Cricket fred

[Puja]

You know, I will take the shit out of 416 when Australia were 316-3 yesterday evening. Our first innings is going to be utterly crucial though, especially with Pope injured and likely to be hampered in his batting. It's not an impossible pitch to play on, but I'm concerned about Crawley and Duckett against Australia's nasty pace attack. There's going to be 20 minutes of batting before lunch and I'm slightly concerned that we'll be three down before the break.

Here's hoping our openers refute my lack of faith in them.

Puja

[fivepointer]

A decent morning. Getting Aus out for just over 400 was a good effort. Still with 10 wkts left after lunch too.

[Banquo]

ffs Crawley....don't fckin charge Lyon. 4th player stumped when well set I make it.

[Puja]

91-0 and basically chancele...

Fucksake. Literally just typing that and Crawley has decided to charge Nathan Lyon and get stumped. What the actual fuck. They were milking him for runs whenever they liked and then Crawley decided to do that.

Puja

[Banquo]

91-0 and basically chancele...

Fucksake. Literally just typing that and Crawley has decided to charge Nathan Lyon and get stumped. What the actual fuck. They were milking him for runs whenever they liked and then Crawley decided to do that.

Puja

yep

also, spot the difference behind the stumps. Great stumping, no byes - he's saved 12 runs already down the leg side.

[Puja]

ffs Crawley....don't fckin charge Lyon. 4th player stumped when well set I make it.

I get being aggressive. I understand the theory of trying to keep someone on their toes and do the unexpected. Root's ramps for example - excellent method of disconcerting the bowlers.

But charging Lyon is not working. The success/failure ratio is just too low - we might get a 6 or two, but he's good enough that the risk is too high for the return. It's not being aggressively disruptive, it's just been giving Australia a free breakthrough and getting their confidence up.

Sweep him, slog him, play for 6 an over through all the free singles that Australia's field settings are giving us. Just stop bloody charging.

Puja

[Puja]

181-1 and it's starting to look like we maligned England's bowling atta...

Fucksake - Duckett nearly fell right into Australia's short ball trap as I typed. Was worried that I was going to bring another wicket by praising England's batting.

And now Lyon looks to have injured himself. That could be huge - for the series as well as the game.

Puja

[Banquo]

181-1 and it's starting to look like we maligned England's bowling atta...

Fucksake - Duckett nearly fell right into Australia's short ball trap as I typed. Was worried that I was going to bring another wicket by praising England's batting.

And now Lyon looks to have injured himself. That could be huge - for the series as well as the game.

Puja

Massive moment, looked bad. Soleus strain I thought

[Banquo]

Ffs Pope. Again, attack yes, but daft shot no.

[Puja]

Tufnell is going spare on TMS at Pope getting out to the most obvious trap ever. "You've got no slip, no gully, no catchers - you've got nothing to worry about as long as you don't hook the ball and what does he do?!"

Fair point.

Puja

[Banquo]

Root lucky

[Banquo]

Hopefully they’ll calm down a bit, much as I like bazball- just settle in

[Puja]

Oh my gods. Root's just got out to exactly the same stupid shot only to get a life because Green's bowled yet another no-ball.

Learn from your mistakes now Joe. Fucksake.

Puja

[Puja]

Green's having a mare. 4 no balls, including one with a wicket, and then just gave away 4 byes while he was lucky not to have a wide. He's only bowled 5 overs!

Puja

[Banquo]

Thing is, Bazball has bought them one day fields so they can score at 4 an over without doing anything daft.

[Banquo]

Compulsive hooking

[Banquo]

In fairness to England in the field, Oz equally poor tbf

[Banquo]

Ponting spot on

[Banquo]

For fcks sake. Such a waste, just leave it ya plonker. Great knock, but…

[Banquo]

Seriously, what the fck are they doing. Short bowling is tiring, ride it out. Lyon is out of the attack.

[Banquo]

Now Brook is dicking about and is lucky

[Puja]

Seriously, what the fck are they doing. Short bowling is tiring, ride it out. Lyon is out of the attack.

It's just utterly baffling. We've lost three wickets today and that is absolutely the correct phrasing - Australia haven't "taken" any of them, we've just lost them.

Puja

[Puja]

What the actual fuck

[Banquo]

What the actual fuck

quite. Root should know much much better. Absolute sucker punches.

[Puja]

138 behind with 6 wickets in hand is a better position to end Day 2 on than I could've hoped for at the start. We need the Brooks and Stokes partnership to put on at least another 60 runs - if one gets out early tomorrow, then a lot of the good work will be undone - but it is a solid position, even with our elongated tail.

Puja