Still in it? erm.. i heard on sky news thsmornin that geoff boycott said "England are f****** shite and havent got a f****** hope in hell of winning 1 test let alone threatening to compete for the series "
So just to sum up, we lost the toss on the flattest pitch of the series, and thereby lost the chance to win. Our bowlers can't do anything on a track like that. Warner was out on 99 but it was a no-ball, and Smith is piling on the runs again. At least the Aussies continue to pick the average Bancroft and Khawaja.
The best we can hope for is to bowl them out early tomorrow and then bat out of our skins. Ain't gonna happen. I smell 4-0.
Let's see if Smith has learnt how to play the moving ball in 2019 because that's how the pitches will be prepared.
Meanwhile in South Africa there was a big anti-climax as Dale Steyn's return was kiboshed due to a viral infection. There's some interest in this Test because it's a four dayer, which probably explains why SA declared on 309/9. Markram got a century.
Our bowlers can't do anything on a track like that.
Well I'm forced to eat my words as England bowled well to get the Aussies out for 327. Broad took four wickets and bowled economically. Shame he couldn't do that in the first three matches!
Even more surprisingly, Cook has scored a century. England are sitting pretty on 192/2, Cook 104no, Root 49no. Still hard work to be done - Australia lost their last seven wickets for 50 runs or so, and the same could easily happen to England tomorrow, so they need to bat sensibly throughout the day, and bat big.
There's a feeling of what could have been, had the senior players not left it until now to step up.
Meanwhile in South Africa there was a big anti-climax as Dale Steyn's return was kiboshed due to a viral infection. There's some interest in this Test because it's a four dayer, which probably explains why SA declared on 309/9. Markram got a century.
The four day experiment was redundant because the match finished in two. SA bowled em out for 68 and 121. Cheap way for Morkel and Maharaj to improve their bowling average.
SA begin the new year with a three match Test series against India, which should be absolutely cracking. India have a chance to win in English conditions this summer before they tour Australia. Let's see how their supposedly great team fares against seam movement and raw pace.
Stumps on Day 3 with England on 491/9. Cook on 244 not out with Anderson at the other end. 56 for Stuart Broad but otherwise the middle order collapsed.
Can’t help thinking that the Aussies have taken their foot off the gas now the urn’s been won.
This Test is by no means won. Two days left and England only have a lead of 164. Their best hope is to bat on tmrw and get another 50 or so and then try and bowl the Aussies out quickly.
Can’t help thinking that the Aussies have taken their foot off the gas now the urn’s been won.
Oh. I don't think there was any foot off gas taking. We wanted a whitewash...well...the media was reporting that the Aussies wanted a 5 - 0 sweep of the series.
I'm actually happy that things have turned out as they have. I was genuinely pleased to see Cook make his double tonne. I've been a fan of his for ages.
I get annoyed at the arrogance of the Aussie cricket team (I'm especially looking at you Warner, D.) It's good to see a bit of humility beaten into them.
Stumps on Day 4. Anderson was out to the first ball of the day so England added no more to their total of 491. Cook carried his bat with the highest score of anyone to do so (244).
Australia's openers scored swiftly in their second innings before Bancroft dragged on and Khawaja was caught. Warner and Smith stayed at the crease with the score at 103/2, then the rain came and washed out the day.
Can’t help thinking that the Aussies have taken their foot off the gas now the urn’s been won.
Oh. I don't think there was any foot off gas taking. We wanted a whitewash...well...the media was reporting that the Aussies wanted a 5 - 0 sweep of the series.
I haven’t been able to watch any of this test. If the Aussies are still playing at the same level of intensity, perhaps England feel as if a weight has been lifted with the loss of the series and are only now playing to their potential. If that’s the case, it’s worse to me than being the second-best team.
Happy for Cookie, another record in the bag, but we need to get some settled longer term openers. When I was a kid it was Boycs and Edrich - more of that, please!
Happy for Cookie, another record in the bag, but we need to get some settled longer term openers. When I was a kid it was Boycs and Edrich - more of that, please!
Just checked - those two opened together 15 times in Ashes tests, top partnership 161, average 54.93.
In all tests they opened 35 times, highest partnership 172 but a lower average of 50.67.
Still in it? erm.. i heard on sky news thsmornin that geoff boycott said "England are f****** shite and havent got a f****** hope in hell of winning 1 test let alone threatening to compete for the series "
Still in it? erm.. i heard on sky news thsmornin that geoff boycott said "England are f****** shite and havent got a f****** hope in hell of winning 1 test let alone threatening to compete for the series "
I do despise cricket quite a bit, but Cook 244 not out was a handy score, maybe enough to eek out a draw.
Australia who lost some good players 8-10 years, have now re-grouped another generation of solid players, maybe not as good as previous ashes teams though.
I do despise cricket quite a bit, but Cook 244 not out was a handy score, maybe enough to eek out a draw.
Australia who lost some good players 8-10 years, have now re-grouped another generation of solid players, maybe not as good as previous ashes teams though.
I don't think they are. They're just players who do well in home conditions.
Their bowling attack excels at home. Jimmy has done OK but not had enough support. Everyone has to be firing when you go to Australia. Broad and Ali really struggled in the first three Tests which effectively killed us. Would've helped if Cook and Root had stood up too.
