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Not quite halfway though the second day of the Third Test and the Australians are one good innings away from retaining the Ashes and potentially winning the series.
That’s probably jinxed it but for all England’s cameos of brilliance the Australians have dominated.
England ended up getting a bit closer than I was expecting.Quote:
Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY
Canberra Raiders 😄
https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...-to-alex-carey
Tricky little session for England to negotiatie here before the close of play
England's women's team get over the line in a rain affected game to claim the T20 series 2-1 in the women's ashes to their hopes alive of winning the ashes . First series loss for Oz since 2017
Hard to see even England blowing this today. Feels as though the Aussies have thrown this test away with some poor batting.
Think they might just haveQuote:
Originally Posted by He's here!
The guy in the Scarecrow outfit 😂😂
Not hard to see them blowing it now!Quote:
Originally Posted by He's here!
Getting harder again. Surprised the Aussies didn’t really go all in with the short stuff when Woakes came in?
Series alive. Another brilliant test.
Fantastic stuff. Can't wait for the 19th.
Sent from my SM-S901B using Tapatalk
I think I need to stop making predictions! 😊Quote:
Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY
Who says Test Match Cricket is boring ,give a test match every time over the hit and giggle of pyjama cricket , this series has been great , so many twists and turns.
Not the ashes but watching a bit of WI v India just now. Almost all over and it's only day 3.
WI 'prepare' a pitch that is turning square and which suits India perfectly. The big dude Cornwall now batting won't be running many singles that's for sure.
What an utter embarrassment WI are nowadays to test cricket.
And before we know it here comes the Fourth Test!
Both teams announced early, so no speculation there. Australia look like they are cognisant of the weather and are geared up to bat, bat and bat, by finding room for Marsh and Green, at the expense of the young spinner Todd Murphy. I don't think that's a reflection on Murphy - I think it is pragmatic, a win or a draw retains the Ashes, and thats easiest done by batting through. And while it would always be unusual not to find room for a spinner, at Old Trafford, I think Australia can throw down some useful off-spin from Head, with a bit of back-up from Smith and Labuschagne. The other factor is of course that the weather should allow for good resting opportunitites for Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc, with Green and March also able to deliver spells with the ball.
For England, no surprise that Anderson comes in for Robinson in the attack. The big gamble for them comes from elevating Moeen to number three. That's a contrivance to address the fact that they wrongly put Brook in at three before, and none of the 'seniors' want to bat at first drop. It's been a while since I've had a moan about Root but he doesn't have the excuse of the captaincy to avoid moving up the order.
Moeen isn't a Test number three (cue him scoring a double century now :greengrin) and although his Test record with the bat in Manchester is okay, he desn't score runs playing that high up the order. And I can't recall him facing an attack as potent as Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood in Manchester. And he's only ever got significant runs against Australia in the 2015 series, two half-centuries, batting at eight both times.
The weather looks like it will severely dent the chances of a victor in this match, with the latter three days likely to yield little action, if any. Given Old Trafford usually offers something for the bat, then my prediction is a draw. But, big but, if Australia can win the toss they will bat and that could give them the edge. But more likely the edge to avoid a defeat rather than the edge to seal a victory.
Anthing less than an English victory and Australia keeps the urn. An Australian victory and they win this series in itw own right, the first in a good while. And if England win I probably won't sleep until after the Fifth Test at the Oval, for a winner-takes-all MegaTest!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Bit of a stop start first day but overall the better day for England. Just as you thought that the Aussie batsmen were going to get on top along came the wickets. A great day for Woakes. Tomorrow is going to be very interesting although it sadly it looks as if the weekend weather could spoil things. Draw obviously not good enough for England.
Yeah, I think Australia have to be disappointed/England have to be relatively pleased. Enough Aussies made starts but none were able to capitalise - though interestingly, they weren't exactly slouching with a run rate of 3.6 an over. You're spot on about Woakes. Broad will get the headlines for his 600 (and in fairness it's a great, great chievement) but Woakes broke the long batting order that Australia picked. No wickets for Jimmy Anderson but he still bowled a lot of overs and bowled them with great economy.Quote:
Originally Posted by CentreForward
So, tomorrow brings the Australians back looking at 300 runs on the board plus any bonus runs they might add on. Then over to England who are betting the bank on delivering some sort of 'Bazball on steroids' and try to put Australia back in for a spell tomorrow.
I think a draw remains the likeliest, though both sides have a path to victory. England's, outlined above, feels more realistic. Australia's would involve doing over England cheaply. If I was Australia and chasing the win, I would have been tempted to game England a little, declare first thing and make the best of the early conditions. But Australia don't need to chase it, so I cant see that happening - although I'm sure it was a ploy used by Steve Waugh once or twice, in similar circumstances.
Anyways, the weather tomorrow looks set fair, so here's hoping for another great day of red-ball cricket!
Eng 61/1 at lunch, 256 behind. They've given themselves a sliver of hope. Get ahead today in good batting conditions, bowl the Aussies out cheaply tomorrow when the weather will probably favour the bowlers, hope they get enough breaks in the weather on Sunday to get any runs required. I think it's more likely they over-accelerate this afternoon, lose cheap wickets and the game will eventually peter out in the rain, but you never know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
50 for Moeen. England accelerating. So far positive but not too reckless. :hmmm:
119/1, 198 behind
Moeen out for 54 but has done his job as the stand in. Root hits first ball for 4. I think we can be pretty sure the game is not going to stagnate this afternoon!
Crawley century. The usual heart in mouth moments but England needed quick scoring and he's certainly delivered.
Tea, 239/2, now just 78 behind.
178 runs for just 1 wicket in that session!
That’s top darts, that is.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeMeSouviens
Crawley really has kicked on. You can also say that the short ball hasn’t really worked for the Australians and it has been a long day for them in very good batting conditions.
This last session feels momentous.
Eng take the lead! Will be 100+ ahead by the close at this rate. I think we might get a declaration first thing in the morning if it's overcast.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Sounds eminently reasonable. It will be a delicate balancing act for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeMeSouviens
Australia have really missed Nathan Lyon these last two Tests and this afternoon In particular.
As I type, Green has just snagged Crawley. Into those famous tailenders. Brook, Stokes, Bairstow…….
That wicket might be enough to make England bat a little longer tomorrow - the Met Office website will be on auto refresh in the England camp.
Root had little chance of keeping that one out, almost rolled along the deck.
The wickets have calmed everything down. Eng going to finish about 60 ahead. Weather forecast aside, they're well on top.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
That’s a great assessment there and we certainly got ‘Bazball on steroids today’. Brilliant innings by Crawley certainly puts England in a strong position. Wonder if Stokes will think about a declaration fairly early tomorrow or try and bat on.
It will be a fine balancing act knowing when to declare and I suspect we will only know the right call in hindsight. When it is all said and done England need ten Australian wickets and one more run than the Aussies, so England will have to give their bowlers the opportunity to do their bit. On that basis, an instant declaration might make sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by CentreForward
The latest weather news steers me towards England declaring very early. Saturday and Sunday now look to be complete wash-outs, and it looks likely to be a delayed start tomorrow with rain towards the end of the day. I think it is looking far more likely to be a draw now, so England's window to win will depend on bowling out the Aussies then chasing a target.