[Cricket] **** England v Australia, 1st Specsavers Ashes Test, Edgbaston. Official match thread ****

[big nuts]

If we do not lose any more wickets today it is highly likely and we will have a large lead. Leaving them 2 days and a session to save the game.

Stick to left backs and Omsungs Grandad.

 

[pasty]

Morning everyone. Here's hoping for another all day England batting.

Be lucky to make it to lunch at this rate

 

[The Wizard]

Outside off ****ing leave, it really is that simple

Thing is Bairstow has been bowled 40% of his dismissals and his average against straight balls is rubbish, so where does he score runs? Amazing how a player looks so good in the one day game but looks absolutely hapless at the moment in this format

 

[big nuts]

Oh f**k off, so much for this mega strong middle order.

Bairstow & Ali are so out of nick. Definite case for Foakes now. Not sure I’d go with Rashid, too expensive and lacks control. Leach seems the more obvious replacement. That being said Ali is picked for his bowling so let’s see how he gets on there.

 

[banjo]

Come on Broad. Have a go son.

 

[Luke93]

Need to get Rashid in this team, Ali is not good enough.

He’s selected as a bowler, as per his excellent year he’s has as a test bowler.

No doubt his batting is no good now. But that doesn’t matter when he’s selected as 1 of the 4 main line bowlers. Woakes should be ahead of Ali in the batting order. Why Buttler was coming in before Stokes is another question that needs answering.

 

[The Wizard]

Yeah, Rashid was probably a rash call from me as Ali is probably a more solid bowler than him in tests, got to feel like next innings bowling is going to be very important for Moeen on a spinning surface to produce a decent wicket haul. His batting has really gone to pot though he looks as bad as Monty Panesar nowadays, needs to be sent down the order.

 

[larus]

Yesterday, things went our way.

Today, quite the reverse. Too many players can't graft now. Ali has the occasional good innings, but too rare (IMO).

We have a lot of attacking, fast scoring players in the test team (Roy, Butler, Bairstow), but can they cut it in tests? Debatable - even though I really want them to.

 

[BensGrandad]

That is utter rubbish from Ali

As usual not a test quality player. either as a batsman or bowler.. Disastrous morning, we are in trouble having to bat 4th with a very slender 1st innings lead.

 

[The Wizard]

Yesterday, things went our way.

Today, quite the reverse. Too many players can't graft now. Ali has the occasional good innings, but too rare (IMO).

We have a lot of attacking, fast scoring players in the test team (Roy, Butler, Bairstow), but can they cut it in tests? Debatable - even though I really want them to.

They probably can, if we stop asking them to play an unnatural game, yes don’t be quite so aggressive but you have to feel all those players could do more damage just playing their natural game style, at least that way for every time they get out cheaply you can forgive it if they make a quick 50. Roy is the biggest example, he’s an aggressive player who takes the game away from teams and if you take that away from him you lose all his strengths.

 

[Titanic]

As usual not a test quality player. either as a batsman or bowler.. Disastrous morning, we are in trouble having to bat 4th with a very slender 1st innings lead.

I give up. I used to enjoy NSC cricket threads, but this is ****wittery of the highest order. I'm out of here.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I give up. I used to enjoy NSC cricket threads, but this is ****wittery of the highest order. I'm out of here.

Alex Dawson oh! oh! and Lord Braknell are dearly missed on the cricket threads, the next generation must step up.

 

[pasty]

Think we can safely say that was Australias session.

Lunch Day 3

Eng 328/8 lead Aus by 44

 

[studio150]

Think we can safely say that was Australias session.

Lunch Day 3

Eng 328/8 lead Aus by 44

61/4 in the session

 

[big nuts]

Think we can safely say that was Australias session.

Lunch Day 3

Eng 328/8 lead Aus by 44

Very good session for Australia, right back in the match. Their outfielding was excellent throughout the session probably saved them 10/15 runs, all of which could be crucial.

Brave man to call this now. Although the bookies have the Aussies at 11/5 which feels generous.

 

[BensGrandad]

Geoff Boycott, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussein seem to have all the answers to our batting so why dont we employ one of them as batting coach.

 

[Rodney Thomas]

Geoff Boycott, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussein seem to have all the answers to our batting so why dont we employ one of them as batting coach.

Please just stop now BG

 

[big nuts]

Geoff Boycott, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussein seem to have all the answers to our batting so why dont we employ one of them as batting coach.

Enough’s enough now.

 

[banjo]

Handy runs these.

 

[larus]

Nice bit of steady, boring, test cricket from Broad/Woakes here. (Kiss of death).

54 run partnership so far - lead of 70.