My dear old things, it's STW TMS!

Jaffas from Starc and Cummins. For Cummins to stand that ball up against the slope and hit the top of off was fantastic.

Now ‘that catch’. It is a brave decision from Erasmus, but he is correct. Starc had not completed the catch, he’s sliding on the ground, he is NOT in control of his movements. Over many years there have been many catches where I thought it had touched the grass, but even more where the fielder throws the ball up immediately. De Freitas took one off Craig White at square leg on the 94/95 tour and before he’d stopped moving (it was a diving catch) he flicked it along the ground to the square leg umpire. If I had been batting I would definitely have stood my ground for that one.

Maybe we will end up in a situation where the fielder is required to be stationary, both feet on the ground and ball in two hands. I wouldn’t mind that, to be honest.

I wasn’t a good enough fielder to field in the circle, but I had a bit of a missile arm, so I fielded in the deep where possible. I NEVER threw the ball up in celebration as even an accidental slip whilst doing that could have been interpreted as losing control of the ball. I was usually so relieved to have caught the thing (both our spinners were fiery characters) that I wasn’t letting go.

So Starc. He wasn’t cheating, but his technique and awareness were poor. It will call into question a lot of other catches, but so what?

As for England bowling 98% long hops – if it carries on I want a law change to do something about it. Having international batters turned into tennis players looks village, is village and needs sorting.

It wasn’t quite  a straight ball but his foot movement was dire as was the path of his bat.

You’re a harsh critic, that was a jaffa

video at top of this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66071728

in slow mo from behind it’s not just held line, it’s gone back up the slope to clip top of off.

It held its line, but he was in no position to play what was a good ball admittedly.

And yes I am harsh, I also love the intent Bazball has given the team but it has to be executed well at the right time with a sound technique. The modern player doesn’t have the basis of a sound defensive mindset or technique to get them through the tough passages of play.

It is no surprise our best players Root and Stokes do have that to fall back on.

Now ‘that catch’. It is a brave decision from Erasmus, but he is correct

Correct on a strict interpretation of the laws, but in practice it’s not how the game is usually umpired. So I can undestand Australia’s frustration. As for the Pope dismissal, he didn’t get in line. It was a great delivery but also poor technique.

Correct on a strict interpretation of the laws, but in practice it’s not how the game is usually umpired. So I can undestand Australia’s frustration.

Understandable, but still misguided.

As for the Pope dismissal, he didn’t get in line. It was a great delivery but also poor technique.

It was a fantastic ball. An in nick player is LBW to that 50% of the time. The other 50% they filth an inside edge into their pad.

Understandable, but still misguided.

Well no, because of how it’s usually umpired.

It was a fantastic ball. An in nick player is LBW to that 50% of the time. The other 50% they filth an inside edge into their pad.

It was. It was also poor technique, regardless of whether he would’ve still been out with a better defence.

Well no, because of how it’s usually umpired.

We’re into semantics now.

It is a bit like a rugby scrum half getting the arse when the ref penalises them for putting the ball into the second row. Which should definitely happen, BTW.

We had an argument in the rugby thread a while back about foot in touch – what does touching the ground really mean. Plenty of catches that are taken low down are good, fingers under the ball etc but I’d be absolutely certain that blades of grass will poke up between the fingers and will have touched the ball, and we don’t want them ruled out. However, pressing it into the turf is a different matter.

Maybe the suggestion up there of no tossing up, ball must be held until umpire calls it as either held or referred also needs bringing in. Might have helped here, clearly held and then grounded as he slid forward, no difference in ethos to the catch that is jolted out on impact with the ground, he needed to have both ball up and be in a ‘stable’ position before umpire would confirm.

We’re into semantics now.

We’re not. There are the laws, and how they are interpreted in practice. Maybe this decision will bring some clarity.

decent first hour…… still think once they get one then the rest will clatter.

OTOH…. going at 4 an over without really pushing that hard, means that as bowlers tire, no quality spinner, ball gets older….. if these two plus YJB can see through another 35 overs to the new ball, we could be in 50 to get territory. And then what?

And just as you typed that…

Oh, well, time for the Stokes and Bairstow show. I can’t see it lasting all that long…but…

Brain fade from Bairstow there.

Hmm. That’s going to set the bar for the rest of the series in terms of bad feeling and sportsmanship.

I dunno,the keeper threw it immediately so I didn’t see too much wrong with it.

Broad making a big show of being in…….. this is great fun, even if the purists will be hating it.

It’s the chin music that’s becoming less fun. the games lost and only now the umpire is calling wides and 2 bounce limits they should have done it from the start.

Both sides are guilty tbh.

Stokes has had enough clearly

Ben could win this in the next 4 overs at this rate?

Be interested to see what the umpire was doing when Bairstow started walking. Can be hard to hear the over called with the crowd noise, wonder if the ump was turning, not looking at play, getting stuff to hand back to the bowler? – all the non-verbal cues that it’s ‘over’. A cautionary tale for batsmen to be sure (or to just wait an extra second).

Brilliant from Stokes.

50 in 4.4 overs…

even the Long Room giving it to the Aussies on the way off.

Technically it’s out,  however Bairstow made his ground and walked to Stokes, the same thing will have happened hundreds of times in the game without incident or anyone attempting similar so it is fair to say not in the spirit….

Someone on TMS*, said the umpire had turned away and was unclipping the bowlers cap….

*Not a commentator, someone that text in.

Edit: you can see on the replay, the umpire has started to unclip the cap and isn’t looking, surely he had called over if he’s doing that?!?!?

this could to end up with umpires having to call the ball dead after every delivery when the aussies have to bat next.

I’ve seen a split screen that neither umpire was looking, so while it wasn’t technically dead they also considered it was. I think a bit like a Mankad, appropriate to at least warn first.

Morgan likening to De Grandhomme last year has muddied the water; that came off the pads to point, he was advancing wondering if there was a run on while being unaware where it had gone.

Elsewhere on Twitter. AUS will be made to feel very welcome by the western terrace next week!! I wonder if telegrams are being composed between the ECB and ACB as we speak.

bazball is all about the theatre after all, so I suppose this just adds to it.

We’ll be all out in the next hour of play anyway….

Edit: you can see on the replay, the umpire has started to unclip the cap and isn’t looking, surely he had called over if he’s doing that?!?!?

It’s tricky, the umpire is the ultimate arbiter on whether the ball is settled in the wicketkeeper’s gloves, but he’s certainly sending a message that the ball is dead by looking away and unclipping the cap.

EDIT:

Calm down, Stokesy. This isn’t sustainable.

Amazing demonstration that the Aussies want to win no matter how they do it. England want to entertain and seem totally befuddled by the idea of “winning” or “losing”.

And Stokes once again reminding us that the worst thing about this Ashes isn’t England’s performances or decision-making, it’s the hope…

While most of the cricket world is understandably fixated on the Ashes, can I offer huge congratulations to Scotland who pulled off a fantastic win against the Windies in the World Cup qualifiers yesterday.

Well played lads. Still in with a chance of making it to India.

We’ll be all out in the next hour of play anyway….

either way I can’t see it still being in play at tea time.

Crackers as it sounds, if Stokes carried on at this rate, 10 overs would do it. And that means the others have to survive maybe 20-25 balls

It seems like Broad is really relishing the battle. Now just don’t do anything stoopid.

either way I can’t see it still being in play at tea time.

I really hope I’m wrong.

Anybody still think Stokes shouldn’t be in the team 🙂

as you say, it’s the hope

Anybody still think Stokes shouldn’t be in the team 🙂

He’s earned his place again.

Everyone* been hating Bazball the last 4 days

*yeah I know not everyone and yes we shouldn’t have put ourselves in this position

If England win this I reckon Stokes scores 200, which is just mad in a fourth innings.

Australia’s management has requested the MCC investigates the incidents in the Long Room at lunch.

bless