The Ashes - August/September 2019

[Berts Certs]

Was looking good and then....wtf!!

Good trade if you layed England when short odds.

I did, not because I expected England to bat poorly, the odds were 1.3 for England, which is plainly wrong and represented great value.

[wearthefoxhat]

I knew England should have batted first!

They might have made 27 yesterday!

Yes, quite possibly. I can understand the overcast conditions, extra swing early on, therefore field first, but one of the key factors IMO is that it would of at least kept our bowlers fresher for longer. Not having Steve Smith coming into bat was probably also another decision factor too.

[superfrank]

I'd be surprised if England get 150.

[Archangel]

Jason Roy seems pointless to me.

[greenmark]

Jason Roy seems pointless to me.

Yep. Why perservere with someone that can't execute his own attacking style of play or adapt to stay in and soak up the pressure. Isn't that an openers primary role.
Good to see England are still batting after my 2 hour walk. Was totally expecting to see a heated disection of what had gone wrong when I got back.

[superfrank]

I predicted we'd be done by now so pleasantly surprised to see we're still in with a chance (although I think it's slimmer than 3.35).

[JTEDL]

+1
maybe some value on Australia at 1.42....

[firlandsfarm]

We (England) have forgotten how to bat in a Test Match and the Selectors can't see the difference between a white ball batter and a red ball one. I'm not going to name names, if you are a gricket fan you will know who. The big difference is that in white ball cricket runs are more important than your wicket but in red ball your wicket is more important than the runs. If England are not bowled out by tomorrow evening they will win this game. No matter how defensive they play they will score the runs required ... it was only 1.25 runs per over at the start of play this morning (and that's assuming only 80 over days!). There is no need to attack the bowling. There is no need to play aggressive strokes. Just simple basic batting will protect your wicket and get you the runs. If the batter says "it's best that I play my natural game" then they are not suited to Test Match cricket and someone else should be selected.

If they can stay in the runs required will fall and no matter how slowly they are falling the Aussie nerves will grow exponentionally so long as wickets are not lost.

[Berts Certs]

We (England) have forgotten how to bat in a Test Match and the Selectors can't see the difference between a white ball batter and a red ball one. I'm not going to name names, if you are a gricket fan you will know who. The big difference is that in white ball cricket runs are more important than your wicket but in red ball your wicket is more important than the runs. If England are not bowled out by tomorrow evening they will win this game. No matter how defensive they play they will score the runs required ... it was only 1.25 runs per over at the start of play this morning (and that's assuming only 80 over days!). There is no need to attack the bowling. There is no need to play aggressive strokes. Just simple basic batting will protect your wicket and get you the runs. If the batter says "it's best that I play my natural game" then they are not suited to Test Match cricket and someone else should be selected.

If they can stay in the runs required will fall and no matter how slowly they are falling the Aussie nerves will grow exponentionally so long as wickets are not lost.

The trick is finding players who's natural game is batting in a test cricket style, sadly we don't have many.

[greenmark]

Better from England. But Bairstow/Stokes approaching their test averages.
A test indeed.

[superfrank]

A fabulous morning and a great atmosphere inside the ground. Keep it going.

[firlandsfarm]

The trick is finding players who's natural game is batting in a test cricket style, sadly we don't have many.

Agreed ... but it’s the attitude as much as the skill. When you need just 100 from something like 140 overs why expose yourselves to a run out? You are creating an unforced risk!

[firlandsfarm]

Another dismissal of someone who thought we had to finish it quickly! Send them back to school.

[greenmark]

20 more without loss and it could get interesting.

[greenmark]

Oh Jofra! An entire session to go. What are you thinking!?