Dearie me. Cruising at lunch, effectively 100-1, looking to bat them out the game and then the inevitable collapse. What did they eat?!
At this rate they'll lose in two days.
Fairly grim viewing... Haven't seen a decent ball bowled for ages
BBC online commentary initially announces it as 'Australia win by 98 wickets'. Sounds about right.
What a bizarre test match. Everything in extreme. Not what a I watch(listen) to test match cricket for. As a fan I'm not entertained.
On the flip side, I'm going to get more sleep over the next 3 nights than I'd anticipated. And Perth's tourist attractions are going to see more revenue from poms stranded in Perth waiting for there pre-booked flights out.
A reasonable recovery after a horrid start. All out 180 no doubt.
Interesting period of play. Crawley got in and then got out. Harry Brook is absolutely brainless. Pope is "just a player". But Root looked pretty good, so...
In the balance it would seem at ‘dinner’. Looks much better than 5 for 2 though!
Well they've not shat the bed just yet, so there's that...
Ah. Hmm
Well done Root. Hopefully they can get beyond 300.
Honestly, if it wasn't for Root (and Stokes with the ball) this would feel like the worst days of the Atherton era - turning up without a snowball's chance, absolutely zero penetration with the bowling and just trying not to be all out for <150.
Someone needs to have a word with Brook. That wasn't even a badly conceived or executed big drive. That was an absolute hack that a club cricketer would get a bollocking off their teammates for. Absolutely brainless for a player of his talent.
Starc apart, this Aussie attack isn’t up to much, missing Cummins and Hazlewood. Some brainless shots, again.
Someone needs to have a word with Brook. That wasn't even a badly conceived or executed big drive. That was an absolute hack that a club cricketer would get a bollocking off their teammates for. Absolutely brainless for a player of his talent.
Ah yeah mate, but that's just who we are, yeah?
Funny how Bazball seems like the cricket version of Angeball...
Brook is, rightly, getting a lot of stick. But he still averages 55 in tests, so must be doing something right.
I know the "it's just the way he is" thing is annoying, but maybe it is who he is and if you make him play straight and slow you lose 20 runs off that average.
Great knock by Root, properly shut the Aussies up now. He's done everything, they can't knock him any more.
Good camio from Archer as well. Important runs.
Brook frickin just needs to watch Root. Well pleased that non-declaration got some decent runs on the board.
And,… Rooooooooooooooooooooot
At 5 for 2 this is a good score. At 210-4 less so. Hope they can get a few more tomorrow and see what the Aussies get.
And,… Rooooooooooooooooooooot
Means something else in Oz, that.
"Fancy a Root?" "what, a cultured century that really demonstrates the primacy of Test cricket?" "nah, the other sort"
Well this is pretty dire, if not unexpected. Innings defeat?
Just as you posted that... I mean sure, it's only 2 wickets and probably won't change the outcome, but with this series shaping up the way it is, you gotta take what you can!
This next 25 minutes are probably the game right here. Bowlers seem to be flagging, scores level but Aus probably feeling precarious, 6 down under lights... If Aus get to the end still 6 down, they win. If England can winkle them out, Aus batting last, England (very) marginal favourites.
😬
I was watching yesterday on TNT sports and quickly realised the commentator was Rob Hatch. Love his cycling commentary but not surprisingly he's awful at cricket commentary.