3rd Ashes Test, Perth

First topic message reminder :

Western Australia next, which means staying up even later to watch the start of the third test.

You would think Perth is one place the Aussies should win, so what do we do?

Panic, and drop Swann, but leave Monty in? Or perhaps play four or five seamers? Has Stokes done enough? He showed plenty of attitude, so yes, he probably has.

Has Prior done enough to see him promoted to six, as Stokes isn't one..............yet? Maybe not but we have to try and win, and playing him at six, would enable us to play five bowlers again, with Monty dropping out.

Who comes in? Finn, the 90mph quickie, with a strike rate around 50? Reliable Tim? Just coming back from injury but will give 100%, won't get smacked around, and can bat a bit. Or rankin? This would be the biggest gamble imo, as he has no test experience.

My team:

Cook
Carberry
Root
Pietersen
Bell
Prior
Stokes
Broad
Swann
Finn
Anderson

Also what is this benefit of the doubt goes to the batsman talk? Where have you guys been? On field, yes bemefit of the doubt goes with the batsman - once its reviewed, benefit goes with the umpire. Hence 'Umpire's call' on LBW appeals isnt "Batsmans zone'.

End of the day for me the real mistake was made by the umpire. If he had not given it out and it had been reviewed it wouldn't have been overturned either.

It's simple Graf. Benefit of doubt IMO should go to the batsman. It doesn't, and that is my problem. What don't you understand?

Good 50 Cook   

But he probably needs to make 200 , let alone a century.

England seem to have fought well today : but they are still miles behind in this game , so they need to win a few sessions from here.

Me and msp have allways been consistent on that line of thinking btw.

Kp digging in well..

Not often has he faced so many balls for 3 runs. But he needs to keep patient

Cook and KP have survived the first hour of the last session. But only 27 runs coming during that time. England need to bat positively here.

For me for England to remain in with a chance in this match they must post a score of 350 (minimum) and if they can get even a narrow lead then they are right in with a chance.

I am not sure many people were championing the system. Most thought it needed a change or two...

But what I am calling for is the exercise of a bit of judgement from supposed well qualified umpires . When several factors strongly suggest the batsman didn't hit it , I believe the umpires' conversation should conclude with a not out verdict. Note Erasmus took forever to make the initial decision , suggesting he was a little unsure.

Perhaps this means the guidelines need a bit of a change ? If so , perhaps they should get one. Because this - like the Khawaja decision in the northern summer - just makes the current system look silly.

KP hits a four !

Ever seen him bat for a hour for four singles before ?

At the end of the day DRS sometimes works for you (as England had in the summer) or against you. At the end of the day I'd much sooner have it than not. Umpires make mistakes and more often than not DRS helps rectify them which surely is a good thing.

England have been good today haven't they? Got the Aussies out for under 400, now all England need (at the very least) is parity.

That's very achieveable, despite Joe Root being screwed out of an innings.

I've got a very good English feeling that Cook and KP are going to score big - 500, here we come.

Come on England!

England just showing signs of breaking the shackles here. A few more boundaries as England reach 131 for 2. Pietersen three runs away from 8, 000 test runs.

What a difference a day makes..

Bowlers run out the tail for 60 runs and the none of the batters have given there wickets away. Carbs did ok and got done by a good delivery and roots was a 50/50 from a good ball when he was only just in(can happen to anyone)


It's amazing how only a year ago Kp and cooks average were both 50. Now there are both 47.5

That drop in average for our best 2 batters from such a large amount of innings is very telling as to why and how our batting has struggled.

Lyon back on.

England need to make sure he doesn't dry up the runs completely.

Oh dear Cooky. You were saying mysti??

...or not lose a wicket   

Cook will be kicking himself for that...

That is a bad wicket to lose in a needless way. Cook out for 72 and England back up against it at 136 for 3.

Alastair Cook's gone, Massive wicket for Australia. Big strike from Nathan Lyon.

Oh that's poor.

KP, Bell, Stokes, Prior, Bresnan - 250 runs between this lot needed.

Never writing a post like hat again...

Oh dear.. 

Cook goes to Lyons bounce.. Not a good shot

Story of the series...

England batsmen getting on top : then someone plays a daft shot and it all falls down.

Bell and KP together. They better bat big or it is all over...

alfie wrote:

But I accept that the longer this tour goes the better Finn , Rankin (and Onions) are getting by sitting on deck chairs  

Great point Alfie.

Seems people forget the last time we saw Finn in the test arena he was getting smacked around Trent Bridge by the last wicket Aussie partnership, and yes done nothing since (bar being tall and threatening to bowl it a bit quick) to suggest anything has changed

KP has gone pass 8000 test runs. But he is not yet looking comfortable in this innings.

Such a poor way to get out having done the hard work. Dangerous times now. If one of these two goes quickly we could be back in the collapse zone.

Will any England player make a century in this series? I make that seven halves now most of which have ended in poor fashion.

The interview with the bowling coach showed us how angry he was. That public anger isn't normally shown to us viewers which tells me our players got a pummelling. That clearly was needed.. After viewing some of our bowling earlier just now , the bowlers got the ball at a much better length and reaped the rewards.

There was nothing wrong with the bowling picks just the application in the afternoon..

Kp just lost his mind as soon as Cook went..

And gone..

Hundreds needed. Hundred partnerships even more.

Pietersen is inexplicably struggling with his footwork and his timing here ;

...and now he is gone ! Good catch , but another soft wicket.

Disappointing.

Fabulous catch but Pietersen's ego gets the better of him. Siddlevgets him out for the tenth time. Is that the writing I can see on the wall?

I worrying when there is no trott root or cook to anchor the innings..

Bell you need to step up again. We need 300 min

Oh dear. Pietersen out to a nothing delivery again.

Sometimes I really wonder whether KP is worth the hassle. As kingraf says a luxury player too much of the time

Oh dear...it's all fallen apart.

One massie partnership, like Smith and Haddin, needed.

Kevin Pietersen goes, fabulous catch from Johnson, but KP could have not played that shot really. KP survided a long time, but he's gone for 19, not being able to convert all that hard graft.

Worth remembering Australia were five out at this point.

But it is hard to get confident about England effecting a similar recovery. The ability is still there , I do believe...but I am not sure the mindset is at the moment.

Back in the day you would think bell and our number 6 is good enough for 100 and then another 100 fom bresn, broad, swan and jimmy who all can bat a bit..

Not these days.

Enormous pressure on Bell here. If he doesn't make a century or close to it then England are toast in this match.

Olly wrote:Sometimes I really wonder whether KP is worth the hassle. As kingraf says a luxury player too much of the time

Well he is having the tour from hell : but he has a bit of credit in the bank   

Comes down to where his head is , I think. If he wants to keep going (and I suspect he will ) I wouldn't be ushering him out the door anytime soon. Couple of other spots to be settled before he is replaced...

He was trying hard today , though really struggling. Made one bad mistake and gone. It can be a hard game.

KP - Ive already said my piece on that situation.

From here on England need a century from Bell, a 50 from Stokes, a 50 from Prior and around 50 runs from the rest and that would give England a narrow lead. Easier said than done.

We can win this game if we can just grind out another 170..

And once again ; though this seems to be primarily an England board , with guests    , we should not fail to give praise to the Australians for their excellent bowling.
If a couple of batsmen have gifted their wickets , it is arguably the consequence of having to battle away for hours without getting much in the way of free runs.

Isn't always the ball that gets you out that deserves all the credit.

Yep . Constrict the scoring and you pressure the batsmen into doing stupid things

It never fails to produce wickets

Yes alfie Australia have been better in all departments so England can have no complaints. Batted long and built partnerships at key times, bowled better as a unit, fielded better and showed better spirit and hunger.

Craig let's not get ahead ourselves this test. Very even at present..

We are just fearing the worst.

But to this point of the series mysti those are the facts.

Yes.. The last two tests they have beaten us in every department.

Thos test is actually very different though. I can sense Us turning the tide

Yes this test is far more even than the first two but that wouldn't be hard considering how one-sided they were.

If Bell and Stokes can see out the rest of the day then they can look to rebuild tomorrow but we shall see.

England seemingly becalmed at the moment.

Not dead yet - I give them credit for battling in this match , at the venue where they were supposed to fold up completely. But they just do not seem able to actually take command. Australia can just sit in and wait for an error. Sooner or later...

England actually better off than Australia were at this stage of their innings but England's tail in the batting sense has been non-existent in this series. That is what worries me.