Cricket

[Streak]

I think both sides have been a bit brittle at times, but overall Aussies are probably the better team.

I actually don’t think England have been brittle. They have stuck to a game plan to be ultra aggressive and while it hasn’t always worked for them, you could argue they are unlucky not to have won at least another test.

Australia clearly has more talent, but I really think we are brittle. The English pressure is starting to wear us down.

 

[Streak]

Who's gonna keep if Bairstow's out?

Foakes

 

[MD Jazz]

To be fair, scored at greater than 5 an over in that 2nd innings? Not aggressive enough for you?

Did not expect any fair balanced analysis on this thread. Poms win and they are lucky. Reality is if Poms fielded a little better Aust would not have got 150 in first dig.

Deserved win and series well poised. Both sides with key selection issues now.

Can’t wait until Old Trafford

 

[leon]

Leysy's obs:

- OLG there are some negative nelly's on this thread. This won't be a cakewalk chase. And if it is, we are 2-1 after losing every toss and Lyon out for the series. We'd all take that every day of the week before the first Test.

- Said it before the first test when most wanted Boland ahead of him. Including the selectors. But Starc is undroppable. Incomparable to Boland.
Such an underrated cricketer. Bowls the odd 4 ball. But never seen anyone bowl as many unplayable deliveries as him.

- Murphy is the key to the chase. He is capable of bowling us to victory. Like to see Pat get him on early.

Yes, Starc did very well but think you got a bit ahead of yourself - not for the first time - especially re Murphy being the key. lol.

Has heaps of potential but not going to win an Ashes test for us for some years yet. (Luckily for you my emojis won't work!)

 

[deedee]

If Carey and Bairstow swapped teams the poms would be leading 3 nil.

 

[waiting]

geez the camera work is hopeless

Hopeless was kind Snakey especially left of screen.
Maybe it’s my eye sight not able to pick the ball up.

 

[waiting]

Do you reckon they really would drop Warner?

No.

 

[waiting]

I actually don’t think England have been brittle. They have stuck to a game plan to be ultra aggressive and while it hasn’t always worked for them, you could argue they are unlucky not to have won at least another test.

Australia clearly has more talent, but I really think we are brittle. The English pressure is starting to wear us down.

Agree Streak.

The number of dropped catches by them in the 3 Tests.

I’m being fair & honest, but they hold 50% of those catches, I reckon they are 3-0, not 1-2.

Two tests to go. I think they are in the box seat.

Got to get more from some of our batsmen.

Our tactics and selection the next two will tell us a lot.

 

[yo_eddy]

Hopefully our selectors show the same flexibility with the batting as they have with the bowlers. At this point Warner is basically a lamp post. Any option is better at the top of the order.

if we do what we did the last time we were in England - picking the same lineup, failure after failure - we’ll be going down 2-3.

 

[Mr Brightside]

Hopefully our selectors show the same flexibility with the batting as they have with the bowlers. At this point Warner is basically a lamp post. Any option is better at the top of the order.

if we do what we did the last time we were in England - picking the same lineup, failure after failure - we’ll be going down 2-3.

A lamp post is useful and Bright

 

[Carter]

Warner out

Head opening

Two lumberjacks in Marsh and Green 5 and 6

Do it

 

[tigersnake]

We lost because the top order didn't fire. Another close one though.

 

[mrposhman]

We lost because the top order didn't fire. Another close one though.

But neither did Englands. It was an interesting wicket.

There was enough in it for the batters in they could get in but never really feel comfortable and there was a bit in it for the bowlers. The scorecards of the side are remarkably similar, so both teams struggled at the same parts of their innings.

In the first innings, Australias top 5 scored 99 and then Marsh came in and played brilliantly for his 118.
In the first innings, Englands top 5 scored 69 and then Stokes scored 80 and we got a bit from our tail.

In the 2nd innings, Australias top 4 scored 79 and then Head came in at 5 to top score with 77
In the 2nd innings, England top 4 scored 93 and then Brook came in at 5 and top scored with 75

You've actually probably got a better argument that it was the tail that won England the game, the top order of both sides scored almost identically.

 

[mrposhman]

Warner out

Head opening

Two lumberjacks in Marsh and Green 5 and 6

Do it

The other one the Aussies could do is Harris in for Warner and Green in for Boland, but does Green still have an injury issue around bowling that would impact the team similarly to Stokes being as Stokes can't bowl much either at the moment, or is Green fit enough to bowl more overs?

 

[Carter]

not for the first time, Warner is a massive management issue for this team

I reckon he has too much dirt (in a political sense) to be dropped

 

[tigersnake]

But neither did Englands. It was an interesting wicket.

There was enough in it for the batters in they could get in but never really feel comfortable and there was a bit in it for the bowlers. The scorecards of the side are remarkably similar, so both teams struggled at the same parts of their innings.

In the first innings, Australias top 5 scored 99 and then Marsh came in and played brilliantly for his 118.
In the first innings, Englands top 5 scored 69 and then Stokes scored 80 and we got a bit from our tail.

In the 2nd innings, Australias top 4 scored 79 and then Head came in at 5 to top score with 77
In the 2nd innings, England top 4 scored 93 and then Brook came in at 5 and top scored with 75

You've actually probably got a better argument that it was the tail that won England the game, the top order of both sides scored almost identically.

good points. Wood the key difference that won it. Genuine pace shook things up, and useful batting cameos to top it off. His accuracy for someone that quick is very impressive.

 

[Carter]

The other one the Aussies could do is Harris in for Warner and Green in for Boland, but does Green still have an injury issue around bowling that would impact the team similarly to Stokes being as Stokes can't bowl much either at the moment, or is Green fit enough to bowl more overs?

I would have Green in just for his batting and octopoid fielding.

Marsh because he’s in form and can take the game away in a session.

I would bring Neser in for Boland. Hazlewood doesn’t convince. Murphy impressive and you need variation.

Head
Khawaja
Labuchagne
Smith
Green
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Neser
Murphy

 

[mrposhman]

good points. Wood the key difference that won it. Genuine pace shook things up, and useful batting cameos to top it off. His accuracy for someone that quick is very impressive.

Wood gives us a lot more balance to our attack. Its unfortunately been something thats followed England around recently that those quality and quick bowlers just seem to be injured a lot more often (Archer and Wood the main ones but there are a few the next rung down that seem to be injured a lot too).

You compare the attack at Headingley (and the pitch was better for the bowlers) to the 1st 2 tests and we just have more balance. Woakes is a bit quicker than any of Robinson, Anderson or Broad and swings the ball as well as any of our bowlers in England (its outside of England that he chucks pies), Wood with express pace, Broad can get seam, swing and bounce. Its just a much better balanced attack than playing Anderson, Broad and Robinson all in the 1 team. You even saw the variation that Tongue brought when they played him.

3 is the real concern for England at the moment, its a bit of a makeshift position right now, so do we drop Ali again and bring Lawrence in, and use Lawrence / Root as spinners at Old Trafford?

 

[frecks]

Hopefully our selectors show the same flexibility with the batting as they have with the bowlers. At this point Warner is basically a lamp post. Any option is better at the top of the order.

if we do what we did the last time we were in England - picking the same lineup, failure after failure - we’ll be going down 2-3.

Warnertown,hopefully for good

 

[tigertim]

The stats are damning against him, if he’s not dropped then the selectors have to cop any ramifications of more failures by him.

not for the first time, Warner is a massive management issue for this team

I reckon he has too much dirt (in a political sense) to be dropped.