This is an Old School Test Match. Aussies win toss, bat first, score a load of runs while England have to field for over 5 sessions. Bowlers then well up for it as they have been sat around for almost 2 days. Opening batsmen have a 10 minute turnaround to adapt from fielding to batting, concentration poor, bowlers steaming in, almost inevitable what happens next. Second days play ends with England on 85 for 4. Which is a massive improvement as they were 30 for 4.

Cook and Stokes will have to bat for most of tomorrow if England are going to get anything from this Test. 85 for 4 not totally unexpected as in the last 7 Tests England’s highest score, for the loss of 3 wickets, has been 52. So England batting slightly below par so far.

End of day 3 and it’s the Aussies Test to lose. It will take either a spectacular England batting performance or divine intervention for England to get anything from this. Lythe, Ballance and Bell will have to really pull their fingers out Second Innings, no matter what the result is, otherwise questions will start to be asked about their long term involvement in the England set up.

absorbing to watch , Aussies are not putting a foot wrong ,, only the weather can screw it for them ,,, main England top order batsmen need a kick up the arse ,,,,,we also need another real devious spinner ??????

Plenty of devious spinners on Soi Bobby Moore

Absolute unacceptable performance by England. The wicket was described throughout as being flat and lifeless yet England manage to get bowled out twice losing a total of 20 wickets for 415 runs. I can just about accept the bowlers struggling, given the wicket, but the batting overall was abysmal. First innings 30 for 4. Second innings all of the front line batsmen gone and its 64 for 7. Fuck me the tailenders outperformed the recognised batsmen with Broad top scoring with 25 so batting could not have been that difficult.

For the next Test I would persevere with Lythe opening, drop Ballance and tell Bell he has to weigh in heavily at Edgbaston or his England career is over. Move Root to 3 and bring Taylor into the side.

Bite the bullet and bring back KP




:yay:

KP ??? thats a brand of snacks ain t it ?????anyway KP aint a No1 or 2 Man he aint got the patience brilliant at 3 or 4 and he can bowl a few spinners too.

Read this in the paper today - A tweet from KP:

Deep in thought right now ... Ridiculous that I'm lying on a beach when I should be prepping for the 3rd test! So silly really! Sad

Sounds like he is working his arse off keeping fit just in case the unthinkable happens and he gets recalled to the Test side




dancing

Have your press suddenly realised that cricket exists again ?:bravo: