The Second Investec Ashes Test, England v Australia, Lords

[Pavilionaire]

Immense pressure on Michael Clarke here. What can Graeme Swann come up with?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

No idea if that's true or not yet. We could skittle them out for 170-220, then suddenly 300 is more than enough.

Exactly. This Aus innings has proved, once again, that you can't really judge scores until both teams have batted. Not saying they are going to be all out for less than us, but I can't foresee a massive first innings lead.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

You think Australia exceeding 300 with ease is a LUNATIC suggestion? It might be incorrect but "lunacy" is pure arrogance on your part. Apart from anything else, Australia usually win here.

Our two best bowlers are indeed good, but Broad is patchy and Bresnan is a trundler - teams that truly dominate test matches regularly normally have tandem bowlers who between them are very difficult to score against. Broad can bowl really well, but he also bowls some dross in spells.

Not doing badly for a 'trundler'...

 

[Mellotron]

Don't be a nob. England were 28/3.

And? You said you expected them to easily exceed 300. They're a poor team nowadays.

 

[Mellotron]

Exactly. This Aus innings has proved, once again, that you can't really judge scores until both teams have batted. Not saying they are going to be all out for less than us, but I can't foresee a massive first innings lead.

Correct.

 

[Pavilionaire]

To be fair Bresnan was pretty ordinary when he broke into the England team but he's become a useful squad player. Paul Collingwood was a bit like that at the start too, but went on to have a very decent test career. Credit to the England set-up for getting this sort of thing right.

 

[dougdeep]

Aussies 69/4

 

[Simster]

And? You said you expected them to easily exceed 300. They're a poor team nowadays.

I have indeed called that wrong. Australia have been embarassingly poor here. Geniunely shocked.

 

[Buckley's Mad Eye]

Koala goes.

69/4

Wobble

 

[Basil Fawlty]

What a shocker of a shot that was.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Graeme Swann on a charge. What I would give to be sat in front of the Lord's pavilion now, Magners on ice, watching this debacle unfold.

 

[larus]

To be fair Bresnan was pretty ordinary when he broke into the England team but he's become a useful squad player. Paul Collingwood was a bit like that at the start too, but went on to have a very decent test career. Credit to the England set-up for getting this sort of thing right.

He's very good at being a workhorse bowler. Keeps going, but very rarely will cause a lot of problems. I never feel inspired when I see him coming on, but his record is not really that bad. I did wonder as to whether he would get back in (wasn't he injured; shoulder/arm??).

 

[Papa Lazarou]

He's very good at being a workhorse bowler. Keeps going, but very rarely will cause a lot of problems. I never feel inspired when I see him coming on, but his record is not really that bad. I did wonder as to whether he would get back in (wasn't he injured; shoulder/arm??).

He also doesn't seem mentally fragile like Finn.

 

[Mellotron]

I have indeed called that wrong. Australia have been embarassingly poor here. Geniunely shocked.

It's not surprising though, is it?

Bar Agar's unexpected knock they were really poor in that innings too. And they were a shambles in India recently. We know they're at a genuine low point at the moment.

 

[larus]

I have indeed called that wrong. Australia have been embarassingly poor here. Geniunely shocked.

What amazes me is that I feel that England have been poor so far, yet still seem to have too much for the Aussies.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Bresnan in many ways is the dream squad player to have. He has no ego, he's steady and reliable, can reverse it, Yorkshire team mates with Root and Bairstow so can help the two rookies along, he can bat. Great player to have if you're ahead in a series and want to close it out.

 

[larus]

He also doesn't seem mentally fragile like Finn.

Fair point. They breed 'em tough in Yorkshire

 

[Mellotron]

What amazes me is that I feel that England have been poor so far, yet still seem to have too much for the Aussies.

This. We've been below par so far yet still look for the most part comfortably better than them, Agar's innings was the only reason the first test was close.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

The legacy of what Mickey Arthur has done to the Aussies, is unbelievable. If the rumors are true about a split in the changing room, then it clearly is there all to see.