Cricket fred

[Banquo]

aussies seem like a right bunch of to55ers

Seem like? Exhibit A is Warner who is an absolute bell end on a good day and a cynt on most.

Just got back from Day 2 at the Gabba as my lad has a game tomorrow up the coast. Jeez, we could have had them under alot more pressure if we hadn't been suckered into rash shots and - in Vince's case - run selection. Moeen not turning the ball nearly as much as Lyon and Woakes has been pretty poor but you've probably deduced as much from television coverage.

yes, we've missed two opportunities to turn the screw. Looks so far like both batting lineups are fragile, and that we have more reliance on key bowlers than Oz. Unfortunately Lyon is personally backing up his BS

[Stom]

We're quite evenly matched, but that collapse has given Aus the edge. It's a good test match, though!

[Banquo]

We're quite evenly matched, but that collapse has given Aus the edge. It's a good test match, though!

well we took the edge back when Oz collapsed-ish, but gave it back a bit when Woakes bowled like a drain and Moeen failed to get turn.

[WaspInWales]

When I checked my phone this morning, I somehow convinced myself we had bowled them out for less than 100 and enforced the follow on and they were 100 odd for 4.

Happy days!!!

Then reality set in

Still got more than a decent chance to win, but Smith and Marsh are looking settled. One or two quick wickets tomorrow and the momentum is very much with us.

[Digby]

Moeen failed to get turn, well that is surprising.

Just on the day as a whole was anyone actually gotten out or did all 10 wickets fall just a bit cheaply? And given we really didn't play cheaply yesterday I don't understand the approach from England today, I doubt the team planning changed so what happened?

I'm not maybe that cross about Bairstow, without Stokes we do have a longer tail and he simply didn't seem to trust the lower order. That's maybe how they want him to look at such situations, either way they need him and the team to be clear on that for future innings.

[Banquo]

Moeen failed to get turn, well that is surprising.

Just on the day as a whole was anyone actually gotten out or did all 10 wickets fall just a bit cheaply? And given we really didn't play cheaply yesterday I don't understand the approach from England today, I doubt the team planning changed so what happened?

I'm not maybe that cross about Bairstow, without Stokes we do have a longer tail and he simply didn't seem to trust the lower order. That's maybe how they want him to look at such situations, either way they need him and the team to be clear on that for future innings.

Moeen has managed to get it to turn, on turning pitches, which this is.....he's just short of practice. But he remains an average test bowler.

[Digby]

Moeen failed to get turn, well that is surprising.

Just on the day as a whole was anyone actually gotten out or did all 10 wickets fall just a bit cheaply? And given we really didn't play cheaply yesterday I don't understand the approach from England today, I doubt the team planning changed so what happened?

I'm not maybe that cross about Bairstow, without Stokes we do have a longer tail and he simply didn't seem to trust the lower order. That's maybe how they want him to look at such situations, either way they need him and the team to be clear on that for future innings.

Moeen has managed to get it to turn, on turning pitches, which this is.....he's just short of practice. But he remains an average test bowler.

He's much better than he was, when he started out I actually thought Root the better spinner. Moeen now gets some drift, sometimes, and he's got a decent loop when he's bowling with some confidence. But he doesn't spin the ball often enough, and he's not really getting any nasty bounce. The sad truth might be he's still our best spinner for all his limitations. One other problem for Moeen is on spinning wickets when he's really turning the ball he doesn't win games enough, he's reliant on batting errors including people over attacking him

[Banquo]

Moeen failed to get turn, well that is surprising.

Just on the day as a whole was anyone actually gotten out or did all 10 wickets fall just a bit cheaply? And given we really didn't play cheaply yesterday I don't understand the approach from England today, I doubt the team planning changed so what happened?

I'm not maybe that cross about Bairstow, without Stokes we do have a longer tail and he simply didn't seem to trust the lower order. That's maybe how they want him to look at such situations, either way they need him and the team to be clear on that for future innings.

Moeen has managed to get it to turn, on turning pitches, which this is.....he's just short of practice. But he remains an average test bowler.

He's much better than he was, when he started out I actually thought Root the better spinner. Moeen now gets some drift, sometimes, and he's got a decent loop when he's bowling with some confidence. But he doesn't spin the ball often enough, and he's not really getting any nasty bounce. The sad truth might be he's still our best spinner for all his limitations. One other problem for Moeen is on spinning wickets when he's really turning the ball he doesn't win games enough, he's reliant on batting errors including people over attacking him

same for most finger spinners these days, unless its a real bunsen; btw, you only really get drift if you are giving it a rip, unless you mean his arm ball?
In spinning terms, he hasn't bowled enough overs even now to be gettiing near to peak performance, frankly.

[Digby]

Moeen has managed to get it to turn, on turning pitches, which this is.....he's just short of practice. But he remains an average test bowler.

He's much better than he was, when he started out I actually thought Root the better spinner. Moeen now gets some drift, sometimes, and he's got a decent loop when he's bowling with some confidence. But he doesn't spin the ball often enough, and he's not really getting any nasty bounce. The sad truth might be he's still our best spinner for all his limitations. One other problem for Moeen is on spinning wickets when he's really turning the ball he doesn't win games enough, he's reliant on batting errors including people over attacking him

same for most finger spinners these days, unless its a real bunsen; btw, you only really get drift if you are giving it a rip, unless you mean his arm ball?
In spinning terms, he hasn't bowled enough overs even now to be gettiing near to peak performance, frankly.

I mean he can get drift, though his loop is better than his drift. The problem, part technique, part stamina, part confidence is he's not able to give the ball enough of a rip often enough, and I'm sure you're right that being a batsman who's bowled more in the last 5 years sees him years behind where a bowler would be

He has, so I'm told, a doosra. Though I don't know I can recall seeing it, maybe it's one of those full-toss or long-hop deliveries which gift a bundary

[WaspInWales]

Whoop whoop!

Broad brings the Smith - Marsh partnership to an end on 99 with the wicket of Marsh.

Marsh had not long got his 50 on the board.

Love it.

[WaspInWales]

Love TMS

[WaspInWales]

Aussies in a bit of bother now.

Are they gonna go for quick runs?

Starc off the mark with a 6 and then out!!!

Safe to say Broad is in the zone.

[Mellsblue]

Ffs Cooky. He needs to step up.

[Mellsblue]

He's much better than he was, when he started out I actually thought Root the better spinner. Moeen now gets some drift, sometimes, and he's got a decent loop when he's bowling with some confidence. But he doesn't spin the ball often enough, and he's not really getting any nasty bounce. The sad truth might be he's still our best spinner for all his limitations. One other problem for Moeen is on spinning wickets when he's really turning the ball he doesn't win games enough, he's reliant on batting errors including people over attacking him

same for most finger spinners these days, unless its a real bunsen; btw, you only really get drift if you are giving it a rip, unless you mean his arm ball?
In spinning terms, he hasn't bowled enough overs even now to be gettiing near to peak performance, frankly.

I mean he can get drift, though his loop is better than his drift. The problem, part technique, part stamina, part confidence is he's not able to give the ball enough of a rip often enough, and I'm sure you're right that being a batsman who's bowled more in the last 5 years sees him years behind where a bowler would be

He has, so I'm told, a doosra. Though I don't know I can recall seeing it, maybe it's one of those full-toss or long-hop deliveries which gift a bundary

According to Vaughan on BT, Moeen got 51% more drift than Lyon but Lyon achieved 58% more spin.

[Digby]

same for most finger spinners these days, unless its a real bunsen; btw, you only really get drift if you are giving it a rip, unless you mean his arm ball?
In spinning terms, he hasn't bowled enough overs even now to be gettiing near to peak performance, frankly.

I mean he can get drift, though his loop is better than his drift. The problem, part technique, part stamina, part confidence is he's not able to give the ball enough of a rip often enough, and I'm sure you're right that being a batsman who's bowled more in the last 5 years sees him years behind where a bowler would be

He has, so I'm told, a doosra. Though I don't know I can recall seeing it, maybe it's one of those full-toss or long-hop deliveries which gift a bundary

According to Vaughan on BT, Moeen got 51% more drift than Lyon but Lyon achieved 58% more spin.

Vaughan also thinks Moeen is bowling injured

[Stom]

Disappointing.

Could have been so much better, but now we just have to scrape together a partnership or two. Root needs a score now and needs a couple to stick with him.

It will be interesting to see how the wicket plays tomorrow. I have to say, compared to the WI tests and so on, this is a good test match.

[fivepointer]

Losing 2 wkts has probably tilted things towards Aussie. Its still in the balance and a good session could be decisive. Time for a captains knock, Joe.

[WaspInWales]

Disappointing.

Could have been so much better, but now we just have to scrape together a partnership or two. Root needs a score now and needs a couple to stick with him.

It will be interesting to see how the wicket plays tomorrow. I have to say, compared to the WI tests and so on, this is a good test match.

Yep, it's a good'un alright.

Aussies on top and favourites to win, but if Root can dig in and more importantly, score with a few partnerships, then we can tip the balance back to us again.

I'm not expecting that though. Think we'll collapse again tomorrow and leave the Aussies needing less than 150 to win.

[WaspInWales]

It's all slipping away

[WaspInWales]

Root has gone. We have a lead of 87. Setting a target of 150 looks a bit ambitious at the moment.

That is me done for the night.

[Mellsblue]

Uh oh. I’m going back to bed.

[Banquo]

Too many passengers, and frankly not enough fight from the tail. Unless our class players make big contributions, and everyone digs in, we will continue to struggle. This Oz side isn't that good, tbh.

[fivepointer]

Needed someone to make a big score to keep in the game but that didnt happen. Not a great effort with the ball either.

[Banquo]

Needed someone to make a big score to keep in the game but that didnt happen. Not a great effort with the ball either.

just the tail hanging around for more than 10 minutes in both innings would have helped a lot; Broad and Anderson ARE our attack, as always seemed likely unfortunately,

[Banquo]

YJB apparently head butted the aussie opener in Perth a couple of weeks ago. If so....wtf, having been warned before. Perhaps Root needs to lay the law down.