The Ashes thread! (spoilers)

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

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.

A wicket then a dropped catch. It ain’t over yet.

And another wicket. Don’t stuff this up, England…

:-/

What a great day’s cricket, haven’t been this satisfied by test cricket since 2005.

412 to win then in two days.

Na!

Fantastic . Australia have a chance but it’s a long shot. Can’t really ask much more from England.

Brad Haddin’s dominance over England may be over as he joins Shane Watson needing a burst of form

The locals are a little concerned.

I don’t think this is over yet. Yes, that is very pessimistic but there is a lot of talent behind the green door and we don’t want them to get a sniff. England have managed some improbable escapes in recent years borne out of a sheer bloody mindedness to not let the old enemy get it all their way, I don’t for a minute think the Aussies are ready to roll over.

If we bowl well, in the right areas; are inventive without being stupid about setting fields to create chances; TAKE those chances (how Haddin must be ruing the Root drop, they’d have had a lead without that) and don’t panic if someone gets in, then i can see only one winner. But give them a sniff………

Shit, I love/hate test cricket.

I tend to share jonv’s caution as far as its in the bag for an England win. However, the wicket is proving to be unpredictable, look how the ball held up when it pitched for Cook’s second innings dismissal. With this in mind, it looks like it’s tricky for batsmen to get in and stay in.

Rain forecast for tomorrow too, so unless England start to initiate another Aussie collapse ( how good does that sound?!) like yesterday morning, it could be a no result.

Certainly not counting anything, it was very interesting to see how the local press is reacting though. This was not in the script.

All out by end of play today. Jimmy bowled beautifully yesterday and was backed up well by the rest. Pitch is turning now too. Australia have no chance.

Cook chose to bat first exactly because he didn’t want to be batting last on this pitch. England have to do something catastrophically stupid to lose this test.

England have to do something catastrophically stupid to lose this test.

Or all Australia need to do is bat the day and pray for rain, the forecast is damp for day 5.
There are runs in the Aussie line up, Warner can get 100 before lunch if he’s in the mood.

edgy stuff

Warners starting to look a little dangerous

and what a great way to go to Lunch, Warner is the key at the start of the innings.

Phew

And I reckon that could be game over.

I wouldn’t be calling the fat lady until the spinners are holding their bats…

The fast bowling stuff now is interesting

That was handy.

Good article on Sky now. Pace like Fire! Anyone in any doubt that cricket is a game of physical intimidation has never faced a proper quick.

New Zealand were better than this!

😉

Interesting…. 101-3, Smith mooches off

Get one get two.

Even works with 40 mins in between.

And zokes is out of hibernation….
Let’s see if we can get this done by tea

No, wrap it up after tea. I’ve got to do some work in the garden and I’m not opening beer until after tea time. If you could make the two coincide please Head Chef.