The cricket thread

crunchman

RandallFlagg said:

Unless Aus now blow England out in a session or 2!

9 for 2.  Entirely possible.  Likely even.

RandallFlagg

Root for a Duck...9-2

FFS

scrumhalf

Oh for fuck's sake, this is embarrassing. 

Heartfeltdawn

You can win one day games revolving around one person with the bat and one person with the ball. That doesn't work at Test level. Even with Warne at close to his absolute best in 2005, the Australians didn't win the Ashes because they didn't have a bowling unit like ours. For the first time in ages, we have a bowling line up that looks right for these conditions. 

Look at what happens when you have a spinner who exerts some control. Look at what happens when Broad works over the winter on a new run and pitching the ball further up and compare that to the fucking disaster that was the 'Broad as enforcer' period. Let the new kid on the block be the pace enforcer. Let Woakes do this thing. And look what happens when your captain actually uses bowlers at the right time and applies some decent tactics. 

Whatever happens in this Test, if Anderson is fit for the next one I wouldn't bring him back. 

scrumhalf

At this rate I'd bring the Burnley Lara back for his batting

Heartfeltdawn

S'funny, Mrs HFD was asking if I'd be available to install a new oven and induction hob half an hour ago and didn't quite understand when I said 'Not ruddy likely, I'm off to Lords'. 

Might just have to get my screwdrivers out after all. 

earwighoney

RandallFlagg said:

Root for a Duck...9-2

FFS

Captain's knock....

Stuckfast

Oooof, that was a snorter that got Burns.

scrumhalf

It's going to be a nail-biting day's play tomorrow. Forecast is for showers. 

RandallFlagg

Draw is most likely but a batting collapse can't be ruled out from either team to get a result. It's been a gritty and good match so far.

crunchman

You probably want England getting bowled out about 10 minutes after lunch.  Would make for an interesting afternoon.

Stuckfast

Currently watching the live stream of Northants vs Worcs. Moeen Ali looks shakey but he's still there at 15-4.

scrumhalf

Play starts at 12:10, 88 overs.

All four results are possible, with varying likelihoods.

scrumhalf

Smith not fielding, Aussies hsve applied for a concussion substitute. 

RandallFlagg

scrumhalf said:

Smith not fielding, Aussies hsve applied for a concussion substitute. 

A like for like player? 

scrumhalf

I think it has to be. It's Labuschagne (sp?) 

RandallFlagg

Day 5 183-5 with a lead of 191: England playing much better in this match, aggressively trying to push the score along after lunch and then put Aus in to bat and try and skittle them. 

Whatever the result, this is what I want to see from England. I'll take Eng 1-1 Aus or Eng 0-1 Aus going to Headingley on Thursday 

crunchman

Need to declare soon.  If England declared now, the Aussies would require well over 3 an over*, on a pitch with lots of rough and no fielding restrictions. 

* If they get all the overs in that is.  Given that they will almost certainly behind the over rate, the Aussies are probably out of it already in terms of winning.

earwighoney

The Lords pitch is a very weird one. Yesterday, it seemed very lively and gave the bowlers a fair amount.  Today the pitch doesn't seem to be giving the bowlers much, be it the spinner or the quicks. 

It might seem a cynical decision, but I think Root should avoiding declaring as late as possible.  Wickets seem unlikely now, but the more time the Australian bowlers spend bowling now the more fatigued they might be for the next test match in a few days time. 

crunchman

Need to declare now.  It would already be well over 4 an over (if they get all the overs in, which is unlikely).

Leach can bowl into the rough outside leg stump if necessary (not that it would be).

The best way to bowl the Aussies out is to give them an outside chance of a win.  If you bat them out of it, they will leave everything they can, and bat out for a draw.  You want them trying to put bat to ball.

The Aussies hold the Ashes, and we are one down already, so we have to be aggressive.