Fourth Investec Ashes Test, England v Australia, Chester le Street 9-13 Aug 2013

[pasty]

I bet Anderson, Swann, Broad and Bresnan are getting seriously pissed off with the England batting line up.

 

[vegster]

This will be a good battle. Pietersen loves taking apart meat and drink offspin but Lyon is a canny operator.

Regardless, I like the fact that Pietersen wants to hit him out of the attack. If he's successful it will be a long day for the seamers. If he's not the haters will be on here spouting their usual rubbish.

Michael Vaughn summed it up when he said that Lyon is not that good a spin bowler that he needs to be hit out of the attack, better to just take the odd 4 ball and single and let him wheel away. Anyway, KP has had his ton for the series so he's fireproof.

 

[Questions]

What hold does Siddle have over Prior?

He keeps bowling at his stumps.

 

[Titanic]

Bairstow LBW to Lyon.. given out... reviewed... seems likely to be out on the umpires call...

 

[Titanic]

OUT - clipping the off bail

193-7

Nathan Lyon 15.4-5-36-4

 

[Questions]

Barstow so impatient. It's a fecking test match.

 

[Questions]

Really not good enough this England batting through the middle. They have relied so much on good starts in recent years that they have forgotten how to get their heads down.

 

[vegster]

Barstow so impatient. It's a fecking test match.

Indeed, no need to hurry, the Aussies will concede more byes and no-balls.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

What a **** performance. Test cricket is about momentum and we've horribly lost it

 

[Titanic]

Barstow so impatient. It's a fecking test match.

Hilarious. 14 from 77 balls.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

He keeps bowling at his stumps.

That's irrefutable.

 

[Questions]

Hilarious. 14 from 77 balls.

Trying to force strokes when the ball is good. Sometimes you just have to wait. Back to your 20/20. If England were 194 for 2 now who would be worried about scoring slowly ?

 

[Mackenzie]

Establish a painfully slow scoring rate, a run per 4 balls, let their bowlers get their line and length as under no scoreboard pressure, then get out leaving one not playing a shot....I'm sure he is well chuffed with his days work.

See off the new ball, wear down the quicks, score a few=what an opener does.

 

[Titanic]

See off the new ball, wear down the quicks, score a few=what an opener does.

Indeed... we were 149-2 and going along OK.

and now we are 197-8

 

[BensGrandad]

Will we scramble to 250, I doubt it.

 

[vegster]

Is it worth the Aussies taking the new ball ?

 

[spring hall convert]

Is it worth the Aussies taking the new ball ?

That's what I was thinking, they appear to be doing ok with it!

Edit: New balll taken.

 

[pasty]

Taking the new ball now

Whats the turn around time if they get us all out tonight - will we see the Aussies batting today or is it too late already?

 

[Titanic]

England 203-8 (84.3 overs - 29 maidens)

 

[spring hall convert]

I'm sure this thread will be (not completely undeservedly) full of criticism of England's batting but my word Australia have been nothing short of brilliant today. Clarke's captaincy has been exceptional, his field setting spot on, bowling changes just right. They've bowled accurately to clever plans and fielded magnificently. They've had a good series with the ball thus far but I'd have this as their best days performance.

England's tactics have been a little curious. That passage with Bairstow & Prior getting utterly stuck (both players much better when having intent to attack) was pretty baffling.