I can accept stunning fielding. We win that game without those pieces of fielding, but fair play to them for that. What I can't accept is the extras - in particular, the wides. We scored more runs off the bat, but because of the extras we scored fewer runs overall.
Yeah I think I should see some action on day 4, especially with a fair chance of rain on Sunday. Been into cricket for years but this is my first time actually going to watch live, apart from the last hour of a text in Bridgetown - Hollies seats for an Ashes test... not bad!
And then there's the fact that Whiteley and Fuller scored a combined 9 off 15. Without those dots, we win too.
Great entertainment, but for two unbelievable bits of fielding we would've won that, still Howell proving how useful he is, Whitely needs to be dropped for Donald or someone else.
I'm not exactly thrilled at the thought of it being Donald. He still seems to be trying to bat at 90mph from the word go, which has always been his problem. Not giving himself a chance to get himself in; see what the bowler is doing, see what the pitch is doing. But at least it should ensure that he won't walk off for a painful 5 off 12, or a fairly useless 27 off 25...because he'll probably be out within his first four balls, either caught on the rope or skying it straight up. That said, at his best he is a really good striker of the ball. And no way can we justify picking Whiteley (and Fuller) ahead of him.
Maybe Stokes saw the forecast for this morning when he declared last night because this is the time to bowl with the cloud cover - ball swinging for Broad and Jimmy.
The Aussie approach to cricket does feel a bit dated next to Bazball. No doubt they are amazing cricketers but England are just more exciting. Dare I say we are the Brazil of cricket right now?
