Test Match Cricket

Losing the last 6 wickets in just under 9 overs wasn’t ideal but England would have taken the 300 or so runs countributed from 5 down all day long in advance. The third successive Cook/Root first inning batting failure is the main reason why England didn’t post the 500 total they needed and why they are sliding to another crushing defeat here.

1 Like

You mean that annoying little gimp Steven Smith?

The Guardian live feed is very funny for anyone still interested.

549/4 at close of play. Australia lead by 146.
Australia have scored 346 runs today and lost 1 wicket.
Come on boys, give me something to work with here, home town umpiring or some shit.
Actually, now that I think of it, it’s pretty obvious the fix is in, these English chaps have obviously been nobbled by some sub-continental bookmaker.

Nothing to say other than well done Australia. They’ve outclassed England all three tests with bat, ball and in the field. The few isolated bad calls that England have been on the receiving end of have had zero impact on the outcome.

It’s just terribly dosappointing Geoffrey.

It is. I think most of us would have liked to have seen it all on the line going into the 5th test in Sydney. Senior players have really let England down. Nathan Lyon was on the money about ending careers. Cook and Broad have been beyond awful, Moeen Ali as well. Root and Anderson marginally better but not much.

The only three England players who can hold their heads up and who emerge with any credit are the three most inexperienced, Stoneman, Malan and Overton.

1 Like

You got it badly wrong

Yes I acknowledged after the 2nd test that I had called it wrong and allowed my heart to rule my head.

Cook is finished. Anderson and Broad add nothing in overseas conditions but are undroppable. Two horrible pricks as well I’d say. Most of the batsmen can’t apply themselves to a situation.

Not even Stokes could save them now.

I think I was frowned upon for stating so a few weeks ago.

It’ll force a major overhaul of the squad. It may be like the time celtic lost to a then barely heard of Inverness Caledonian thistle, an absolute long term blessing. It’ll be better that they’re annihilated. Broad and Anderson might get one more home Ashes. Anderson seemed alright to me, but he seems to attract trouble. There’s something bad at the heart of that squad. Three newcomers blooded though, root will come good, stokes to come back, and some reasonable young lads. Next Ashes might be decent if five day survives that long.

You are frowned upon for most of your posts.

:grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes::grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Stoneman, Hamid, Jennings, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Stokes, Overton, Wood and two more bowlers one of whom has to be a decent spinner.

1 Like

Wood needs to stay fit. There will be a couple of quicks come through before the Ashes I’d imagine. I reckon Anderson and Broad will want a last tilt at the aussies.

They might want it but do they deserve it?

Dunno. Not on current form, not at all, but in home conditions if Anderson is fit, and going OK it’d be very hard to drop him.

Odd thing is that at times they have looked like they could bat. Broad in particular. They are hopeless at present with the bat.
With stokes, England should bat very deep. Ali’s loss of form is strange. I suspect this group is cliqued up.