3rd Ashes test Old Trafford

First topic message reminder :

SQUAD

Squad Alastair Cook (capt), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, James Taylor, Matt Prior, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Monty Panesar

Tbf though, its not as if DRS has overruled an umpires decision. So remove DRS and the umpire still got it wrong.

Nothing on snicko.....

I suspect that Smith did nick that, but there's no evidence to overturn really, so a decent decision. Hopefully Aus will stop moaning about DRS briefly, after Smith gets a little lucky with it twice. England out of reviews.

Hot spot should probably be abandonned TBH, just doesn't work...

Smith maybe lucky there ...reckon he probably hit that , but DRS toys can't prove it so not out it remains.

Fair enough. Not like England to burn both fielding reviews like that...

Australia batting their way into a rather useful position here. Four hundred plus looks on , and that will make England bat under a bit of scoreboard pressure for a change. Batting last on this might not be any picnic.

Need these two to go on with it though : but I reckon the odds on a Clarke century should be pretty short by now...

Well the point is we didnt burn them we just got unlucky- one was out as out can be- its just that only 49.99999999999999999999999% of the ball hit the sump not 50! and we all heard the knick!!

What exactly is wrong with Hotspot as it used to work fine in previous series'? Now it's completely dud technology.

I do wonder if Hotspot is calibrated right. Too hot perhaps?

not sure but I have seen it not work before..I remeber onec when it picked up 15 hot spots on the bat

It must have intermitant faults.

180/3 at tea. Very well poised going into the final session; honours strictly even.

mystiroakey wrote:Well the point is we didnt burn them we just got unlucky- one was out as out can be- its just that only 49.99999999999999999999999% of the ball hit the sump not 50! and we all heard the knick!!

Yeah they were unlucky today. But I maintain that you take a chance when you review a lbw unless it is absolutely stone dead ...just too easy to get caught on umpire's call , especially when the ball is moving a lot. As we saw in that case.
The catch you do always want to review ; but you also know sometimes technology fails in detecting edges so you want to have a spare review up your sleeve...

Not saying it was bad calling from Cook and co. Just one of those days. But if they get a bad one later in the innings they may regret going up for the lbw.

100% the Ausis session, tbf there batting very well, full credit to them

Jimmy been a let down so far today.

It was good calling tbh. nothing wrong with it. You have to use them . People that say you should only use when for howlers are off the mark. A howler may only come along 1 in 10 tests!!

you have to way it up. They have not used them the way the aussies did- we used them well just got unlucky

Duty281 wrote:180/3 at tea. Very well poised going into the final session; honours strictly even.

Can't agree with that , Duty. Reckon Australia are well on top.

England need at least three in this session or they could be chasing a big score here. And batting last.

Not that I am betting against a clatter of wickets after tea , mind  

mystiroakey wrote:It was good calling tbh. nothing wrong with it. You have to use them . People that say you should only use when for howlers are off the mark. A howler may only come along 1 in 10 tests!!

you have to way it up. They have not used them the way the aussies did- we used them well just got unlucky

Ah well , that is the point isn't it ? I say keep them for howlers...if you do otherwise you take a risk. And sometimes it costs you. (we don't know yet if it will or not , of course )
But in my book "used them well" rather implies getting a result...and we haven't , this time.

We will have to settle on a partial disagreement on this one roakey..

Australia on top, but both sides will know its just taken 1 to fall for Aus to collapse in this series.

If you only use them for howlers you have wasted your resources dude.. You are effectively given a handicap to the other team!!

You can disagree, but i think to waste your resources is crazy.

I think England can say both times they had a reasonable case to review. Thats really as much as you can do.

Come on Rooty!

Dunno why i love it when Root bowls!!! 

It will make my year if he gets the wicket of Warner!!!!!

root is just so good that is why!

We have been applying some ood pressure last few overs and brought the RR right down.. I am feeling a wicket

But I think in hindsight it may have been a mistake not to bring monty in!

Oh dear England....

Broad has bowled well today. Been very unlucky. And that's what you get when you waste your reviews, you don't get the howlers...

Tony Hill really is pants

Tony Hill deserves to be sacked. Rubbish.

It's like the first Test in reverse

Smith plumb lbw, given not out, but England no reviews left. Just like the supposed Good Old Days the traditionalists have been advocating. Agnew and co must be loving it...

well Aus have certainly had the rub of the green with the umpiring today, but they've also batted much better than before in the series, England with work to do...

Should have played Monty

Olly wrote:Smith plumb lbw, given not out, but England no reviews left. Just like the supposed Good Old Days the traditionalists have been advocating. Agnew and co must be loving it...

Well out of respect for roakey , I won't say I told you so  

England 2-1 down on the dodgy decisions front. It's like the First Test all over again, mugged by the umpiring.

The one we got was particularly dodge though. Been using a friend's password on skygo during lectures, can't wait to get out in the sun

alfie wrote:

Olly wrote:Smith plumb lbw, given not out, but England no reviews left. Just like the supposed Good Old Days the traditionalists have been advocating. Agnew and co must be loving it...

Well out of respect for roakey , I won't say I told you so  

Fair play mate- I was waiting for it!!

This is a brilliant day by Aus btw.. proper cricket..

Funny old series for umpiring isn't it ? Whether it is errors not being corrected , or not being reviewed , or people disagreeing over decisions even after all the evidence is seen ...just seems every day is another argument.
Is it just coincidence that a lot of close/tricky decisions are being called for : or is it just that these umpires aren't very good ?

Its been a shocking umpiring performance.

The Irony is that many are blaming DRS- but the fact is its DRS showing up the mistakes.. If it wasnt for DRS etc we would all be in blissfull ignorance.

I think the umpires are making more mistakes because the pressure is on them after a back lash against them.. And we are starting a vicious circle..

Time to say- Thanks umpires, but no thanks.. no more umpire call. all lbw decsions that may have knicked a bat or not are reviewed by the third umpire(but good ones!!)

we dont need to waste a review on those- they are out or not out. Everything is out as long as 5% or more of the ball hits the stumps.. every less is in!

On catches if it cant be proved conclusively Batsman allways gets the benefit of the doubt but the umpire never does!

1 Review per team

Has been good by Australia : not only have they not thrown away their wickets , but they have maintained a very decent run rate. Apart from the Khawaja gift , the little margins have all gone against England , and they will need to show the spirit we know they possess to stay in this game tomorrow , as batting last looks likely to be a fair disadvantage.
Of course Australia have been on top early in the other Tests too , and have been unable to stay there. The difference this time is they are doing it through the efforts of the top order batsmen. Since the bowling has been their stronger department , they may have a bit of confidence this time.
England would do well to make this match their time for a really solid batting effort too.

Evening all,

Went away for a few hours and return to more controversy about the umpiring. Seems there have been 2 possibly 3 poor decisions not overturned (for whatever reasons) and 1 or 2 marginal ones which we feel were out, but possibly correctly judged according to the regulations as they currently stand.

I hadn't previously thought the umpiring in the series had been poor (there had been the odd poor decision, but the general standard had been good), but this does sound like a poor day. It can be quite difficult as an umpire when you're having a bad day because there isn't anywhere to hide.

Having said that it's good to see Australia make a bit of a fist of things - the pitch does look like a belter, but then we thought that at Lords and look how that turned out. I'm happy to see both Rogers and Smith amongst the runs: Rogers is a genuine good guy who has figured out his game, and Smith has awesome talent which Australia really need to invest in - he should now try to make this innings into a substantial one which makes him undroppable for the time being. I get the feeling his bowling could be more than handy if Australia can give him runs to play with.

Hmmm, just seen the day's update which has shown the controversies but without action replay.

First Smith LBW looked plumb, esp as on the back-foot. Don't blame Cook for reviewing it. I guess the issue for Tony Hill was the amount of turn, but modern day umpires should be expected to give that. Poor decision IMO. I gather it was one of those which was umpire's call but not by much? Another case that the 50% line IMO gives too much to the batsmen, particularly when on the back foot when the predictive part doesn't come into it so much.

Smith caught behind: can't tell on first viewing. England looked very confident, but then they looked very confident for Khawaja caught behind (with good reason) and that wasn't out. There was a noise - anything else it could have been?

2nd Smith LBW off Broad: I think this is a more understandable not out than the first one, because his front foot moves after impact, so it looks as if it may have hit him just outside the line. I'm guessing from comments that's not the case, but I understand the original not out. However, that's exactly the kind of manifestly incorrect decision DRS is there to overturn...

Australia 249/3. Reliable Tim has ensured Australia haven't got away.

250 up for Australia and Clarke just 1 away from his ton.

The morning may have been a fairly even contest, but there's no doubting the afternoon has belonged to the visitors.

Century for Clarke.  

The leader leading from the front in a time of adversity and peril. Well played, sir.

Ton up for the Aussie skipper - great innings.

Watching Clarke bat is both enjoyable and depressing.

Olly wrote:Tony Hill really is pants

So by the time I came back after a couple of hour, umpire Hill obliged with his mandatory 2nd poor decision of the day. I was flabbergasted when this guy was promoted to the elite panel. Not his fault, but the atrocious ICC should have understood he's really not up to it. Can be good with some ODIs and some rare test but nowhere near good enough to be an elite panel umpire. And it just stumps me that the ICC dropped Billy Bowden, who despite his theatrics was a much better umpire.

Fittingly it's Clarke who makes the first ton of the series for the Aussies.

Wonder whether England are regretting not picking Panesar? Mind you Bresnan has been England's best bowler based on what I've seen.

England have done OK actually, they haven't let the scoring get away from them, so a couple of wickets would put them right back in it. With the new ball coming up and the batsmen maybe beginning to tire there is an opportunity.

Clarke's on 111. Come on your Lordship!

Smith reaches 50.

England will have to make the 2nd new ball count. Time for Jimmy to get back to his best.

The new-ball taken. England's last hope to nip out one or two before stumps.