The 2017-18 Ashes

[Mibbes Aye]

Good reward again for Cummins. Great knock by Curran though, and he will learn so much from that dismissal and his innings generally. Definitely looks like being a big part of England's future, albeit he will be judged by his bowling more than his batting!

[Mibbes Aye]

And a rather ignominious end to England's innings with a run-out borne of shoddy decision-making.

England have possibly batted better than one would have thought, at the start of play - in football parlance they probably exceeded their 'expected goals'

Nevertheless, it's looking like a batsman's wicket and Australia have some batsmen.

[Mibbes Aye]

Great delivery by Broad for Bancroft's wicket. It also highlighted the inexperience of the Australian. Broad is just one off his four hundred now. That takes some doing and it's a great achievement.

On social media there are already calls for Bancroft to be replaced, ahead of the SAF tour. It's interesting - he's had a tough experience, playing Tests against some of the best seamers going just now and he hasn't really shown that well. By the same token he hasn't done badly and a lot of great players started slowly.

With some shuffling of the order, he has Matt Renshaw, Joe Burns, Daniel Hughes and probably a couple of others pushing for a space. It's only Warner and Smith who can confidently pack their passports, from the Aussie top six.

[Mibbes Aye]

It's an oft-repeated theme but how dodgy is Khawaja and his off-stump?

Is he trying to over-compensate, avoiding a LBW?

[Mibbes Aye]

First over for the England tyro Mason Crane and nothing to be ashamed about from that.

Australia picking up the run rate on a good pitch with a softening ball though, England need to beware.

[Mibbes Aye]

Huge wicket for England - Warner had been steadily accumulating runs without ever lighting things up.

And now Steve Smith - talismanic for both sides.

[Mibbes Aye]

I'll give credit to Usman Khawaja. I've criticised him from the outset on the basis that I don't think he's good enough for the side and certainly not good enough at first in.

He's put together a scratchy innings so far though, and made a good half-century.

For the South African tour, if he's picked, it's begging for him to drop to four and Smith to move up to three. It could catapult both of them in different ways.

[Mibbes Aye]

Steve Smith hits his 6000th run in Test cricket. Celebrations ensue.

For some reason, I'm not sure why, but 6000 runs is considered a milestone in cricket in a way that makes 5000 and 7000 not such a big deal. I've never understood why.......

I'm prepared to accept it though, because it's cricket, and cricket is beautiful

[Mibbes Aye]

Nice stroke from Khawaja to take him to 84.

I've been his sternest critic but he's batted well.

But as I've probably bored everyone already, he bats well on safe Australian grounds.

Hope he scores well, for him, but he is never going to convince me that he is Australia's number three. Smith has to move up.

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And a rather ignominious end to England's innings with a run-out borne of shoddy decision-making.

England have possibly batted better than one would have thought, at the start of play - in football parlance they probably exceeded their 'expected goals'

Nevertheless, it's looking like a batsman's wicket and Australia have some batsmen.

I don't think there was a run there, but Crane didn't have the experience to tell Anderson 'no'. He just might have got home if he had gone for it without hesitation, but Anderson's been around long enough to know better, IMO. Too harsh? The damage was done farther up the order - too many senior/'proper' batsmen not delivering runs.

I'm not impressed by Bairstow's decision to go in ahead of the nightwatchman. Someone had obviously decided a nightwatchman was required, and had told Crane to pad up and be ready to go in. Bairstow unilaterally decides to overrule this - why?

England need an early breakthrough tomorrow or this could (will?) get away from them. Very impressed with Curran.

[Zazu62]

South Africa vs India series just started on Sky. Should be a cracker. 13 wickets on the first day

[Mibbes Aye]

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I don't think there was a run there, but Crane didn't have the experience to tell Anderson 'no'. He just might have got home if he had gone for it without hesitation, but Anderson's been around long enough to know better, IMO. Too harsh? The damage was done farther up the order - too many senior/'proper' batsmen not delivering runs.

I'm not impressed by Bairstow's decision to go in ahead of the nightwatchman. Someone had obviously decided a nightwatchman was required, and had told Crane to pad up and be ready to go in. Bairstow unilaterally decides to overrule this - why?

England need an early breakthrough tomorrow or this could (will?) get away from them. Very impressed with Curran.

I think you're right about Crane, it takes a lot of chutzpah to assert yourself in a situation like that. And yes, too many in the upper order playing themselves in then failing, but credit to the Australian pace trio and indeed Tim Paine.

Re the nightwatchman, it looked crazy. The TV coverage showed both of them set to go. It's really difficult to understand why Crane didn't walk out. I know when Steve Waugh was the Aussie skipper he went through a phase of not playing a nightwatchman but that was at the very height of Australian dominance and it was pretty much a psychological tool to remind the opposition that they were playing a side who were supremely confident in their own abilities.

Pleased for Tom Curran. If he can bowl reasonably well tonight/tomorrow then he will go to NZ and likely feature in the summer and conceivably could be around for many years to come. It's nice to see young players showing their worth.

[Mibbes Aye]

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South Africa vs India series just started on Sky. Should be a cracker. 13 wickets on the first day

Just been watching the highlights from Cape Town and it looks like a great match. I really like Quinton de Kock, he is a very exciting and very gifted batsman and he played some lovely shots in the SAF first innings.

Good to see Dale Steyn back too, he's had a terrible time with injury.

2018 is shaping up to be a great year for Test cricket. India are in South Africa before going to England and then seeing the year out in Australia. The Australians will visit South Africa as well. England face New Zealand away, then Pakistan and India at home. Chuck in what should be a fascinating Sri Lankan tour in Bangladesh, plus Pakistan playing Ireland and the job's a good 'un.

[lord bunberry]

I really enjoy watching Smith bat. It’s such an unorthodox style, but so effective. I wonder what coaches said to him as a youngster.

[lord bunberry]

Just listening to the commentary there and they’re saying that England don’t have a full time spin coach. In the modern game that’s criminal.

[lord bunberry]

Love the pink in this test match. Such a great cause.

[Mibbes Aye]

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I really enjoy watching Smith bat. It’s such an unorthodox style, but so effective. I wonder what coaches said to him as a youngster.

I think he adapted his style later on in his career.

It certainly has worked.

[Mibbes Aye]

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Love the pink in this test match. Such a great cause.

Glenn and the folk behind him have made it an institution. Like you say, great cause and it's undoubtedly raised awareness, albeit for tragic reasons.

[Mibbes Aye]

Steady start by Australia. Smith is a joy to watch at bat, as Lord Bunberry pointed out.

Khawaja isn't a cricketer I like but he's done well and worked for his century.

Australia just need to pile on the runs, regardless of individual scores, and ask questions of England in their third innings.

[lord bunberry]

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I think he adapted his style later on in his career.

It certainly has worked.

I think you’re correct there. He came into the team as a spin bowler.

[Mibbes Aye]

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I think you’re correct there. He came into the team as a spin bowler.

You're right, he did. I vaguely remember his debut.

Fast forward and suddenly he's one of the top four batsmen in the world and then the top batsman in the world.

It's sort of why I love cricket. It doesn't make sense like football does, but makes sense like cricket does.

And cricket sense is complicated and subtle and would take an age to explain to someone new to the game but by God, it's wondrous and beautiful!

I love football but I feel sorry for people who don't love cricket.

[Mibbes Aye]

At the risk of tempting fate, good, patient batting by Khawaja and Smith.

[Mibbes Aye]

And that's a lovely shot by Khawaja for four. Great timing and a great dispatch.

[Mibbes Aye]

........waits for Smith to get his century.......

.......waits for Smith to get his double century.......

[Mibbes Aye]

Cracking catch of his own bowling by Moeen!...

That's got to do wonders for his confidence.

[Mibbes Aye]

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........waits for Smith to get his century.......

.......waits for Smith to get his double century.......

Got that one a bit wrong

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Cracking catch of his own bowling by Moeen!...

That's got to do wonders for his confidence.

Terrific delivery, terrific catch.

Crane very unlucky - bang-on lbw, no ball by a whisker.

[Mibbes Aye]

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Terrific delivery, terrific catch.

Crane very unlucky - bang-on lbw, no ball by a whisker.

The beauty of cricket - it's so nuanced and subtle.

[Mibbes Aye]

Good third day for Australia, no doubt about that. Credit to England, they didn't give up and worked hard but couldn't make a breakthrough (or when they did they were no-balled ).

There's something nice about the Marsh brothers making a hundred stand together - I think that's their first at Test level.

I like Mitchell Marsh a lot. His figures are that of a jobbing all-rounder, though his batting average will be better as a consequence of this innings, but he just seems to have a natural pleasure in finding himself on the pitch and playing the game.

Day four prediction - Australia to see off the impending new ball, then swashbuckle with the bat and either get out or set up a declaration, probably a few overs before tea or halfway through the evening session.

[Mibbes Aye]

Watched the highlights of the second day at Newlands, South Africa vs India earlier. I think it's fair to say it's an entertaining game. As with the first day, we saw both sides bat.

For South Africa, Quinton de Kock showed well with the gloves, to add to his undoubted talent with the bat. Kagiso Rabada is a very exciting young bowler and I look forward to watching his career develop.

For India it was a great knock by Hardik Pandya. He is very, very early on in his Test career, to the extent that he's not even played in India yet at Test level (tour of Sri Lanka and now South Africa) but he is averaging just under 60 with the bat and under 24 with the ball. I'll be astonished if he has those figures by the end of 2018 but he's certainly one to watch. I've got tickets for days 2 and 3 of the Edgbaston Test this summer so hopefully will see him in the flesh.

Really sorry that Dale Steyn has been ruled out for the series, he's only just back from a bad injury.