Ashes second test, Lords, continued.

First topic message reminder :

Please continue here guys.

I wonder what odds you get on Aussie now?

Let Root get his double ton, then declare.

Or, because 4 draws will give England the urn, keep batting until Root's surpasses Brian Lara's 400. We don't need the win after all.

An excellent last session for England on top of the 2 good ones earlier today.
Young Joe yet again showing what a fabulous talent he is. Although I favored him staying in the middle order, that was down to him being able to fix the troubles at the number 6 position rather than doubting his abilities as opener. But the 3 efforts before this innings, Root didn't quite look his usual self, but he has come back to his standard mode in style. Think England should bat on and give him an opportunity to convert this Daddy into an even more substantial effort. This test is way beyond Australia now, but may be England can have another thrash for an hour or so tomorrow to just choke the Australians further.

you called it duty

We have to let him go for the  double ton..

I am not suprised. Lords was allways going to give him the chance to get the platform score. Fingers crossed this settles him down for the last 3- and we have our next opener for the next 14 years!

feeling for the Aussie attack 333/5 is actually a decent effort on that pitch. Its probably a little below par, but only by a wicket or so. Remember this is day 3 in Lords, probably the easiest batting day the entire Ashes, so I dont think they should be too hard on themselves. Their batters are the ones who should be kicking themselves.

The highest ever total set by England against Australia (thanks to the BBC) was 742 in the first Test at Brisbane in 1928. England won by 675 runs, and went on to win the series 4-1. Some chap by the name of Donald Bradman made his debut in that test.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62562.html

And some slightly more grim news, Pietersen will not field for the rest of the test as he has had a left calf strain. Wonder if he'll be OK for Manchester?

Shame, who comes in if he is out?

Taylor?

mystiroakey wrote:you called it duty

We have to let him go for the  double ton..

I am not suprised. Lords was allways going to give him the chance to get the platform score. Fingers crossed this settles him down for the last 3- and we have our next opener for the next 14 years!

Well he looked assured from the very first ball this morning. A wonderful innings where he dug in, and then played his shots. A double ton should be his tomorrow.  

Like you say, that's one position secured for the next few years.

Should be ok if its just a calf strain, probably more precaution than anything. No sense risking him in the field for 2 days.

Probably would be Taylor in at 6 and everyone moves up a spot.

mystiroakey wrote:Shame, who comes in if he is out?

Taylor?

I would say he's next in line, so yes. And he does deserve another chance.

I wouldn't be surprised if KP, and Swann for that matter, retire at the end of this double Ashes header; they are both getting on a bit now. And it would probably fall to Taylor or Ballance to slot in when KP goes.

I doubt Swann will. Plenty left in the tank after missing out for half his career.

KP seems to have spent more time out of the team than in it recently

Well I certainly hope Swann won't retire, but that elbow is troubling him more and more it would seem.

A superb day from England's point of view. Though I always backed comptom ahead of Root, but his this innings at Lords made me speechless. Never the less I will again go with my theory of playing him in the middle order.
Australian bowlers tried hard but could not get past Root. Bell again showed he is the backbone of the middleorder. Though he missed the century but batted beautifully. After a superb free batting from Ashton in the first test , aussies made him play like a batsman without going with their frontline spinner.
Lead has now crossed 550. Defeat is sure unless someone be the ABD and FDP for Australia.

I wouldnt have put money on Faf du Plessis putting in that Adelaide innings, nothing in his cricketing record suggested he was even capable of such an innings. That said, Im confidently saying Australia has a better chance of chasing 550, then Batting for two days... And this is a team that hasnt breached 300...

Might as well let Root go and get his double ton tomorrow, shouldn't take him half an hour really.

Then let Swanny and co destroy.

If KP is out, would like to see Taylor come back in. Think he was harshly dropped last time, and has been having a good county season

Unfortunate news that with KP. Hope he'll be fit for the next test.
Pietersen is only 33, and I hope to see him in action at least for a couple more years.

Well I have to say, I find it thoroughly enjoyable watching the Australians toil in the field, I'd let Root get to 200 in the morning definitely.

Warne said something about England not wanting to be ruthless and finish Australia off early but rather have the Aussies die a death by 1000 needle pricks or something like that. I'd much prefer the 2nd option, make them suffer, slow and painful. Fantastic!

And if somehow KP has to miss the third test, I have a nagging doubt that England will overlook James Taylor and go for Ravi Bopara.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Compton come in at 3 (that's where he's played for the majority of his career except the last season and a bit) with Trott dropping to 4.

I think KP will play till past 40 tbh. Not sure if he will stay in the england team- but he has a lot of years left

msp83 wrote:And if somehow KP has to miss the third test, I have a nagging doubt that England will overlook James Taylor and go for Ravi Bopara.

Think Ravi maybe injured as well. Every cloud an' all!

perfect test match for Eng.
Opener Root..fires
Bresnan justifies his allrounder tag


the game is gone for aus.....so they have nothing to lose.

if they are positive....they can set themselves morale boosting mini targets....such as bat atleast 3 sessions.....stretch the game to the 5th day.
if aus cannot find some morale boosting positives......i am afraid a 5-0 is on cards.

great for english fans but a rather dull , listless offing for neutral cricket fans.

I dont think us England fans take much from stuffing OZ. we still have stockholm syndrome from them..

Well played Joe!


As an aside, Khawaja looked distinctly average yesterday.

mystiroakey wrote:I dont think us England fans take much from stuffing OZ. we still have stockholm syndrome from them..

 speak for yourself Roakey. It would be incredibly Cathartic.

I feel sorry for them..

msp83 wrote:And if somehow KP has to miss the third test, I have a nagging doubt that England will overlook James Taylor and go for Ravi Bopara.

Ravi does have a side strain at the moment, but if he was selected, before we slaughter it, lest we forget old Rav made us all look like fools with his Champions Trophy display...

mystiroakey wrote:I feel sorry for them..

 They wouldn't want it and they never felt it for us.  They'll be back too so enjoy it if we can get some wins.

Been bored . Checking 2013 england batting averages . compo really doesnt stack up well in terms of ave or sr.

If it wasnt for this series bell would be shocking. Root is top on the below - but we must remeber if he gets out tommorow his ave will go down and bell will be top.

Kp is having a bad year, and he has had 7 innings- not as many as the others but still 7 innings he should have scored more than 170!!

	AN Cook (Eng)	37.69	43.86
	JE Root (Eng)	45.83	47.66
	MJ Prior (Eng)	43.55	62.72
	IR Bell (Eng)	45.25	39.6
	IJL Trott (Eng)	45.15	49.28
	KP Pietersen (Eng)	24.28	46.7
	NRD Compton (Eng)	30.11	35.28
	JM Bairstow (Eng)	34.37	48.07

Duty281 wrote:
I wouldn't be surprised if KP, and Swann for that matter, retire at the end of this double Ashes header; they are both getting on a bit now. And it would probably fall to Taylor or Ballance to slot in when KP goes.

For both I reckon they will carry on until the World Cup, injuries permitting. Then Swann to retire from all cricket and get a job in the "meejah" and Pietersen to retire from internatiobal duty and concentrate on T20.

the problem is more about how do you replace swann???

mystiroakey wrote:the problem is more about how do you replace swann???

Hopefully won't have to for a year or two yet. Maybe keep him out of ODIs and use them to give the young spin bowlers a bit more experience.
Between that and the A tours they should be able to turn someone up ...though actually replacing a star player is sometimes just not possible...

We have to blood one in i suppose- we cant just be short of one at the wrong time. monty and patel are also both getting on!- both very much test standard in there own right(compared to the rest anyway) but all 3 similar ages

Duty281 wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Shame, who comes in if he is out?

Taylor?

I would say he's next in line, so yes. And he does deserve another chance.

I wouldn't be surprised if KP, and Swann for that matter, retire at the end of this double Ashes header; they are both getting on a bit now. And it would probably fall to Taylor or Ballance to slot in when KP goes.

What about bringing in James Vince or Rikki Clarke?

Rikki Clarke? Blimey.

I reckon Swanny has a couple more years in him to be honest.  34 is not old for a spinner.

You would think he could have 4 more years- problem is his injuries, he may be forced out a bit early

I think Swanny will continue to play test cricket until he physically can't anymore. He seems to love being part of the test side more than anything.

Australia are going to need Michael Clarkus to return to the Clarke Kent he played so well last two years. If he can do that, Australia have a chance at surviving Day 4. A draw is beyond them, but they need a big score, or bat a long time so they can take something positive from this Test.

Yes I want to see some resistance tbh..


Actually tell a lie , bowling them out for 20 would also be nice.. 

Aus are in that position where wickets are only going to be counter productive.. They want to waste time out there and hope it takes Rooty a long time to get his double ton!

If they get him out before England will just declare

Funny tactics from Clarke...just allows Root easy singles...and Bairstow can have a free hit with an empty outfield. What does it all do for young Agar ?

Can't see it holding England up for too long anyway.

Stop taking the single at the end of the over for gods sake

Bairstow gone...the sparingly used Harris makes the breakthrough...

Chance for Prior to hit a few balls now. Wouldn't think they will bother letting the bowlers have a bat though.

they will declare as soon as Root is out or gets his double

Turn and bounce for Agar, good signs for Swann

Agar drops the easiest catch of all time

and sadly he gets out, no double for rooty..

but we have declared- so thats something!!

Holding having a moan again about Englands tactics but I think it was the time left in the game that made them want a big total first and they wanted to give young Joe a chance.

Shame he is gone but frustration got him I think. 

Looks a much better day for bowling and I think Engs bowlers would have been itching to get out there and frustrated if much more time was taken up.

holding is becoming a bore tbh. Wasnt it obvious we were just there to let root get his double!!

jeasus