[Cricket] Fourth Ashes Test - England v Australia - Trent Bridge

[essbee]

That would be good if we could bat most of the day then declare with an hour to have a go at taking a wicket or two.

I would agree with this strategy.

 

[Simster]

Realistically, I can't see why England would bat beyond 450-500 runs really. That would probably be enough runs for an innings victory, even if Australia batted well.


On an unrelated note, I'm glad to see that AB De Villiers will be back on top of the world batsman ratings - he's a different class to Steve Smith. Seriously, how the hell did Smith get close to the top 5, never mind #1? He has been suspect against swing bowling (and specifically, English conditions) since the start of his career FFS. Joe Root and Hashim Amla are both far better batsman than Smith IMO, never mind AB.

 

[Pantani]

So how do people think Englands plans today will pan out? Personally would like to see them bat as long as possible, getting to a lead of maybe 450-500 then declare and go for an innings win. Not sure that will happen, but I hope so.

No declaration today, no way. If we can bat until tomorrow we should. Break them, destroy them, ruin their bowlers for the rest of the series, go for as long as possible. If we reach after lunch tomorrow then we can maybe think about declaring but not before, we would still have seven and a half sessions to bowl them out. As it stands this pitch is flat and likely to get flatter, keep going give them no hope whatsoever.

I want to see the largest first innings lead ever. The biggest victory ever. Remember there are four, FOUR days to go, why declare? Why let them think they have even the slightest chance even if they get 600?

 

[essbee]

No declaration today, no way. If we can bat until tomorrow we should. Break them, destroy them, ruin their bowlers for the rest of the series, go for as long as possible. If we reach after lunch tomorrow then we can maybe think about declaring but not before, we would still have seven and a half sessions to bowl them out. As it stands this pitch is flat and likely to get flatter, keep going give them no hope whatsoever.

I want to see the largest first innings lead ever. The biggest victory ever. Remember there are four, FOUR days to go, why declare? Why let them think they have even the slightest chance even if they get 600?

Remind me not to ever cross swords with you Pantsani

 

[Simster]

No declaration today, no way. If we can bat until tomorrow we should. Break them, destroy them, ruin their bowlers for the rest of the series, go for as long as possible. If we reach after lunch tomorrow then we can maybe think about declaring but not before, we would still have seven and a half sessions to bowl them out. As it stands this pitch is flat and likely to get flatter, keep going give them no hope whatsoever.

I want to see the largest first innings lead ever. The biggest victory ever. Remember there are four, FOUR days to go, why declare? Why let them think they have even the slightest chance even if they get 600?

I think you are risking a draw with that strategy, even if it is unlikely. To lead by 600, we'd need to bat until Saturday lunchtime, maybe later. That would leave Australia batting for a maximum of 2.5 days to save the game. That's unlikely, but with some help from the weather it is doable. Can you imagine the kerfuffle if Cook was that conservative and it backfired?

Alternatively, get them back in late this evening, facing a deficit of 450. That gives them a tricky hour to negotiate, it gives an extra half session to win the game which could be crucial if the weather turns to either extreme - if it dries out and the wicket goes flat, or alternatively if we have rain delays.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I think you are risking a draw with that strategy, even if it is unlikely. To lead by 600, we'd need to bat until Saturday lunchtime, maybe later. That would leave Australia batting for a maximum of 2.5 days to save the game. That's unlikely, but with some help from the weather it is doable. Can you imagine the kerfuffle if Cook was that conservative and it backfired?

Alternatively, get them back in late this evening, facing a deficit of 450. That gives them a tricky hour to negotiate, it gives an extra half session to win the game which could be crucial if the weather turns to either extreme - if it dries out and the wicket goes flat, or alternatively if we have rain delays.

All pointless conjecture really. England could be all out by lunchtime, with a lead of 300, and the game will take its natural course.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I think you are risking a draw with that strategy, even if it is unlikely. To lead by 600, we'd need to bat until Saturday lunchtime, maybe later. That would leave Australia batting for a maximum of 2.5 days to save the game. That's unlikely, but with some help from the weather it is doable. Can you imagine the kerfuffle if Cook was that conservative and it backfired?

Alternatively, get them back in late this evening, facing a deficit of 450. That gives them a tricky hour to negotiate, it gives an extra half session to win the game which could be crucial if the weather turns to either extreme - if it dries out and the wicket goes flat, or alternatively if we have rain delays.

Fortunately I don't think it will matter either way...Much as I would love to see a monster lead,.. I can't see it happening.
Our batsmen just don't play in the manner necessary to reach 500 - 600 runs. We will have done incredibly well to make 450 today..
Which will be plenty....

All over by lunch tomorrow

 

[Pantani]

I think you are risking a draw with that strategy, even if it is unlikely. To lead by 600, we'd need to bat until Saturday lunchtime, maybe later. That would leave Australia batting for a maximum of 2.5 days to save the game. That's unlikely, but with some help from the weather it is doable. Can you imagine the kerfuffle if Cook was that conservative and it backfired?

Alternatively, get them back in late this evening, facing a deficit of 450. That gives them a tricky hour to negotiate, it gives an extra half session to win the game which could be crucial if the weather turns to either extreme - if it dries out and the wicket goes flat, or alternatively if we have rain delays.

So you think it is possible that Australia will bat out seven and a half sessions to save the match? Or two and a half days? Why is that tricky hour more tricky at the end of today, than an hour after or before lunch the next day? Even with rain, which isn't forecast, they would get nowhere near. Someone would have to equal Hanif Mohammed's 16 hour innings to do that.

FOUR days to go, at this point.

 

[Simster]

I agree [MENTION=3566]hans kraay fan club[/MENTION] and [MENTION=21892]Uh_huh_him[/MENTION].

Just a bit of FUN. In reality, I can't see England getting to choose when Australia go back in.

So you think it is possible that Australia will bat out seven and a half sessions to save the match? Or two and a half days? Why is that tricky hour more tricky at the end of today, than an hour after or before lunch the next day? Even with rain, which isn't forecast, they would get nowhere near. Someone would have to equal Hanif Mohammed's 16 hour innings to do that.

FOUR days to go, at this point.

What do you want me to say? Sorry, I just don't agree with you. I'd put them back in at the end of today given the choice.

 

[Triggaaar]

Talk about bad fans, by 9.15 pm myself and two other England supporters left at the pub.
All the Aussie supporters had slunk off moaning.
Even when we play the crap, I still stay as long as possible, they don't get that here.

A Sky news crew went to the Walkabout pub in London where the cricket was being shown, to gauge the reaction of the Aussie fans. There were about 2 fans left in the pub, with the cricket still on in the background. Sore losers.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Declare at Tea tonight!!!

Get them back in!

Ha ha ha ha.....

 

[Pantani]

I agree [MENTION=3566]hans kraay fan club[/MENTION] and [MENTION=21892]Uh_huh_him[/MENTION].

Just a bit of FUN. In reality, I can't see England getting to choose when Australia go back in.


What do you want me to say? Sorry, I just don't agree with you. I'd put them back in at the end of today given the choice.

That is ok, as you say it is fine, we can disagree. Though we all seem to agree it is unlikely we will have the choice in the end anyway.

 

[Triggaaar]

So you think it is possible that Australia will bat out seven and a half sessions to save the match? Or two and a half days?

I think this is England, and we could easily lose a whole day to rain for no good reason (ie, not forecast). Imagine if we lost a day to rain and they then just had to survive 4 sessions to save the ashes. Of course it's unlikely England will even have a decision to make, but if we did bat for most of today, our lead would be over 500, which is more than enough when we've got another innings to go.

 

[Titanic]

Let's just bat, and bat, and see how it goes.

 

[Titanic]

Day Two begins with England leading by 214 with six first innings wickets in hand... yes 214 lead with six wickets in hand

(one nice side effect of this is that listening to that ****wit Warne on Sky is now bearable!)

 

[Pantani]

Very very quiet in the field Australia. You would expect them to come out fired up, but it does not seem so.

 

[Titanic]

Nightwatchman Mark Wood GUIDES one and then DRIVES the next one for FOUR of Johnson... nice

 

[Titanic]

and that is a BEAUTIFUL COVER DRIVE from the nightwatchman... Johnson will be spitting feathers

 

[Titanic]

Wood took EIGHT off that over from Johnson, cover drive for FOUR and two nice PUNCHES to mid-wicket and mid-on for two. He has moved on to 19. Amazing scenes.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The "Mitchell" chant has started already and it's only a matter of time before "he bowls to the left" surely....