may be a factor, so 2 options really as i see it.
Bat on for an hour or so of quick scoring; KP and Prior are both aggressive sorts and Bell's in super nick as well so we could look to add another 75 or so in 12-15 overs, put the lead up to around 400 and then have a go at Aus before lunch. Like above, then you'll try to roll them over for an innings win and maybe have to chase a few late on if necessary. While batting, we definitely won't be running anywhere near the worn areas to make them any more scuffed up than they are because then it would make batting against Swanny very hard indeed.
Or - declare now, same premise as above but realising that while the pitch is good there is a chance Aus may yet bat 5 sessions and score 450 themselves, in which case we then have a major run chase to get one of those tricky 150 odd 4th innings scores in 25 overs on a wearing pitch.
It's by no means a done deal this one. All three results could be possible, depends how much weather plays a part and also shows how pitching the declaration right and then handling the balance of attack vs preventing them getting too many makes test match captaincy a very tough game.
Oh, and BTW. Have an hour's slog would be my call, without truly knowing the weather forecast. It also gives us chance to see if there is anything odd happening with the ball, if not then bat on a bit and rely on Swanny on the last day, if it's swinging all over bring them in and let Jimmy have a go while the conditions are right.
While batting, we definitely won't be running anywhere near the worn areas to make them any more scuffed up than they are because then it would make batting against Swanny very hard indeed.
😆
On balance seeing other people's comments, yes maybe we should bat a little more - but no more than 10 overs, done 20/20 style. Pile on another 50-60 runs and make the openers unsure of when they're going out again.
You've got to go out and have a knock, declaring overnight just sends out the wrong message. KP to go and send the message home to the aussie bowlers, and then go in with a day and a half to bowl them out.
given the weather I am for declaring overnight.
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.