The Ashes Tour 2013

[7by7]

Phil Tufnell, Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Steve Smith has done the hard work and now his reward is Jonathan Trott trundling in. He's played nicely."

Sure enough, Smith hits Trott for 6 to bring up his 100.

[7by7]

Same over, Trott gets Haddin!

Maybe Cooke did make a shrewd tactical decisi0n after all.

385 for 6.

[StreetCowboy]

It;s worth six

[Chicog]

Jaysus what has Bumble been on!

[7by7]

Considering the hammering dished out today by the Aussies, I am surprised that no Australian members have posted their thoughts.

Must be something more important going on.

But what could be more important to an Aussie than sticking it to the Poms?

[7by7]

Strange declaration, again, from Clarke.

I could see him wanting to get stuck into the English openers tonight, but why not declare when Harris was out (to a superb c&b by Anderson)?

Having Lyon come in, not face a ball and then declare after just one more ball was bowled and one more run was scored seems fairly pointless to me. It wasn't even as if he decided declare at the end of the over; there was still a ball left.

I can only think that as Smith needed just 13 more to reach 150 Clarke had decided to declare when Smith reached that target, then changed his mind after Smith had scored just one of those 13.

But why?

Maybe he suddenly realised that Anderson could get a fivefer and for some reason wanted to deny him that?

Or perhaps he wanted to boost Smith's average by him having a not out?

Can't think of any other reason; there was still nearly an hour and a half of scheduled play left.

[David48]

Considering the hammering dished out today by the Aussies, I am surprised that no Australian members have posted their thoughts.

Must be something more important going on.

But what could be more important to an Aussie than sticking it to the Poms?

Probably the main reason is that we are mostly asleep ... considering the time difference.

I was watching it on the net ... but then lost all the visual feeds so resorted to the BBC but the lady wanted to sleep so that got turned off at 10.30pm (Thai time)

BTW ... we don't gloat. We expect our Team to perform to the best of their abilities.

It's also in our nature with Cricket, that we expect to win ... so when in a winning position we don't gloat ... just accept it as normal.

We like you Poms ... you're like the kid brother we like to beat ... but 'stick it up ya' ... nah ... not our style.

Oh ... where we might gloat a wee bit is in the Bledisloe Cup ... it's a sport that we have never dominated for an extended period. Both my neighbours in Australia are KIWIS and also is my best friend.

Should we grab that cup back (unexpectedly) ... there might be a bit if 'sticking it up ya' going on ...

[David48]

For those who missed the day two action, a small clip here ...

England reached 32-0 at stumps, trailing Australia by 460 on day two of the fifth test at the Oval.

Alastair Cook and Joe Root are the not out batsmen on 17 and 13 respectively, having batted through a tricky period after Australia declared on 492-9.

Earlier Steven Smith brought up his maiden test century with a six, smashing Jonathan Trott back over his head to reach the landmark before he finished on 138 not out, from 241 balls, a knock including two sixes and 16 fours.

[7by7]

Considering the hammering dished out today by the Aussies, I am surprised that no Australian members have posted their thoughts.

Must be something more important going on.

But what could be more important to an Aussie than sticking it to the Poms?

Probably the main reason is that we are mostly asleep ... considering the time difference.going on ...

Point taken; I had forgotten that the late start/finish would mean that you'd all be safely tucked up in bed!

[BookMan]

Aussies need a wicket this morning!

I didn't mind the declaration yesterday by Clarke, but we really needed a wicket in that last hour.

Good to see Smith and Watson getting decent centuries

[uptheos]

Unbelievably, I thought the test started today ...

Has been any play today yet?

Monday is a public holiday in the UK; so why the game started yesterday with a scheduled finish on Sunday is beyond me.

Maybe players and officials have a coach trip planned to the seaside for the holiday!

Is the Kursaal still going at Southend on Sea?

[7by7]

98.3 overs scheduled for today with play continuing to 19:00 BST if necessary to make up time lost yesterday. The .3 because they came off for bad light half way through an over last night.

Positive start by Cooke and Root this morning. A concern though that it has taken 9 innings before they have had their first 50 partnership of the series.

England want to win 4-0 in England for the first time ever. To do that they have to be positive and not repeat the negativity they showed in the field yesterday.

They have won the series, so have all to gain but nothing to lose.

[7by7]

I didn't mind the declaration yesterday by Clarke

What I don't understand is why he sent Lyon in for one ball before bringing them in.

Why not declare when Harris was out, or wait until Smith had scored the 13 he needed for his 150.

The way Smith was going that wouldn't have taken very long!

[BookMan]

I didn't mind the declaration yesterday by Clarke

What I don't understand is why he sent Lyon in for one ball before bringing them in.

Why not declare when Harris was out, or wait until Smith had scored the 13 he needed for his 150.

The way Smith was going that wouldn't have taken very long!

The milestone would have been nice for Smith, but it is a team game in the end.

Why he had Lyon come in for one ball seems odd, but maybe he thinks he was playing mind games with the English players, keeping them guessing?

I don't know, but I like he gave some decent time to bowl at England....bowlers just couldn't convert

[7by7]

Unbelievably, I thought the test started today ...

Has been any play today yet?

Monday is a public holiday in the UK; so why the game started yesterday with a scheduled finish on Sunday is beyond me.

Maybe players and officials have a coach trip planned to the seaside for the holiday!

Is the Kursaal still going at Southend on Sea?

From Wikipedia

The Kursaal declined in the early 1970s, with the outdoor amusements closed in 1973, and the main building finally succumbing to closure in 1986.

Although the outdoor amusements were redeveloped for housing, the main Kursaal building reopened in 1998, after a multimillion pound redevelopment, containing a bowling alley and other amusements.

Remember these guys?

[7by7]

97 for 1 at lunch.

England, especially Trott, a bit bogged down since Cooke was out.

Honours even for the morning, I reckon.

[7by7]

Trivia moment.

Botham said on SKY that all five days of this test were sold out before last Christmas; the first time that has happened for any test in England.

[Bangkokhatter]

Lets hope the afternoon session is a bit more positive, a run rate of 2.1 is shocking on a flat pitch. Make some runs and push the field back a bit.

[Bangkokhatter]

Lets hope the afternoon session is a bit more positive, a run rate of 2.1 is shocking on a flat pitch. Make some runs and push the field back a bit.

[David48]

For those trying to watch the game on the internet ... of all the ones I was given recently.

This does have the game ... http://www.inditv.co.uk/

Painfully slow over rate ...

[David48]

Got Him ... Root's been retired !

[7by7]

Painfully slow over rate ...

Indeed; from the BBC live text

1439: Nathan Lyon whittles through another maiden over quicker than it takes Mitchell Starc to bowl one delivery.

England were just as bad yesterday, though.

[StreetCowboy]

Painfully slow over rate ...

Indeed; from the BBC live text

1439: Nathan Lyon whittles through another maiden over quicker than it takes Mitchell Starc to bowl one delivery.

England were just as bad yesterday, though.

It looks like England don't want to win this one, and they're playing for the draw.

SC

[Basil B]

Remember these guys?

Yes, saw them live in Brum with probably my real first love...

Brings back fond memories.

With all this "off Topic" banter it is like TMS

Edited August 23, 2013 by Basil B

[7by7]

Without the cakes; unfortunately.

[Basil B]

Painfully slow over rate ...

Indeed; from the BBC live text

1439: Nathan Lyon whittles through another maiden over quicker than it takes Mitchell Starc to bowl one delivery.

England were just as bad yesterday, though.

It looks like England don't want to win this one, and they're playing for the draw.

SC

When it took nearly 2 days before Australia declared on 492 the only chance of England now winning would have been a suicidal dash for runs, a no brainer.

Australia only chance is to get 6 wickets this morning for less than 45 runs and force the follow on, even then it will depend upon the weather here in the UK , which is very predictable for a bank holiday weekend.

[BookMan]

 

 

Painfully slow over rate ...

 

Indeed; from the BBC live text

1439: Nathan Lyon whittles through another maiden over quicker than it takes Mitchell Starc to bowl one delivery.

England were just as bad yesterday, though.

 

It looks like England don't want to win this one, and they're playing for the draw.  

 

SC

 

When it took nearly 2 days before Australia declared on 492 the only chance of England now winning would have been a suicidal dash for runs, a no brainer.

 

Australia only chance is to get 6 wickets this morning for less than 45 runs and force the follow on, even then it will depend upon the weather here in the UK , which is very predictable for a bank holiday weekend.

I'm surprised england didn't want to tryand win 4... Look at the two teams comparative over rates on a good batting wicket

[7by7]

Over rates or run rates, BookMan?

Australia's over rate so far in England's first innings is not much better than England's in theirs. Both well below that expected by the ICC. I cannot understand why the umpires and the ICC allow teams to get away with this; and it's not just England and Australia; it's all teams.

England's run rate, though, was painfully slow.

It seems that they felt the combination Australia's high score and the weather forecast meant they had no chance of winning, but could still lose if forced to follow on.

So their main aim was to reach the follow on target, and this lead to the conservative play.

Which is a shame. As I said earlier, having won the series I would have liked to see them go all out for a 4-0 win, even if it meant ending up losing this test. They'd still have won 3-1.

Joe Root says England could not score quickly

But; Rain threatens fourth day play at The Oval

Rain is threatening to disrupt play in the fourth day of the final Ashes Test between England and Australia.

There was heavy overnight rain in London and with it still falling on Saturday morning, and more forecast for later, a prompt start at 11:00 BST at The Oval is looking unlikely.

[7by7]

Pedestrian England losing momentum to Australia

"Friday was a reflection of the way England have gone into the entire match," says Mark Butcher, four times on the wrong end of crushing Ashes series defeats in his 71 Tests and here at The Oval as an expert summariser for the BBC.

"England could and should have totally demoralised this Aussie team. The intention should have been to humiliate them, to bury them, just as Ricky Ponting vowed to do in the aftermath of 2005. Instead they have left them feeling comfortable.

"It doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel like a victory parade. Australia will return home not with their tails between their legs but thinking they don't actually have as much to worry about down under as they first thought."

Even Boycott on TMS was critical of the way England played.

"There have been some memorable games at The Oval down the years, but this is not one of them. What hurts is that all the talk before the game was about how they were going to play to win and they wouldn't use it as an end-of-season match.

"Talk is cheap, and it's what you dish up that matters. They talked it up but haven't backed it up."

[Bangkokhatter]

I certainly agree with Butchers comments,after the Lords test we seem to have gone backwards and have let Australia build into a good looking team A combination of poor captaincy, poor team selection and very defensive batting mean we will travel down under as underdogs, You would not have thought that after the Lords test.

Having said that, is criticism fair when we have won the Ashes already ?