The Ashes

12467…29

Comments

  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    IronHerb said:

    250 ahead, game on.

    Hmm, could be game over, Robinson gone, 256-9, lead by 263. Not enough in my book, by quite a few.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    281 needed then. Got to fancy Australia to get that with their batting depth.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    Yeah, it doesn't feel enough, there don't seem to be any demons in the pitch, Moeen Ali might not be able to bowl, and the Aussies have potentially 4 sessions to get the runs.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Bairstow again. Static. That was another chance gone begging.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    OldCastleSwift said:

    Bairstow again. Static. That was another chance gone begging.

    Tough chance, but you've gotta feel Bairstow has to at least try for it.
  • SlackerSlacker
    For Bairstow read Soucek.😉
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    buffybegood said:

    OldCastleSwift said:

    Bairstow again. Static. That was another chance gone begging.

    Tough chance, but you've gotta feel Bairstow has to at least try for it.
    Yeah, I can't imagine Carey, or Foakes, just watching it go by. Frustrating.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    I suspect an awful lot of people will be questioning whether Bairstow should have been keeping in this match. It remains to be seen how stubborn McCullen and Stokes are about this, whether they feel/will argue that it might just be rustiness on Bairstow's part (possibly partly true given he's not usually quite so bad behind the stumps) and that he'll get better as the series progresses, or whether they are willing to accept that they made a mistake and Foakes should have played and will play going forward.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    OldCastleSwift said:

    buffybegood said:

    OldCastleSwift said:

    Bairstow again. Static. That was another chance gone begging.

    Tough chance, but you've gotta feel Bairstow has to at least try for it.
    Yeah, I can't imagine Carey, or Foakes, just watching it go by. Frustrating.
    Could be that his confidence, perhaps understandably, has been shaken by his performance in the first innings.

  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    buffybegood said:

    OldCastleSwift said:

    buffybegood said:

    OldCastleSwift said:

    Bairstow again. Static. That was another chance gone begging.

    Tough chance, but you've gotta feel Bairstow has to at least try for it.
    Yeah, I can't imagine Carey, or Foakes, just watching it go by. Frustrating.
    Could be that his confidence, perhaps understandably, has been shaken by his performance in the first innings.

    Yeah, he'll know that he's cost the team runs and he'll have seen Carey have a near faultless performance for the Aussies.

    To be honest, I don't blame Bairstow so much; it's on McCullum and Stokes to pick the best players in each position and they haven't done that at No7, IMO.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    edited June 2023
    OldCastleSwift said:

    To be honest, I don't blame Bairstow so much; it's on McCullum and Stokes to pick the best players in each position and they haven't done that at No7, IMO.

    For sure, if Brook hadn't made himself undroppable, you'd think he'd have made way for Bairstow and Foakes woulda kept his place.

    However, given Brook had to be included, that Root is set at 4, that Pope is the most comfortable 3 we've had for a while, that Stokes is only a part-time bowler so has to occupy a top 6 batting slot, it meant sacrificing one of the openers or Foakes if Bairstow was coming back in.

    I know Bairstow has often opened in white-ball cricket, and that Bazball is often closer to white-ball rather than red-ball cricket, but maybe it was felt that Bairstow really isn't suited to opening in Test cricket (I'm not convinced he is either tbh) or that they didn't want to mess with a Crawley/Duckett opening pair that has shown some promise. Either way, they took the easy way out and let Bairstow take the gloves at Foakes's, and potentially England's, expense.

  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    61-1, Warner goes.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    78-2, Labuschagne gone.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    89-3, Smith gone.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Broad looks to be on one.

    Three down at stumps makes tomorrow very interesting.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    I reckon it's really delicately poised atm, genuinely about even money for either side to win.
  • SlackerSlacker
    What a wonderful day’s cricket.
    Just a great Test Match.
    Really hope the weather doesn’t ruin it tomorrow.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Australia have only chased down 280 three times in Ashes history. Last time was 1948.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Australia five down. Bit of spin for Moeen, too.

    Absolutely no idea which way this is going to go.
  • alderzalderz
    It's so in the balance. I love test cricket.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    Advantage Australia for sure atm, need 99 with 5 wickets remaining (and one of the one's we've taken was only the nightwatchman). Need a couple of wickets sharpish.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    edited June 2023
    Should be comfortable for Australia now. It's gone very flat from England and there's little threat from the bowlers and plenty of time to knock off those 99.

    With Australia's batting line up, we needed all of our bowlers to be on it. Unfortunately Anderson has been miles off his best and Moeen just isn't threatening enough.
  • LukerzLukerz
    I think it’s 50-50
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    2 quick wickets and it’s all over. Come on England.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    ROBBO!
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    And there’s the first. 🥳
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    Green gone. Australia need 89.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Stokes strikes. 7 down and Khawaja gone.

    Oh my...
  • PrestonHammerPrestonHammer
    Usman gone!!!
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    209-7, 72 needed and we're into the bowlers at one end.
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