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

[Mind the windows Tino.]

First topic message reminder :

James Bracey? Admittedly looked painfully bad vs NZ in the summer, but if we are wanting to give guys a chance then he shouldn’t be forgotten about so quickly. Especially as he was batting out of position. Better FC record than Hameed and made a half century for the Lions in Aus in 2020 and a ton this time. But he was flown home because English scoring runs just isn’t on!

Fair. Had forgotten about him actually and he was thrown a suicide pass in the summer against the best test team in the world. He probably does deserve another shot in the near future.

[alfie]

Wood zipping through , beating Cummins' edge. But can't get him to tickle one ...

Does seem Wood - and the England pace men in general - have been unfortunate in this series with the number of "play and misses" they've caused against the end product of edges and wickets. Not really down to incorrect length , either...or certainly not to any great degree , as most of them have come when they've got the ball very much in the right spot.

Khawaja on to 92 as he pulls Wood to the mid wicket fence...looking good.

[alfie]

300 up. Cummins off the mark after 23 balls. Khawaja to 99...

[alfie]

Malan ? Really , Joe ?

I know your pace men are tired but this looks like a bit of a gimme for Cummins who hasn't looked too settled. Not to mention Khawaja...

I'm afraid this could be Happy Hour starting early. Yes...4.4.1...

314/6

[alfie]

Hundred for Khawaja on the stroke of tea

Top knock , after a bit of a fortunate recall to the side. All comes up Roses for Cummins , doesn't it ? Head gets a Covid check and the replacement gets a ton

Tea.321/6 Aussies cruising now.

[alfie]

64 overs done today for 195/3. Bowlers have largely stuck to their task well ; but they're facing problems in this last session.
Have caught better in this game too : but of course the one chance they have missed has already cost plenty ...Khawaja was only 28 when "double-dropped" off Leach.

Action after tea ...first ball a well driven boundary ; second is given out lbw ...review though : no bat ...but missing by a whisker and Cummins survives. When your luck is in...and his clearly is as an accidental dab now runs through slips for four. Broad won't be happy...

[alfie]

One goes England's way at last as Cummins is given out on review ...caught behind off a sharp lifter from Broad. Just a little spike on Snicko but it was pretty obvious visually that it clipped the glove. Pat knew he was gone anyway.
Four for the caged tiger ...

331/7

Not sure why Leach is still bowling with Starc in now. Usman certainly won't mind.

[alfie]

Persisting with Leach. Short leg in for Starc. They must see something I can't. Comfortable collection of singles with no risk.

343/7. Surely you bowl your pace men ? The way this is going there won't be a second innings to worry about...

[Pal Joey]

Broad very unlucky. Deserves 5 wickets for his efforts. Only the umpire's decision saved Starc.

[alfie]

Broad continues to impress...Starc survives a review for lbw on umpire's call. I thought that was out even on slo mo but apparently just high enough to give the batman the benefit. Fair to say the close ones aren't going England's way...

Leach still getting milked at the other end. Seems to be heading for his second hundred of the series : 24 overs , 0/89.

[alfie]

Think Starc is going for it now. At 361/7 he can probably afford to. You'd think Australia would want a bit of a bowl tonight given the time lost already and possible future weather interruptions ?

Root replacing Leach. A better match up for left handers at least...but I fear England are already just about resigned to waiting for a declaration...

[Pal Joey]

Yes alfie, there are still 21 overs remaining in the day. Lose a couple in the change over. About 45 overs lost yesterday. They may as well go for it and try to get it up over 400 runs. I'm looking forward to see how the Aussie bowlers fare with the light fading and the England openers spending the best part of 2 days on (and off) the field.

Or just keep going and continue to grind the bowlers down. Starc loves batting here.

[alfie]

Yes alfie, there are still 21 overs remaining in the day. Lose a couple in the change over. About 45 overs lost yesterday. They may as well go for it and try to get it up over 400 runs. I'm looking forward to see how the Aussie bowlers fare with the light fading and the England openers spending the best part of 2 days on (and off) the field.

Or just keep going and continue to grind the bowlers down...? Starc loves batting here.

Suspect the England openers are not looking forward to that scenario quite as much as you , PJ

Starc is actually having rather a good series with the bat : has to be said he hasn't really come in "under pressure" though !

What's the largest weather forecast ? Earlier I heard day three looked dodgy ; then I saw suggestions day four might be under some threat . Going to need some time (I suppose !) to bowl England out twice...

[alfie]

Is this a wicket ? No. Arm guard rather than glove so Starc survives again... Wood still not having any lucky breaks...

Wood getting a lot of bounce : Jos Buttler getting practice at jumping to gather some of these.

Drinks at 384/7.

[Pal Joey]

So hard to tell, alfie. I hear some wind whistling outside just now but it looks OK at the ground.

The forecast for the next few days predicts a couple of thunderstorms and some rain but whether the SCG gets affected is anyone's guess. I think most of the heavier rain came through last night (probably what you experienced earlier when it headed south) and that any further rain here will be much lighter.

The way the pitch is starting to behave and the appetite of our three-pronged pace attack with Green and Lyon as well... I also wonder how much time they will need to take 20 wickets. England could try and do some stonewalling like India did last year but I don't think they have the right mindset, temperament and approach to replicate that wonderful feat. I could be wrong.. but we've yet to see any evidence of that type of resilience from the England batsmen at the crease.

[alfie]

Suspect you are right there , PJ. Hence batting on and making as many as possible - even if they continue into tomorrow - may be a fair call. In a way it may be harder for England to save the game even in a much reduced time frame than if they were asked to bat earlier in the match... Once any hope of challenging for a win is removed the appetite for just blocking out isn't always there - and as you say , this side really hasn't shown that sort of resolve lately.

Sheer weight of first innings runs. It's not the most exciting way to win a Test Match ; but if the pitch starts to wear it is often rather
effective.

[alfie]

This partnership really rubbing it in...62 now ; in no great hurry but just turning the screws on a team who must be down in morale already. A lot of similarities to the Adelaide game.

That drop of Khawaja really was a big moment , in retrospect.

And Khawaja is out at last even as I type...bowled by the excellent Broad. A fine 137 for the returning batsman

And a deserved five wicket haul for Broad.

Lyon coming out to bat ...

[Pal Joey]

Usman plays on and is finally toppled on 137. Broad gets his much deserved 5th wicket.

We'll see some bat swinging now for sure...

[alfie]

Carey seems to be kitting up so I fancy a declaration soon...but no real urgency in the middle.

Four hundred up with a Lyon boundary. Chance to bowl for twenty minutes or messing about for a handful more runs ? Think I know which Hameed and Crawley would prefer !

Lyon having a swing now so must be imminent...

[Pal Joey]

So Australia declare at 416/8. About 8 overs or 20 minutes left in the day.

[alfie]

And that's it...A Lyon six a rather unfair end to Broad's day and Cummins calls it off at 416/8.

Nasty half dozen overs coming up for England.

[alfie]

First target for England - apart from trying to limit damage tonight ! - must be to get to the follow on target of 217. I'd anticipate some time loss to the weather so that might give them some chance...but I think this pitch is going to get a bit tricky as the game goes on...

They'll need a big step up from previous efforts or this is going to be 4-0 by Sunday.

[Pal Joey]

Finally some luck for England. Warner grabs one off a Starc no ball. Ominous signs though...

[alfie]

Wow ! Crawley caught at slip off Starc..But it's a no ball !

So it can happen to Australia too ! Wonder if Zak can do anything with that lucky reprieve ?

Last over coming up...

[Pal Joey]

Wow !  Crawley caught at slip off Starc..But it's a no ball !

So it can happen to Australia too !  Wonder if Zak can do anything with that lucky reprieve ?

Last over coming up...

Not quite as much though.
At least it's good catching practice for Warner I guess.

[alfie]

So close of play at 13/0. Relief for England !

Australia might feel they didn't make them play quite enough in that brief spell. And the no ball will be irritating. But they'll fancy their chances tomorrow...

[Mind the windows Tino.]

So close of play at 13/0. Relief for England !

It is a sad state of affairs that we collectively breathe a sigh of relief to get to 13 with no loss. I'm not even being sarcastic. It genuinely is a relief. 13. THIRTEEN!

I thought the 90's were bad but at least we had Goochie at the top of the order for some of it.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Guildford has touched on a couple of points above that bother me a bit too : the no balls and wides are such an unnecessary feature that has bedevilled England this trip. Apart from giving away runs it's cost two big wickets already ! Oddly enough all the wides yesterday were from bouncers that just flew too high ; so I can excuse the first set on the grounds that the bounce surprised the bowler - but they really ought to have learned from that one.

And Wood as a one and two wicket man only : unfortunately a feature of his career I think. Perhaps largely down to his inability- or never being allowed - to bowl more than a few overs at a time ? Only three times in Test Cricket has he taken more than three wickets in an innings - and two of these were in the same match in Johannesburg. For all he often looks threatening , it is a limitation.

Ah...back on with the show...

Welcome Guildford and Alfie to the “Mark Wood isn’t actually that effective” resistance movement

[alfie]

So close of play at 13/0. Relief for England !

It is a sad state of affairs that we collectively breathe a sigh of relief to get to 13 with no loss. I'm not even being sarcastic. It genuinely is a relief. 13. THIRTEEN!

I thought the 90's were bad but at least we had Goochie at the top of the order for some of it.

Wouldn't get too nostalgic for the 90's ! In those days England couldn't even win Tests against Australia in England... And they weren't asked to tour other countries with zero warm up cricket.

This lot are very short of batting class , it is true. But the recent run of defeats has rather made us forget they (largely the same squad) had actually won 9 of their previous 13 matches before it all fell apart in India...

[Soul Requiem]

Guildford has touched on a couple of points above that bother me a bit too : the no balls and wides are such an unnecessary feature that has bedevilled England this trip. Apart from giving away runs it's cost two big wickets already ! Oddly enough all the wides yesterday were from bouncers that just flew too high ; so I can excuse the first set on the grounds that the bounce surprised the bowler - but they really ought to have learned from that one.

And Wood as a one and two wicket man only : unfortunately a feature of his career I think. Perhaps largely down to his inability- or never being allowed - to bowl more than a few overs at a time ? Only three times in Test Cricket has he taken more than three wickets in an innings - and two of these were in the same match in Johannesburg. For all he often looks threatening , it is a limitation.

Ah...back on with the show...

Welcome Guildford and Alfie to the “Mark Wood isn’t actually that effective” resistance movement

He's a fine option in white ball cricket but as a test bowler he's not good enough. There's only so much credit a player can get for one match winning performance as he produced in Jburg, his pace makes him look better than he is and on these pitches i'd argue his release point is too low to be truly effective. It's the old Archer conundrum, everyone waxes lyrical about 'that' spell of bowling to Steve Smith but ignore the times he actually took wickets.

[Gooseberry]

Englands target for tomorrow is for one of the top 3 to get more runs than extras has.

[Duty281]

The key moment of the day being the Khawaja drop. He goes on to make 100 more runs and takes the game away from England. Sums it up.

Broad was superb. Wood bowled better than his figures suggest. Leach very poor, it won't be long before England turn to Bess if this carries on.

If England avoid the follow on, they may just save the test with the aid of adverse weather. If they don't, Australia should enforce it and force victory. I'd probably back Australia at this point.

[KP_fan]

from the little I saw pitch has bounce but neither fast nor seaming.
There is time for batsman to go on back-foot & play with an horizontal bat....a pitch quite suited for the styles of Malan, Stokes and Bairstow,

Eng need to bat 4 session to open up a window for an almost single inning shootout or rain induced draw.
No better pitch and series situation ( with pressure out) to bat 4 sessions.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Guildford has touched on a couple of points above that bother me a bit too : the no balls and wides are such an unnecessary feature that has bedevilled England this trip. Apart from giving away runs it's cost two big wickets already ! Oddly enough all the wides yesterday were from bouncers that just flew too high ; so I can excuse the first set on the grounds that the bounce surprised the bowler - but they really ought to have learned from that one.

And Wood as a one and two wicket man only : unfortunately a feature of his career I think. Perhaps largely down to his inability- or never being allowed - to bowl more than a few overs at a time ? Only three times in Test Cricket has he taken more than three wickets in an innings - and two of these were in the same match in Johannesburg. For all he often looks threatening , it is a limitation.

Ah...back on with the show...

Welcome Guildford and Alfie to the “Mark Wood isn’t actually that effective” resistance movement

He's a fine option in white ball cricket but as a test bowler he's not good enough. There's only so much credit a player can get for one match winning performance as he produced in Jburg, his pace makes him look better than he is and on these pitches i'd argue his release point is too low to be truly effective. It's the old Archer conundrum, everyone waxes lyrical about 'that' spell of bowling to Steve Smith but ignore the times he actually took wickets.

I think you have posted before Soul about this, but it really is evident that he struggles to get movement with the ball, whether that is swing or seam (hence the awful bowling average in England). Can get a bit of reverse going later in innings.
Think you do see that reflected in his wicket totals - can pickup the odd wicket or two through sheer pace, but to be a top bowler you need that extra element of being able to move the ball (at any pace!) to be a true difference maker. It's what makes/made Archer so promising, and makes Cummins so so good!

[Gooseberry]

Guildford has touched on a couple of points above that bother me a bit too : the no balls and wides are such an unnecessary feature that has bedevilled England this trip. Apart from giving away runs it's cost two big wickets already ! Oddly enough all the wides yesterday were from bouncers that just flew too high ; so I can excuse the first set on the grounds that the bounce surprised the bowler - but they really ought to have learned from that one.

And Wood as a one and two wicket man only : unfortunately a feature of his career I think. Perhaps largely down to his inability- or never being allowed - to bowl more than a few overs at a time ? Only three times in Test Cricket has he taken more than three wickets in an innings - and two of these were in the same match in Johannesburg. For all he often looks threatening , it is a limitation.

Ah...back on with the show...

Welcome Guildford and Alfie to the “Mark Wood isn’t actually that effective” resistance movement

He's a fine option in white ball cricket but as a test bowler he's not good enough. There's only so much credit a player can get for one match winning performance as he produced in Jburg, his pace makes him look better than he is and on these pitches i'd argue his release point is too low to be truly effective. It's the old Archer conundrum, everyone waxes lyrical about 'that' spell of bowling to Steve Smith but ignore the times he actually took wickets.

I think you have posted before Soul about this, but it really is evident that he struggles to get movement with the ball, whether that is swing or seam (hence the awful bowling average in England). Can get a bit of reverse going later in innings.
Think you do see that reflected in his wicket totals - can pickup the odd wicket or two through sheer pace, but to be a top bowler you need that extra element of being able to move the ball (at any pace!) to be a true difference maker. It's what makes/made Archer so promising, and makes Cummins so so good!

At home we can get by withot pace bowlers because of the pitches, conditions and balls used. If anything focusing on pace is a hinderance in England except the odd day at Lords. But overseas is he any worse than any of the other England bowlers? Sure he would have been expected to do better in this series but not exactly helped by coming in the bowling order when the balls already a rag. He averages 26 away from home which isnt just down to one innings in SA, tests in Sri Lanka on sandpits cold be to skew the figures just as much.

Sure Archer wold theoretically have been Englands first choice here, but that doesnt make Wood a bad test bowler ....just a disappointing one in this series which hardly puts him in rarefied company for this squad. Sure he's no Cummins but a been a valuable option for England away from home since he learnt how not to be injured, something Archer and Stone still need to figure out. hen you look at how much Englands bowlers have struggled in away tests in recent years he's ot top of my list to write off completely, it should be Woakes who is facing that.

Have to look at the bowlers the same as the batsmen to some extent, England just arent producing top class ones. Broad and Anderson are bowling more than they should and taking more wickets than they should in Aus. Only Robinson has stepped up from the rest of the cast and whilst hes shone in the opportunities give its a bit early to describe him as a top class test bowler yet. Sure Archer. again yet to actually really prove he can perform consistently in tests and not fully a product of the England system. Really there hasnt been a top class bowler come through since Broad, which is even longer than the post Root chasm for batsmen. The nearest thing to a strike bowler they've had on this tour is Root and Malan with 7 wickets from 49 overs.

Need to look beyond the cast of second rate players plodding around the county scene and start bringing up some genuinely elite players again. I can see the logic of them focusing on kids at the top of the order who at least have the potential to get better by learning in tests, same way Broad and Anderson got their chance ahead of Hoggard Harmison even if it takes a few years to benefit from the results. But it takes more than just dropping players into tests and watching them drown. England really do need to look at the elite player system and coaching at all levels alongside ways to make the first class game relevant to tests again and drive up standards. You can only pick players who exist so really we need to start developing better ones.

So I guess going back to my original point on Wood there's a fair case that there's no point in persisting with average over 30's just to paper over the cracks. But for this series they didnt have that much of an option and its unfair to catagorise him as a rubbish test bowler. I doubt Mahmood would've been much more use and isnt really a proper quick.

[Duty281]

Stokes is unlikely to bowl for the rest of the test (due to England heading for another innings defeat) and will probably miss the fifth test due to injury, which will knock the fabled 'balance' of the side. I don't think he should have been recalled, I wonder if the recall has dented long-term prospects of him as a test player, and I think he's been over-bowled and misused tactically.

I've decided that Ashley Giles is the figurehead for anything that is wrong with English cricket. He is a menace that needs to be fired and then banned from going within 50 miles of any cricket ground.

The fields that Leach is bowling to show the little regard the England leadership hold him in, which gives further knocks to Leach's confidence. Looking at the fields he bowls to, you'd think it's either an ODI, or a part-time bowler with the score 450/4.

I'm enjoying Broad's no-nonsense, tell-it-as-it-is approach to interviews, very scarcely seen in the modern professional era of any sport. Broad will make a good commentator/analyst when he retires, though I don't always agree with him.

It will be an uphill road for England to avoid the follow-on. Only Woakes, Malan and Root are averaging 25+ with the bat this series. Most of Australia's bowlers are averaging below 20 with the ball this series. It's also a very long-looking tail without Robinson in (not that he's done much with the bat this series), with Wood at 8.

[king_carlos]

I struggle to have the share frustrations others have with "Leach's treatment" as pundits often refer to it now in terms of him not always being selected and getting defensive field settings. He's a spinner who struggles in the first innings, struggles to lefties and struggles when the pitch isn't ragging. Add that up and he just isn't good enough to demand automatic selection and he needs defensive fields to cover for his glaring weaknesses.

I have sympathy for Leach in that the CC certainly isn't setup to develop spinners with all round games. I also have immense sympathy for the torrid 12 months he had following his awful illness and hospitalisation in NZ. He is a very likable cricketer who I'd love to see succeed more consistently.

I just struggle to see that England's selection and tactics with Leach are what causes him to struggle outside of ragging pitches though. He's an extremely limited bowler that can occasionally be very dangerous when everything falls in his favour.

[Gooseberry]

Lets face it Aus has been an absolute graveyard for England spinners over the past 3 decades +. Only Swann has come back from a tour with good figures, and that was 16 years ago. They havent really had one who convinced everyone he deserved selection for a long period since Swann either. So yeah swapping him out at every opportunity and giving him roles that dont suit him hasnt exactly helped him But sure Leech has never really convinced as the answer to Englands long term problem.

The side issue is that Bess probably shouldnt have toured. He lost form and had a Moeen level meltdown after struggling with touring and the demands of bubbles. To send him out when hes not fully back to confidence and form to a tour where any spinner was going to have a really tough time is great in terms of backing him, but rather pointless if they dont want to actually put him in the side and left him with the same difficult choice other players had in knowing that they didnt really want to go but that their careers depended on it.

Not taking Mason Crane Matt Parkinson is being touted by some as an error leaving Egland with little choice but to keep playing Leech, given uncertainty over how much Anderson, Stokes, Wood and Broad can actually bowl when the opposition get set having a spinner to bowl bulk overs seems essential. Which also leaves Bess out of the equation given he was dropped for a lack of control. England (Silverwood) just dont dare pic a leggie, and maybe just dont rate Parkinson that highly.

But as with Wood if we are going to look a long term project to get some top class players they do need to invest in Bess and Parkinson after this tour, and sort out the quality and intensity of cricket the Lions and age grade players are getting to hopefully drive up standards.

It is quite worrying that Englands spin resources seem to have gotten even worse under Giles. But reading his comments two day ago he at least does seem to understand the deeper issues than selections and how the team is managed are impacting Englands chances, without a conveyor belt of players coming through who have experience playing quality cricket the same way the rest of the world does they will continue to struggle when overseas. The County game needs a shake up.

[JDizzle]

Even Swann struggled in Australia really! He bowled them to victory in Adelaide on the final day in 2010, but averaged nearly 40 that series. He did at least go at less than 3 an over, but he wasn't really a wicket taking threat for most of that tour. Lyon is a unicorn in that regard, as he definitely has a style with his overspin that suits Australia and not so much spinning decks - hence his struggles in the sub continent.

In the 2019 Ashes, Leach averaged 26 and Lyon averaged 33. Since then, Leach has played 1 Test match (on the pudding that was Mount Maunganui) outside of the sub continent. I understand there are other factors in play with his health and how the side is balanced - and he may well have a ceiling, but there is no way that if the plan was for Leach to be the only spinner in the side on as Ashes tour that he should have played one Test outside of the sub continent in 36 months.

I think Wood is a much improved Test match bowler since he lengthen his run up and became a proper quick around 2019. If you look back on him bowling then, everyone raved about his extra pace but he was trotting in at 86/87mph. Now he genuinely the quickest bowler in the world.

Like Goose says, Saqib is definitely in the early Wood mode at the moment... He is 86/87mph. Not lightning. He does have the added reverse swing dimension though.

Since 2019 Wood's averaged about 27 with the ball in Tests which is more than respectable. He's definitely a complementary piece - which is fine IMO, as he's not going to get through the overs that a Broad/Anderson does. His strike rate since 2019 is similar to Broad (51 to 50) and better than Anderson's (61). And of his wickets this series he has Smith and Labu x2 - which shouldn't be sniffed at, getting proper players out and not just knocking over the tail.

He isn't in England's best side in England, unless it is a proper road, where hitting a good length relentlessly and nibbling it about (Woakes, COverton etc.) is all that is needed and bowling dry. Abroad he is still a valuable piece for England, until (if?) Archer and Stone are back.

[alfie]

It was guildford who started the Wood critique - and I don't think he actually meant to signal he deserves the boot ! I certainly didn't. Just commenting on the fact that he very rarely gets more than a couple of wickets even when he bowls really well - which I believe he has done in this series.
Think Olly hit nail on head pointing to his relative inability to get real movement to go with the raw pace. I do think he's been rather unlucky in these matches , but see him as part of a group of bowlers more than a single handed destroyer. In with Broad , Anderson and a couple of other complementary types I reckon he might have got the job done here - but unfortunately England have never actually got a fully functioning attack together in any match.
No Broad twice was daft. Stokes has (naturally enough) been undercooked; and Leach for various reasons has been about as useful as a tin of custard. Closest thing to the "right" attack was actually Adelaide , for all they bemoaned the lack of a spinner : if they'd included Wood instead of Woakes in that game it would have been just right. Though as Broad astutely observed , if you can only make 140 it doesn't matter who you have to bowl...

As for Leach I am afraid I never expected him to shine here. He is essentially a sub-continental pitch specialist : can do a job elsewhere in second innings if the pace men can lead the way ; but doesn't really have the control to be a useful part of a four man attack on atypical Aussie pitch. You can say he should have been trialled more outside Asia in preparation for this trip : but that is (A) getting back to this blind overconcentration on The Ashes which clearly hasn't done any good ! and (B) still wouldn't have changed his basic skill set .
I'd have tried Bess after Brisbane on the grounds he could do no worse plus can handle a bat - but have no idea whether he'd have actually been an improvement. What I will say though is that the way England have handled Bess recently seems almost calculated to destroy a young bowler's confidence ; so I hope they know what they think they are doing with him.

[Duty281]

Raining. Play will probably be delayed by a couple of hours. Looks better for the afternoon. Then the hunt for 20 wickets will begin.

[guildfordbat]

It was guildford who started the Wood critique - and I don't think he actually meant to signal he deserves the boot ! I certainly didn't.  Just commenting on the fact that he very rarely gets more than a couple of wickets even when he bowls really well - which I believe he has done in this series.
Think Olly hit nail on head pointing to his relative inability to get real movement to go with the raw pace. I do think he's been rather unlucky in these matches , but see him as part of a group of bowlers more than a single handed destroyer. In with Broad , Anderson and a couple of other complementary types I reckon he might have got the job done here - but unfortunately England have never actually got a fully functioning attack together in any match.
No Broad twice was daft. Stokes has (naturally enough) been undercooked; and Leach for various reasons has been about as useful as a tin of custard. Closest thing to the "right" attack was actually Adelaide , for all they bemoaned the lack of a spinner : if they'd included Wood instead of Woakes in that game it would have been just right. Though as Broad astutely observed , if you can only make 140 it doesn't matter who you have to bowl...

As for Leach I am afraid I never expected him to shine here. He is essentially a sub-continental pitch specialist  : can do a job elsewhere in second innings if the pace men can lead the way ; but doesn't really have the control to be a useful part of a four man attack on atypical Aussie pitch. You can say he should have been trialled more outside Asia in preparation for this trip : but that is (A) getting back to this blind overconcentration on The Ashes which clearly hasn't done any good ! and (B) still wouldn't have changed his basic skill set .
I'd have tried Bess after Brisbane on the grounds he could do no worse plus can handle a bat - but have no idea whether he'd have actually been an improvement. What I will say though is that the way England have handled Bess recently seems almost calculated to destroy a young bowler's confidence ; so I hope they know what they think they are doing with him.

Yes, that's right as to where I was coming from regarding Wood. I was far less calling for his head than expressing puzzlement and frustration that for all his efforts he too regularly seems to end up with not many wickets. I note JD's point that he has got some high quality ones in this series although would still like and do rather expect him to be knocking the tail over as well. Sure, this series has been so one sided that no match has been won by tail end runs alone. However, the effectiveness of Australia's late order has been psychologically harmful and another nail in our coffin. Incredible that only two England players have more runs this series than Starc who averages over 75.

[alfie]

Stopped raining and covers off...umpires milling around. Should get some play soonish - unless the rain comes back. Looks bright enough at the moment.

[alfie]

Hi guildford - you will doubtless be pleased you haven't missed an early batting collapse

Starc indeed has had a magic time with the bat ! Tail end runs are always important - often more than people think (saw stats once about the relationship between 8-11 runs and winning/losing in Ashes series which were quite interesting ; can't remember details) . In this series of course a lot of difference between being 140/6 or 280/6 ! And also Australia have an effective spinner and (usually) fit to bowl fourth seamer ; so haven't had the problem Root has had with his best bowlers basically out of petrol before they could have a go at the tail.
Should probably research Wood's strike rate against late order players. Agree you would think he'd be effective in blasting out rabbits ; so perhaps they need to review the methods/field settings he should use against them ?

Play in half an hour it seems. Short session to lunch then...

[Gooseberry]

FFS this is the worst series performance ever. The players arent this bad surely

[Gooseberry]

Incredible that only two England players have more runs this series than Starc who averages over 75.

Dont forget he also only gets to bat once a game too

[Pal Joey]

Tricky pitch to bat on and conditions are perfect for this Australian bowling line up. England haven't adapted very well at all on this tour and always seem to find the edge (like that!) to deliveries which aren't particularly easy to leave. Even Labuschagne, who often just gets away with it, found the edge this time.

The Australian batsmen have had a touch of luck but have generally been more patient and weathered the early 'storm'. Familiarity with the different pitch conditions obviously helps too. They have played more sensibly and cautiously (valued their wickets more) and seized their opportunities far better than England have.

Like anything: once you do the early grind and get results; confidence grows. Conversely, a greater share of (perceived) bad luck, all of the missed opportunities, injury worries and irrational selection pressures gnaw away at team confidence and performance... and it's no surprise players' morale collapses along with it. I mean, look at Australia during their lean years. One bad thing led to another and they dug a rather big hole for themselves.

[alfie]

Oh dear...

That brief session was like watching a horror movie. (Unless you are an Aussie fan of course !) If you thought the MCG second innings was bad - this was worse.

Have to say the bowling was excellent , from all four of them. And the pitch is doing a bit more each day - Cummins certainly made the right call at the toss. But the England bats look as if they no longer have any idea as to what to do : Crawley played some nice shots ; but he was reprieved twice in making 18 , and ended up becalmed for some time before he played all round one. The rest have been paralysed at the crease until getting out... Eight maidens in a row ??? Clearly whatever they might say between games , their heads are gone.

Ridiculous though it may seem , there must be a strong chance they'll be following on well before tea - and conceivably bowled out twice in the day. Goose is surely correct they really aren't this bad ; but right now , they are.

Boland is a good bowler. But he's being made to look like a combination of McGrath Hadlee and Waqar...

[alfie]

Funny game , this. Second session sees Stokes and Bairstow with a partnership currently at 99...

Wasn't easy : Stokes survived a sharp c&b chance to Cummins and being "bowled" only with the bails not falling in a bizarre incident. Even more weird Paul Reiffel gave him out lbw ! Must have thought he had a wooden leg if he was going by the sound

Stokes gone on to a fighting 50 and at least these two have put up a fight. But at 135/4 we know one might bring - two ? Or five or six with this tail. Something to watch at least : more of the same would be nice but in this series one never gets too hopeful...

[alfie]

And of course all good things must come to an end...just after the two gingers had been taking Lyon to the cleaners (two sixes , 51 off 7.5 overs) he skids one through and traps Stokes lbw...

Top effort , in some pain : 66 and out. 164/5 and Australia will be at their throats again now ...

[alfie]

Bad luck still haunts England...lifter from Cummins hits YJB on the thumb and flies over slips . He looks in some pain but the physio has brought the painkillers.
Going to bat on but it won't be easy...which is a huge pity as he's been playing really well for his 61. They do breed them tough in Yorkshire...

[Sponsored content]