Ashes 2015

[BookMan]

We really need Watson to earn his money now.

Performed as expected.

Lyon out LBW to the quicks, I was hoping he could stay around and observe some good spin bowling.

[ActionManan]

Most alarming thing for Aussies is Cooks captaincy he has been quite imaginative and proactive, rather than the robot by the numbers he usually is.

[7by7]

<snip>

Can Haddin redeem himself with a big score?

No; c Buttler b Anderson 22.

Australia 308 (84.5 overs) - first-innings deficit of 122.

Rogers 95, Clarke 38, Smith 33

Rogers joins the 7 successive test 50s club; but is the only member not to have converted any of them! Did get two 95s, though, including this one.

[stoneyboy]

Nice start to the 3rd day from England really looking set for an exciting finish now,who says test cricket is boring,it's only the lunch and the drinks breaks that annoy me lol.

Hopefully we can continue onwards and up and make this a first test win for England,really really set for a great finish depending on the days batting.

[BookMan]

England Definitely f in the box seat. Australia will have to tighten up their bowling from the first innings. and tighten up their batting in the second.

[Will27]

England Definitely f in the box seat. Australia will have to tighten up their bowling from the first innings. and tighten up their batting in the second.

Jeez, it's been a really bad performance by our boys.

England probably got 70 or 80 more than they should've.

I Knew our batting was brittle and this just confirms it.

Numbers 3 to 6 all got starts and got out in the 30's.

Smith has had a great 18 months so hard to blame him.

Clarke has been in decline for a while now. Read this morning

that he has only passed 50 twice in his last 12 tests.

Voges making his debut so an unknown quantity at this level.

Watson, well we knew what he would deliver and how he would get out.

Aussie's deserve everthing they get for picking him over Mitch Marsh.

We've been totally outplayed by the Poms to this stage.

Best outcome would be to salvage a draw but even that's a long way away.

[BookMan]

Boy oh boy!

3rd day honors once again to England. Australia with at times wayward bowling and England scoring at 4 an over. Australia needing a touch over 400 to win.

Smith is the key for Australia. He needs a century for us to win the game.

I'd be backing England from here

[Will27]

Boy oh boy!

3rd day honors once again to England. Australia with at times wayward bowling and England scoring at 4 an over. Australia needing a touch over 400 to win.

Smith is the key for Australia. He needs a century for us to win the game.

I'd be backing England from here

It was hard going BookMan.

The bowlers lost all confidence at the end. Starc, the keeper and cordon didn't even

appeal when Stokes was hit in front on about 5. What was that all about?

You're right, Smith is the key and hopefully Warner will come off. Warner has a poor

record in England so hopefully he can rectify that. Rogers seem to be the only "old school"

batsmen who wants to build an innings.

I can't see us batting out the day.

I reckon Watson will go unless he gets a big score. Word is, he was chosen over Marsh

because of his ability to dry up an end. Going at 4.5 an over, you might as well give Marsh a go.

The positives for me are that Englangs batting line up (apart from Root) doesn't seem that strong either.

So if we can get him early, like we should've, there's not much in it.

Brad haddin has had a bad game also and wouldn't want another one will Peter Nevill in the squad.

Thoroughly outbowled, outfielded and outbatted so far.

[farmerjo]

One thing that made me chuckle was Bell raising his bat on his way off after making 60,Root did the same.

Aussies bowled better in second inninigs but 412 is a huge ask.

[rijit]

One thing that made me chuckle was Bell raising his bat on his way off after making 60,Root did the same.

.

That was thanking the welsh for the pitch !!!

rijit

[7by7]

Some on social media are blaming the pitch and calling it doctored.

According to. amongst many others, Colin Croft, who played his cricket here for 23 years, it is a typical Cardiff pitch. Very similar to the one which the Aussies scored over 600 on in 2009, and Surrey over 550 on earlier this year.

Conditions in one country are different to those in another. Always have been, always will. That is one of the things which makes the games a challenge; is why they are called Tests!

The Aussies need a record breaking score to win. The highest successful Ashes run chase being 404 by Australia at Headingly in 1948. But that side was something special, The Invincibles, and was captained by a certain D. Bradman on his last tour..

It will take a miracle for Australia to win this game; that or some atrocious cricket from England. The best the Aussies can do is bat out today and pray for rain tomorrow.

[7by7]

After losing Rogers (10) and being 19 for 1, Warner and Smith were looking set; until Moeen strikes in the final over before lunch getting the crucial wicket of Warner lbw for 52.

Australia 97 for 2 at lunch.

Australia need another 315 runs to win; which at 4 an over means another 473 balls.

England need 8 wickets; which will take just 8 of those 473 balls.

Edited July 11, 2015 by 7by7

[Bangkokhatter]

Warner was looking set and was probably happy to face Ali after the dross he served up in his first spell, inspired bowling change by Cooke ?

Should be only 1 result now.

[7by7]

Moeen Ali's first two overs went for 22; his next two were two for nought!

Australia 122 for 6.

Only one question now, I think. Will it finish before or after tea?

Glenn McGrath on TMS; "There have been two key moments in this game - when Joe Root was dropped on nought and then that wicket (Warner lbw Moeen) just before lunch today changed the whole mood."

[Will27]

Looks as if it will be a crushing defeat in the first test.

Pretty much agree with McGraths comments above.

I wonder if the selectors will be looking at some changes?

I think Watson will go for sure and Voges could be on shakey ground,

even if he is on debut.

Edited July 11, 2015 by Will27

[Bangkokhatter]

How annoying is it watching tail enders put up a fight ?

Unless they are English of course .

[Bangkokhatter]

Can Joe Root do no wrong?

Winning in 4 days , not many would have predicted that. Can we name and shame those that predicted a 5-0 whitewash

[farmerjo]

Well done to the poms,credit where credits due.

[7by7]

Well done England.

Outplayed Australia in all areas; batting, bowling, fielding and captaincy.

Cook showing a lot more imagination and daring than in the past. Bringing Moeen on for that last over before lunch was a masterstroke, but also a gamble as Warner had been slaughtering him. But it paid off as instead of blocking out that over, Warner took Moeen on again; and paid for it with his wicket.

[BookMan]

Well done England.

Outplayed Australia in all areas; batting, bowling, fielding and captaincy.

Cook showing a lot more imagination and daring than in the past. Bringing Moeen on for that last over before lunch was a masterstroke, but also a gamble as Warner had been slaughtering him. But it paid off as instead of blocking out that over, Warner took Moeen on again; and paid for it with his wicket.

Can't disagree.

Australia outplayed in every facet. The English bowling was excellent, just keeping to a well planned line and length and the bowlers executing the plan.

Australia too much shirt rubbish and leg side nonsense.

Watson. his time is well past the use by Date. Haddin, might be time for a change. Clarke with a poor effort

Johnson's 77 made a mockery of the efforts of the batsmen before him.

I guess the Aussies will have to settle for a 4-1 series

[Basil B]

Some on social media are blaming the pitch and calling it doctored.

According to. amongst many others, Colin Croft, who played his cricket here for 23 years, it is a typical Cardiff pitch. Very similar to the one which the Aussies scored over 600 on in 2009, and Surrey over 550 on earlier this year.

Conditions in one country are different to those in another. Always have been, always will. That is one of the things which makes the games a challenge; is why they are called Tests!

The Aussies need a record breaking score to win. The highest successful Ashes run chase being 404 by Australia at Headingly in 1948. But that side was something special, The Invincibles, and was captained by a certain D. Bradman on his last tour..

It will take a miracle for Australia to win this game; that or some atrocious cricket from England. The best the Aussies can do is bat out today and pray for rain tomorrow.

They needed the rain yesterday as well...

At least the Aussies have stopped bleating on about a white wash.

[rijit]

Whats the concensus on the adapting pitch to suit? The aussies india pakistan dont do it?

rijit

[Basil B]

England to play a unchanged team for the next test...

If it works well, leave well alone.

[7by7]

Some on social media are blaming the pitch and calling it doctored.

According to. amongst many others, Colin Croft, who played his cricket here for 23 years, it is a typical Cardiff pitch. Very similar to the one which the Aussies scored over 600 on in 2009, and Surrey over 550 on earlier this year.

Conditions in one country are different to those in another. Always have been, always will. That is one of the things which makes the games a challenge; is why they are called Tests!

Matt Prior in today's Independent

Pitch doctoring? That’s a joke

All this talk of the Cardiff pitch being engineered to help our bowlers is just ridiculous. Cardiff is slow and low and always has been – it’s like turning up at the Gabba or Perth and moaning that it’s quick and bouncy and then accusing Australia of doctoring pitches.

Test tracks in this country are generally set up to last five days but the whole of idea of us preparing pitches to nullify the Aussie quicks is a joke. Yes, the pitches here will suit our bowlers more than theirs but, hey, that’s why they call it home advantage and that’s why it’s easier for us to win an Ashes series here than in Australia and vice versa.

(7by7 emphasis)

[rijit]

Yeah fair enuf but does anyone actually make an effort to make the pitchs fairer, i've heard that its done in england, but tbh that could be 'bar talk'.

rijit

[daveAustin]

Make the pitches fairer?

[rijit]

Yeah tbh i' m not big up on it, but when i watch england or countries touring abroad I constantly hear commentators say the ?! 'well the surface of ?? Doesnt suit our /there players' , so wouldnt it suit all to have pitch's that evened it out for all ie fairer.

rijit

[BookMan]

Hilarious 'Hitler reacts to Shane Watson' video

[Will27]

Hilarious 'Hitler reacts to Shane Watson' video

[Will27]

Some on social media are blaming the pitch and calling it doctored.

According to. amongst many others, Colin Croft, who played his cricket here for 23 years, it is a typical Cardiff pitch. Very similar to the one which the Aussies scored over 600 on in 2009, and Surrey over 550 on earlier this year.

Conditions in one country are different to those in another. Always have been, always will. That is one of the things which makes the games a challenge; is why they are called Tests!

Matt Prior in today's Independent

Pitch doctoring? That’s a joke

All this talk of the Cardiff pitch being engineered to help our bowlers is just ridiculous. Cardiff is slow and low and always has been – it’s like turning up at the Gabba or Perth and moaning that it’s quick and bouncy and then accusing Australia of doctoring pitches.

Test tracks in this country are generally set up to last five days but the whole of idea of us preparing pitches to nullify the Aussie quicks is a joke. Yes, the pitches here will suit our bowlers more than theirs but, hey, that’s why they call it home advantage and that’s why it’s easier for us to win an Ashes series here than in Australia and vice versa.

(7by7 emphasis)

When you're a great side, the pitches don't worry you. When the Aussies were at their peak, if it was a fast deck they

had McGrath, Gillespie, Lee and Co, and if it was a dry one, they had Warne.

True, the pitch didn't help the Aussies, but if you start blaming pitches, you're clutching at straws IMO.

Not that I think the Aussie team did complain.