England's Summer of Cricket 2023, Featuring The Ashes

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50 up for Mo at an absolutely vital moment.   

A fortuitous way to get there with Cummins not picking it up. It frankly looked like he wasn't moving well chasing back for it either.

Starc back on which I think slows how key a period the Aussies know this is. He's looked their best bowler today.

Well we are starting on time at least. Bit of a sighter for Stokes and Brooks? Will Australia risk Starc

On time start ! Hazlewood to kick things off...

GSC wrote:Well we are starting on time at least. Bit of a sighter for Stokes and Brooks? Will Australia risk Starc

Suggestions are he hasn't had to go for a scan which presumably means he's pulled up OK. Whether they risk him is another question. There's at least one sub fielder out there already...

GSC wrote:Aye, I think Cummins in particular looked pretty frazzled yesterday, ended up over bowling himself trying for a breakthrough and in general Australia just followed the ball in the field.  

The frustration from an Australian perspective will have been the apparent prioritisation of taking wickets ahead of restricting the run rate. It just seemed arse-backwards to me. They must have known that England's hopes of a result lay in scoring quickly.

Starc first up then.

Stokes doesn't seem in the mood to hang around

Well Carey with a bit of a Bairstow misses running out Stokes.

Don't think England plan on batting past lunch somehow

I'd like to think we get to 500 before declaring

Not sure about some of these attempted runs with an injured Stokes at the crease. Don't need to give it away

Brook seems to be content on batting himself into form rather than hitting out. He does not look that comfortable out there.

I think Brook has shown intent but found the fielder a few times. With his striking he's only ever a flurry of boundaries from suddenly being a run a ball again!

Lovely couple of fours as I type that.

And another. 12 from the Starc over and the lead over 100.

If England start going full T20 mode then Starc should be their best bet to stop the flow of runs.

Well, I was wrong about Brook there...

Starc and Hazlewood for 3 overs each with the old ball, now Green and Cummins with the new ball due next over?

Odd decision not to take the new ball.

Some more variable bounce there

The new ball can just fly off the bat quicker in these situations to be fair. There's the argument that England would take scoring a bit quicker at the expense of a couple of wickets, whilst getting a look at whether the new ball is swinging or bouncing unevenly prior to a declaration.

Short ball theory from Green is keeping them to singles at the moment.

50 for the captain, some brutal strokes this morning. Lead 119, just over an hour until lunch. Might be time for the fireworks

eirebilly_01 wrote:Odd decision not to take the new ball.

I think they just want to limit the scoring, newer ball will come off the bat quicker, Australia know they want to slow England down to force them into mistakes and they clearly don't think they can bowl England out this morning.

The West Indies in a recent test against India took 100 overs before they grasped the second new ball, in an effort to check the opposition's run rate. Similar thing here

Pretty selfish of everyone sneaking off onto a new thread without telling me.

Cummins has tied up Stokes a bit and gets him going for a heave. Last batsmen now

GSC wrote:Cummins has tied up Stokes a bit and gets him going for a heave. Last batsmen now

Yes and no, I'd imagine they'll at the very least allow Broad in for a quick slog!

I've seen Wood bat, he's definitely getting at least an over

50 now for Brook. Number of 50s in this match suggests it's not that easy to get batsmen out unfortunately...

Get what Australia are doing this morning but it does seem a little bit overly negative. Chance this morning to get themselves back into the game with the new ball but they seem pretty happy to just let England bat to a declaration then wait for rain.

Rain.

Time to swing big now for me. Get the lead up to 200 ASAP and have a bowl.

New ball taken too.
150 would've been my minimum, wouldn't want to batting long after lunch so let's see

Shape and carry for Starc with the new ball. That's what England want to see.

That's the first time Australia have taken a second new ball in the series!

king_carlos wrote:That's the first time Australia have taken a second new ball in the series!

Probably because we've usually either been all out or declared inside 80 overs

Harry Brook is adept at finding the fielder with some of these shots

Very scratchy innings from Brook, but useful runs.

Surely the rest are just going to swing for 20 minutes now

Hazlewood on a hat trick...

I’d actually keep batting for a half hour or so after lunch (Guildford’s never declare during a break motto ringing in my ears) - if they’re not bowled out in the meantime of course.
Try get that lead over 200

They don't seem in a hurry so maybe.

New ball doing a fair bit. Strange tactics from Australia really

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:I’d actually keep batting for a half hour or so after lunch (Guildford’s never declare during a break motto ringing in my ears) - if they’re not bowled out in the meantime of course.
Try get that lead over 200

I think they're banking on getting play on Sunday so thinking bat once and bat big.

Obviously it's a risk with the forecast but double guessing the British weather can be a mugs game.

I'd have probably gone all guns blazing with the lead at 150, rolled the dice on quick runs but risked a smaller lead. It's a 6 of one half a dozen of the other situation though.

I can't honesty argue this is a bad strategy taken in a frustrating situation. Without the forecast England are just batting serenely for another day here to put overs in the Aussie bowlers.

It's very typical of this series that the first time one side has got well ahead in a Test that something else has contrived to keep the tension!

I'd be surprised if they don't declare now, lead of 189.

Weird session. England have added near 130 without really getting out of (bazball) second gear. Australia had given up trying to win before a ball was bowled.

189 but just Broad and Anderson left with Bairstow. Maybe an over or two after lunch?

122 in the session and there's a sense they could have got on with it more. How expectations change! Bring back Cook and Trott to add a solid 50 partnership

24 overs , 122/4. Good cricket session. Lead of 189 ; with eight down I guess just a quick thrash after lunch so Warner and Khawaja have to hurry off and pad up ?

Thought Australia bowled much better today : England probably did as well as they could given bowling quality and field placings.

Still a good pitch. Bowling Australia out again won't be easy. Really going to need some Sunday play...but that is getting too far ahead .

Back in half an hour

I wouldn't bother getting Jimmy to pad up but maybe a few more swings? Given up predicting what Stokes will do honestly

First time England have made 500 in a home Ashes test since 1985. Great Scott!

But in the context of the match going along at 5 an over is boosting chances of a draw.

Forecast from the Met Office has actually got worse for Sunday since I last looked at it. 60% chance of precipitation for 10:00, 40% for the rest of the day (BBC at 70%).

Also worth noting that due to slow over rates the game is 21 overs behind where it should be. England may have already declared by now and had 10-15 overs at Australia, if correct over rates were properly enforced.

That is surprising, I'd have been convinced without looking it up that they made 500 when Hussain and Thorpe had that huge partnership at Edgaston in 1997. Even Mark Ealham whacked a few I seem to remember!

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:I’d actually keep batting for a half hour or so after lunch (Guildford’s never declare during a break motto ringing in my ears) - if they’re not bowled out in the meantime of course.
Try get that lead over 200

(Boarding plane in Croatia for home.)
Don’t give their openers time to prepare - Alec Stewart.
P1ss them off - Gareth Batty.

VTR wrote:That is surprising, I'd have been convinced without looking it up that they made 500 when Hussain and Thorpe had that huge partnership at Edgaston in 1997. Even Mark Ealham whacked a few I seem to remember!

That is indeed the closest to 500 in that time frame (or second closest now), with 478/9 declared. Ealham and Devon Malcolm could have got England to 500 without that declaration!

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;home_or_away=1;opposition=2;spanmin2=01+jan+1986;spanval2=span;team=1;template=results;type=team;view=innings

Such is the fearful aura of Bazbabling when it gets going that the opposition gets content with not going at more than 4RPO ...instead of actively trying to take wickets.

And in no time has Eng gotten to 500+ which in itself is a gigantic score and 150 runs above par.
Pathetic from Aus, they have collapsed mentally....and don't deserve to get out of this with a draw.
But there has been no rain that people on this forum have been forecasting forever.

Nevertheless I am sure Eng will be bowling first thing after lunch & Aus would do well to bat positively, instead of hoping for rain and seeing off for a draw

KP_fan wrote:Such is the fearful aura of Bazbabling when it gets going that the opposition gets content with not going at more than 4RPO ...instead of actively trying to take wickets.

And in no time has Eng gotten to 500+ which in itself is a gigantic score and 150 runs above par.
Pathetic from Aus, they have collapsed mentally....and  don't deserve to get out of this with a draw.
But there has been no rain that people on this forum have been forecasting forever.

Nevertheless I am sure Eng will be bowling first thing after lunch & Aus would do well to bat positively, instead of hoping for rain and seeing off for a draw

That's because it's forecast for tomorrow.

Was expected a bit first thing but it largely blew past. Was a small amount in the middle of the session but never enough to go off

Will indeed be interesting to see what approach Australia take when batting again : suspect depends a lot on warner as he's the one in the top four really inclined to be positive from the off. If he comes out early , could be a bit of stonewalling for a while.

Doesn't look like England are inclined to bowl yet