4th Ashes Test

[Killa]

To me the problem with DRS is that has become a marketing gimmick - benefiting media and media heads getting their knickers in a knot and their voice raising by decibels

It is there to overturn obvious on field Umpire errors

And that is what it should be used for

So it is an Umpire tool, not a player tool

The Standing Umpires should be able to refer if they are uncertain but not in regards LBW’s which should remain exclusively the province of the 3rd Umpire to review the Standing Umpire call

And there is no limit

Incorrect decisions are reversed whenever they occur

In summary, DRS is an Umpire tool for the use of the Umpires - not the players

And it is an audit of “howlers” of decisions

Whenever they occur

Media heads may not get the “screeching voice” moments they live for but that is their problem

And as someone mentioned, let’s see after both sides have batted

There was movement and bounce all day

Then we may get some cloud cover!!

We are due

The other issue is Over rates - and in my opinion being deliberately used as a tactic to play with the batsman’s concentration

So we get conferences lasting minutes ahead of a ball being bowled (noting also the ages of the Pommy attack)

Back to the days of the West Indies in their prime

[B.M]

Piss poor batting effort

[The_Dud]

Piss poor batting effort

Yep, absolutely horrid.

They’ve complained about not having the best of the conditions, then they get a perfect batting day on a flat pitch and they just throw wickets away left right and centre.

[shanegrambeau]

I can’t help it. Unlike my St Kilda tragic marriage, I always see Australia as winners. I am 59. Ever since I can remember, the Aussies just killed it. (Sure there was a post-Packer ‘drought’, and those years when Simmo (who to me may have been 70 years old at the time)….followed by the ‘Battle (shout out to Josh) years where Border was our only rock, and a very blunt one) ..but after that, from the late ‘80s into the ‘90s when the Windies flame started to wane, complete domination.

[The_Dud]

I can’t help it. Unlike my St Kilda tragic marriage, I always see Australia as winners. I am 59. Ever since I can remember, the Aussies just killed it. (Sure there was a post-Packer ‘drought’, and those years when Simmo (who to me may have been 70 years old at the time)….followed by the ‘Battle (shout out to Josh) years where Border was our only rock, and a very blunt one) ..but after that, from the late ‘80s into the ‘90s when the Windies flame started to wane, complete domination.

It is a contrast, St Kilda and Australia, one can’t get anything done and the other has a history of dominance and delivering in the big moments.

But the last decade or so has made me a bit of a pessimist, I’ve seen the Aussies lose too many ‘un-losable’ games (amongst some other very good performances), and I hate losing to the Poms!

[Teflon]

Aussie’s bowling Shiit so far
On pads down leg side no bouncers
Poms are cruising and no spinner?
You got to wonder whose doing Aussie strategy
Get Ponting in

[shanegrambeau]

Aussie’s bowling Shiit so far
On pads down leg side no bouncers
Poms are cruising and no spinner?
You got to wonder whose doing Aussie strategy
Get Ponting in

I missed 1/60 to 1/122

but I do wonder why Cumings didn't open the bowling.

Moeen Ali is lucky

edit : spoke to soon!

[Teflon]

Hazlewood to Crawley just trash
On his pads all day where he loves em
Dumb dumb dumb cricket
Makes you wonder whose the brains trust
Poms will make 450 - 500 at this rate
That plus we have so called batting stars equivalent to St Kildas midfield

[The_Dud]

Good idea I turned it off a while ago, what an embarrassment!

Making blokes who average in their 20s look like Bradman!

Ashes are gooooone

[shanegrambeau]

Hazlewood to Crawley just trash
On his pads all day where he loves em
Dumb dumb dumb cricket
Makes you wonder whose the brains trust
Poms will make 450 - 500 at this rate
That plus we have so called batting stars equivalent to St Kildas midfield

Let England score 500.
Who cares?

No matter how fast, it won't beat the rain on Saturday.

Australia have 8 test quality batsman. Fort Knox.

[The_Dud]

Hazlewood to Crawley just trash
On his pads all day where he loves em
Dumb dumb dumb cricket
Makes you wonder whose the brains trust
Poms will make 450 - 500 at this rate
That plus we have so called batting stars equivalent to St Kildas midfield

Let England score 500.
Who cares?

No matter how fast, it won't beat the rain on Saturday.

Australia have 8 test quality batsman. Fort Knox.

You must have missed the first innings Shane!

But there is definitely nothing in this pitch, perfect for batting, a bloke who averages in his 20s just made 170 on it!

A little surprised England didn't go harder in that last session and then send the Aussie's back in, the weather for the next 3 days does not look good.

[shanegrambeau]

Hazlewood to Crawley just trash
On his pads all day where he loves em
Dumb dumb dumb cricket
Makes you wonder whose the brains trust
Poms will make 450 - 500 at this rate
That plus we have so called batting stars equivalent to St Kildas midfield

Let England score 500.
Who cares?

No matter how fast, it won't beat the rain on Saturday.

Australia have 8 test quality batsman. Fort Knox.

You must have missed the first innings Shane!

But there is definitely nothing in this pitch, perfect for batting, a bloke who averages in his 20s just made 170 on it!

A little surprised England didn't go harder in that last session and then send the Aussie's back in, the weather for the next 3 days does not look good.

Disagree!
Let brilliant Shane enlighten.

1) Pitch is definitely deteriorating already. No swing, but Marnus Lambchop got it to dig in and turn already. Root bowled by a pea-shooter. (I don't know how rain and the covers will affect it - will it re-moisten or sweat or something?
2) I watched about 30-40% only, but from what I saw it was the worst Aussie bowling performance yet. Cummins is bowling like Steele is playing. He is there, but he just doesn't isn't his usual self. A pale of himself. Exhaustion? Wondered why he didn't open initially. Later realized. Hazelwood ordinary, not bad but lacking. Marsh pedestrian, Green (who I did not see), I suspect was the best. Head looked cool with the sunnies and wavy hair (yeah, man) but was just fodder.
3) Yep, the Poms were all cool and stable at the end there. Back down to 3 an over, against a beaten and tired attack, because they know they are really the underdogs.
4) I was surprised by the result. BUt let's consider their batting in isolation of Aussie fatigue. Crowley should have been out six ? four? two? times before he hit 50. Just flailing the bat around outside off like a traffic lights in America at the end of a wire in the wind. How he didn't chop on and knick it? Lucky. Moeen Ali was still dumb. He plays with smooth but slow limbs. It looks nice, but he is late to the ball and he is absolutely bereft of common sense and short term memory. Last test, he did the second dummest thing a batter could do. Repeat a risque stroke that didn't work, almost got him caught and then proceded to repeat it and was caught. Yesterday, he did the dummest...repeat the entire routine. Cummins dropped him. So he gives it another go, gives a chance to Khawasaki Khawaja. He might make a few scores here and there, and look elegant but totally unrelaible. As is Crowley. If they both make ducks in the second dig, no surprises. Root is class and a champ and was very unlucky. Bult again, that pitch!

So here is the thing..
The Aussies might be unlucky with the pitch, but with 8 batsman, at least three of them can hold the line. The madness of the near past is over. They won7t be doing silly reverse sweeps in succession. I doubt it anyway.

[IluvHarvey]

We need a Captain.
A captain that can show grit and determination when the chips are down.
Border, Taylor, Ponting, Smith all had this in them. Stokes does. Cummins doesn't.
He is a great player but not captain material.
However not sure who the right person is. Have we forgiven Smith yet?

[shanegrambeau]

We need a Captain.

A captain that can show grit and determination when the chips are down.
Border, Taylor, Ponting, Smith all had this in them. Stokes does. Cummins doesn't.
He is a great player but not captain material.
However not sure who the right person is. Have we forgiven Smith yet?

Really?
Fair enough.
To be honest, although I was surprised to see them choose a bowler, I think he has been a leader and an inspiration tBH. His batting has deteriorated but his bowling has been fantastic. I don't think we could ask for more.

Yep

Smith forgiven I would say. Rightly or not, people empathize and identify...in so far as how we can identify with a millionaire cricketer (probably taking his entire family and friends on a tour of Europe right now for all we know)

[The_Dud]

I think a win is well and truly off the table, it's all about time now.

There's probably between a day and a day-and-a-half of actual play left in this test looking at the forecast, so the Aussie's need to dig in for probably 4 sessions to get out of this with a draw. The longer the Poms bat this first innings the better.

A few in the top 5 owe us an innings, it'll be up to them, from Marsh down I don't trust too much, tho Starc looked pretty comfortable in his first innings.

If the Aussie's get away with a draw here it will be a small miracle.

[mr six o'clock]

Poms will go hard today then look to knock us over .
Plenty of time for them .
The weather won't save us , just need our batsmen to stand up and stop playing crappy shots .

[Teflon]

Fragile batters get to 50 get out
Poms to win I think
Then I’d almost back then with their tales up last test
Australia had their chances here
Keep stepping in front of stumps…sooner or later with Wood bowling 90 you’ll miss it
Dumb

[asiu]

haha

'tails' ... before King Chicken Little gets to it

the Poms should bat as long as they can imo
whilst piling on the runs
... no need to bat again

then

they'll skittle us via grubbers
unless
magic happens


TGIF

[magnifisaint]

McCullum needs a smack in the head. Smug prick that he is. A cheat at that.

[B.M]

The decision not to pick a spinner

Absolutely bewildering

They couldn’t make a tough call on the allrounder so they picked both. Weak as piss and defied logic!

[shanegrambeau]

The decision not to pick a spinner

Absolutely bewildering

They couldn’t make a tough call on the allrounder so they picked both. Weak as piss and defied logic!

Unless you just want a draw.

[happy feet]

The decision not to pick a spinner

Absolutely bewildering

They couldn’t make a tough call on the allrounder so they picked both. Weak as piss and defied logic!

Unless you just want a draw.

Pray for rain.

[shanegrambeau]

The decision not to pick a spinner

Absolutely bewildering

They couldn’t make a tough call on the allrounder so they picked both. Weak as piss and defied logic!

Unless you just want a draw.

Pray for rain.

I don’t get it.

I think the Aussies are in the box seat. Let England bat away…4,5 even 6 an over…The Aussies can easily hold the bat through the rain-interrupted sessions of the weekend.

Am I deluded?

[asiu]

you are not
you're opinion may be

[The_Dud]

The decision not to pick a spinner

Absolutely bewildering

They couldn’t make a tough call on the allrounder so they picked both. Weak as piss and defied logic!

Unless you just want a draw.

Pray for rain.

I don’t get it.

I think the Aussies are in the box seat. Let England bat away…4,5 even 6 an over…The Aussies can easily hold the bat through the rain-interrupted sessions of the weekend.

Am I deluded?

I wouldn’t say deluded, but close!

Aussies could bat out a draw with some (a lot) help from the rain, or they could just as easily collapse and lose by an innings plus!