Aussies will post 500+ and make the track look like a road. We'll get scuttled for 120 under the lights tomorrow. Game will be over by Sat Same old England
I actually toyed with the idea of getting up at half 3 so I could watch some of it before I went to work. Decided against it in the end. A wise decision.
Had it on since 2pm my time, now half 10. One of the worst day's of cricket I've ever seen. No one performed horribly, it just never looked like working.
Why do we expect anything different? England playing abroad so they pick 5 English type seamers all who bowl low 80s. What do you know? We take 2 wickets all day No variety, no express pace, no spin. Our selection policy has been a shambles for years Hopefully this series will see the end of Root the captain and Silverwood the coach
Yes. But unfortunately, the man who would rid us of Silverwood and have someone else as captain, ( though who?!) is Giles, who is also in a job he has no business being in. And still, Saqib Mahmood is deemed not good enough to even get into that squad! Hopeless, and only weather, or kungflu can prevent 5-0.
The thing is, the tactics and planning were obviously done weeks ago. They pay no attention to what is in front of them, and are always planning for the game after they one they are playing in. On the field its the same. A plan before play, at lunch and at tea. But completely inflexible in the face of changing circumstances. We'll see, but even though Australia are without the two best fast bowlers in the world, you wouldn't want much cash on us even avoiding a follow on. The team is in transition and would be getting beat anyway. But you can get beat properly, and it looks to me as if the white flags are halfway up already.
Only ashes England will bring home are the ones from any barbecue which get caught in the wind and stick to their clothes!!
Have to say, watched the first day and saw the ball pass the edge so many times. Could easily have been 6 or 7 down on another day.
If it is true, ( and it isn't) when they say that these are the best bowlers in England, then what are we doing playing Test cricket? I'd excuse Stokes here for obvious reasons, but they are all medium paced, right arm, mostly over the wicket innocuous , and unthreatening. You can see why the Aussies were desperate to get this series on now, rather than wait until even this useless rabble try other bowlers. George Garton can bowl over 90mph. He is a leftie. Maybe he won't make it but ANY other country in our circumstances would have had a good look at him by now, not wait until he is 28 or whatever. Ditto Saqib Mahmood, who must wonder who he has upset really. Miles the best bowler in the one day series in the summer when a " second" team had to be picked, then it was " see you later mate" Looks like you have to be in the club.
They were a bit unlucky, but I thought some of them were genuine leaves. The bowling is slow enough for top notch batsmen to make late decisions.
When you watch the reaction of the batsmen there were a lot of “play and miss” too. You can read a player’s face when the ball goes past. that said of course, our catching hasn’t exactly been top of its gake so edges might not have been held!!!
Think the Aussies will come out and try to whack it around for 4 or 5 overs and then declare. Gives them up to 20 overs with a new pink ball....time for Burns to step up...if he can!
This Aussie commentary is doing my head in. Maybe English commentators are the only ones NOT biased towards their own team
