Ashes 2015

[farmerjo]

Well england have made a change,bairstow in for balance.

Not sure how thats going to strengthen the top 3 as they say he's going to bat at 5.

Prediction,next test,england still 3 for 50.

[mrbojangles]

I REALLY dont mind watching england lose. But what i REALLY REALLY do mind is watching one sided uncompetative cricket

rijit

Absolutely Rijit. A collapse like that is unforgiveable.

[mrbojangles]

Well england have made a change,bairstow in for balance.

Not sure how thats going to strengthen the top 3 as they say he's going to bat at 5.

Prediction,next test,england still 3 for 50.

Totally agree Farmer. Nothing is going to change. The confidence is gained when the openers lead from the front. Lyth should have been first to be removed

Lyth scored 6 and 37 at Cardiff and 7 and 0 at Lords. Total 50. Just not good enough by a long shot, in fact catastrophic but he remains.

Bell got 1 and 60 at Cardiff and 11 and 1 at Lords. Total 73. Not only does he remain but promoted up the batting order.

Balance scored 61 and 0 at Cardiff and 23 and 14 at Lords. Total 98. Not good but he gets the heave.

[7by7]

Indeed; changes needed to be made; and Bairstow should definitely be in; but for Bell or Lyth, not Ballance.

England totally outplayed Australia at Cardiff and won; Australia totally outplayed England at Lords and won.

Lets see what happens at Edgbaston before writing England off completely.

[Will27]

I think the English selectors have done the right thing. It's 1 test all so it's no time to be overreacting.

There could have been 3 changes but you also have to have better people to replace them with.

I think it was a toss up between Ballance and Bell to be honest. Lyth has only played 4 tests and

scored a century against a pretty good NZ attack 3 tests ago. I can see why the selctors have given

him another chance.

Bell on the other hand, only averaged 10 against NZ and he really is in decline.

Ballance only averaged 9 against NZ.

The trouble as I see it, is there aren't that many good attacks around so average players can fill their boots against

the WI and the like, and then struggle against good attacks.

A case in point is Ballance. Averaged 12 in his first Ashes series in 2014 and 9 against NZ this year.

But against Sri Lanka at home averaged 67, India at home 71 and the WI at home again 66.

so this gives him a career average of 47 but is it really indicative of how good he is?

I know all players will get more runs weaker attacks, but he seems to have really struggled against

good attacks.

I think Bell got the nod as if he's dropped at his age, it's probably the end of his career.

If England lose the next test and Lyth and Bell fail again, expect to see more changes.

On the bright side of things for the Poms, Rogers is looking increasingly in doubt for the next test.

We've already lost Harris. How many more do you want us to lose

Edit* Also believe the Poms are having 50 cents each way if they bat Root at 4.

Get him in at 3, he's your best bat.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Will27

[kickstart]

I think the wicket will play a big part,watching that last hour, in the last afternoon at Lord's ,the Aussie quickes had the ball going everywhere ,and the England quickes only got the odd ball to move.

England can do what they like with the top 3-4,if the ball moves about ,and England play like school boys,flashing on the off side,and get those nicks,they are history.

I would say the groundsman at Edgbaston is having his work cut out preparing the pitch ,I wonder if he has been told what to prepare .

[7by7]

Ashes 2015: Trevor Bayliss calls on groundsmen to stop preparing pitches which play into 'Australian's hands'

Trevor Bayliss, the England head coach, has called for “typical­ seaming English” pitches that will help his bowlers to counter the threat of Mitchell Johnson.

The Telegraph understands that Andrew Strauss, the England team director, sent an email to the Test venues last month asking for what one county source has interpreted as requesting “pitches that are slower rather than faster” - although the England and Wales Cricket Board insisted that it had only requested traditional English Test wickets.

As said earlier, the pitch for the first test was a typical Cardiff one.

If England got the pitch at Lords they 'asked for' then they most definitely shot themselves in the foot!

Ashes 2015: Edgbaston groundsman predicts 'good' pitch

The England and Wales Cricket Board has given "no directive" about the pitch ahead of next week's third Test, says Edgbaston groundsman Gary Barwell.........."I'm trying to produce a good-quality Test pitch with plenty for the bowlers and the batsmen: good carry and good bounce," said Barwell

Test venue groundsmen in Australia attempt to produce a typical Australian pitch which will, in theory, suit the Australian bowlers and no one considers it to be worthy of comment.

English Test venue groundsmen attempt to produce a typical English pitch which will, in theory, suit the English bowlers and the veiled allegations of 'cheats' start to appear!

[Will27]

Ashes 2015: Trevor Bayliss calls on groundsmen to stop preparing pitches which play into 'Australian's hands'

Trevor Bayliss, the England head coach, has called for “typical­ seaming English” pitches that will help his bowlers to counter the threat of Mitchell Johnson.

The Telegraph understands that Andrew Strauss, the England team director, sent an email to the Test venues last month asking for what one county source has interpreted as requesting “pitches that are slower rather than faster” - although the England and Wales Cricket Board insisted that it had only requested traditional English Test wickets.

As said earlier, the pitch for the first test was a typical Cardiff one.

If England got the pitch at Lords they 'asked for' then they most definitely shot themselves in the foot!

Ashes 2015: Edgbaston groundsman predicts 'good' pitch

The England and Wales Cricket Board has given "no directive" about the pitch ahead of next week's third Test, says Edgbaston groundsman Gary Barwell.........."I'm trying to produce a good-quality Test pitch with plenty for the bowlers and the batsmen: good carry and good bounce," said Barwell

Test venue groundsmen in Australia attempt to produce a typical Australian pitch which will, in theory, suit the Australian bowlers and no one considers it to be worthy of comment.

English Test venue groundsmen attempt to produce a typical English pitch which will, in theory, suit the English bowlers and the veiled allegations of 'cheats' start to appear!

You've still got the paranoid/conspiracy theory thoughts I see.

There's been no allegations of cheating at all, veiled or otherwise.

I don't see how you think that the Aussie grounds are prepared to suit Aussie bowlers.

Everyone knows the WACA is fast, Sydney is a turner, the Gabba is a seamer and Adelaide

is slow, and so on.

Explain to me how all of the different pitches are prepared to suit the Aussies?

Makes no sense at all.

[7by7]

Just as English pitches vary from ground to ground!

Yet since Australia's abysmal performance in Cardiff allegations have appeared in elements of the press and elsewhere of pitch doctoring.

Hence my comments above.

[farmerjo]

I'm not sure borrowing grow lights from the police is normal English pitch preparation

Bring on this afternoon,good luck to both sides.

[Will27]

The Aussie selectors are copping some flak for retaining Peter Nevill over Brad Haddin.

I reckon the selectors have got it right though. Regardless of Haddins personal circumstances,

when you're 37 not in great form and opt out of a game,, you leave yourself open to not getting back in.

And when your replacement has a very good game with both bat and gloves, I think it was

the right decison.

Rod Marsh is a selector and he would have a fair idea of wicket keeping and obviously thought

Nevill was in better nick.

[rijit]

I'm not sure borrowing grow lights from the police is normal English pitch preparation

Bring on this afternoon,good luck to both sides.

Just ish re listened to the bbc podcast after the last test and boycott reckoned that he didnt beliwve it when cook said he didnt think the pitchs had been tailored to dull the aussie pace. In cooks defence they pointed a finger at strauss being in command .

rijit

[7by7]

Clarke won the toss and chose to bat; Cook said he would have done the same.

Rain stopped play after 12.2 overs; with Australia in disarray at 38 for 3.

Warner, having had to dive nearly half the pitch to survive a direct hit run out, was soon after lbw to Anderson for 2.

Finn, in for the injured Wood, in his first over in Test cricket for 2 years bagged the world's number one batsman, Smith, caught Cook for 7. Then in his third he cleaned bowled Clarke for 10 with a yorker.

Of course, early days and England at Cardiff were in a similar position.

Edited July 29, 2015 by 7by7

[stoneyboy]

Nice start by England,typical British summer rain stopping play,just waited yonks for this 3rd test to start tut tut.

[stoneyboy]

Just a light drizzle,restart at 12.35 only 15 minutes,don't need this when we're on top early doors.

[7by7]

This has just popped up on the BBC's text commentary

Steven Finn, by the way, has a Test match strike-rate of a wicket every 47.4 deliveries. That's better than every England bowler to have sent down a minimum of 2,000 balls since 1959.

Now that he's got over the problems with his run up and delivery position, he is once again a force to be reckoned with.

Which is good news for England, but could be bad news for Mark Wood.

[BookMan]

Wicket had a bit of spice early on...Should we have batted first? not sure.

[BookMan]

The Aussie selectors are copping some flak for retaining Peter Nevill over Brad Haddin.

I reckon the selectors have got it right though. Regardless of Haddins personal circumstances,

when you're 37 not in great form and opt out of a game,, you leave yourself open to not getting back in.

And when your replacement has a very good game with both bat and gloves, I think it was

the right decison.

Rod Marsh is a selector and he would have a fair idea of wicket keeping and obviously thought

Nevill was in better nick.

I agree. Haddin had to go.

Warnie was going off about it, given that Haddin took personal time, then lost his spot..but... in reality, he should not have been in consideration anyway. Hi sform has been poor.

Nevill showed it was the right choice.

Clarke is the next one who might need to go.

[Will27]

The Aussie selectors are copping some flak for retaining Peter Nevill over Brad Haddin.

I reckon the selectors have got it right though. Regardless of Haddins personal circumstances,

when you're 37 not in great form and opt out of a game,, you leave yourself open to not getting back in.

And when your replacement has a very good game with both bat and gloves, I think it was

the right decison.

Rod Marsh is a selector and he would have a fair idea of wicket keeping and obviously thought

Nevill was in better nick.

I agree. Haddin had to go.

Warnie was going off about it, given that Haddin took personal time, then lost his spot..but... in reality, he should not have been in consideration anyway. Hi sform has been poor.

Nevill showed it was the right choice.

Clarke is the next one who might need to go.

Warnie, Haydos, and Punter are all his mates so are hardly being objective IMO.

Clarke is in serious decline. I think he's only passed 50 twice in his last dozen tests.

The trouble is that there is no one really to replace him. As we've been winning, it's been

over-looked but if we lose this test and the next one, he will be really under the pump.

The only batsmen of any note left in the sqaud is Shaun Marsh and he might be needed

if Voges fails again.

[stoneyboy]

Oi oi 82-5 barmy army.

[stoneyboy]

Get that up ya ozzies.

Lovely bowling.

[stoneyboy]

Yeah ha ride em cowboy.

Lovely to see after England's dismal performance last time out.

[BookMan]

The plants are definitely back out of alignment...

[kickstart]

Rain stopped play,Anderson is bowling well,well played the lads,but .....................they have got to bat,Johnson and co,must be relishing the chance.

@Will27. Clark is in decline,pity I like him ,good captain,but even if he gets a good 100,1 swallow doesn't make a summer,but who will replace him.England had the same problem with Cook,but who could replace him.

Back to the live action.

[stoneyboy]

How is he.

Superb bowling from England.

All out 136 after just 36.4 overs.

Bravo Bravo.

[stoneyboy]

Bumble is amazed by the wobbly seam,priceless.

[BookMan]

we might see England 2 /136

[stoneyboy]

Aussies seem to be a little bit flustered at the minute.

Long may it continue.

[stoneyboy]

Well if ever a little luck was needed I think that catch may just have been it.

Couldn't even see it.

[mrbojangles]

Well if ever a little luck was needed I think that catch may just have been it.

Couldn't even see it.

Unbelievable bad luck for Cooke that.

Reckon this might be Lyth's last match unless he pulls something really big out of the bag in the second innings.

The bowlers did their bit today. Now we could do with a good innings from the middle order.