Ashes 2021/22 and other cricket through the winter of 2021 thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Thought I'd start a new thread for the winter cricket of 2021 that we (covid depending) have ahead of us. Obviously the World T20, but that has it's own thread...

The main event being the Ashes, with the dates below

Men's Ashes schedule
First Test: 8-12 December - Gabba, Brisbane (00:00 GMT)
Second Test: 16-20 December - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (d/n - 04:00 GMT)
Third Test: 26-30 December - MCG, Melbourne (23:30 GMT, 25 December)
Fourth Test: 5-9 January - SCG, Sydney (23:30 GMT, 4 January)
Fifth Test: 14-18 January - Optus Stadium, Perth (02:30 GMT) (subject to change)

Women's Ashes schedule
Test: 27-30 January - Manuka Oval, Canberra (23:00 GMT, 26 January)
First T20: 4 February - North Sydney Oval, Sydney (08:10 GMT)
Second T20: 6 February - North Sydney Oval, Sydney (08:10 GMT)
Third T20: 10 February - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (08:10 GMT)
First ODl: 13 February - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (23:05 GMT, 12 February)
Second ODl: 16 February - Junction Oval, Melbourne (23:05 GMT, 15 February)
Third ODI: 19 February - Junction Oval, Melbourne (23:05 GMT, 18 February)

India have a busy winter, with New Zealand touring in November/December and then India head to South Africa for the boxing day test/January.
There's an interesting test series between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Bangladesh in Nov/Dec, which should be an entertaining watch. Unfortunately I don't see much cricket on the schedule for Pakistan/Sri Lanka (unless I am missing something!)
A few others on the future tours programme, but not confirmed yet as far as I see...

[Pal Joey]

Aus's score looks impregnable but at only about 220 runs in a days play...Eng have not let them run away

And its a pity Butler put that down towards the end of the day.....one wkt there could have led to 2 and 220-4 would have been day even.

On a side  note Warne sounds increasingly Partisan.....more a low grade home squad cheer-leader than a commentator on a feed going to international audiences
Mark Waugh is worse ....smarter alec in his own eyes....an over-smart a.s-s in the yes of most others

Don't forget the first one when Marnus was on 19.

Broad was very close/unlucky early on. As Alfie said; a couple of close lbws for Warner and very near misses with the edge from Labuschagne. Then the two howlers from Buttler (35th and 84th overs). Could have been a different story in that first hour of the 2nd session... 60/3 or something like that?

Australia are very lucky but they are better at leaving the ball compared to England, who seem more likely to find the edge. A few have already noted how ugly Labuschagne and Smith bat (agree to some degree) but that is their (positive and exaggerated) way of leaving those dangerous deliveries. Broad bowled beautifully; especially in his first couple of spells. Unlucky to not have claimed 2 or 3 wickets.

Stokes bowled so short but Labuschagne coped relatively well with that line of attack and survived those rearing deliveries which were low 130s km/h max... more late 120s after the pace had been banged out by hitting the pitch hard. You have to give a lot of credit to Marnus for that. He weathered the storm from both (Broad and Stokes) varieties well. Stokes must feel knackered! Woakes was OK but there was nothing particularly threatening from him.

Jimmy was the most economical but he didn't really threaten. He was handled pretty well and well left. You could see the body language drop relatively early on with the England players (around the 25-30 over mark even)... perhaps except for Broad; although he also looked a bit tired and flustered near the end. You can't blame him. He worked really hard today; as did Warner and Marnus.

If you think today was a 'scorcher'... it really wasn't. Warm, yes, at 28-30 deg. but with a pleasant light breeze and low humidity. It will be significantly tougher in the field tomorrow, especially in that 2-4pm period when the sun is beating down and the temperature will be 8-9 degrees warmer than today at 36 to 37 deg. That's when the bowlers will feel it in their legs more.

And that's why England need to strike early and try and limit their time out there. Otherwise, if say, the batters see off those first few spells without losing a wicket and with the 2nd new ball approaching 20-25 overs old... then it could get much uglier for England.

Alternatively; a few quick wickets and then perhaps a couple more... and Australia at, say, 300-5 or 6 at the first break... then England will have done very well to curtail a completely demoralising total approaching 450 runs or more.

[Duty281]

Absorbing day of test cricket, on a slow flat pitch. Biggest concern was how miserable England looked in the field, they already look short of self-belief and confidence and it's only day one of the second test. I know I've given up, and most on here have, but I'd rather England didn't just yet!

Labuschagne and Warner played classic test cricket. Soaked up the tricky new ball spell, then cashed in in the second and early third session. Classic. Warner will be gutted to get out just short of a deserved ton.

England bowled decently with the new ball, but weren't outstanding. In the second session it all came apart. Too much short, leg-side bowling. Too much overthinking. For the most part Labuschagne dominated the short ball. The basics of putting it in a corridor outside off stump forgotten.

Fielding, again, abysmal. Not just the drops of Labuschagne, which have probably already cost England the test, which were utterly amateur, but the number of mishaps in the deep which turned ones into twos, or dots into ones. Can't build pressure with this level of fielding, can't win a test with this level of catching.

We'll see what England can do tomorrow. Theoretically, they're still well in it and a polished spell in the first hour could knock Australia back to 250/5...but that seems unlikely. More probable that Smith and Labuschagne see off the opening burst, then the likes of Head/Green/Carey attack a fatigued England side and push Australia to 450+.

Will be interesting to see how long the pitch remains a belter for batting. Adelaide is normally a good batting deck all the way through, though there's early signs that Lyon will like bowling on this.

[KP_fan]

Eng has to have self belief
They first have to keep Aus under 400 definitely and just above 320ish in best case

The they have to not get bowled out for 150....but score enuf to get within 70 to 80 runs of Aussie total

Then Collapse Aus in second inning and chase down 250-300 in 4th inning

Easier written hen done....but test cricket is about self belief and to keep fighting over 5 days
The pitch will get easier and almost Dead on D5....if India's test match earlier this year is an indicator

Ashwin and Vihari batted 50 overs out so even batting 5 sessions out for a draw if the 4th inning target is 400+...is not beyond impossible

[JDizzle]

Think you might be getting your venues mixed up KPF… As much as you might want to scrub India’s effort at Adelaide from your mind!

[KP_fan]

Think you might be getting your venues mixed up KPF… As much as you might want to scrub India’s effort at Adelaide from your mind!

Yup that was Sydney...this was shot out for 36

[king_carlos]

I think with an innings defeat here (likely) we may hit the full house on "England in Australia" bingo after two test matches;

- Selecting a bunch of right arm medium fasts only
- Ruining our spinner
- Woeful fielding
- Woeful underperformance with the bat including collapsing on a pancake

What am I missing?

Which leg spinner is making his only Test match appearance at Sydney Hobart?

I think it was Chappelli on TMS early today (I was half asleep in bed to be honest so may be wrong) that was putting forward an argument for Mason Crane to play in large part due to his batting and fielding. Crane has a highest score of 29 in all professional cricket.

Nothing makes me know it's nearly Christmas quite like the sound of barrels being scraped to death.

[king_carlos]

Keeping things tight meant that it hasn't got completely away from England but unless they can bat very big in the first innings and get near perfect bowling conditions in the second innings I struggle to see them getting 20 wickets. Some of the seamers looked knackered starting today frankly. If Australia can bat for most of tomorrow then they will be goosed.

Wagner getting success with such a unique method seems to have lured England into trying the same tactics. The issue though is that Wagner spent years honing his fitness and left-arm angle to be able to bowl from those awkward angles so relentlessly. England are trying to replicate it with a batting all-rounder who's clearly below full fitness.

[Gooseberry]

So turns out picking an attack composed solely of right arm medium / medium fast bowlers away from home doesn't work for England. Who ever would have guessed.

Admittedly the options are somewhat limited and the more varied attack in test 1 didn't do any better but also shows that for all their caps even broad and Anderson are going to struggle after 20 over with a kookaburra without any shrubbery to bowl into.

It's hard to believe England spent much of the period since the last ashes assuming broad and Anderson would be retired by now and trying to develop speakers to bowl overseas. Obviously Archers an unfortunate miss but woakes just breaks my heart. Talk of Mason crane just shows how bad the situation is.

Losing the toss away from home is pretty rough on any test side. This one it's instant death. Would take a monumental effort to dig themselves out of this hole.

[VTR]

The classic right arm similar, but the cupboard really is bare. Express pacers either injured or unable to play consecutive Tests. Left armers, I'm guessing Alan Mullaly and Ryan Sidebottom retired a few years ago. Parkinson could have been tried as a leg spinner but not convinced by that option. So hit them with Broad and Anderson and hope for the best!

[JDizzle]

It's a bit annoying, as I generally think England have bowled pretty well so far this series! It's certainly an upgrade on the attack we trotted out in 17/18 when we had Jake Ball, Tom Curran then Woakes and Coverton (who are both much improved now). Yes, Leach got a mauling at the Gabba but Moeen averaged 115 on the last tour! Albeit that looks pretty tidy given Mason Crane's Test average of 193. I'm not sure Parkinson's loopy leggies would have changed the game unfortunately...

They've beaten the bat plenty in both Test matches - Warner and Labuschagne have had oodles of luck so far. But England do have to take their chances - you are only going to get so many on a Day 1 pitch in Australia. And it's unforgivable for a Test match side to gave ground fielded as badly as England have so far.

But yeah, the bowling attack is rearranging deckchairs on Titanic. I do think Australia have a low innings (or three) in them this series, but I have no faith our batters will be able to jump on it.

I do agree with PJ - Labuschagne in particular has left the ball exceptionally well on length so far. England can certainly learn from that, the number of nick offs they have had so far. Or given the coaching staff they have, they probably won't.

[guildfordbat]

Discovered one unexpected benefit of the Booster jab is that I have woken just before 4 for the last two mornings, so watched an hour and a bit this morning.

Thought Broad looked good first up, but other than that, it didn't really look like much happening. No real chances and not many runs - think Warner took 20 odd balls to get off the mark and was on 1 from 30 balls at one point.

I do have to thanks Alfie for his updates. I kept checking back to make sure I hadn't dozed off and missed anything!

I had to go out as soon as I was up this morning so saw next to no play live. Have watched extended highlights now though, aided by Alfie's posts as the action happened.

Superb innings played by Alfie who was at the crease before Labuschagne and lasted even longer than Warner. Tidy support as well from Carlos before sacrificing his wicket for work.

[guildfordbat]

I actually think the bowling has been pretty good today. Really nothing in the pitch for any bowler , and it hasn't swung much either ; but they've never let the batsmen play with any real fluency. Just haven't been able to get the break , despite beating the edge on numerous occasions.
These two batsmen have done really well in not worrying about balls that beat them but just getting on with it - excellent concentration: very few flashy shots to risk gifting a wicket.
Extra pace to make a big difference ? Maybe. Hasn't always been the case on the flatter wickets that England have encountered recently though. Wood bowled very well in Brisbane : but he didn't manage to wreck the innings.
Of course if Australia make a big score everyone will be condemning the non selection of Leach

We should have played a Test class bowler. No doubt about that.

However if we haven't got one, we can't. Even less doubt about that.

[guildfordbat]

I think with an innings defeat here (likely) we may hit the full house on "England in Australia" bingo after two test matches;

- Selecting a bunch of right arm medium fasts only
- Ruining our spinner
- Woeful fielding
- Woeful underperformance with the bat including collapsing on a pancake

What am I missing?

- Wood collapsing in a heap
- Stokes then carrying Wood off and picking up a long term injury in the process

[Duty281]

I think with an innings defeat here (likely) we may hit the full house on "England in Australia" bingo after two test matches;

- Selecting a bunch of right arm medium fasts only
- Ruining our spinner
- Woeful fielding
- Woeful underperformance with the bat including collapsing on a pancake

What am I missing?

Previously crap batsman makes highest career score v England, not just exclusive to tours of Australia, alas.

Marcus Harris hasn't yet got a test ton, but he will have done by the time this series is over.

[alfie]

Not expecting a lot of company on here this afternoon as most England based fans will presumably prefer a lie in to an early dawn torture session

As to yesterday : agree with a lot of thoughts posted above ; particularly PJ and JD re the contrast between Australia (principally Labuschagne) leaving the ball and the England bats tendency to nick balls that might be left. I do think this is partly due to familiarity with conditions - one often sees differences in the opposite direction when Tests are played in England - but it has been very noticeable in the four innings seen so far. England bats really must make the adjustment - and fast.

Having said that I reckon Marnus in particular also played and missed rather a lot (especially at Broad) and was more than a little fortunate to have avoided an edge. Suppose the cynic might say Buttler would have dropped it anyway...

Limitations of England attack : yes but ... First session they did well , just had no luck. Second session - largely kept it tight , but on a flat pitch got no result - and resorted to too much Stokes Short One Method Only ; which was a mistake. Not in trying that tactic ; but in not varying things more. An element of "waiting for the new ball under lights" which I suspect would have happened with any England bowling group once Australia had successfully softened the ball : without a capable spinner which they just don't have this was inevitable. After Brisbane , who is betting Leach would have been more effective than Root ?
I'm not sure all the fuss about not having express pace options are as relevant as a lot of people suggest , by the way : yes nice to have variety. But Archer , who is usually advanced as the missing messiah , has played nine Tests since his initial excellent home series against Australia. Many of them on flat pitches just like this one...and he has taken 20 wickets at 42.9.
They could have played Wood , I suppose. In place of who though ? Not Jimmy , surely. Not Broad - easily the best bowler yesterday. Woakes and have a tail starting at 8 ? Or Robinson the new star ? No easy answers...

No matter. At least Australia only made 220 in a full day so early wickets today could conceivably keep their score manageable. Need to be early though as it is going to get HOT.

Road Map : Australia - bat into last session , reach 450 , put England in and destroy under lights. Rinse , repeat...
England - 3 quick wickets with new ball , clean up tail , bat until stumps with only one or two down... take lottery ticket....

Off in twenty so will tune in hoping rather more than expecting : but as they say "while there's life there's hope".

Or as England fans generally say " It's the hope that kills you"

[alfie]

Going to keep an eye on the England body language this afternoon. The deflation brought about by the late drop yesterday must not be showing early today or they will surely be cooked.

Jimmy looks grumpy but that is normal. Fielders generally moving about briskly to start anyway.

Interesting fields : some leg side catchers rather than just an array of slips...seems they're planning to bowl straighter today. Couple of balls have moved a bit so far... They really need to nip one of these two out quickly or this might get very ugly.

Warne on Comms to start isn't ideal but I don't mind Brett Lee...

[alfie]

Hundred for Marnus :

Bit of an edgy boundary but he won't mind...yes he's had more than his share of luck but he's made England pay for their errors. Another important knock

[Pal Joey]

There you go, alfie. A nice ball from Robinson and Marnus nicks it.... wait. Oh no!

[alfie]

That's when you just say : 5-nil

First Stokes , now Robinson. Unacceptable , for mine.

To cap it off Robinson drops a catch off Broad a few balls later - tough one , but still. That's about eight catches spilled in this series already (Australia caught every chance in two innings). Can't compete no matter who bowls if that keeps up.

[Pal Joey]

Looks like he got him now. A just reward for Robinson.

[alfie]

And now Marnus is out lbw - to Robinson !

Burned a review too

So Robinson won't be tarred and feathered , at least.

Out for 103 : valuable innings ; though perhaps it should be something like "103/4" ?


Into the tail yet ? Not quite ...Head now fresh off a 150

[alfie]

Apart from the no balls - he's just bowled another one - Robinson has bowled rather well this afternoon.

11 overs so far , 26/1 all told.

Woakes up now : really need another wicket or two so he'd better be on the ball...not a great start as he donates an easy boundary to Head.
250 up.

[alfie]

Couple of balls have done a bit today : one from Jimmy spat at Marnus and rapped him on the gloves , and the lbw one perhaps stayed down a bit ; but generally it still looks a really good surface to bat on.
Run rate back under 2.5 but Smith won't care about that : he's clearly setting up to kill England slowly in the hot afternoon... probably just the man to do it

Warm here too . Only ten past four but I think I might have an early glass...might need it.

[alfie]

The little things England keep getting wrong... Woakes has Head edging just short of slip : are the slips too deep ? Comms suggesting so ; but that might be looking for things to criticise.

But he ends the over with a dot...except he doesn't , it's a retrospective no ball (again) : so after the field had nearly changed they all move back ; Woakes doesn't switch on , bowls a pie...four for Head . All adds up...

Plus these late call no ball resets are doing nothing for the over rate...

268/3. Already looks as if England's "window of opportunity " is closing. Joe Root on now.

[alfie]

It is of course the Stokes Bowling Short show again ... Smith gets an ugly four as he slashes and and it flies over the keeper to take him to his fifty...

I fear even the early economy is disappearing with England's chances...

But wow !  Joe Root clean bowls Head with a lovely flighted delivery...turned a bit too. Root doesn't back his own bowling enough , I think.

291/4

[alfie]

Two for three !

Warne made the valid point that it was important to attack the new batsman : he was however apparently wrong to suggest it wasn't a job for Stokes

Full ball and skittled him

Green got two more than last time but he'll not be happy with getting out that way again.

Some flickers of life for England ? 294/5

[alfie]

So : lunch at 302/5.

26 overs bowled. 3/81 so marginally England's session in the end.

Correction : one more over to be bowled...Stokes to Carey. Nearly drawing an edge too...can't fault Ben Stokes' energy ! Maiden...

Lunch 302/5 off 116.

[alfie]

.

[alfie]

Ten overs since lunch and not a lot has happened ... 29 runs added safely enough.

Australia presumably intending to bat until the dusk period and throw the hapless England bats in then...possibly not too bothered as to quite how many they have by then as long as it is - and surely will be - over 400.

Anderson and Robinson have continued to be very economical : Stokes and Root rather less so but on the other hand they have three wickets between them. This partnership now 37 off 95 balls which isn't too shabby.

Carey doing better than Brisbane : 24 not out.

And now Smith slaps a ball at catchable height through a gap (!!!) left between first and second...grrrr. A no ball anyway ! Woakes - oh dear . Why make it so easy for Smith ?

340/5 off 128. Horse has bolted...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I can already tell you how tomorrow goes

We get a wicket in the first 20 minutes, the provide that false hope. Maybe two in the first hour.
Cameron Green comes in and makes a 120 ball century.
Aussies declare for well over 500 with around an hour left of play

England are 20-2 at close

Annoyed I picked Green instead of Carey - will try to do better for the next test folks

[JDizzle]

Between 2015-2017, England bowled 11366 balls without bowling a no ball. That record carried on as exceptional throughout the 2019.

This Ashes they have bowled 17 to Australia’s 0. That is just the ones called!

It’s just not good enough.

https://inshorts.com/m/en/amp_news/england-bowl-frontfoot-noball-in-an-odi-after-2-yrs-11366-balls-1550930437163

[alfie]

Hi Olly

You are probably not too surprised to see this score line...

They'll have to get a move on to get 500 in time ; but looking disturbingly prescient, your template

[alfie]

Between 2015-2017, England bowled 11366 balls without bowling a no ball. That record carried on as exceptional throughout the 2019.

This Ashes they have bowled 17 to Australia’s 0. That is just the ones called!

It’s just not good enough.

https://inshorts.com/m/en/amp_news/england-bowl-frontfoot-noball-in-an-odi-after-2-yrs-11366-balls-1550930437163

England bowling far too many no balls. Especially the ones that take wickets...

I suspect Australia did bowl a few in Brisbane though : just didn't get called because the technology was out of action , and none took a wicket to get checked back.

Jimmy doesn't bowl no balls. Not sure why the rest of them feel compelled to do so

[alfie]

Broad has bowled a lot of really good balls to have just one wicket. Beating Smith outside off when he's seeing it so well is an achievement in itself. Not far off at leg slip then too !

Maybe his luck will change and he'll get a bag next game.

As long as England pick him

[alfie]

Pointless shy at the stumps by Burns leads to four overthrows...

Penny for your thoughts , Stuart.

Fair to England they've stuck to their task well in very hot conditions ; but signs of wheels detaching lately...

[Soul Requiem]

The gulf between the teams in these conditions is huge and I don't mean this to come across as sour grapes but christ cricket in Australia is dull.

[Mind the windows Tino.]

Between 2015-2017, England bowled 11366 balls without bowling a no ball. That record carried on as exceptional throughout the 2019.

This Ashes they have bowled 17 to Australia’s 0. That is just the ones called!

It’s just not good enough.

https://inshorts.com/m/en/amp_news/england-bowl-frontfoot-noball-in-an-odi-after-2-yrs-11366-balls-1550930437163

That is a shocker.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The gulf between the teams in these conditions is huge and I don't mean this to come across as sour grapes but christ cricket in Australia is dull.

Two days of a battery of 82mph right arm seamers bowling on a pancake to unaesthetically pleasing batsmen going at around 2.5 runs per over is extremely boring, agreed

[VTR]

I can already tell you how tomorrow goes

We get a wicket in the first 20 minutes, the provide that false hope. Maybe two in the first hour.
Cameron Green comes in and makes a 120 ball century.
Aussies declare for well over 500 with around an hour left of play

England are 20-2 at close

Annoyed I picked Green instead of Carey - will try to do better for the next test folks

Don't be so hard on yourself, you just know Cam Green is making a 150+ score at some stage, probably on the one occasion the top order fails. England, delivering your career best performance, for as long as anyone can remember

[alfie]

The gulf between the teams in these conditions is huge and I don't mean this to come across as sour grapes but christ cricket in Australia is dull.

That does seem a little churlish, Soul... But I know what you mean. Too often matches get rather predictable once one side (usually the home team !) get on top. And everything follows as per formula...

Doesn't have to be , though. India showed last year the pattern can be disturbed. If England can't do the same that is surely down to their own failings , is it not ?

Not too many touring teams can , to be honest. Couple of Indian and SA teams , England 2010. I'm afraid this England team lacks the belief as much as the ability.

A pity . I was hoping this series would be a lot more competitive but it's looking like a replay of all too many recent Ashes tours here. And while I can admire the skill and concentration of Smith and his acolytes, it can get a bit old after a while...

Is Smith out now ? Looks good. He's reviewed but surely ? Yep...gone for 93. And he really isn't happy

His appetite for runs is impressive ! So that will probably inspire him to make 200 in Melbourne ...

[kingraf]

Anderson has just taken a wicket, but much like my criticism of him during the India series, he just hasn't taken wickets when it's mattered this game. He might nick a second and third peg here, and end up with 3/55 off 30 overs or whatever, but in recent history he seems to have become really good at closing the barn door after the horse has bolted

[kingraf]

Anderson has just taken a wicket, but much like my criticism of him during the India series, he just hasn't taken wickets when it's mattered this game. He might nick a second and third peg here, and end up with 3/55 off 30 overs or whatever, but in recent history he seems to have become really good at closing the barn door after the horse has bolted

Rafstradamus on it today. Takes a second peg just before dinner, and suddenly he's bowled well for his 2/51, if you ignore him wasting two new balls, and making absolutely no inroads when it mattered.

[GSC]

Jimmy moving the game on may well help Australia

[alfie]

Kingraf : you have never had a good word to say for Anderson in all the years I've known you . So I'm not going to bother arguing too much...

Just to say most Test cricketers , current and now pundits , would probably disagree.

[VTR]

Surely though if you had three bowlers who could take 3/55 off 30, you'd be well in the game most of the time? I get that he doesn't tend to wreck top orders as much nowadays, but then he used to be pretty much a new ball or nothing type bowler

[kingraf]

Kingraf : you have never had a good word to say for Anderson in all the years I've known you . So I'm not going to bother arguing too much...

Just to say most Test cricketers , current and now pundits , would probably disagree.

Tbh, I've warmed on him as he's decidedly refused to go away, but this has been the first year I've looked at him and thought it's gotten "will you leave" rather than "when will you leave".

Saying that, I'd be surprised if many cricketers would prefer it if their premier bowler takes his two sticks at 390/5 instead of 3/2, but each to their own.

[guildfordbat]

Matt Smith in the BT Sports studio suggests to Matt Prior we are now watching ''with a little bit more optimism''.
Prior replies, ''Errrh ...''.

As JD sagely commented in the last Test, Smith is hardly Benaud.

[alfie]

Just adding that if the keeper had been awake last night he certainly wouldn't have "wasted" that second new ball.

In truth I don't think anyone expected Anderson to wreck the innings much on flattish Aussie pitches this trip : what he does bring is control. Which can also get wickets at the other end. And is something this England team need.

Heartening to see that Robinson may be able to exert similar run strangling pressure ; because even Jimmy probably has a sell by date.

[kingraf]

Surely though if you had three bowlers who could take 3/55 off 30, you'd be well in the game most of the time? I get that he doesn't tend to wreck top orders as much nowadays, but then he used to be pretty much a new ball or nothing type bowler

Problem is, this isn't football, and not all wickets are created equal. If you have three bowlers that can take 3/55 off 30, you'd have teams 165/9. But if you three bowlers that can take 3/55 once the fifth wicket has fallen, you have the small issue of taking five wickets before they can shine. Which is where ideally, your strike bowler would, well strike.

It's the reason why despite having pretty similar averages, only a lunatic would pick Starc over Hazlewood. There's value in cleaning up a tail, but MUCH more value in having someone who can get you to that tail.

[msp83]

Australia almost at the 400 mark. England have done well to pick up 5 wickets today, but Australia have the runs on the board. On this pitch during day matches, this wouldn't be much of a score, more often than not, but in this D/N game, against this English batting lineup, unless Root and Stokes get going, this has to be already very substantial.
Think Australia should now look to up the tempo. try to go for that 450, and have some 45 minutes against the English bats under lights...

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