Off Topic The Ashes

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

Agree with pretty much all of this. Lyon is underrated - you don't take 270 Test wickets without being pretty good. And Moeen is a fantastic, creative batsman but not a great bowler - he's had some success at home but his record outside England is not good (bowling average 44.35).

Hope nothing comes of this Bairstow headbutting story, meanwhile...

Jonny should just tell them that is a normal Yorkshire greeting.

 

[Jimmy Graham's bald head]

Pretty worrying how much we folded in the second half of the match, even a 'battling loss' would probably have been ok at the Gabba but that's a hell of a morale sapping defeat.

 

[Wildie]

I fancy us at Adelaide with Broad and Anderson bowling under the lights

 

[Pat E O'Dors]

Pretty worrying how much we folded in the second half of the match, even a 'battling loss' would probably have been ok at the Gabba but that's a hell of a morale sapping defeat.

Sounds very much like the scenario we are going through at City Jimmy.

 

[Jimmy Graham's bald head]

Sounds very much like the scenario we are going through at City Jimmy.

The only difference being I believe England still have the quality in players like Cook, Root, Bairstow and Anderson to turn it around and offer an improved performance over the next 4 games. City however...

 

[Pat E O'Dors]

The only difference being I believe England still have the quality in players like Cook, Root, Bairstow and Anderson to turn it around and offer an improved performance over the next 4 games. City however...

Agreed, they have a far better class of players completely to the what we have.

 

[Jimmy Graham's bald head]

Here we go again. At least it should be easier to watch more of this one with it being a day-night test

 

[Steven Toast]

How many times do England have to play Australia to win the game?

 

[askewshair]

One huge huge difference is Lyon vs Mo, with Lyon being able to tie and end down and look a lot more threatening it's allowed the aussies to play an extra batsmen, bowl their quicks in short bursts and has left England with an appalling 9, 10, jack. The English bowling looks shot and i'd have backed the aussies to chase 400 if we'd managed to put that many on the board.

edit....there are, for me, a 2 really quite significant differences between the side:

- pace of the bowling attack - England had the best of the batting on the first day when the pitch nullified the aussie pace attack and didn't make them pay. If those 3 aussies keep fit we're ****ed as we don't have the pace to worry the aussies on quick pitches
- strength of the tail - will be the key defining factor in who wins this series, both teams have some star batsmen and some bang average ones, the aus first innings showed this with their last 3 wickets making over 100 runs, compare that to ours being blasted out last night for about 4, whichever team makes the most runs from 7 down will likely win the series, our only hope on this front is a 3 man seam attack, dropping Ball and bringing another bat in,but this will put a lot of pressure on Mo, who is possibly unfit after his side strain and bowling some bang ordinary stuff

 

[askewshair]

Anyone who saw much of the first test suggested both Moeen and Anderson were not fit. Swan who knows a bit about bowling said the difference between the two off spinners was due to Moeens finger injury, who then couldn't possibly get the topspin and then the consistent bounce which Lyon managed.
We also have to take into account as well as Stokes, we had Toby Roland Jones, Wood and Finn also unavailable who would probably all have been ahead of Ball as Stokes replacement.
Test cricket is about winning those key moments. We had a few and lost them in the first test.

 

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

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[TheCasual]

If fit Anderson is worth a few quid at 12/1 for MOTM.

Day/Night day, pink ball will suit him to a tee.

 

[Newland Tiger]

What time does it start ? Time zones confuse me a bit

I was tempted to bet on 5-0 to the Aussies but I think we will win 1 for some reason

 

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

Steve Smiths out, Overton takes is bails off. 163-4

 

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

208-4 to finish the day, Aussies have their noses in front I would say, but 2 or 3 quick wickets tomorrow and it could look different.

 

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

Well I think the ashes are well on their way back to Australia, they are 402 -7 with March 100 N.O. Looks an up hill task from here I'm afraid.

 

[dennisboothstash]

Well I think the ashes are well on their way back to Australia, they are 402 -7 with March 100 N.O. Looks an up hill task from here I'm afraid.

Uphill backwards while hopping I’d say !

 

[Ernie Shackleton]

Uphill backwards, hopping, whilst juggling three squirrels, I’d say.

 

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

Aussies declare 442-8 Marsh unbeaten on 126, leaving England to face 28 overs under the lights.

 

[John Ex Aberdeen now E.R.]

Game abandon for the day because of rain, England 29-1, Stoneman out for 18 LBW Starc. All to do tomorrow.