Aye! You were. Better than I thought by a bit, despite losing three. We're in a game that was slipping away. I'll keep quiet with my hissy fits in future! Wood is tremendous. I watched him at Durham when he was very young and he had a very small run up, starting like a sprinter. Always quick. But what I really like about him, ( like Brett Lee and Shoaib Aktar) they ALWAYS bowl fast, really fast. Wood could have dropped of five percent, saved his body , played more and probably earned more. But he just flies in and throws rocket balls down. Best sight in cricket. If we could have had him fit for all five tests, I'd say we win. Mind, it's the same with Joffra, Saqib and Olly Stone, all seriously quick and knackered.
Just catching the highlights. How good is Mark Wood. Super fast and accurate. Such a shame he doesn't have a clone
I was sat there frustrated as hell and calling the bowlers worse than ****e when Marsh was smashing it everywhere, then wickets either side of tea and it's a different game Annoying to lose 3 soft wickets, but chickens coming home to roost by playing Brooks at 3 and assuming 1 fewer batter will be fine
watched the end of the aussies and figured if the lads just take their time there is plenty of time to at least take a lead into the 2nd...why the hell do england seem so keen to throw early wickets away, turned it off when the 2nd wicket went, two good batsmen could easily knock a ton each up yet looked like they were trying to win it today.
It's a fast pitch and Australia have 2 outstanding, world class fast bowlers. You make scoring a hundred so easy and dismiss them as if they just couldn't be arsed to "easily knock up a ton"
I think wickets will keep tumbling on that. No way is this reaching the last day. I’m going to chance it and say they won’t be a thousand runs scored in this match.
Looks a good pitch, but a lot of pace and carry. I think you are right re under 1000 runs. Big day tomorrow. Can we bat until Tea?
Hopefully mate. I’m doubtful, we looked like we were really struggling out there tonight. Root looked frustrated probably because of the dropped catch. I feel like we need a big score from him if we are going to challenge their score.
3 down already with Stokes and Moeen to come. Suddenly feels like we have a short batting line up. Root seems fired up and I'd love to see him get a century on his home ground. Weather forecast is very good tomorrow and it looks like a batting day. Time for England to step up
Just keep setting small targets. If Root and Bairstow can get us to around 150 and then a couple of 50 partnerships for the next two wickets we are there. The lads need to forget Bazball and dig in. They’ve all the time in the world.
aye, just read it again...i know it is not easy but i meant they are two lads more than capable of sitting in there, just seems we never try build up steady score with a lot of wickets going to 'daft hurried shots'. i may also be very wrong, just the way it looks to me,.
Marsh was the only batter to really get going for Australia yesterday with others chipping in with 20's and 30's - we need just one of our remaining batters to do the same as we've really strengthened our tail with Woakes and Wood and I could see them weighing in with useful runs. We do need to tire their bowlers though so hopefully no reverse ramp shots in the first over today!!
If Root could bat all day and get good support from The Human Polo Mint, Stokes, Ali and the tail then we have a massive chance to get ahead of the game. 1st hour will be crucial
Need a very big partnership from these two. I've got a feeling we are going to be skittled by lunch here though.
150 all out at this rate. 5 wickets, 5 poor shots. England need to remember how to play test cricket again
