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Pray for rain...
Oh no, we don't want the rain this time do we!! Hopefully we get some play Sunday.
another fabulous day for Ben and Baz and the boys.
I’m not usually one to take much interest in test series, but I have caught some of the batting from our lot over the last couple of days, and chuffing heck it’s been great to watch! 😁
looking at the met office forecast that's end of play, continual heavy rain from 10 tonight to 7 o'clock Sunday evening
Just looked at the forecast @Klunk and wish i hadn't!
A word for Woakes and Wood, who've both been terrific again.
It was supposed to piss it down all morning and half the afternoon and there was less than 20 mins of rain delay today. Keep the faith on the maritime climate. Me - after a day at OT today I’m racing Ard Rock tomorrow 😭
There’s nothing Stokes can’t do. Sorting the weather - simples!
England have been superb this test. Hopefully if it is rained off they’ll win next week and at least draw the series.
The only pleasure from a wash out tomorrow is that my brother won't have a reason to avoid his nephew's birthday party.
England have been superb this test. Hopefully if it is rained off they’ll win next week and at least draw the series
But Australia retain the Ashes as they are the current holders. So we don’t really draw unfortunately.
So we don’t really draw unfortunately.
It would be listed as a draw.
It really does make you think that the same attitude to declaring at Edgbaston as here might have made this a very different series.
Might not have, though, and being 'on the back foot', especially with the righteous anger that followed the stumping, has made it something quite special.
Would be a bit of a damp squib if this one's drawn so it's gone, but we all love a 'moral' victory, do we not?
It would be listed as a draw.
Yeah, that’s what I meant. At least then the Aussies wouldn’t win the series - they’ve not won a series here since 2001? And England will claim the moral high ground ashes 😀
We’ll have the high ground for sure. Unfortunately they will have the Ashes.
possible window for a 2-3 hrs play today between 12ish - 3ish
Interesting chat / articles overnight with JB. I was - still am - critical of his keeping. Even that brilliant catch didn't look totally convincing, I can't imagine Bob Taylor or Jack Russell in the same body shape, and his footwork has looked slow. There may be explanations given his ankle is now heavily plated and pinned, and for that I give due allowance, but it still doesn't change my opinion that we should be playing our best keeper. Even if Foakes couldn't have played JB's innings yesterday.
There's always if's but might we eg: be 2:1 up and looking at a series winning lead IF some of the missed chances had been taken. Both the lost games were not lost by much.
His misses in match one cost us 78 runs (total scored by batters after being missed); only 4 in the second. Combined, all England's misses have cost us 138 and 131 in those two games.
I guess the point is that decision - and the blame - is that of the selectors, if JB is keeping at the best of his ability. And I respect the selector's as being able to play off the missed chances against what his batting brings.
Of course rain go away but great watching some of the highlights they've put on and watching Shane Warne wheeling away. Genius.
Interesting chat / articles overnight with JB.
Watching the coverage yesterday I really enjoyed DKs comments re body positioning, foot movement, avoiding diving early etc. Really fascinating stuff. Wish I was a 100th the keeper any if the pros are 😂.
Reckon I could get used to keeping to consistent bowling, however, unlike the dolly mixtures I actually keep to. 😳
I missed that, what time was it on? DK?
Just been watching the run-in short highlights of the first three days and I've got the absolute chills! C'mon England
[edit - commentary just said something I've been thinking.... I wonder if Anderson will be selected for the Oval anyway, I'm not convinced this isn't going to be his last home test. If so a few here would be fantastic]
I missed that, what time was it on? DK?
Was during play yesterday afternoon. Dinesh Karthik. He was specifically talking about leg side deliveries amongst other things.
Well done young Johnny! That's the one we wanted too!
Game abandoned then?
Bummer!
Very confused at the inability of Wokes and McCullum to read a weather forecast. It was obvious on day one of this test that they'd only have three days. 🤷♂️
What are you suggesting they should have done instead dazh? I was surprised they put the Aussies in but as jonv pointed out, they needed to bowl them out twice, knowing in advance two days might be lost. I guess I thought they might have batted first, gone full bazball and try and score 400/500 odd in a day and get at them thereafter. Maybe they should have declared near the end of day 2 when the Aussies were ragged and tried to knock them over for 150/200 odd? Both long shots I think on a fairly docile pitch, to force a win in three days.
Well on Thursday evening they took their foot off the gas for the last hour, then stayed in far too long on Friday. An extra 50 runs on Thursday and a lunchtime declaration could have given them the chance to bowl them out. In the end there just seemed to be a lack of urgency.
A sixth reserve day to catch up overs lost to weather like the world test champs should be the default planning for all tests. And early starts instead of late finished. And preemptive extra hours ahead of poor forecasts. Yes, weather plays a part in test results but I really think no results because of weather is a poor look for any sport.
They talked about it on R4 this morning. Just logistically it's really hard to do - not just an extra hotel room, all the transport, the groundstaff being disrupted prepping pitches for future games, all the security and stewards and...... achievable for a one off game like the WTC final but not routinely.
There's also the issue that although workload / overs bowled would be the same, recovery time particularly for the fast bowlers is key. They'll be at it again on Thursday, if there had been an extra day allocated and that had been rain delayed for example Wood could have been tearing in at 6 o'clock tonight and losing a whole day of recovery.
What they definitely need to do is with the advent and improvement of lights to be less restrictive on playing hours, there are times where they could have played on to make up lost time. That's not the same as a day night game - where the pink ball is needed (although saying that, the number of times the ball is changed nowadays they regularly don't actually bowl 80 overs with the same one. And also saying that, as an entertainment then switching to a pink ball if later hours become needed isn't that big an issue really is it? - becomes another part of the strategy and is less of a disruption than rain).
It's also an issue how far you extend that. We didn't lose a lot in D1-3 but knew it was potentially going to come in D4-5. Can you only make up lost time or can you pre-emptively make up time? What if the forecast's wrong - and the people who pay for D4-5 then get a reduced day's play as a result.
Counter to that - playing for a draw has always been part of the game and weather and bad light has always been part of clinging on.....
Not an easy solution, but would make a great evening in a pub unpicking!
oh dear a good start has gone a bit pear shaped 🙁
No backing down from England. Bazball all the way!
Looks like Moeen has pulled something in the groinal region, which doesn't bode well for his participation in the bowling attack.
oh dear in the shit again, thankful for dropped catches
Oh dear. Surprised to see Stokes out while playing a conservative shot! Usual from Bairstow. Just occasionally it would be nice to see them drop anchor for a session to consolidate a decent partnership.
Sadly, I think Anderson is pretty much done as a Test bowler now. Even when he beats the bat, the ball is dying in front of the keeper. The 'zip' seems to have gone. I don't know if he'll tour this winter - I think he has said he will, but that can always change. It will be weird if he retires at the end of an overseas tour.
I think he will call it a day at the end of this match, TBH.
They were talking about him last night on the R5 preview; most notably James Taylor and Paul Farbrace, both of whom have played / coached with him.
They reckon he's really enjoying the game right now, being the bowler that holds an end tight and at the same time mentors the others from mid on, and just enjoying Bazball culture.
They also said he won't retire at the end of the game. It's not him. If he's going to retire he'll send McCullum and Stokes a letter two weeks next Wednesday and that'll be it - no fuss, no fanfare.
In a way I think Anderson is not doing them any favours at this juncture. It feels like he's putting them in the position of having to be the one to drop for good England's greatest ever fast bowler. Sport is ruthless but there is still a lot of sentiment. He's not the sort of personality that would want to be carried off the field on his team's shoulders but I can't believe he wants to end his career by just being dropped and that's that. It's not long before a non retired Anderson is going to be a thorny problem to grapple with.
So if the Aussies win this one and therefore the series 3-1, does bazball survive?
Bazball will survive one more series if Aus won 3-1.
Stokes's knee is the biggest threat to it. His knee is ****ed, zero doubt. Surgery may sort it, but I doubt he will be the bowler he was. If he can't bowl he is 70% the player, which weakens his position if he chooses to die on Bazball Hill, which I think he will.
Anderson will retire, as quietly as possible, in the weeks following this game. He has lost his zip, I am afraid. There is no way he will tour India to get smashed all over or end up bowling wide of off with the keeper up.
England are a team with way more questions than answers hanging over them right now.
super catch by Joe Root, bailing YJB out again...... 😉
What was Marnus chuntering about? 9 off 90 odd balls. That'll bring the crowds in.
This made me laugh at the cpomparison
england 283 off 54 overs
Aus 90 off 44 overs
Just a slight difference in run rate
What did Broad do to the bails during the Labuschagne dismissal?
hahaha
Just seen a clip now. He went in and swapped the bails over. Nothing illegal, totally irrelevant and unnecessary, but maybe just disrupted concentration. Just as captains do all the time by randomly holding a bowler at the end of their mark while they move a fielder two feet closer and 8" to the left, to break the batter out of their routine.
https://twitter.com/bbctms/status/1684911751475671043
aussies batted themselves into a cul-de-sac this morning now they are stuck 🙂
aussies batted themselves into a cul-de-sac this morning now they are stuck 🙂
England have scored nearly half of what the aussies did in yesterdays morning session in 3 overs 😂
seems England have decided to take some time out of the game and play a little more conservatively :/
....
or perhaps not 😀
Conservative = still 5 an over over a prolonged period.
They're just saying now, that apart from the Lord's bouncer-fest they've not been mad (at least until the tail thrash starts), but just what you can do by positive intent makes a huge difference. Compare to AUS yesterday that had no intent, got becalmed, eventually you get a good ball, and you're done.
At the risk of starting an old fight - whether ODI or Test Match, singles are vital. It keeps scoreboard ticking, rotates the strike and makes the bowler adjust - left to right, what is a good length, where a batter's strengths and weaknesses are. Labuschagne scored 9 off 82 balls. If every run was a single, that's still 73 dot balls. That is by any measure, just crap cricket (and not necessarily by Labuschagne, Khawaja didn't make any effort to help him out)
I wonder what's to come.... with a lead of 300, another 90 mins of play tonight could be another 100-odd runs, so with an eye on the forecast and an approach of whether losing 3:1 is any worse than 2:1 really, we might see the gas pedal pushed, another risky declaration and 20 mins at them.
that spun a long way!
we want another test!!! bring back the 6 test series don't think i could ever get bored of watching England smash the aussies round the ground for nearly 400 runs a day (and only 80 overs!). 😀
Broad has retired from test cricket.....
his finest bowling....
well played sir!
Absolutely one of the best. Going out at the top most wickets in this test and with India next where it will be tough.
He will be ripping it tomorrow
Well played Stuart
He has to get Warner out for a first ball duck, nipping off to slip
Didn't think Broad would retire before Anderson.
Well played sir, great cricketer.
Hopefully this will be the nudge Jimmy needs! Well played Broad, some truly memorable spells.
My money is on Broad either having or wanting a pact with Anderson to go together. When Anderson made his statement yesterday (or was it the day before) about not wanting to retire any time soon Broad went solo with his retirement announcement. His feels like the right way to bow out....I just have a sneaky feeling its not going to be a fairytale match finish.
I was hoping for both Broad to hit 600 wickets and Anderson to hit 700 (maybe even pass Warne) then for them to both retire at end of this series. I still want Anderson to get 700 before he goes.
I hope they all do. If they win tomorrow (or Monday) it should feel like an effective series win to them and a loss to the Aussies. They may have retained the ashes, but if they lose this test they should feel like they've lost the series.
We should have won it really.
Warner be like a shitting dog in the morning.
Lovely scenes for Stuart Broad walking out, guard of honour from the Aussies.
Now Mitchell Starc will attempt to hit him on the head in traditional manner.
was Tuffer's admitting to have a toke in the Ovals groundsman shed ? 😀
I've never liked Broad - yes as a player he is good but as a man quite honestly a bit nasty. Was the key part of the ring of bullies that wrecked a few careers.
KP certainly alleges that from 10 years or so ago - and I think it was probably true.
Whether that still persists; whether the last 10 years he has grown up and matured, I don't know but I'm prepared to give some benefit of the doubt. He was 5 years into a career that has now lasted 16 years, and seems to be a markedly different character now.
Some stunning bowling this morning. I was beginning to lose hope yesterday afternoon but if we carry on like this they could be 5 or 6 down by lunch.
It certainly changes the complexion doesn't it.
Head is living a charmed life here :/
Ben Stokes has just 'dropped' Head - clear catch that he then seems to have fumbled in starting to celebrate.
Yep, nice catch but in "celebrating" he then drops it 🤷♂️
I've mixed feelings on the Stokes 'drop'. Yes the ball left his hand as it hit his thigh and therefore wasn't under control, but could you not argue that it was part of a post-catch celebration and not part of the act of catching the ball?
Edit: What about Harry Brook catching it from Stokes' fumble?
My view is that he landed on his bad leg and the pain he felt caused him to drop it
You could, but that enters the same territory as Starc, and you need total control of ball and yourself. If you aren't under control and fall out of the field of play, it doesn't matter if the ball was under control, it's still not out (and 6) I<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">f you haven't controlled the ball in your hand and arm sufficiently when you hit the ground and jolt it out, it's not out. Why's it then different if you jolt your hand against yourself. </span>
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">The celebration is incidental as the cause for losing control, the fact is he didn't have control of both.</span>
Having watched it again (several times), I agree. Not Out.
Edit: What about Harry Brook catching it from Stokes’ fumble?
It bounced before he took it - it's quite clear in the first angle on the BBC clip (none of the other angles shows it).
Nicely poised now!!
Hang on, bangbangbang, that's 3 in 14 balls
Game on! I was worried this was going to fizzle out but it seems like we're in for a final session to match the rest of the series.
And as I was writing that, Marsh is gone!
What a catch!
*almost* makes up for the rest of the series
Boom! I do love it when wickets start falling like this and the crowd get going. 😀
And another.