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

It's dangerous for Aus to try and bat us out of the game. Cook, Trott and apparently now Root and Bell can bat loooong and KP and Prior are due a big Innings and Though they may have replaced Agar, neither Lyons nor Smith are Swann class spinners and there appears to be nothing for seamers here

Well no need, the Australians have declared. 527-7.
KP will have larger responsibilities with the bat, but England would hope he won't be called upon today.

Ah, I see Clarke has declared. Good move

think australia should of gone on for another hour and try to hit another 70/80 and let us bat out 30/45 minutes. still, gives us a chance to get around 80/100 on the board

They've declared. 

Bad mistake by them, o well ill take it!!!!

Hopefully we don't lose stupid wickets before end of play.

England should stay positive and take all the scoring opportunities that come their way. Nothing reckless, but a positive approach with the bat.

I'm a tad worried as to whether engs top order, many struggling with form, can actually rescue the team this time.

It's possible but they have to play in a way they haven't in a long time to save a 2-1 coming out of this.

this can only be a win for aussie or a draw now.

 
If you bat well and actually get the score back level of course you can strike a big blow.  The odds are against with unsettled weather though.

England will have no fear here. I actually think we've got a better chance of the win than they have.

Really Duty? We have a chance and I'd bet on a draw but a better chance?

Duty281 wrote:England will have no fear here. I actually think we've got a better chance of the win than they have.

 you are awesomely awesome young man.

Yeah, I certainly think so. We'll get around parity with Australia, then it'll be like Adelaide 2006 in reverse. Clarke's thrown away about 80 easy runs here.

By the time England have finished batting, Australia will be in a dead end late on Day 4/5, with no prospect of victory. A fired up Swann will ensure England need around 150 to win, which we'll duly knock off with ease.

so the bcc say the aussies are getting movement and life from the ball , making englands bowlers look poor and making the target impossible?
total turn around from last game then.

so aus do a mamoth total.......eng had given up since the start of play today awaiting declaration..

Now instead of wasting time.....aus should quickly throw 2 spinners in tandem and watch the fun that the pitch will generate

Duty281 wrote:England will have no fear here. I actually think we've got a better chance of the win than they have.

i admire your patriotism and opimism......if Cook has even a quarter of this spirit he will pull off a draw

Can we call up Boycott for this situation?

is that because they have better spinners in your view kpf or because the conditions are getting worse, or both?

Kevin Pietersen is going to come in on a decent platform and hit 350 off 120 balls

trebellbobaggins wrote:is that because they have better spinners in your view kpf or because the conditions are getting worse, or both?

eng had by far the better spinner....but he bowled on a brand new pitch.

but when the pitch is naturally assisting the spinners and getting worse with the general wear.....and footmarks of the left arm seamers....even average spinners like Lyon and smith will be a handful.
the pitch will be the potent weapon and will do the damage and not the spinners.

we have seen this a zillion times on Indian pitches.

aussies will figure this as soon as they give first few overs to the spinner

Prediction:

Australia 527/7 Dec.
England 540/8 Dec.
Australia 160 all out.
England 148/3.

If the weather stays clear!

fair enough.  just seems it hadn't quite worn enough for Swann to do much yet so might need a bit longer.  we shall see.

looks like the weather isn't coming into this one anyway.

Duty281 wrote:Prediction:

Australia 527/7 Dec.
England 540/8 Dec.
Australia 160 all out.
England 148/3.

If the weather stays clear!

 they were talking rain but I've heard no more of it.

the weather is turning down here in the far west.  any sign of it turning up there?

trebellbobaggins wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Prediction:

Australia 527/7 Dec.
England 540/8 Dec.
Australia 160 all out.
England 148/3.

If the weather stays clear!

 they were talking rain but I've heard no more of it.

the weather is turning down here in the far west.  any sign of it turning up there?

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-UKXX0092:1:UK

Forecast very dodgy for Monday.  for better weather.

Cook's had most of the strike so far. Root facing only 7 balls in 6 overs. Cooky should rotate the strike a bit more.

Lyon with a good first over, and he created a pretty decent halfchance against Cook there that Haddin or Clarke couldn't quite catch.

Duty281 wrote:

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-UKXX0092:1:UK

Forecast very dodgy for Monday.  for better weather.

 Ta.

The game could even be over by then if aussie get their bowling right and England don't sort theirs out.

or it could be heading for a draw.

On a different note the thing that annoys me the most btw is the amount of people moaning on the bbc feed because England are facing a big total.  Have they never watched cricket? did they really expect that you a team batting first would never get good totals, even with the talent Aussie have on a flat pitch?

rather than attacking England they should realise that's cricket and applaud Aussie.  Annoys me.

Duty281 wrote:England will have no fear here. I actually think we've got a better chance of the win than they have.

Sure Duty . Can I have some of that stuff you're smoking ?  

alfie wrote:

Duty281 wrote:England will have no fear here. I actually think we've got a better chance of the win than they have.

Sure Duty .  Can I have some of that stuff you're smoking ?  

You can have what I'm listening to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=podh1wht9RY

trebellbobaggins wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-UKXX0092:1:UK

Forecast very dodgy for Monday.  for better weather.

 Ta.

The game could even be over by then if aussie get their bowling right and England don't sort theirs out.

or it could be heading for a draw.

On a different note the thing that annoys me the most btw is the amount of people moaning on the bbc feed because England are facing a big total.  Have they never watched cricket? did they really expect that you a team batting first would never get good totals, even with the talent Aussie have on a flat pitch?

rather than attacking England they should realise that's cricket and applaud Aussie.  Annoys me.

Amen to that , trebs. The BBC feed attracts a lot of comments from complete idiots though ...I often read them and always wonder why I bother...

In the bowl off at Lords, Finn took 4-46 off 13.5 whilst Onions currently has 2-12 off 7.

clarke should get a 2nd slip or short gully for Lyon

cook living a charmed life

Lyon probably showing in the first two overs why he should have been picked ahead of Agar in the first two tests.

Aussie batting crisis...what crisis?  

Congrats to Clarke, Smith, Haddin and Starc for showing us Australians still know how to bat in Test cricket.

Always seems to be the way, when there is a lot of hype and speculation about teams in crisis, that they respond with a great performance.

Reckon England will struggle to reach 500. Its a mentally, as well as physically challenging target and for the first time in the series they are under serious pressure. Be interesting to see how they react and wether we can get more than just 1 or 2 players getting big scores.

My prediction: England will be all out for 350-400.

Duty281 wrote:Lyon probably showing in the first two overs why he should have been picked ahead of Agar in the first two tests.

i disagree...give agar a cushion of half a thousand runs and a square turning pitch and he might be a much more potent bowler

Would've batted on another half hour at least if I was Clarke

But an aggressive declaration nonetheless

dyrewolfe wrote:Aussie batting crisis...what crisis?  

Congrats to Clarke, Smith, Haddin and Starc for showing us Australians still know how to bat in Test cricket.

Always seems to be the way, when there is a lot of hype and speculation about teams in crisis, that they respond with a great performance.

Reckon England will struggle to reach 500. Its a mentally, as well as physically challenging target and for the first time in the series they are under serious pressure. Be interesting to see how they react and wether we can get more than just 1 or 2 players getting big scores.

My prediction: England will be all out for 350-400.

I wouldn't say it was that great, sir. Just a decent effort on a flat track, with a modicum of spin.

Duty281 wrote:

alfie wrote:

Duty281 wrote:England will have no fear here. I actually think we've got a better chance of the win than they have.

Sure Duty .  Can I have some of that stuff you're smoking ?  

You can have what I'm listening to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=podh1wht9RY

Thanks mate ...nice version.

But if England win this match I will undertake to sing the whole thing myself while standing on my head outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground balancing a ball on my toes.
Though at this time of year I would be taken for a drunk football fan anyway...

lyon should not try too hard...just put it on the right spot and pitch will do the rest

Are you in Australia? Cause if not you may as well bet £1200 or something on Australia cause that is an expensive bet to lose!

Albeit an unlikely one

Lyon has started well...might easily have had Cook.

The problem he had here last summer was an inability to finish off SA ...got a bit samey as he went along and tended to rush a bit as the hours ticked down.
He may have learned more patience by now. We shall see.

England would be wise not to be too passive against him. Cautious , yes. But look to turn the strike over.

alfie wrote:

Amen to that , trebs.  The BBC feed attracts a lot of comments from complete idiots though ...I often read them and always wonder why I bother...

 sad thing is there is no hit of irony to it.  these people must only watch t20 and must only be about 10 years old if they really think eng should somehow dial up dominance every time.

root needs to play shots..this is like being in a large poker tourney and never taking a chance because you never get pocket AA- eventually you just run dry..

alfie wrote:Lyon has started well...might easily have had Cook.

The problem he had here last summer was an inability to finish off SA ...got a bit samey as he went along and tended to rush a bit as the hours ticked down.
He may have learned more patience by now.  We shall see.

England would be wise not to be too passive against him.  Cautious , yes.  But look to turn the strike over.

 They showed Warn helping to coach him before this game.  Could be ominous for England if he finds Warnes mojo.

Duty281 wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:Aussie batting crisis...what crisis?  

Congrats to Clarke, Smith, Haddin and Starc for showing us Australians still know how to bat in Test cricket.

Always seems to be the way, when there is a lot of hype and speculation about teams in crisis, that they respond with a great performance.

Reckon England will struggle to reach 500. Its a mentally, as well as physically challenging target and for the first time in the series they are under serious pressure. Be interesting to see how they react and wether we can get more than just 1 or 2 players getting big scores.

My prediction: England will be all out for 350-400.

I wouldn't say it was that great, sir. Just a decent effort on a flat track, with a modicum of spin.

Which is weird, as lots of people were talking up Old Trafford as a bowler-friendly pitch.

I know our bowling attack (Swann aside) wasn't overly threatening, but racking up 500+ on any pitch is still good going. Even better for Australia, considering how the first 2 Tests went for them.

trebellbobaggins wrote:

alfie wrote:

Amen to that , trebs.  The BBC feed attracts a lot of comments from complete idiots though ...I often read them and always wonder why I bother...

 sad thing is there is no hit of irony to it.  these people must only watch t20 and must only be about 10 years old if they really think eng should somehow dial up dominance every time.

Indeed. There was some clown on yesterday saying it was time to dump Cook ( poor captain , no form with bat ) and make Prior captain.

You couldn't make it up...

They could just be Aussies trying to talk Eng into some really stupid decisions.

Myself i'd make Root captain but two tests ago i'd have dropped him and next test i'll make someone else captain.

I make my decisions entirely based on the form displayed in the current innings and never ever on permanent class, long term form or leadership skills.

trebellbobaggins wrote:They could just be Aussies trying to talk Eng into some really stupid decisions.

Myself i'd make Root captain but two tests ago i'd have dropped him and next test i'll make someone else captain.

I make my decisions entirely based on the form displayed in the current innings and never ever on permanent class, long term form or leadership skills.

My dear old thing...with that kind of thinking, you could have been an England selector, about 10 years ago.

trebellbobaggins wrote:They could just be Aussies trying to talk Eng into some really stupid decisions.

Myself i'd make Root captain but two tests ago i'd have dropped him and next test i'll make someone else captain.

I make my decisions entirely based on the form displayed in the current innings and never ever on permanent class, long term form or leadership skills.

 

Like your style , trebs.

Getting a bit late for me here. Think you can keep these two safe to stumps if I retire for the night ?

Root 1 off 40. I'm getting flashbacks to when England struggled in the UAE. Still, Cook and Root are riding out the storm well, and setting it up nicely for tomorrow.