[Cricket] Second Ashes Test Australia vs England Adelaide 2nd-6th December 2017

[Mackenzie]

Good ball from Cummins....no arguments. Keep 'em out lads.

 

[Titanic]

Close of play, day four

England 176-4

Root 67* Woakes 5*

178 to win, new ball due in 18 overs.

#propertestmatchdespitethepinkballandlights!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Breathless stuff. It's taken a test and a half for England to wake up, but at least they have.

 

[Simster]

Gripping stuff.

England outsiders to win it, but it is amazing they are still in this. All in hindsight, but it was clearly a poor decision not to enforce the follow on, poor use of the review system has followed and so have a couple of very presentable dropped catches. Had Bancroft taken Root, England would have been staring down the barrel. But regardless of all that, quite how Australia have let slip their vice like grip on this match (a 215 first innings lead FFS) is beyond me. I don't think I've seen that before. Headingly in 1981 maybe? England threw it away in at this very ground in 2006 I suppose.

 

[nicko31]

Turned into a fascinating test. We have a fighting chance, get below 100 with 5 or 6 wickets and the Ozzies will get nervous

 

[Hotchilidog]

That was just sensational. The heart rate monitor on fitbit has been going through the roof for the last hour or so. I can barely articulate my thoughts, just brilliant sport.

 

[BensGrandad]

All the time Root is there and the others can support him we have a chance, slim but a chance.

 

[Bozza]

I should set my alarm for 3am tomorrow morning now.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

All the time Root is there and the others can support him we have a chance, slim but a chance.

We need a right handers to make the bulk of the runs, as Nathan Lyon will always be tricky to play as a leftie.

So, I'd bring Bairstow in next to give us the best possible chance.

 

[sydney]

yeah....this could be a great finish , we need to smash the bejaysus out of this old ball .....will laugh my head off if we beat them here and i will then pay stupid money for perth tickets.....such is life...

 

[Brovion]

This is one of those times where I feel sorry for all those, including a fair few on NSC sadly, who don't 'get' cricket. When Test cricket is like that it is THE best sport in the world.

 

[Mellotron]

So well poised. Would be nice if Malan had made it, but we are making a proper game of it at least. Goes without saying Root needs to stick around and making a big 100, with Ali, Bairstow etc getting 30-50s around him. We have a chance.

 

[Eeyore]

Gripping stuff.

England outsiders to win it, but it is amazing they are still in this. All in hindsight, but it was clearly a poor decision not to enforce the follow on, poor use of the review system has followed and so have a couple of very presentable dropped catches. Had Bancroft taken Root, England would have been staring down the barrel. But regardless of all that, quite how Australia have let slip their vice like grip on this match (a 215 first innings lead FFS) is beyond me. I don't think I've seen that before. Headingly in 1981 maybe? England threw it away in at this very ground in 2006 I suppose.

England scored 356 in their second innings in that match...

 

[nicko31]

This is one of those times where I feel sorry for all those, including a fair few on NSC sadly, who don't 'get' cricket. When Test cricket is like that it is THE best sport in the world.

Yeah agree. I like the idea of day nighters in Ashes, though not so much at home as evenings are just too cool outside of London

a) We actually get to see some live cricket in our timezone
b) The Ozzies get cricket in a prime time TV slot
c) Conditions change when the sun goes down

Just seems a no brainer to me.

 

[Eeyore]

Yeah agree. I like the idea of day nighters in Ashes, though not so much at home as evenings are just too cool outside of London

a) We actually get to see some live cricket in our timezone
b) The Ozzies get cricket in a prime time TV slot
c) Conditions change when the sun goes down

Just seems a no brainer to me.

I've reluctantly come round to it. Test cricket has to survive.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Yeah agree. I like the idea of day nighters in Ashes, though not so much at home as evenings are just too cool outside of London

a) We actually get to see some live cricket in our timezone
b) The Ozzies get cricket in a prime time TV slot
c) Conditions change when the sun goes down

Just seems a no brainer to me.

Which makes Smith's decision to NOT enforce the follow on seem even more flawed.. He had England on the ropes, and would have been able to unleash his quicks with a new ball under lights. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing and all that, but I assume his plan was to bat until 'dinner' today and THEN get England batting under lights with a new ball - but he screwed that up as well.

Australia are still I'd say 70/30 favourites but if England can bat through to the new ball with Woakes / Root still in, mid afternoon on a sunny dry day, then who knows? As [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] said earlier, we are unlikely to be batting during tomorrow's night session, so that's no longer in play.

Very interesting - and shows just how incredible Test cricket can be.

 

[Mellotron]

Question now is - how early do I bother to wake up?

 

[Eeyore]

Which makes Smith's decision to NOT enforce the follow on seem even more flawed.. He had England on the ropes, and would have been able to unleash his quicks with a new ball under lights. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing and all that, but I assume his plan was to bat until 'dinner' today and THEN get England batting under lights with a new ball - but he screwed that up as well.

Australia are still I'd say 70/30 favourites but if England can bat through to the new ball with Woakes / Root still in, mid afternoon on a sunny dry day, then who knows? As [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] said earlier, we are unlikely to be batting during tomorrow's night session, so that's no longer in play.

Very interesting - and shows just how incredible Test cricket can be.

The Australians started the trend of not making teams follow on after the famous Test in India (2001 ?). But I agree that teams may need to look at this again as things change.

 

[Rodney Thomas]

Question now is - how early do I bother to wake up?

I'm now sitting on the fence with this. I said to myself that if we'd been 3 down I'd have definitely woken up. Malans wicket has caused me pause for thought though.

 

[scousefan]

My approach is to put the phone by the bed wit wicket updates on. If it bleeps I know it’s bad news and to go straight back to sleep. If It doesn’t bleep I’ll wake up early abs be very excited to see the score!