The Cricket Thread

Not yet. Smith and Marsh have to start again. Get one out early and we expose their weak middle order.

 

As you say, we need one or two early wickets. If we don't, Australia will slowly set up a score. I suspect this will be an Australian win or a draw....unless we really perform in the field.

 

Fair play to Shaun Marsh. Came into this match under pressure - possibly more so than any of the other fringe players in either side, given the number of chances he has failed to take already in his test career - and had to deal with his side having lost early wickets, and only a little bit of Paine and Starc to come. That Steve Smith has made runs should come as no surprise, but Marsh doing likewise is a huge tick for the Aussies.

And given Glen Maxwell's 213* - and his own brother's 141 - elsewhere in Australia at the same time, Marsh's knock isn't just vital for this test, but also his place in the remaining tests.

My gut is that Oz will roughly be bowled out for our score, leaving it as a one-innings shoot-out.

 

BOOM! Early wicket.

 

Another gifted wicket. Not complaining though.

 

Bye Paine.

 

Jaffa from Jimmy.

 

Prediction: Smith will be about 105 not out. Australia will trail by 40.

 

Starc out.

 

Hem hem.

 

That new ball has wizard dust on it.

 

If Jimmy is injured , are we stuffed ?

Aussies 77 behind with 3 wickets left

 

Lead now below 60......

We are stuffed .

 

Australia 328 all out . Smith 141 not out .

We are 25-2 . Cook and Vince out , and Root was hit hard on the head .

Can’t take anything away from Smith though , a winning knock ?

 

As I said, chance to make history was blown from 76-4 yesterday.

 

It’s not over yet , but yes I agree , victory highly unlikely , might not even draw the game .

 

Draw is not going to happen. No chance at all of it being a draw. It's win or lose.

 

Loss it is then .

 

Aussies are favourites but England far from out of it. 200 will be a tricky chase on this pitch.

 

We've got to get to 200