My dear old things, it's STW TMS!

Well, forecast set fair here (yes, I’m in Perth this time, but sadly work rather than cricket so no more photos of glorious aussie stadia for you all, despite the fact that I can see the Waca from my hotel).

It’s not impossible to win here, and the sandgropers have been at pains to highlight to me that the Waca pitch hasn’t been all that for some years now (which a glance at footage from local matches will verify). About the only thing I can add is just pray you’re not facing Stark when the doctor comes roaring in behind him in the late afternoon as it’s been nearly gale force the past few days I’ve been here. I suspect a spin bowler bowling into it might struggle to reach the other end…

In fact, having just seen Stuart Broad’s facebook page, it looks like he’s in the same hotel as me, albeit a couple of floors up. I wonder if he’ll be in the restaurant for brekky…

I suspect a spin bowler bowling into it might struggle to reach the other end…

It might make ‘Gary’ even more of a handful. He’s the sort of quicker over-spinning offie who will really benefit from bowling into the doctor.

Well lots about the pitch, weather, line up’s etc. which will probably make it still odd on for Australia.
http://www.cricket.com.au/news/peter-handscomb-waca-pitch-steve-smith-mitchell-marsh-australia-england-third-ashes-test/2017-12-13

It might make ‘Gary’ even more of a handful. He’s the sort of quicker over-spinning offie who will really benefit from bowling into the doctor.

Conversely, Anderson bowling short into it would make the sort of batting practice even I could take advantage of. Ho hum.

Trying to work out what the fix could be? Perhaps England to bat 3 sessions?

And for any Aussies still reading the good news it the ads have been updated in the live stream, yes that is right a new bunnings and toyota ad!!

Also somehow I just booked a meeting for the 1st ball, that is going to be a quick one

Toss won, we’re having a bat. Don’t **** it up guys…

yeah, that was the fastest meeting I’ve had in a while…

What a ball by Hazlewood there

So that’s Cook – again.

Well I think somebody else needs a go opening, Cook has been a great player but he didn’t look comfortable and the close up on his face looked worried. Big start for the Aussies they are comfortable to let the runs flow

They seem to be treating it like a T20. I’m not sure this is what we want.

Well watching Vince for the 3rd time here now I’d like to see him open in the 2nd innings here and again at the MCG, give Cook a bit of a chance, bit of me can see another Aussie declaration in this one, the boundary is coming up a lot

Going for 4 an over and Stoneman romping along.

This is amusing – IMO
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/the-nightwatchman/2017/oct/25/cricket-radio-tms-fake-news-nazis-commentators

Well I dared to hope for 100/1 Vince didn’t get going ofter those 4s time for cool heads and let’s get to lunch

And you lot need to check out the stuff around 115 Hazelwood to stoneman luck well and truly taken there, brutal ball to the head

Root rooted. FFS.

Wish I’d stayed in bed. He was looking good too.

Yep, looking tough now but have a look the Sunday Monday forecast

Yep, looking tough now but have a look the Sunday Monday forecast

Rain was supposed to save us in Brissy too…

All out for under 250 i fear

Stoneman reduced to gravel. It continues….

Don’t like that one, given how much they have looked at other decisions there was no way to tell what that came off it it was clipping, back hand glove was off the handle so that should be not out, not conclusive

Don’t like that one, given how much they have looked at other decisions there was no way to tell what that came off it it was clipping, back hand glove was off the handle so that should be not out, not conclusive

Funnily enough Facebook told me a similar decision occurred here four years ago, judging by a post with a lot of disgruntled comments on it. Can’t recall who was the unlucky victim.

Though it would encourage me to review a few unless it was just the third umpire rushing it due to needing to take a leak.

Hardly conclusive. Should be something similar to the LBW decisions where it favours the umpires call and has to be clear that the umpire has missed something. In this case the tiniest of movement on snicko with no way of knowing what it had nicked shouldn’t be enough to overturn the umpires call.

Just watched the DRS decision, that’s atrocious! Perhaps we’ve found out who the “Silent Man” is. Harrumph!

102 out of 154 have come from boundaries!

made it to tea 4 down. that’s not too bad actually. must push on for 350 absolute minimum. I can’t see any runs in the tail, I doubt Broad or Anderson will last more than a few balls against this pace.

Just seen the stoneman one, right decision on wrong evidence it would seem.

Brute of a delivery though. Situation reminded me of a tufnell anecdote where he’d been worked over by the Windies quicks and then got a tiny glove on one, they appealed, tuffers looked at the umpire hoping to be sent back to safety, and he was just shaking his head. He knew he couldn’t walk, the skipper would have killed him, so the only option was ‘aarrgghhh, I think you’ve broken my finger!!’

Duly dispatched. Back in the dressing room the skipper’s apoplectic but his teammates are stuffing socks in their mouths trying not to laugh.

Has jonny lost his bat sponsor? Commercial or ‘image’ issues?

Well, we seem to be two-a-piece in the got self out vs was got out stakes. Cook and Vince played poor shots, Root and Stoneman out to ultimately good balls. We need to stop throwing wickets away.

Root wasn’t a good ball, but it’s tough to blame a batter for a leg side strangle.

I’m scoring 2 bad shots, one good ball, one ‘shit happens’

100 up! yyyes!

Well played Malan!

Yup, credit where it’s due: nice one Dawid.

Bairstow doing ok, but played some horrid swing and misses out wide with absolutely no footwork.

I think that’s a little harsh. Given the context it’s a fantastic innings of real authority. Christmas has come early if JB gets a ton

He’s had a couple that have made me cringe in the last few overs. No problem going after wide ones, but you’ve got to move your feet to them when there are 3-4 slips + gully to contend with. You wouldn’t be praising him if he got out that way…

Plain bats should be mandatory.

Classy.

No but I am praising him because he is on 75 as a part of a huge partnership *edit , a record stand apparently, at a time in the series when we desperately, desperately need it.