Ashes 17-18

KevIRL

KevIRL wrote: »

Some stuff this partnership

Solid jinxing. Malan out

Somedaythefire

KevIRL wrote: »

Solid jinxing. Malan out

Good lad. About time.

KevIRL

Fair old collapse from the tail as England make 403

Warner gone for Australia already

KevIRL

6 wickets in 51 balls for 35 runs

KevIRL

Both openers out for Australia 55/2. Smith to the crease. If England can get him today they'll fancy keeping Australia to a v low score

KevIRL

Smith gonna Smith.

StringerBell

203/3 at close. Australias day, but England well in this match after giving themselves a chance with runs on the board (even allowing for the collapse)

Smith will have to start all over again in the morning, which is about the only hope England have of removing him it seems!

Pretty even after the two days?

Gizmo55

The ball is doing nothing. Aussies on for a big score.

Gizmo55

A wicket is badly needed. Scores are even. Aussies only 4 down.

KevIRL

Pretty embarrassing for England. Australia 218/1 today

Gizmo55

Smith nearly at 200. I’m not trying to jinx him, honestly

Gizmo55

200 for Smith. Fair play.

KevIRL

Australia look like they could bat into next year here if they wanted

KevIRL

Just the 345/1 for Australia today

Richard Hillman

Iconic from Smith, heroic from Marsh. Unbelievable

StringerBell

Well what can you say about that?

Mitch more than justifying his selection, CO apparently has a cracked rib.

Smith being Smith

Took the game away today completely, best England can hope for now is a draw. Got to wonder about the effects this match will have though, both mentally and physically, bowling for so long and getting so little reward.

Apparently if Jimmy joins the 100 club tomorrow it will be the 8th time in history a team has had 5 bowlers go for tons

Still a very batting friendly pitch, makes the collapse worse, rain is threatening over the next two days and I'd imagine England will be doing the rain dance tonight to get out of this with a draw!

150 runs behind already, won't fancy getting put into bat tomorrow evening to try hold on for their lives after two and a half very long days in the field.

StringerBell

Smithy broke a few records today also and joined Hayden as the only batsmen to score a thousand runs in 4 consecutive years....hayden out on his own with 5.

Gizmo55

At what point should Australia declare and have a bowl at England? This is bound to be a draw imo.

StringerBell

Australia will declare before or at Tea depending on the run rate and the weather. If Australia can put together a lead of anywhere between 270/300 they will just declare at that point and have a proper rattle at them but they will want to keep them in the field for a good part of the day after being in it toiling all day yesterday and a part of the day before.

I will say this though, I think on the evidence of the first couple of overs 250 is enough to win here without batting again. Two balls have hit cracks so far, one took a wicket, one was completely unplayable.

Jimmy broke through in the first over of the day trapping Marsh LBW, pretty plum, only issue may have been height and it was reviewed but went with umpires call, looked a good one tbh.

Paine joins Smith out there, who has moved with ease to 239 now.

560/5 becomes 560/6 as I type

Smith! The big one is gone, on review.

Given not out, England reviewed it, and it was overturned. There was a couple of sounds and there is no bat on the replay, big big wicket for England

Anderson again. He was unsure going for the review, the noises I'd say putting him off. Smith played the wrong line as the ball straightened, the pitch certainly has some demons now!

StringerBell

Disaster for Austrlia, Starc run out after calling for a run that was never on. Could have been either of them, Starc sacrificed himself there and England trotted along to remove the bales. Shocking stuff.

One hell of an over from Anderson

561/7

Cummins has batted well this series, he will need to again and Paine needs to take a bit of a leadership role here.

StringerBell

One of the funner comments on another site is that after seeing the cracks in the wicket Australia are now losing wickets on purpose to put the Poms back in to bat quicker

Anderson appears to be getting some reverse spin. This could be a very lively session.

StringerBell

New ball is available, but I am not sure they will take it given the way this ball is working for them.

Gizmo55

This is one of the big differences, Aus blow through the England tail whereas England struggle to finish them off.

Gizmo55

Down leg side? Yep. Feck.

StringerBell

Never mind that, Australia either need to bat strong, aggressively, now or just declare. Batting this way serves no purpose other then to lose overs, which may be precious given the weather.

Good review there by Paine, stride saved him. Anderson enjoying himself this morning

I'll say it once more, the foot needs to be put to the floor or just declare, scratching around is serving no purpose. May add about 30 runs losing more overs then that would be worth the way this pitch is playing.

StringerBell

After watching that Paine review I am more convinced Smith got dealt a bad one by the review system and that it was definitely going to go over.

StringerBell

Good over from Australia though I am not sure how Cummins survived that last ball, super delivery from Anderson edged for 4.

9 runs from the over brings the lead to 182 runs, how many more I wonder

Gizmo55

I’m never sure about Smith’s tactics. Great batsman but not a great captain. England should try the new ball now.

StringerBell

This is more like it in terms of run rate, the lead is up to 205, both batsmen bringing their SR up a bit.

StringerBell

Gizmo55 wrote: »

I’m never sure about Smith’s tactics. Great batsman but not a great captain. England should try the new ball now.

I think he wants to get 250 if possible, that really looks like it could be enough without needing to bat again.

The problem is the length of time it will take to get there, I would question the benefit of getting there slowly but if they can get close to it or surpass it in the next 8/10 overs that will be good enough for him I'm sure.

I can see the reluctance to take the new ball tbh, they are getting something out of the old one but more to the point it will be easier to score off the new ball as much as it would be likely to take a wicket.