Check out post #56 I made about England's batting. Then have a look at how they batted in the last session today. Arrogant and disrespectful because they felt Australia were done.
Still largely think the game is over. I just don't see Australia chasing anything over 300 unless Clarke goes absolutely massive. England should still set them a world record chase I'd imagine (another 155 runs) and this line up won't chase that down.
I know but the point about world records is interesting because with the pace of the game nowadays all things are possible. The world records chases of 404, then 418 I think stayed intact for so long because the teams batting 4th usually just didn't have enough time left in the game to chase down these sorts of targets. There are 270 overs left in this game, conceivably, Oz could have 200 overs to chase down 450 to win. They won't do it, but the day isn't too far off when someone will (especially as current bowling line-ups around the world are nothing like as strong as they were in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s etc.
This might well be 'after the event' or with a great deal of hindsight, but today showed why we were right not to enforce the follow on. Call it negative, but batting the aussies out of the game is/was the best thing to do, particularly on a marginally turning pitch. I very much doubt it given their woeful batting thus far, but why give them the opportunity to bat for 2 days and leave us a tricky total to knock off on a potentially degrading wicket. Bat them out of the game, give them a ludicrous total to aim at, let their nervous batting get exposed again. Bat until an hour before lunch tomorrow then skittle them. Don't give them a sniff.
Interestingly, as was alluded to by Bumble on commentary, Old Trafford has become a spinners paradise of late. If Swann can get 5 wickets in the first innings at Lords then he could have a field day up here.
There is always much debate around England not enforcing a follow on. All I'd say is that they very, very rarely do so and over the past decade of cricket, I can't recall them getting it wrong too often. I'd love to have seen the reaction had we enforced it and Australia put 400 up and asked us to chase 170 on a final day wicket turning square.
Should all be over by tea. Rub their noses in it like they have done to us
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"The socialism I believe in is everybody working for the same goal and everybody having a share in the rewards. That's how I see football, that's how I see life."
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Very true and it did indeed turn out to be the right decision.
I suppose, I have seen it before when weather conditions were not quite as predictable as they have been this weekend, and it made me a bit twitchy.
In the end, this was a desperately poor couple of innings from Australia with the bat and, with hindsight (or foresight in this case), Australia were never going to bat through two days. They have some serious homework to do before Old Trafford.
As for England, well there is still room for improvement in some departments, namely Cook, Trott, Pietersen and Broad, but the rest are all firing. I thought Joe Root wasn't only superb with the bat but in the few overs he bowled as well. He was doing things with the ball as well as, if not better than, Graeme Swann this afternoon.
Oh well, the Test weather will break at Old Trafford. I have a ticket for the fourth day!
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You aren't the only one As I'm sad and a cricket nut, I also have a ticket for Day Two at Durham as well. Can't wait.
Regarding Root, he's a pretty decent offy to have in your batsmen. What's interesting is that Swann averages around 2300 on the 'rev counter' and his highest has been circa 2400. Root obviously lacks the same control and averages less but his 'revs' have at times gone higher than Swann's.
No centuries from Cook, Trott or KP and 2 nil up says it all. If England get it all right, they'll win each remaining test by an innings.
Last edited by SS; 21st July 2013 at 21:06.
Bell and root scored more than the Aussies put together
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"The socialism I believe in is everybody working for the same goal and everybody having a share in the rewards. That's how I see football, that's how I see life."
It's not about the long ball or the short ball, it's about the right ball."
Pattinson out for the series and I think this will result in Australia being better. I can see them swapping Lyon for Agar and Starc coming in for Pattinson. Harris if fit is clearly a good bowler. Starc offers a left arm over and will create rough for Lyon. If Starc gets his inswinger going then he's a major handful. Lyon is a decent off spinner. 70 odd wickets at 33 is a decent return so far. I'm not sure why they dropped him in the first place. Then Siddle as well.
Pattinson has been England's scoring option so far. Siddle, Harris and Starc have largely kept it tight and England have made hay against Pattinson. Tight bowling builds pressure and results in wickets and so I think they'll bowl better.
Ultimately it still all rests on Australia being able to put at least 600 runs up in a test match to compete.
Warner has made a century for Australia A v South Africa A. He'll probably come in as opener I'd imagine. Not sure that's a good thing for Australia. He's another one that likes to play outside his off stump.
So to the 3rd test. Thoughts?
I think there would be a rather large slice of irony if KP was to miss the next Test and be replaced by James Taylor.
Taylor was an unwitting contributor to the huge KP-England fallout from just a year ago, when KP made it publicly known that he didn't rate Taylor and didn't think he should be playing for England. As the tea interval arrived, Taylor and KP had been batting together in the middle, but KP decided to leave Taylor high and dry on his own when walking to the pavillion and opted to walk with his South African 'mates' having a chat and a laugh.
Off to Day 2 on the Friday. My ideal scenario is England winning the toss, batting through day 1, tonking it around a bit on day 2 before having the Aussies in dire straits by the end of the day! Most probably get rain!
Taylor is a good bat as well. Averaging 53 in first class cricket this year and did decently enough against the best pace attack in the world against SA.
I've literally just sold my ticket for day four of this test to a mate as I've got one for Durham as well. I was informed in no uncertain circumstances that I was taking the 'mickey'
Anyway, Old Trafford is the best wicket in England. If there's one test where Oz have a chance, it's here. It'll seam, take spin early, offer a bit more pace early and uneven bounce in the last couple of days. It isnt a wicket to bat last on. Lancs spinner, Kerrigan, has been taking plenty at 19's so it's going to be heaven for Swann and Lyon. Their attack should be Siddle, Starc, Harris and Lyon, which is probably their best attack. Still fancy England though and if Eng win the toss, then it could be another hammering for Australia.
I think winning the toss is crucial. As you say, the team batting last are at a disadvantage
Under normal circumstances, definitely.
The crux of the matter is whether Australia can put a decent score on, which I find massively doubtful due to the strength of England's bowling. I've just done some quick working out as to the average scores England have been conceding in the first innings and overall. Based over the past 10 Tests (so including the incredibly flat decks of NZ and India where scores should be massive as well as NZ and Aus in Eng).
The average first innings score against England is 266.
The average score England concede in an innings is 251 overall.
It really is no wonder they win most of their Tests. For South Africa to win in England, they averaged 455 in the first innings and 395 overall. That's the size of the task for a side to beat England in this country.
A lot depends on the type of wicket that has been prepared, and obviously the Manchester weather. I still fancy England, even though some of our big game batsmen have yet to fire on all cylinders, however for me, only an all round bad team effort will stop England winning. Australia are paying the price for letting a team of legends get old and retire together. They were always going to struggle to replace Warne, Gilchrist, Hayden and the rest of that great side, but to let them go at the same time was criminal. On the flip side, England are reaping the rewards of central contracts.
Last edited by Lex; 25th July 2013 at 20:25.
Boom time in cricket these days. I usually have a meeting at the hospital next to Lords on a Thursday and as I came out at 4.30pm they were queueing half way down the street. 28,000 on for a T20 match there was!!
Maybe a good international team is good for the domestic game after all!
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Sound familiar?
Looking forward to next week, couldn't get the day off work but my brother is going. Hopefully the rain holds off and we get a similar contest to the first test. Went old Trafford the other week, looks fantastic with all the work they've had done . The majority of grounds have really come on in the last ten years or so
3rd Test boys and girls. Thoughts ?
I think England same team as Lords. Aus bring Warner in, possibly for Hughes. Starc for Pattinson. Lyon for Agar.
Possibly bowl first here as well, although I doubt it.
Another dodgy DRS decision. Seemed to miss the bat to me!
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