The Official England Cricket Team Supporters thread

166/7.

A surprisingly obdurate 33 over 7th wicket stand between Buttler and Woakes has just been broken with Richardson picking up the wicket of Woakes.

England 180/8 after 108 overs.

26 overs to bat out to save the test. It almost feels like an England win to have made it to the last session on Day 5.

A moral victory at worst.

If the boys could actually hold out it would stir the blood of every Englishman everywhere.

It would be up there with Michael Athertonā€™s heroics in South Africa in 1995 and Shackletonā€™s on Elephant Island in 1916.

Only England. Buttler Fingers after surviving 207 deliveries gets himself out trodding on his stumps.

182/9

Oh well.

First time in first class cricket Buttler has ever got himself out knocking over his own stumps.

Was Graham Gooch ever given out for handball in his career other than that time in the 1993 Ashes?

The Australians tend to bring out the Basil Fawlty in English cricketers.

We can take a lot of positives out of Day 5. You just canā€™t legislate for a once in a career moment like getting yourself out walking on your own stumps. A draw had been all but secured until that happened.

And who knows Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson could well see out the last 22 overs.

Either way you sense this stout English resistance on Day 5 could well be a turning point in the series.

In a WhatsApp message I received overnight @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy actually predicted that heā€™d lose his wicket in that manner.

Hope @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy stuck a few quid on Buttler Fingers getting out in that manner. If he did, heā€™s probably a millionaire now.

England all for 192.

Both teams will be happy with that. Buttler has cemented his place with an obdurate innings and tired out the Aussie quicks. The Boxing Day test could be crucial.

Iā€™m reading that the last player out in an Ashes test knocking over his own stumps after facing more than 200 deliveries was Sir Donald Bradman at the Gabba in 1947. Buttler Fingers has joined a very elite club.

Iā€™m surprised a Gabbatoir expert like @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy hasnā€™t been on already to share that nugget of information.

cc @thedancingbaby

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2-0 guys

do we want a whitewash or do we want the Poms to make a game of it?

St Stephens day mate

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Bumble Lloyd hanging up the microphone.

@Little_Lord_Fauntleroy saw this coming a while back in fairness

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Calls for Eoin Morgan to be brought in as coach immediately :flushed::slightly_smiling_face:

They could sack Silverwood right now. The tour has been an organisational and coaching shambles from a long way back.

The shit is hitting the fan in a big way. Root came out yesterday and had a cut at the bowlers for more or less ignoring instructions and bowling a shorter length in Adelaide than they were instructed to.

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They could do a lot worse.

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Root should be sacked as captain as well, right now. Itā€™s not as if there isnā€™t precedent there. Beefy was sacked as captain after the 2nd test at Lordā€™s during the 1981 Ashes and the 1989 Ashes was the series of four captains.

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