4th Ashes Test Durham

First topic message reminder :

They're all at it again on Friday. Just as England are likely to chuck in a bad performance when everyone expects them to win (Leeds 09, Perth 2010/11, Manchester 2013) they usually bounce back next Test (Lord's and Oval 09, Melbourne 2010/11).
I'm taking England to win one of the last two Tests to ensure a series victory. Onions, it seems, will come in and that could be a good move. Still think this is not a very strong Australia team. It's just that they were an average team playing poorly in the first two Test while at Manchester they were an average team playing well.
Before Manchester, we were asking if Australia could improve/get back into the series. Well they certainly achieved the former if not the latter. Now we could ask - Can England start firing on all cylinders ?

No Onions

What has the guy got to do?

Broad should have been dropped too few wickets and too few runs, I guess it pays to have friends in the England set up, and if reports are to be believed his still carrying a slight injury, madness.

Don't understand why Onions isn't playing. Bowlers looked tired at OT and last bowled only 5 days ago.

Don't agree with Scrumpy that Broad has scored too few runs this series, think he has done well at 8 and batted well. Do agree that he needs more wickets.

Capt Cook needed to mix it up, far too loyal to his mates.

Onions on his home wicket would have caused the Aussie real problems, such a shame he might as well retire from the England set up as his never going to play.

Didn't Broad get a 7 wicket haul not too long ago? He's due some wickets, he'll be fine. If Onions was going to come in for anyone, it would have been the Bres.

not picking Onions

not cool. are we getting a bit of a boys club in this team?

But Broad looked tired and injured, Bres is fit.

But then again once Root, Cook and Trott are out this morning then a tired Broad might offer a few runs later on, I can see why the England set up needs Broads 30 odd runs later on.

Cook for a ton today

jesus that first ball had some swing!!

2 edges in Bird's over......one falling short and other going wide

roots soft hands mate- he knows the crack..

faulkner might have been better than Bird...left arm, and a batsman of comparable if not better quality than Starc

now all 3 seamers are very alike for Aus

A sluggish start by england..

good start from Bird, made Root play at everything (admittedly he could have left the first one alone had he wished...). Harris by contrast has been a little too wide so far. Important for England to see off the first hour, after which batting should get a little easier...

Surprised Aus left Starc out TBH, thought he bowled pretty well in the previous test, and there has to be concerns over whether Harris can get through three matches (including two back to back) in one piece. Not surprised England resisted the cries to pick Onions, who has become a much better bowler in the press's eyes (as usual) since being left out. Broad bowled well in the first innings of the last test and was unfortunate to have nothing to show for it. He's also been scoring useful runs this series (everytime he's batted pretty much) which, like it or not - and most people don't - is pretty handy...

Bird half a yard slower than soneone with this type of bowling should be to be successful

well exactly M4C.

Broad is the better bowler and batter over Bres on current form..

Still not sure why Onions didn't come in for bres though!!

KP_fan wrote:Bird half a yard slower than soneone with this type of bowling should be to be successful

not sure I agree with that. He strikes me as a McGrath type bowler, and McGrath wasn't any quicker than this...

mystiroakey wrote:well exactly M4C.

Broad is the better bowler and batter over Bres on current form..

Still not sure why Onions didn't come in for bres though!!

Bres had a very handy second test. Admittedly he didn't bowl as well at OT, but I do feel there's a tendency to drop bowlers far too quickly for one poor performance, whereas batsmen get a freer ride...

Bres has done alright as a 3rd seamer and done a good job with the bat.

Bres is our typical sub bowler though isn't he- Others come in for him when conditions suit.

Surely Onions knows this track like the back of his hand.. And I cant see any argument that Bresnan's batting will aid us enough

Basically anyway- I agree with duty. If one was going to be dropped for Onions. I would drop Bres not Broad

Harris struggling with his front foot here, Dar apparently warns him he's getting a little close, and the next ball is a big no-ball.

Good from Root, a little push into the off-side and a well-run single to get the scoreboard ticking a bit.

Bird's pitching it up but not getting the movement and about 3 to 4 miles slower than Harris...and hence easier for batsman to adapt.

McGrath isn,t the rule for bowlers in his speed bracket....but rather an exception

interesting point from Nass who feels Bird is "just putting it there" a bit at the moment. a bit of nerves maybe? there's some swing though, big swing, and the first real sign of it this morning...

Root's a bit stuck with his left foot...not quite going far forward and hence a candidate for caught in the cordon or behind

concern for Aus.....not a single genuine chance created in first 40 minutes of what is the seam friendliest pitch so far

Anderson is going to be rubbing his hands!!

Looking at this pitch I still cant get over the onions decision!

Crazy

Watson hitting 85mph is pretty handy for a 4th seamer..

Siddle will make an impact I belive as soon as he come...and can't understand whey they hold him back for so long...he should be opening the bowling in this line-up

KP_fan wrote:Watson hitting 85mph is pretty handy for a 4th seamer..

Siddle will make an impact I belive as soon as he come...and can't understand whey they hold him back for so long...he should be opening the bowling in this line-up

I think the answer to my own quetion might be siddle's prefernce for a slightly used ball.....as opposed to a brand new ball

like London buses these boundaries: wait 12 overs for one of them and suddenly two come along all at once

they simply haven't swing the ball in the air...and have been too benign off the pitch except Harris to some extent

TMS commentators have clearly never been to Finchale Priory (as in the Finchale end of the ground).  Well worth a visit next to the River Wear.  

mystiroakey wrote:Looking at this pitch I still cant get over the onions decision!

Crazy

Indeed, what does he need to do.

It seems they are swayed by wanting Bresnans batting.

They could have kept him and rested broad perhaps.

I have a feeling they will play tremmers at the oval, which is even harder on the onion meister.

Watson trying to trap Cook LBW

Thus far I think eng and Aussie have quite similarly matched seam bowling resources.  Not the dominance espn reckon for Aussie.  Maybe cummins will be the difference and they will all be bette down under.  Have a feeling tremmers and onions can do well down there too.

Both have more concerns in their batting.

I just read the BBC saying England made a massive mistake batting first here. You bowl first to win here apparently.

Why has Siddle not bowled yet?

why didn't the onfield umpire give that out ?
 
that was an open and shut case.
 
Hot almost showed something

Root gone..

tiny hot spot mark.

I think it was correct and he hit it- but there was no umpire or batter benefit of doubt.

Still lacks consistency all this

KP_fan wrote:why din't the onfield umpire give that out ?

wow Is this recognition that DRS has made a good decision??

KP_fan wrote:why din't the onfield umpire give that out ?

I dunno, that was a very clear edge

Root fails to get going again, not having a great series

"I dunno, that was a very clear edge"

in real time- was it!!

mystiroakey wrote:

KP_fan wrote:why din't the onfield umpire give that out ?

wow Is this recognition that DRS has made a good decision??

Yeah in the end the DRS got it right...but too many questions still...Hot spot almost missed it......or did it overcome the silicone tapes/ greasing the edge to still show something

Lot of love for Onions on here this morning...

Reckon he would have done a good job , but really none of the bowlers deserved to be dropped. Broad has bowled much better than his figures suggest , and we know he can be a match winner. And Bresnan has performed very solidly. Plus he can add a bit of useful batting.

I have no problem with selection.

mystiroakey wrote:"I dunno, that was a very clear edge"

in real time- was it!!

Well on my TV set you could see the deviation very clearly. Can't believe the umpire didn't give it

I thought it was a fairly obvious edge TBH. Mark on hot spot and a change in the ball's rotation, so absolutely correct to overturn it. Poor decision from Hill first up really...

KP_fan wrote:why didn't the onfield umpire give that out ?
 

Another decision corrected by DRS.  

Root really isn't taking too well to opening. One innings thus far. We need him at 6.

Looked and sounded out in real time to me. Actually thought he might walk.
One that DRS (and hotspot !) gets right ?