[Closed] The Ashes thread! (spoilers)

tail docked

Crikey

Lead of 122, handy!

That'll do thank you.

TMS it may have been harsh on Watson but he wouldn't have lasted long out there this morning.

i do hope we can push on from here and win this test. mainly to stop some of the chirping from the bogans, the problem with this is we will not hear the end of the ‘cheating with doctored wickets’ angle the bogan media take. there will also be more of the ‘New Zealand Born’ ‘Zimbabwean born’ littering any mention of Ballance or Stokes.

tl/dr aussies = sore losers and bad winners

the problem with this is we will not hear the end of the ‘cheating with doctored wickets’ angle the bogan media take.

The post-match whining from the Aussie media is one of the things to savour on the rare occasions we beat them these days. How unfortunate would it be if they just congratulated us on a job well done?

Even better is when they give up moaning at us and turn on the team. Can't imagine we'll get that pleasure during this series though unless the formbook totally disintegrates.

Arseflaps

Crocked cracks Cook.

I'd just sent a message to me mate saying it was a good start and that i was about to jinx it....

My bad folks, that one's on me

mainly to stop some of the chirping from the bogans, the problem with this is we will not hear the end of the ‘cheating with doctored wickets’ angle the bogan media take. there will also be more of the ‘New Zealand Born’ ‘Zimbabwean born’ littering any mention of Ballance or Stokes.

Shame to see Cook go but still a good position, wicket should get worse but the emphasis is on the team who can take 10 wickets

Also not sure what you lot all got over lunch but we got a great tribute to this man
[img] [/img]
Have to say it brought a tear to my eye

144 for 2....

giving it some tap now!

what's a good target do we think?

28 runs off 12 balls

Someone tell the guys this isn't a 20/20

😆

[img] [/img]

With our newfound batting depth, might as well go after it a bit. 250 runs by the end of today puts us in a very good position.

They will keep in amassing the runs (if they can) until mid-morning tomorrow I would say – then give the Convicts almost two full days to defend 🙂

Much better from Lyth good 2nd stint

Much better from Lyth good 2nd stint

Thanks for that.

in what way? posted after he got out - nice positive approach

Aha, sorry - I'm on BBC lag here, thought you'd jinxed him!

lol more of a time for a shit or get of the pot innings from England.

Get the total then take 10 wickets

Ian Bell has been lovely to watch. When he's good, I don't think there's a more beautiful striker of the ball.

Ian Bell has been lovely to watch. When he's good, I don't think there's a more beautiful striker of the ball.

Moeen runs him close I reckon.

Well time for a Mike update 🙂
Tea on day 3.
England on the Up, bat for anything today and then have the belief to bowl out Australia. The longer they bat the longer Aus have to toil and show the stumps, lead of 300 and the get right in at them
[img] [/img]
A great advert for positive cricket.

Can't take credit, nicked from the BBC website, but a Barmy Army tune for Shane Watson:

(to the tune of Postman Pat)

Shane Watson, Shane Watson,

Shane Watson and his massive front pad,

Early in the morning,

When the England boys are bowling,

Wato's out LBW again.

Last two lines don't scan properly. Deeply unsatisfying.

I thought it would work better as

Watson Bats, Watson Bats,
Watson Bats with a massive front pad,
Early in the morning,
Anderson is bowling,
Wato's LBW again.

Second last one isn't quite right I'll grant you but I can make the last one work OK, by getting LB into one syllable.

Wa-to's out elbe dou-ble-you a-gain

vs

Pat feels he's a rea-lly ha-ppy man

(has Friday afternoon really come to this. I used to have a proper job)

They really shouldn't be still bowling Starc. He's screwing himself up for the rest of the series.

Edit: And Jon, it's nice to find a use for my English Literature degree. You're still accenting the wrong syllables. 🙂

they are going after Johnson Now!

spoke too soon !

A little early I know but here is an analysis of a seagull and LBW-atson[img] [/img]

Bugger.

Don't throw it away; don't even give them a sniff. Need another 100-odd I think.

quite happy for England to sacrifice a few wickets if they carry on scoring decent totals at 4-5 an over...

<Geoffrey Mode>

Look at the scoreboard and add 2 wickets.

Nett 292-6 could then easily become nett 320 all out, which is gettable with players of the class of Smith and Clarke; all it would take is a rapid 60-odd from the punchy one and suddenly pressure's on us.

30 overs left today, bat for another 20 would put us 400 ahead. Aussies have to bat for 2 days to save the test?

Is 400 enough if they suddenly remember how to bat?

Knock them right out of it, Stokes, Ali and Buttler naturally score fast anyway.

Very unlucky there for Starc, appealed for the wrong ball!

Following both tennis and cricket on the BBC pages and they've just bloody revealed the TdF result. W@nkers.

That's really annoyed me.

I'm not sure , but I think a successful run chase of over 400 in the fourth innings has happened 4 or 5 times?

Probabilities, on this pitch, say that 400 would be enough.

I like certainties though, when there's still time to secure a certainty.

There are no certainties in sport , that's why it's fantastic 🙂

But I take your point . A lead of 500 would be lovely

We've got to score enough and put them in early enough that if they want to win they have to chase, but if they want to play for a draw they are at crease for too long.

Still say (if we can) keep amassing the runs and have a final hour tomorrow then put them in.