[Cricket] The Ashes - England v Australia - 4th Test, Old Trafford, July 19-23, 2023

[hans kraay fan club]

Covers are coming off

 

[knocky1]

In for a penny in for a pound. My £10 stake's winnings on top score Brook at Headingley 2nd Innings and Zak 1st innings here were hummed on England last night.

 

[Mr Smggles]

Inspection at 14;00. Fingers crossed for some overs today under this grey sky.

 

[The Wizard]

View attachment 163916

Looks bad but that’s usual practice with cricket covers and will be super soakered up

 

[um bongo molongo]

The length of time that it takes to restart matches really annoys me sometimes. I just can't understand why in the modern world that isn't a way to get things running sooner. At Birmingham, they used to have something called the Brum Brella. It covered the whole ground. This meant that matches could start a lot quicker. Whatever happened to that ?

When you look at the drainage they’ve been piping the rain from the covers onto…the outfield. You’d think they could afford a longer plastic pipe…

 

[PeterT]

Current scene - it’s not raining at the moment at least

 

[The Wizard]

Accuweather minutecast which I normally find extremely accurate says no more significant rain till circa 4pm now, expected a complete wash out today but looks like there will definitely be some overs bowled, even after 5pm it doesn’t look like consistent downpours

 

[Mr Smggles]

Accuweather minutecast which I normally find extremely accurate says no more significant rain till circa 4pm now, expected a complete wash out today but looks like there will definitely be some overs bowled, even after 5pm it doesn’t look like consistent downpours

That sounds promising. We were pretty lucky with only losing 10 minutes or so yesterday

 

[Triggaaar]

Difficult to see an alternative. I read your suggestion of utilizing a rest day but there’s enough rain in an English Summer to lose that as well at times.

Not a rest day, but a spare day that's available if needed.

I don’t think it matters too much. The cricket has been brilliant. We’ve enjoyed it. All that matters really.

I'm not sure that many fans are happy that this test can result if a forced draw. It'll also go down in the history books. Australia would have retained the ashes by being completely outplayed - brilliant.

 

[Rodney Thomas]

Not a rest day, but a spare day that's available if needed.




I'm not sure that many fans are happy that this test can result if a forced draw. It'll also go down in the history books. Australia would have retained the ashes by being completely outplayed - brilliant.

It's part of Test cricket. Rain has forced tense, last day results (that we all love) before. Not many matches get totally wiped out these days anyways.

 

[Eeyore]

Not a rest day, but a spare day that's available if needed.




I'm not sure that many fans are happy that this test can result if a forced draw. It'll also go down in the history books. Australia would have retained the ashes by being completely outplayed - brilliant.

Yes, I'm always rational about sport, but a defeat or series loss to Australia really gets me down. It's my blind spot. So to give them the Ashes in this way is really stressing me. I hate Australia, not in a toxic way, it's not personal, I just hate Australia, the cricketing concept. I love the country.

There is something about Ashes series in this country that invokes an absurdity where results are concerned. England won the Ashes in 1981 but only had about ten winning sessions in the entire series. In 2013, we won 3-0 (would have been 4-0 if the Aussies hadn't managed to cry off in the last session at The Oval), but the result could easily have been 2-1 to them. In 2005, despite all the myth, I felt they were the better side and we had the rub of the green. Had the weather not closed in at The Oval, and they had to change tact, they would have won comfortably.

This series the buggers have got the luck for themselves,

Whatever happens we must win at The Oval, it will mean that when they turn up in 2027 it will mean they have gone over 25 years without a win here. The only series that was won by the away team would have been 2010/11.

Sadly this is all to normal for international cricket and we have to start looking at schedules and pitches.

 

[Weststander]

They seem hopeful on Five Live Sports Extra.

Jim Maxwell just then on R5 was on cloud nine, almost cocky.

Yes, I'm always rational about sport, but a defeat or series loss to Australia really gets me down. It's my blind spot. So to give them the Ashes in this way is really stressing me. I hate Australia, not in a toxic way, it's not personal, I just hate Australia, the cricketing concept. I love the country.

There is something about Ashes series in this country that invokes an absurdity where results are concerned. England won the Ashes in 1981 but only had about ten winning sessions in the entire series. In 2013, we won 3-0 (would have been 4-0 if the Aussies hadn't managed to cry off in the last session at The Oval), but the result could easily have been 2-1 to them. In 2005, despite all the myth, I felt they were the better side and we had the rub of the green. Had the weather not closed in at The Oval, and they had to change tact, they would have won comfortably.

This series the buggers have got the luck for themselves,

Whatever happens we must win at The Oval, it will mean that when they turn up in 2027 it will mean they have gone over 25 years without a win here.

Very similar to you, but worse. In the never ending Hayden/Langer/Warne years I barely watched their procession. So few bright spots over 16 bloody long years …. Darren Gough springs to mind …. then finally the acorns of Nasser Hussain, Vaughn, Strauss, etc.

I agree with that historical synopsis. Even in the late 70’s we lucked out with their Packer bans. The only two England teams I’ve known to bully them were the Gower/Chris Broad/Gooch version and the peak Strauss team.

 

[pasty]

Play to start 2:45

 

[SweatyMexican]

Restart at 2:45, that’s a long delay since the rain stopped…hopefully we can get a couple hours play today at least!

 

[HangletonGull]

2.45 start

 

[Eeyore]

14.45 start. I feel like I'm being tortured here.

Anyway, I have to say what a splendid addition Mark Taylor is to the commentary team. Just talk sensibly. Really interesting bloke.

 

[PeterT]

2.45 start

We did think about going to the National Football Museum or a tour of OldTrafford/the Etihad but decided looking upwards there was a chance of play so came down to the cricket instead. I was amazed how many people were here already, given the weather this morning, let’s hope we are not all disappointed (except the convicts, of course!)

 

[PeterT]

We did think about going to the National Football Museum or a tour of OldTrafford/the Etihad but decided looking upwards there was a chance of play so came down to the cricket instead. I was amazed how many people were here already, given the weather this morning, let’s hope we are not all disappointed (except the convicts, of course!)

59 overs, play can go on to 7.30.

 

[Triggaaar]

It's part of Test cricket. Rain has forced tense, last day results (that we all love) before.

And that would still happen if we had my suggestion of a minimum of 300-360 overs. In the games you're talking about, the game hasn't finished after about 260 overs.

 

[Bodian]

I'm not sure that many fans are happy that this test can result if a forced draw. It'll also go down in the history books. Australia would have retained the ashes by being completely outplayed - brilliant.

[If it happens] - Australia will have retained the Ashes by taking their chances when presented to them - and winning the first two tests. They may have been completely outplayed in this Test, but the other three have been ridiculously close and competitive.