The Ashes, Second Test Lord's

First topic message reminder :

Harris and Khwaja in.
Aus's bowling depth is so good that they can drop who was rated to be their top fast bowler without blinking an eyelid.

Aye, Clarke might receive a bit of a slapping down for this over rate.

Personally, I don't see why you can't add on 3 runs to the batting teams total for every over not bowled on a clear day.

GSC wrote:Do either of these 2 have a really big score in their locker?

hopefully. Bell has a test double ton, so can make the big rune while Bairstow just needs to concentrate on batting. Aussie Bowlers will be knackered and if these two can stay till the close a lot of runs available in the next 75 minutes.

GSC wrote:Aye, Clarke might receive a bit of a slapping down for this over rate.

Personally, I don't see why you can't add on 3 runs to the batting teams total for every over not bowled on a clear day.

I reckon they should just play through tea if they are behind with the overs. Bowlers probably need the break more anyway.

Tbf, theres been runs available all day. This Aussie attack does seem to bowl a fair share of hittable stuff.

250 up for England...getting there slowly but surely.

Drinks and England 250-4. These 2 need to survive the new ball to make it Englands day.

Duty281 wrote:Where are the Bairstow detractors?  

Still not convinced by him myself, gets bowled trying to play to leg too often.

However if England selectors want to persist with Root opening, the only other guy I could see coming in would be James Taylor and England don't seem so keen.

GSC wrote:Tbf, theres been runs available all day. This Aussie attack does seem to bowl a fair share of hittable stuff.

In fairness to the Aussies the pitch looks a complete "road" (to quote Michael Vaughn) and even the decent balls are easier to hit for runs.

That no-ball on 171-4 was huge. Big chance England are bowling if it wasnt called.

Not to get into another umpiring tizz, but Ive never understood why umpires can retrospectively look at No-balls, but cant look any other dubious decisions. Is this a law? Or is Umpires discretion, and umpires just prefer to only check for the No Ball?

Aye, just an observation from here and TB.

Also..n I have to be honest... I just dont like Bairstow, he could score 400 and I would call for him to get dropped!

Runs dried up a bit lately. Watson doing a good holding job for his skipper (even if he doesn't like him  )

New ball not far off so a lot can still happen today...

Bell to 99...

YES BELL!!

 

And now a hundred !  

kinggraf umpires can look at anything bthey want to- but allways look at the no ball on a wicket- for obvious reasons.

Back to back tons for Bell! 766??

Thans Mystir

Back to back Ashes tons for Bell   

He was under pressure at the start of the series, now he has back to back tons. Well played Ian Bell, a sumptuous innings.  

hodge wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Where are the Bairstow detractors?  

Still not convinced by him myself, gets bowled trying to play to leg too often.

However if England selectors want to persist with Root opening, the only other guy I could see coming in would be James Taylor and England don't seem so keen.

As they say, one swallow does not a summer make. If he can put a couple more decent scores together and show he can perform more consistently, he'll make a much better case for his continued selection.

Congrats Ian Bell - another sterling performance when England were having something of a crisis. Together with Trott and Bairstow he has guided England towards a respectable score. Well done, sir!

Flat track and Ian Bell cashes in.

Never one to get tough runs is Bell

Actually its 3 back to back Ashes 100s apparently, one of 4 England batsmen to do so.

Go on and make it a double.

Just as England get into the ascendancy the wums appear right on time  

Gerry SA wrote:Flat track and Ian Bell cashes in.

Never one to get tough runs is Bell

Is that sarcasm?

Pitch may be true, but at 28-3 you can't get much tougher than that.

GSC wrote:Just as England get into the ascendancy the wums appear right on time  

Explain why guys like KP(2005) Cook (2006/07) Vaughan (2002/03 and 2005) scored their hundreds against McGrath and Warne

Bottle job Bell had to wait until they where gone to score his.

People will always enjoy having a go. Not worth worrying about.

Been a good days cricket. Aussie came out and played like the golden era team at first, demolishing England but England's middle order then rode it out and found some runs.

Proper contest this.

kingraf wrote:Also..n I have to be honest... I just dont like Bairstow, he could score 400 and I would call for him to get dropped!

Please elucidate why you dislike someone who has probably done absolutely nothing to hurt you?

GSC wrote:Just as England get into the ascendancy the wums appear right on time  

You know England are doing well when the wums arrive!

Gerry SA wrote:

GSC wrote:Just as England get into the ascendancy the wums appear right on time  

Explain why guys like KP(2005) Cook (2006/07) Vaughan (2002/03 and 2005) scored their hundreds against McGrath and Warne

Bottle job Bell had to wait until they where gone to score his.

Not sarcasm then. Guess that requires rather more synapses?

Because they were playing against Warne and McGrath?  

LondonTiger wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:Flat track and Ian Bell cashes in.

Never one to get tough runs is Bell

Is that sarcasm?

Pitch may be true, but at 28-3 you can't get much tougher than that.

The pitch was flat then as it is now

Root and KP played poor shots. Cook got a decent ball.

Gerry SA wrote:Flat track and Ian Bell cashes in.

Never one to get tough runs is Bell

Utter rubbish. What about the first fifty when the Aussie bowlers were still threatening to get wickets?

And what about Trent Bridge? That was hardly a flat wicket. Give credit where its due!

GSC wrote:Because they were playing against Warne and McGrath?  

Bell = weak attack bully.

Cook is a top batsman and a am a massive fan(clearly -I am English- we all are big fans)- However he allways gets the good balls doesnt he!!

Can only bat to the balls bowled no?

Love sacks

dyrewolfe wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:Flat track and Ian Bell cashes in.

Never one to get tough runs is Bell

Utter rubbish. What about the first fifty when the Aussie bowlers were still threatening to get wickets?

And what about Trent Bridge? That was hardly a flat wicket. Give credit where its due!

What did Cook say at the post match interview

The pitch was very flat.

Cook knows more than you.

Bell deserves massive respect- I am the first to have a pop and the first to congratulate.. He manned up today in a big pressure cooker situation!!

mystiroakey wrote:Cook is a top batsman and a am a massive fan(clearly -I am English- we all are big fans)- However he allways gets the good balls doesnt he!!

Did Cook looked troubled prior to getting out? No

Watson Bowled a cracker to get him out.

Warne will be happy...Steve Smith on.

You really wouldn't want to get out to him...but Bell has just done so !!

Breakthrough for Australia.

Bell a great hand , but he will be gutted to get out now...

Ah, Bell gone. Still a fine innings though, just a shame he couldn't kick on.

And Bell is undone by Smith..again falling for 109, just before the new ball is due.

Still a fantastic innings. Lets hope the rest of the England order doesn't render it a futile effort.

England 271-5.

Shame he is out, but he got the runs when hi steam needed him to. Class act.

Smith follows a knee hit full toss with the perfect leg break.

Decent part time bowler.

Oh dear bell out to a part timers bit of bowling but a good ball.

Not a good time to get out but he did well today coming in at a very difficult time.

Aussies day overall, England needed to keep it to four to edge it i feel but a contest at least

45 minutes left, new ball imminent.

45 minutes of preservation I suggest.

Going to be difficult to not lose anymore wickets now.

Probably falling short of 350 batting first would be considered a failure here but it could have been so much worse.

Gerry SA wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:Flat track and Ian Bell cashes in.

Never one to get tough runs is Bell

Utter rubbish. What about the first fifty when the Aussie bowlers were still threatening to get wickets?

And what about Trent Bridge? That was hardly a flat wicket. Give credit where its due!

What did Cook say at the post match interview

The pitch was very flat.

Cook knows more than you.

And during the pitch inspection they pointed out how dry, dusty and cracked the it was. Also if it was so flat, why did wickets fall the way they did, with only 2 or 3 players from each side getting anything like a decent score?

Whats left.

Prior needs some runs.
Broad had an impressive test with the bat at TB.
Bresnan and Swann can bat a bit.
Jimmy's no Agar at 11.

Turn there btw. Something for Swann in this pitch maybe?