OT: The Ashes

[Jim Smith 2,314]

This has turned into a fantastic test match and all credit to England for this fightback from a situation where we looked dead an buried. Whatever happens now our bowlers can hopefully take confidence (and have learnt the lengths to bowl) from the last 24 hours and our batsmen are (Vince aside) applying themselves better.

if we can pull this off (and we have a chance now we really do albeit still odds against) then what a fantastic comeback it would be and how transformative will it be for the series.

[SwindonCanary 455]

I only wish our batsman would play test match cricket in this situation -- If it''s not hitting the wicket, leave it !

[king canary 7,580]

That last wicket could be crucial- pretty amazing to be in with a shot at this point.

We need a superstar innings from Root and a minimum of a 50 from Mooen to have a sniff.

[Feedthewolf 4,844]

[quote user="king canary"]That last wicket could be crucial- pretty amazing to be in with a shot at this point.

We need a superstar innings from Root and a minimum of a 50 from Mooen to have a sniff.[/quote]I''d probably send Bairstow in next, I think he''s more likely to settle at the crease and not do something rash. Agree that it''s been a magnificent fightback, when they didn''t enforce the follow-on I was just grateful we couldn''t be beaten by an innings!

[Crabbycanary3 994]

It''s fantastic to see Smith cracking under , possibly, the worst decision, in Test Cricket history.

Also Root, has calmed himself down, and you never know...............

New ball, is key, as is the left handers, against Lyon, as are the batsmen all contributing, as is........yada yada yada......

As Sir Geoffery said, Smith could''ve been picking his golf course for tomorrow..........

[Jim Smith 2,314]

Root has a bad habit of getting out quite early in the day when he resumes on a big score from the day before.

As you say him staying there for a decent period will be key so he needs to concentrate.

if we are going to do it then we won;t want to be batting too late under the lights again!

[Crabbycanary3 994]

You are right Jim, how many times do we see, with a lot of players, who make a big (not out) score, the day before, and go cheaply, the next day?

That needs addressing, by the coaches/psychologists, etc

[Jim Smith 2,314]

Think its human nature to a degree Crabby, an element of tiredness and probably also not quite picking up with the same intensity of the day before plus of course early in your innings you are generally at your most vulnerable and you are effectively starting again.

That said, yes they need to be ensuring he is 100% focussed and i''m sure he will be.

[king canary 7,580]

First session tomorrow is key. Lose a couple of early wickets and it''ll be over quickly, if Root and Woakes can dig in and give a platform for Mooen and Bairstow to work off we have a chance.

Bloody love test cricket when it all comes together like this.

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

It''s the hope that kills you.I hope Root puts on a big ton tomorrow and be the difference, much like Smith in the last test. That''d put the cat among the pigeons heading to Perth and make the rest of the series really interesting.Sadly my head says an early morning collapse with us all out adding just another 40 or 50 runs, followed by Cummings and Starc blowing us away at the pace friendly WACA and the series all over by Christmas Eve and ending in a white wash.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Iwans Big Toe"]Sadly my head says an early morning collapse with us all out adding just another 40 or 50 runs, followed by Cummings and Starc blowing us away at the pace friendly WACA and the series all over by Christmas Eve and ending in a white wash.[/quote]Blimey, it''s not just the football that makes you miserable IBT. [:S]There is help out there you know.......

[Bill 1,788]

Not really as herein anything is a bonus. Smith took the cautious root and certainly could not have been expected to be skittled out for 138.178 is quite do able in one day. Whether the batsmen can hang in there and grind out the runs remains to be seen.But we are certainly in a position no one could have imagined after England''s first innings came to an endFor naughty folk who do not have access to BT etc then maybe they might won''t to watch something elsethis for instance

[SwindonCanary 455]

A Captains innings from Root tonight and we could possibly get an unlikely win  

[lharman7 39]

Sick to death of the England side looking scared to face the seamers. The look on Cooks face these past two tests is akin to the scared little boy that Atherton or Hussain used to look like when facing McGrath! Pathetic.

Men against scared little boys!

[Crafty Canary 495]

Unfortunately our players seem to lack mental toughness when the pressure is on.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Nicely back on topic there crafty 😆

[king canary 7,580]

C''mon Malan, excellent innings so far!

[Herman 9,717]

Pleasantly surprising first day. Cook still not bringing much to the table sadly.

[SwindonCanary 455]

I expected Vince and Root to do a little better as well, why do our batsmen keep swinging at wide/high balls?

[Van wink 2,994]

A bit lucky this morning so let’s hope we can capitalise on that. I can’t understand why with just a couple of overs left Bairstow is flashing around outside off stump and following the ball. If England are to make any real progress the discipline and game management needs to be upped.

Anyway an excellent day for the boys👍

[Van wink 2,994]

Normal service appears to be being resumed.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="Van wink"]Normal service appears to be being resumed.[/quote]

Bloody frustrating! From our overnight position we should have put this came to bed. Instead another amateur collapse, giving the aussies hope.

We need to remove smith asap.

[Van wink 2,994]

Yep, we can''t seem to string two decent days together in consequtive order.

[SwindonCanary 455]

179-3 Steady progress, we need another wicket before close today.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="SwindonCanary"]179-3 Steady progress, we need another wicket before close today. [/quote]

Yes, Smiths!

But that third wicket was crucial.

[Herman 9,717]

Meh.

[Bill 1,788]

Dead wicket, as long as England don''t collapse in their second innings it will fizzle out to a draw

[SwindonCanary 455]

A Draw is the best we can hope for now !  

[Bill 1,788]

Bit of a waste of time if the wickets are prepared like this.I would rather see a match like the second test where it was all for the taking than a boring slog like this

[Guest]

Who is to say we won''t collapse 2nd innings. The pressure alone will be enormous on 1 to 5 with some hostile bowling even on a flat wicket.

To be fair, modern test cricket does produce results, weather permitting, and hence the call for four day tests. Spectators have changed and want to see wickets and sixes. The purists are dying out and so will the game unless England adapt.

Of course we are hampered by our nweather in Britain and probably, apart from the odd poor NZ summer, are the only first class nation to play on green grass wickets as a necessity rather than a consequence.