The Ashes Tour 2013

[BookMan]

I still don't think Clarke would enforce the follow on. Apart from fatigue for the bowlers, cannot imagine

our guys chasing down 200 on a last day against Swann and Co.

Prior and Broad in as well so no easy task to wrap up the innings.

Also looks like rain will play a part.

Hopefully can knock them over and have a lead of 150 plus. Then try and get 300 in front.

I cant see much advantage in the Aussies batting again.

Bowlers will be well rested overnight. ..of course they still have to take 3 wickets for 30ish before they can even have the option of enforcing a follow on. England could hold out for an entire session in reality

The way I see it, the advantages for batting again: we won't have to chase on the last day on a wearing pitch. We can dictate the pace

of the game and set a target. The bowlers have been out there for nearly a day and a half. Harris is injury prone. If we roll them early,

we can have a bat with not a lot of pressure on and give the bowlers a rest. It's made for a possible Warner onslaught, maybe even promote him up the order.

Anyway, I guess we'll find out soon enough

The problem I see it is we dont have a top class spinner. England have Swann and we have Lyon. We need a lot of time to bowl them out

[Will27]

I still don't think Clarke would enforce the follow on. Apart from fatigue for the bowlers, cannot imagine

our guys chasing down 200 on a last day against Swann and Co.

Prior and Broad in as well so no easy task to wrap up the innings.

Also looks like rain will play a part.

Hopefully can knock them over and have a lead of 150 plus. Then try and get 300 in front.

I cant see much advantage in the Aussies batting again.

Bowlers will be well rested overnight. ..of course they still have to take 3 wickets for 30ish before they can even have the option of enforcing a follow on. England could hold out for an entire session in reality

The way I see it, the advantages for batting again: we won't have to chase on the last day on a wearing pitch. We can dictate the pace

of the game and set a target. The bowlers have been out there for nearly a day and a half. Harris is injury prone. If we roll them early,

we can have a bat with not a lot of pressure on and give the bowlers a rest. It's made for a possible Warner onslaught, maybe even promote him up the order.

Anyway, I guess we'll find out soon enough

The problem I see it is we dont have a top class spinner. England have Swann and we have Lyon. We need a lot of time to bowl them out

Agree with you about Lyon. He really needs to step up now. Hasn't taken a wicket yet and Swann took 5.

He really needs to make a statement on a wearing pitch.

[BookMan]

Agree with you about Lyon. He really needs to step up now. Hasn't taken a wicket yet and Swann took 5.

He really needs to make a statement on a wearing pitch.

His first overs looked pretty good...a chance dropping short of Clarke.

Just one of his problems is he cannot maintain the pressure on the batsmen. Warnie used to relish a batsman going over the top...when it starts to happen to Lyon it just keeps happening

[Bangkokhatter]

Test cricket can seem unfair sometimes, we win 1 session out of 9 and effectively do enough to draw the match and retain the Ashes.The combination of rain and an Aussie bowling attack that won't bowl us out quickly enough makes the follow-on decision mute. Clarke should still enforce it given the chance as the bowlers should still be fresh and its their best chance of a victory.

Good to see the Aussies fighting back though as it makes far better viewing and the next series down under should be a cracker.

[smokie36]

Even if England get bowled early I can't see them failing to get the 30 odd runs.

A quick 200 eh? Might not be so easy on this pitch now and with a doubly determined English attack....we shall see.

I just hope rain doesn't spoil this match....its going to be a race to the line for Australia I think!

[7by7]

The 40 odd runs KP scored after he was out certainly haven't helped Australia's cause!

The replay showed that the ball would have hit the top of leg, enough to have the not out decision overturned, and the different looks on his and Clarke's faces after Lehmann came out onto the Aussie balcony and raised his finger were a picture.

Whatever the controversies over the DRS in this series so far, people must admit that Clarke's use of it has been abysmal.

England should get the 34 runs they need to avoid the follow on, and then the result will, unfortunately, be up to the weather more than the performance of either team.

I am English, but I am also a cricket lover and would prefer an Aussie victory to a rain effected draw.

Edited August 4, 2013 by 7by7

[StreetCowboy]

So will Australia race through their second innings to get enough time to have a decent go at England again? Or will they play sensible cricket and accept that a draw is the most likely outcome?

I guess England will not be going for the win, so their bowlers won't be racing through the overs...

SC

[BookMan]

The 40 odd runs KP scored after he was out certainly haven't helped Australia's cause!

The replay showed that the ball would have hit the top of leg, enough to have the not out decision overturned, and the different looks on his and Clarke's faces after Lehmann came out onto the Aussie balcony and raised his finger were a picture.

Whatever the controversies over the DRS in this series so far, people must admit that Clarke's use of it has been abysmal.

England should get the 34 runs they need to avoid the follow on, and then the result will, unfortunately, be up to the weather more than the performance of either team.

I am English, but I am also a cricket lover and would prefer an Aussie victory to a rain effected draw.

I don't know why they didn't call for the review on the KP one. I think Watson has called too many bad ones and didn't want to push it. Clarke though should have called for it. Clarke should have stopped Warner calling for the one the other day (and it looked like he did try to)

To be fair, Cook didn't call the caught behind for Bresnan, but he might not have wanted to waste a review on his batting.

The Australians don't seem to have had a proper process for calling for the review, which seems astounding at this level of cricket.

[BookMan]

Even if England get bowled early I can't see them failing to get the 30 odd runs.

A quick 200 eh? Might not be so easy on this pitch now and with a doubly determined English attack....we shall see.

I just hope rain doesn't spoil this match....its going to be a race to the line for Australia I think!

Not many to get but pressure is a funny thing

[Basil B]

I still don't think Clarke would enforce the follow on. Apart from fatigue for the bowlers, cannot imagine

our guys chasing down 200 on a last day against Swann and Co.

Prior and Broad in as well so no easy task to wrap up the innings.

Also looks like rain will play a part.

Hopefully can knock them over and have a lead of 150 plus. Then try and get 300 in front.

I cant see much advantage in the Aussies batting again.

Bowlers will be well rested overnight. ..of course they still have to take 3 wickets for 30ish before they can even have the option of enforcing a follow on. England could hold out for an entire session in reality

I just can not see the point of the Aussies turning up at all getting out of bed except to stop the match being awarded to England.

Seems this match was almost certainly decided in the first two days, Australia could be lucky and bowl england out in 5 or 6 overs and only a few more runs, but the England could still be there mid afternoon, then surely there would be no turturice follow on.

Assuming Australia do not get the follow on and it is lunchtime when they finish of the tail enders, then what try get 250 run lead and declare hoping for miracle?

Edited August 4, 2013 by Basil B

[Basil B]

Whoops, again another double post, sorry.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Basil B

[BookMan]

I wonder if Swann and team felt the same way recently about their team mate? This article from 2012

Swann in 'cheat' blast at Sri Lankan batsman Perera after heated tour opener

Graeme Swann has launched an attack on cricket's cheats after England's first tour match threatened to boil over in the extreme heat and humidity of the Sri Lankan capital.

England's innings and 15-run victory over a Sri Lankan Board XI exploded on Saturday when Dilruwan Perera appeared to offer a routine catch to Andrew Strauss at slip off Jimmy Anderson but refused to walk. With the umpire unsighted and unable to confirm that the catch had carried, he was given not out.

That sparked angry scenes at the Premadasa Stadium with several England players telling Perera exactly what they thought of him, including an outraged Swann who resumed his assault not just on Perera but on cricket's 'cheating culture'.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2116812/Graeme-Swann-blast-Sri-Lankan-cheat.html

[Basil B]

Not much chance of a win left...

WEATHER FORECAST

BBC Weather's Darren Bett: "The weather's going to spoil things. We may get an hour's play before lunch but the rain is coming from Wales and, once it starts, we could be off for the whole of the afternoon session. The rain should move to the north and we should get some play after tea. But on Monday the rain may not clear until after tea." from TMS

[theblether]

338-8 with Broad out.

If Australia can get England out before lunch, this match is still on. ( subject to weather ).

[Bangkokhatter]

Will be a shame if the weather decides the outcome. Good batting from England this morning, the longer we stay, in the less time Australia have to set a total.

D'oh, posted just as another wicket goes down

Edited August 4, 2013 by Bangkokhatter

[theblether]

Yup......I think it's game on. Again taking weather out of it, if Oz can get a full afternoon session out of it and build a lead of 350, they could torture the life out of the England openers before close.

Interesting game.

[smokie36]

Yup......I think it's game on. Again taking weather out of it, if Oz can get a full afternoon session out of it and build a lead of 350, they could torture the life out of the England openers before close.

Interesting game.

It is...let's hope no rain....I would love to see the Aussies really give it a go this afternoon!

[Bangkokhatter]

So how many do you think Clarke will set England ? 300 should be enough but maybe too many for England to bother chasing.

[GrantSmith]

Seems Clarke's intentions have been made clear with Warner opening...

[theblether]

I reckon 350 for safeties sake, that's well within their capabilities if they flash the bat. They need England back in to bat this evening though, to try and get some pressure on them.

If they leave England chasing 300 in 4 sessions they're asking for it. England can charge on knowing that they still have a lead in the series.

[BookMan]

Seems Clarke's intentions have been made clear with Warner opening...

Quick runs r the order of the day

[BookMan]

So how many do you think Clarke will set England ? 300 should be enough but maybe too many for England to bother chasing.

An hour before close of play I reckon

[uptheos]

One day shot.....maybe the Aussies will be on the back foot?

[Bangkokhatter]

I agree they will want to have a bowl at England after tea. Another possibility is we bowl the Aussies out cheaply and have a getable total to win the game

[BookMan]

One day shot.....maybe the Aussies will be on the back foot?

Should have gone in with Watson and Warner opening

[theblether]

I can't see Australia failing to get a lead of 350 but a couple of early wickets by England could knock the heart out of them.

This is why I love test cricket, we just don't know what's going to happen.......and to think people say cricket is boring

[uptheos]

I can't see Australia failing to get a lead of 350 but a couple of early wickets by England could knock the heart out of them.

This is why I love test cricket, we just don't know what's going to happen.......and to think people say cricket is boring

With our bowling, anything is possible.........will the Aussies take the money or open the box?

[Bangkokhatter]

Excellent interview on TMS with Aggers and Gary Neville during the lunch break.

[7by7]

Jonathan Agnew, BBC Test Match Special
"The producer has just told me it's not the first time that a hook from Warner has been caught by Root."

I agree that Australia should declare sometime after tea, and hope for a couple of wickets tonight and the weather gives them enough time to bowl England out tomorrow.

But Clarke should leave England a reachable target, otherwise they will just block until the rain comes.

[stoneyboy]

Lovely bowling there,was needed.