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 ?

trebellbobaggins wrote:So much time Wolfie.  Surely anything less than 400 can just be slowly achieved?

Given that neither side has managed to get even 300 so far, I think that's a tad pessimistic...even for you trebs!

Play isn't got to last much longer today with the umpires concerned about the light. I think Australia will be glad of the chance to recharge their batteries, and have a fresh go tomorrow.

And yep, they're off. Booooooooo.

Bairstow just pulled Harris for four a minute ago

Lights fine!

Olly wrote:Bairstow just pulled Harris for four a minute ago

Lights fine!

I would leave it in the hands of the batsmen for as long as possible, personally.

And we're back out again.

Has the light improved drastically in the last 5 minutes or so?  

Hopefully Prior will come out and attack like Bairstow is

Only way to get out of the bad run, have a go

Olly wrote:Hopefully Prior will come out and attack like Bairstow is

Only way to get out of the bad run, have a go

Is he gone then? Bairstow?

No he's still in Trebbs, we're 195/4.

Ah thanks duty, I thought I had missed something.

So watching this innings, what is a good total here?

Difficult to say really, in all 3 innings of the game so far, a good platform has been laid down by the top order:

England 149/2
Australia 205/4
England (currently) 203/4

But in the first 2 innings at least, the collapses were sudden and fatal.

I think England would feel comfortable with a lead of 300+, and they're well on course to achieve it.

Bell gets a 6 month let off from me for his heroics this series!!

WE have a great shot in getting that 300 lead!! Come on england..

It would seem a good total on a slow wicket were it not for time I think.

this situation is setting up perfectly for Prior to get back in some nick...we have a lead of 177, if and when Prior comes in we will have a good lead, and if he gets going we can have a big lead in a short period of time.

6400 Test runs for Ian Bell.  

Impressive.

Bell Batted like Gem in this series. Superb batting, hopefully he will get his third ton this season.

Vaughan seems to see Aussie as in control but he seems as harsh same on England and never trusts them.

Certainly at the moment Aussie have the edge and will be the happier side.

Poor from Bairstow again

Oh for god sake.  Has the waste of a place handed Aussie the game again?

Time to get rid. Useless and England need something to stop Aussie levelling the series after this.

Bres nightwatchman for prior..

come on 1 place.. Point is?

England like losing?

Bairstow gone for 28. Once again, a promising start hasn't been capitalised on. Hasn't been out once in single figures this series, but has only once gone above the score of 37. Frustrating. James Taylor must be called up for the final act, surely?

Reliable Tim sent out ahead of Prior, the lead only 189.

aussie 90-10 on to win now.

pathetic from Bairstow under no pressure.

now he has to go for a long time.  Taylor in.

I bet Flower just sticks with his choices again and we end up with a drawn series.

aussies never go away, and are worthy competitors all the time, credit to them for not fading away in the series.

Bell and Bres just need to see this out till stumps, then England can reassess. England are still favourites for this though.

too right cf.  they have to be big favourites at home.

the positive thing is the press will see they are a good side and England struggling now and will be more realistic.

I suspect they will not think England are favs anymore and will realistically expect aussie to win them back.

Duty281 wrote:Bell and Bres just need to see this out till stumps, then England can reassess. England are still favourites for this though.

 100 short of that at the mo I think.

Well that was disappointing...Bairstow out just as he was starting to look settled.

England 223-5 (lead of 191).

Bresnan in as night watchman. Bell just 3 away from his ton.

England will want to add another 60-100 to their current total.

holding will see this as very much aussies day.

bell lucks out and gets on 99!!

trebellbobaggins wrote:holding will see this as very much aussies day.

yes he would do . but based on the game so far- this is a big england day. Totally switched it around..


well done bell - top 100!!

Ton up for the Bell-meister!

Fantastic innings when England really needed him to deliver.

why lucked out??

Whenever the pitch flattens out, fair weather batsman Ian Bell gets easy runs.

couldn't resist seeing what spiteful crap the churl meister say and he delivers again.

a ton under that pressure was easy on a flat surface.

comedy gold.

Ian Bell gets his ton, another crucial one to add to the one he got at Trent Bridge.  

That was a match-winning ton, this one may just be as well.

trebellbobaggins wrote:why lucked out??

he edged it for 2, could have been caught!

Fantastic innings by Bell!

trebellbobaggins wrote:couldn't resist seeing what spiteful crap the churl meister say and he delivers again.

a ton under that pressure was easy on a flat surface.

comedy gold.

And I'm the one who has no life according to him!

Masterful innings by Bell so far.

A pleasure to watch

"Lucked Out
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38 up, 37 down
Depending on the type of luck you are refering to, i.e. good or bad, this phrase either implies a positive or negative statement. It implies that you recieved as much luck as was possible whether it be good or bad, aka you rode your luck untill it ran out, or simply just ran out of luck."

I use it in the positive meaning trebbs!!!

His 20th Test match ton as well, according to Cricinfo.

yeah right.  hardly.  you're the ray of light on this forum you are.

Duty281 wrote:

trebellbobaggins wrote:couldn't resist seeing what spiteful crap the churl meister say and he delivers again.

a ton under that pressure was easy on a flat surface.

comedy gold.

And I'm the one who has no life according to him!

Home town bully Ian Bell.

Boosting his average before he crumbles like the mental midget he is in Australia.

mystiroakey wrote:"Lucked Out
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38 up, 37 down
Depending on the type of luck you are refering to, i.e. good or bad, this phrase either implies a positive or negative statement. It implies that you recieved as much luck as was possible whether it be good or bad, aka you rode your luck untill it ran out, or simply just ran out of luck."

I use it in the positive meaning trebbs!!!

 yeah I think I read it in the negative.. typical bloody me 

Very good day for England this one..

well done lads- esp bell..

lots of work to do but it's a good start in the context of the game.

trebellbobaggins wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:"Lucked Out
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38 up, 37 down
Depending on the type of luck you are refering to, i.e. good or bad, this phrase either implies a positive or negative statement. It implies that you recieved as much luck as was possible whether it be good or bad, aka you rode your luck untill it ran out, or simply just ran out of luck."

I use it in the positive meaning trebbs!!!

 yeah I think I read it in the negative.. typical bloody me 

You want to be careful trebell. Your negative vibe reverse-jinxes can be useful, but don't let them take over your life.

England close on 234-5 (lead of 202). Bell will resume tomorrow on 105.

Better than some were predicting. I'd like to see England extend their lead another 50-100 runs. Aussies will find it very tricky to chase that.

Oz were only 20 behind with 5 wickets in hand- now we are 200 up!

Thats a good day.

Fantastic day for England.

It was the first hour and a bit that changed the game, as England took the last 5 wickets for 48 runs. England will probably look back on that as the period that won them the game.

England's batting has been solid, and better than it was first time around. Once more, Harris has proven to be the biggest threat, with Lyon chipping in again.

100 more runs should seal a 3 nil for England, and there's no reason why that can't be achieved.