The Ashes Winter 2017/18 Thread

RandallFlagg

And next match is Perth, England not won there since 1978. Start the car...

scrumhalf

Michael Vaughan came up with a measure of how much shorter the English bowlers bowled than the Aussies. It seems to be a continuing theme, Anderson and Broad bowling rubbish for a session and allowing the opposition to get a good start.

crunchman

It seems a reasonably decent batting pitch.  The difficult bit was likely to be batting under lights and the rain cut that short.  If England bat well then they ought to be able to get up around 400.

By the time the lights come on tomorrow, the 4 man attack should have another 60 overs in their legs.  If the top order bat well then they should be able to wear them down.  The Kookaburra ball tends to go soft and stop swinging very quickly.  It's already 10 overs old so if England can get through the first half hour tomorrow without major damage then I think they ought to be able to get enough that a draw becomes the most likely result.

Maybe the quick bowlers could have bowled a bit better, but the lack of a competent spin bowling option is a real problem.  Moeen is not bowling well at the moment.  I don't know if it's the finger injury, or the lingering effect of the side strain he had.  Nathan Lyon isn't known as a big tweaker of the ball, but he got a lot more turn than Moeen in the first test.

guitars4you

200-7 at this stage - around another 50 to avoid the follow on with around 12 overs for the new ball - suggest they try and achieve this before then

But WTF is going on - they tell you to win your own battle, if nothing else  We are losing all 11 battles - Why can't we just apply ourselves and show some character and fight a bit - Boycott having a field day on this - 2-0 down at if we didn't know it before we know it now but this is the end of the Ashes battle 

iseverynamegone

Yes, pretty poor effort if not unexpected. 

VimFuego

ok, gonna be hard to pull this test out of the bag. 

RandallFlagg

I can't see England having the patience, grit or determination to hold out for a draw, they will keep slashing the bat like a bunch of T20 wannabes.

shrinkwrap

Overton deserves a beer though. Top scorer!
He's the only player who can feel he's done a good job.

earwighoney

shrinkwrap said:

Overton deserves a beer though. Top scorer!
He's the only player who can feel he's done a good job.

Agree, with the bat & ball. 

earwighoney

scrumhalf said:

Michael Vaughan came up with a measure of how much shorter the English bowlers bowled than the Aussies. It seems to be a continuing theme, Anderson and Broad bowling rubbish for a session and allowing the opposition to get a good start.

Yep. 

KP said something that Anderson and Broad didn't want to bowl first and consequently for the first session they looked grumpy and petulant.

FWIW, this performance has been one of the worst Ashes performances I've seen - the team is so much worse than the one that lost 5-0 before it's laughable. 

Smith really should have made us follow on but he subscribes to the Ali Cook manual of captaincy.

crunchman

I wasn't up all night to watch it, but from what I can see the batsmen just aren't digging in.  When you get a player like Warner scoring 14 off of 60 balls, you have to query why the Englishmen couldn't apply themselves in the same way.

guitars4you

good end to the day but to little to late from the bowlers and unsure if our batting line up can score 350 or whatever required to win, let alone bat to save the match over 1 to 1 1/2 days 

scrumhalf

crunchman said:

I wasn't up all night to watch it, but from what I can see the batsmen just aren't digging in.  When you get a player like Warner scoring 14 off of 60 balls, you have to query why the Englishmen couldn't apply themselves in the same way.

Too much one day cricket. Also, test players play very little county cricket so they haven't got the experience of building innings.

Given that Sri Lanka are getting gubbed in India and the Windies are being similarly successful in NZ you have to ask what's happened to Test cricket.

earwighoney

scrumhalf said:

Too much one day cricket. Also, test players play very little county cricket so they haven't got the experience of building innings.

Given that Sri Lanka are getting gubbed in India and the Windies are being similarly successful in NZ you have to ask what's happened to Test cricket.

Sri Lanka recently won the test series away against Pakistan which was a very impressive achievement but all teams struggle against India in India.

WI put up a much better fight in their second innings against NZ.  IMO, WI's test team is in a much better position than they have been for a while.

guitars4you

wow - didn't see that coming - possibility but slim - see a re-run of Edgbaston when it went down to the wire - Obviously a lot will depend on how long Joe stays there and for the Aussies the new ball that is due in around 18 overs - Looks like going to bed early for some kip then up around 2/3am

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Eurgh, I hate this. They've raised hopes just enough to give the slightest glimmer if hope for a miracle. I can almost guarantee they'll have blown it in spectacular fashion by the time I wake up tomorrow morning!! 

earwighoney

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Eurgh, I hate this. They've raised hopes just enough to give the slightest glimmer if hope for a miracle. I can almost guarantee they'll have blown it in spectacular fashion by the time I wake up tomorrow morning!! 

Australia are still clear favourites, England/we have to break 4th innings records chases in Adelaide by 50 odd runs. 

RandallFlagg

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Eurgh, I hate this. They've raised hopes just enough to give the slightest glimmer if hope for a miracle. I can almost guarantee they'll have blown it in spectacular fashion by the time I wake up tomorrow morning!! 

I hear you, but that was terrific listening on TMS here at work. I loved hearing about the Barmy Army giving the review sign to the Aussies when there was a shout for LBW and they have no reviews left!

Dare we dream?

crunchman

Australia are still favourites, but England have a chance.  If they can see off the first half hour tomorrow then the key will be the new ball.

The timings have worked nicely for England.  The new ball will be due in the afternoon, not under lights.  it will also be due mid session so it's potentially against set batsmen.

The fact that Australia don't have any reviews left might be helpful as well.

It's still an outside chance, but it's not impossible.

Now I've said that, England will probably find a way to be all out by lunchtime/teatime/dinnertime - whatever they are calling it.

scrumhalf

Do the playing conditions fo rthis series allow for DRS reviews to be re-set with the new ball?