We've still probably got enough runs if we declared NOW! Still got 7 wickets in the hutch. Game over Sunday around lunchtime - 2-0 England. Swann 6-50.
Irrespective of the pitch, I think as a captain u ask your bowlers can u go again (they should b able 2 as they have done less than a day) always force a followon u will win! Bah!
I think that's antiquated thinking worthy of a dappy World War 1 General Why grind our bowlers into the dust in this weather? We lost 3 wickets to the new ball in the 1st innings, it happens, so what?..We will not lose this Test Match, or draw it. Give Australia a flat wicket (admittedly we lost 3 wickets to the new ball on it) and they MAY get themselves out of it. Build a 400 run lead and wear the pitch in the process and they're shot down like Speckled Jim!
They were the days ! It brought a whole new meaning of "surviving" at the crease when they bowled at you!! And remember there wasn't a helmet in sight either....must have been truly frightening batting then.
I can't understand the logic of people thinking that the fact we lost the last session suggests we should have followed on. As things stand, even if we underperform we will post a target of 400-450, and those that felt Australia wld crumble second innings must surely consider that enough(!) Had we enforced the follow on and lost the last session, we wld be contemplating using the old ball against settled batsman on about 110 for 0 or 90 for 1. The prospect of a tricky 4th innings chase of up to 180 wld be pretty likely. The fact we have played badly yet moved closer to victory tells me the decision was cautious but correct.
I think the decision was motivated by time, if they were a day later after some big scores they would force the follow on to try and wrap it quickly. They had only played a day and a half the best way to guarantee a win is to build a big lead and bowl at then on a day 4/5 pitch where swan will get even more out of the pitch and Anderson will be deadly with the new ball. I'm still confident this was a good idea.
My Essex eagles are about to beat Leicestershire by an innings Leics are currently 9 wickets down and 35 runs behind. Good to know Mickleburgh's 243 first innings score has been instrumental. Good work, Canary fan Jaik!
no the questioj was if we were 60-5 would it still think it was the right decision , as they say ifs and buts were pots and pans there'd be no need for tinkers. Now at lunch on day 3 we are in pole position for 101 reasons. game over
We have loads of batting in this side, broad is on the Honours board here at lords for a century yet he's batting at 9. I'm certain we will take the game away from the Aussies and then bowl then out on a pitch more inclined towards batting.
You say that, but I don't think we've yet batted really well this series. In several innings we've been reliant on a couple of people to dig us out of a sticky situation. If we were playing India or South Africa, they'd be punishing us.
True but what I mean is that we have lots of players who could step up and be the one to hit a decent score.
