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

[Neville's Breakfast]

England is the better side .
Aussies will take home the ashes .
Why ?
Preparation.
Bizarrely the away side’s prep was better than ours. The India game, the likes of smith and lab playing county cricket.
Look at Robinson - the powers that be took an ultra cautious approach to him playing for Sussex and what do you know he’s undercooked when it matters.
We got lucky with wood who hadn’t played any red ball .
Aussies started the series sharper than us and made it count . We are now in our stride and look fantastic but it will probably be too late

I don’t think any of that is correlated with the final result. If we do play tomorrow and win everyone will say the Aussies were over prepared/knackered by the India test. Similar debate had at lunch by Athers etc. People will always try to make these links whatever the outcome.

 

[Bodian]

I really hope that we get time to play tomorrow. I think this could be Anderson's last test - and he's never hit the winning runs in a test match. Wouldn't it be great if Australia got a lead of 1-2 runs, and we sent Jimmy out there to hit the winning runs!

 

[raymondo]

You stayed in the same hotel as me then.

The advantage was that is was cool down there. I was there in March, so only 30 odd degrees. Not a great place in January for Poms.

Yes, not much to see out there.'I want to see the outback' I said. Two weeks later I'd had enough.

Yes, nice and cool there! and the view from any surface hotel would be featureless anyway

 

[knocky1]

England is the better side .
Aussies will take home the ashes .
Why ?
Preparation.
Bizarrely the away side’s prep was better than ours. The India game, the likes of smith and lab playing county cricket.
Look at Robinson - the powers that be took an ultra cautious approach to him playing for Sussex and what do you know he’s undercooked when it matters.
We got lucky with wood who hadn’t played any red ball .
Aussies started the series sharper than us and made it count . We are now in our stride and look fantastic but it will probably be too

Rubbish.

 

[Weststander]

Rubbish.

Apart from the Aussies retain the Ashes bit, the bookies are now paying bugger all on a draw?

 

[Machiavelli]

Packet of 10 should do it then. Get puffing.

He can get by with a pack of five. Got to look after health.

 

[PeterT]

Currently belting it down in Manchester

 

[DJ NOBO]

I don’t think any of that is correlated with the final result. If we do play tomorrow and win everyone will say the Aussies were over prepared/knackered by the India test. Similar debate had at lunch by Athers etc. People will always try to make these links whatever the

If we win the series, I doubt the talk will be Australia being over prepared/ tired. More England being too much for the best they could offer,
I may be wrong. I hope we find out.

 

[indy3050]

It’s not looking good today is it?

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

It’s not looking good today is it?

Bumble said a few mins ago it wasn't raining

 

[The Wizard]

Accuweather says clear till about 1pm now…. It’s been the top dog in forecasts this weekend so at the moment the band of rain seems to be just skirting Manchester atm

https://www.accuweather.com/en/gb/old-trafford/m16-0/minute-weather-forecast/53686_poi

 

[A1X]

They wouldn’t be playing at Durham, the rain is to the north of Manchester but it shouldn’t drift south, we could well get a fair amount of play today

 

[indy3050]

Well fingers crossed then

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

They wouldn’t be playing at Durham, the rain is to the north of Manchester but it shouldn’t drift south, we could well get a fair amount of play today

That’s unexpectedly good news. I had written off that possibility last night.

 

[SweatyMexican]

Weather looks okay this morning, but I feel we’ll need to win this by 1 o’clock.

 

[A1X]

That’s unexpectedly good news. I had written off that possibility last night.

Wind is a solid west to east one, so unless it pivots suddenly to go north to south then none of that mess over the Lake District enters the picture, risk is more showery IMHO.

 

[The Wizard]

The rain band isn’t as far south as expected it’s meant to pivot slightly south later today but it also being dragged away NE, as usual with LP tracks across the UK.

Met office weather app/BBC currently say heavy rain but it’s been dry at the ground for the last hour or so according to reports.

If we can get 20/30 overs with the new ball due after 10 overs we can skittle them pretty quick I reckon.

 

[SweatyMexican]

It’s all about that first wicket. Need to get the tail end in quickly.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I understand this is very very bias

But it seems silly that after losing a day and it's clear now they don't plan to start an hour e early the next day to try and make up time.

 

[Weststander]

Looks like the Ashes are lost. Unbelievable luck for the Aussies after being outclassed for 3 days.