looks like the 250 is the mark. Broad and robinson are capable of a few hacks but are also very bouncable. Anderson is just fodder. another 25 runs for 2 wickets would be massive.
IMO its not a great pitch but its down to what can be got out of it. The one thing in favour is a light reading last night allowed 2 england wickets in poor conditions and england will surround umpires to make sure no high light reading is used to get the aussies off. England need a ball that will move a bit here.
10 runs would be his average irrespective or being at home or playing whoever. Its not going to exactly be a long spell in the middle for the old man
With Smith, Labuschagne and Warner gone, it only leaves Head and Khawaja as the recognised top batmen. What I believe will stop Australia, if the forecasts are correct, is the weather.
it was a nice last hour. Really got the place bouncing and the ball moved a little. it was a really huge push by broad there.
God the last page was negative reading. England are going to attack every innings. Just have to live with it and accept that at times, players gonna get out playing attacking shots. 11 wins out of 13 compared to 1 in 17 before stokes suggest that this approach plays to the players strength. We don’t have players (other than root) who can sit there and get 10 from 60 balls and be fine with it. If want that then need to get sibley back in to defend. Problem is 10 from 60 then getting out to a great ball is worse than getting 40 from 40 and getting out to an attacking shot.
look, i've said many many many times when root was captain that watching players meekly defend and wait for the inevitable wicket being taken was not the way. if they are getting out anyway then swinging away gives them more chance of at least some runs. I would contend strongly that root has never been a player to sit and get 10 from 60 and be happy. he has always scored at a reasonable pace. players like sibley and burns could and did do this. it was dull. the team is being selected by the selectors and team to go this way so they could go another way if they liked. The point is that like it or not 3 or 4 players are extremely rusty here. Bairstow, alli and stokes himself for sure. thats the core point of that totaly being not great. Frankly we had a great spell by broad that opened up only cos alli walked off with a sore finger last night and broad made the difference as an individual backed byt the crowd. It was a massive effort that swung a losing position back to a winning one by taking the absolutely key wickets early enough. anderson was going 4 and over!. alli was bowling full tosses! I sincerely doubt anyone actually said on this thread go play dull. Its merely looking a tthe game situation and scores and saying australia are in the box seat. they were in the box seat big time until broad got going. Its 174 runs or 7 wickets. Both achievable in 90 overs easily and the only wild card is rain. bazzball requires the risk of losing to try to win. these players can talk all they liie about not setting targets but the reality is theres a lot of discipline in the bowling to acheive the lines and fielding positions plus a lot of strength to not simply drop fielders back when runs are going in. The batting is simply less disciplined and chases 5 or 6 and over when playing at balls that they should never go near. this is fine when all are in touch and form but when you cold drop 3 or 4 into there and they are struggling you can't make it up. alli getting out for 19 chasing runs rather than playing in is a classic example. He could have got a 50 if he'd wanted i am guessing but he was swinging away the first session here is crucial. Night watchman plus batter v full on attack. the ball is now 30 overs old so it'll be getting slower. if this develops into a 50 partnership or the next guy who comes in after the nightwatchman gets a scaore the game can swing. The hope is england destroyed the aussie tail in the first innings. can they get into that tail in time? finally again. this test had rain and is still easily a win or lose barring a washout. the declaration day 1 was utterly unnecessary and england should have posted another 50 runs with root in there scoring for run. the test should have been aussies avoiding a loss and much easier so theres a balance of bazzball v being silly. There was room to be really aggressive with the batting without resorting to bowling for 20mins at end of day 1,
I reckon you apply the 2 wickets or add 50 runs formuals and it is really tight. 174 or 7 wickets. Its safe to say that time is not a factor.
