The Cricket Thread

Difficult to tell with Smith, he’s twitching about as usual. Archer immediately starting to bowl faster, as Laces says, this is the Ashes, right here.

 

Time to panic yet ?

 

Smith and Lambuschagne building up a little partnership. Already done one half-hearted Come on, England at the TV....so, nearly time

 

Archer doesn’t look terribly happy out there.

 

At last

 

Hard work out there today. Looks grim.

 

Smith dropped on 60 odd , now not out because of a no ball from the spinner

 

Bye Bye Ashes .

Only Rain can save us now .

 

Australia 333-5 and Stokes goes off with a side problem .

 

Inexcusable from Leach to bowl a no ball. Not difficult for a spinner to keep your foot behind the line.

 

Some of England's performances with bat and ball in this series have been far from professional.

 

Steve Smith is so good he is boring. We get it, you are good at cricket, can you just play one handed now so we have a chance?

 

Steven Smith is a hell of a player. What a player. Best bat in the modern era by a country mile. He still has a ways to go to get close to Bradman though. This series is one hell of a peak from Smith however.

To do this after the hit on the head too. What a warrior. Nothing else I can say.

 

Heck of an innings. Bit a limp way for it to end.

 

Obviously it relies on us to bat well - which is easier said that done - but if we do so, then these past two days won't have been a problem.

Yes we're clearly not winning this test match, but next week is winner-takes-all whether we win or draw this. So a draw is fine. It's just about not losing this test. It was never a requirement to win both of these last two tests. If the forecast is clear is for the final test (I don't know if it is or not), then there will be a result.

 

So, Leach's inability to keep his foot behind the line has really cost England.

 

Oh do give over Tom. It’s hardly solely Leach’s fault for crying out loud!

 

Well, it is mostly his fault Smith got a double hundred.

 

No it isn’t, that’s ridiculous.

 

Why? He should have been out on 118. That would have left Australia at 273/6. We would have had a shot at getting them out for less than 350 if Leach hadn't overstepped. It's a cardinal sin to overstep as a spinner and batsmen like Smith will make you pay.