Cricket fred

[Stom]

Bad decision keeping the non keeping keeper tho.

I am resigned to him being retained all series. They are showing faith - it worked for Crawley (for certain values of worked, although I don't necessarily mind an opener who continuously and consistently gets between 20 and 45 - rather that than one that gets four 0-10s and then gets a 150 every so often. At least Crawley can be relied upon to last long enough to take some shine off the ball for the middle order), so they'll keep trying with Bairstow.

Puja

The issue with Bairstow is that he’s literally cost at least one test…..and is in severe run debt and we have a demonstrably better option.

I agree with this.

Also, and I don't get overlooking this...Bairstow is a pretty damn good outfielder. If he was a specialist batsman, he'd be a shoe in considering his work in the field.

[Banquo]

I am resigned to him being retained all series. They are showing faith - it worked for Crawley (for certain values of worked, although I don't necessarily mind an opener who continuously and consistently gets between 20 and 45 - rather that than one that gets four 0-10s and then gets a 150 every so often. At least Crawley can be relied upon to last long enough to take some shine off the ball for the middle order), so they'll keep trying with Bairstow.

Puja

The issue with Bairstow is that he’s literally cost at least one test…..and is in severe run debt and we have a demonstrably better option.

I agree with this.

Also, and I don't get overlooking this...Bairstow is a pretty damn good outfielder. If he was a specialist batsman, he'd be a shoe in considering his work in the field.

Suspect that might not be quite as good as pre leg break, but yes, probably.

[Banquo]

good start but odd early bowling changes has let oz off the hook. Wood not quite on it and we are shipping runs

[Banquo]

and yjb shipped 8 byes and looks utterly at sea behind the stumps

The ball was swinging, and we've wasted it.

[Banquo]

warner gone, but Wood was badly positioned and should have caught Smith first ball

[Banquo]

anderson has bowled v well, Broad not really on it

[Banquo]

bowled poorly, wasted after warner went

[Puja]

I'd call yesterday a par day, neither good nor bad in the general scheme of things. Get the last two wickets done in the first half hour and for under 20 runs, it's a solid first innings. If Australia hold on for a chunk of the morning, it's a disaster (whether they score or not - time is not our friend).

Decent catch by Bairstow, but he's got a lot of redeeming to work in and, frankly, we already knew he can pull off the occasional stunner - it's the nuts and bolts keeping, especially up at the stumps, that worries.

Puja

[Banquo]

I'd call yesterday a par day, neither good nor bad in the general scheme of things. Get the last two wickets done in the first half hour and for under 20 runs, it's a solid first innings. If Australia hold on for a chunk of the morning, it's a disaster (whether they score or not - time is not our friend).

Decent catch by Bairstow, but he's got a lot of redeeming to work in and, frankly, we already knew he can pull off the occasional stunner - it's the nuts and bolts keeping, especially up at the stumps, that worries.

Puja

Yeah I went a bit early, good sessions in the round and it was a good catch- made to look better with shit footwork forcing the spectacular save tbf.

If they add 40 we've not done enough.

[Puja]

Should've been all out for 300, only for the last wicket to be called back for another no ball. Our third wicket lost to nb this series - shocking for something that's eminently fixable.

Puja

[Banquo]

Should've been all out for 300, only for the last wicket to be called back for another no ball. Our third wicket lost to nb this series - shocking for something that's eminently fixable.

Puja

Too much carelessness from us all series.

[Banquo]

17 runs and 30 mins

[Puja]

Cost us 17 runs, but more upsettingly 30 minutes. Thank the gods for that.

England need a massive morning. The openers need to pile on runs relatively quickly - don't need to be reckless and try to get 6 per over, but need to score quickly and big to give latitude for the likes of Brooks and Bairstow to kick on later. That no doubt means that we'll be 110-5 by lunch.

Puja

[Banquo]

Fark. Needed a big opening stand

[Puja]

And so it begins.

Puja

[Puja]

Just seen the Duckett wicket - it's a good ball from Starc. I don't know whether that's better or worse than him getting out doing something stupid.

Puja

[Banquo]

Just seen the Duckett wicket - it's a good ball from Starc. I don't know whether that's better or worse than him getting out doing something stupid.

Puja

It was a good un, can’t blame Duckett tbh

[Puja]

We appear to be playing very cautiously so far, which is slightly worrying. I don't know we've got the skills to be defending and seeing off the bowlers before accumulating (especially with Australia's breadth of bowling options this test). We've already edged a few that could've gone to hand with a bit worse luck. The point of Bazball is to knock the stuffing out of the bowlers, or at least to get a quick 30 before getting a ball that's too good for you.

I am concerned that we'll end up with Moeen taking 50 deliveries to get 11 and then getting out anyway, when a more swashbuckling approach might see some of the pressure taken off.

Puja

[Banquo]

We appear to be playing very cautiously so far, which is slightly worrying. I don't know we've got the skills to be defending and seeing off the bowlers before accumulating (especially with Australia's breadth of bowling options this test). We've already edged a few that could've gone to hand with a bit worse luck. The point of Bazball is to knock the stuffing out of the bowlers, or at least to get a quick 30 before getting a ball that's too good for you.

I am concerned that we'll end up with Moeen taking 50 deliveries to get 11 and then getting out anyway, when a more swashbuckling approach might see some of the pressure taken off.

Puja

Hmm still scoring at nearly 4 an over despite losing a very early wicket

[Puja]

We appear to be playing very cautiously so far, which is slightly worrying. I don't know we've got the skills to be defending and seeing off the bowlers before accumulating (especially with Australia's breadth of bowling options this test). We've already edged a few that could've gone to hand with a bit worse luck. The point of Bazball is to knock the stuffing out of the bowlers, or at least to get a quick 30 before getting a ball that's too good for you.

I am concerned that we'll end up with Moeen taking 50 deliveries to get 11 and then getting out anyway, when a more swashbuckling approach might see some of the pressure taken off.

Puja

Hmm still scoring at nearly 4 an over despite losing a very early wicket

And Moeen looks to have very much got his eye in (although no doubt he'll get out if I take too long writing this comment). I reserve the right to be wrong at all times and it looks like I'm going to have to use it here.

Puja

[Banquo]

We appear to be playing very cautiously so far, which is slightly worrying. I don't know we've got the skills to be defending and seeing off the bowlers before accumulating (especially with Australia's breadth of bowling options this test). We've already edged a few that could've gone to hand with a bit worse luck. The point of Bazball is to knock the stuffing out of the bowlers, or at least to get a quick 30 before getting a ball that's too good for you.

I am concerned that we'll end up with Moeen taking 50 deliveries to get 11 and then getting out anyway, when a more swashbuckling approach might see some of the pressure taken off.

Puja

Hmm still scoring at nearly 4 an over despite losing a very early wicket

And Moeen looks to have very much got his eye in (although no doubt he'll get out if I take too long writing this comment). I reserve the right to be wrong at all times and it looks like I'm going to have to use it here.

Puja

Think they've been smart trying to see off three of the best pace bowlers of the era- we do forget how good that trio are.

[Puja]

Hmm still scoring at nearly 4 an over despite losing a very early wicket

And Moeen looks to have very much got his eye in (although no doubt he'll get out if I take too long writing this comment). I reserve the right to be wrong at all times and it looks like I'm going to have to use it here.

Puja

Think they've been smart trying to see off three of the best pace bowlers of the era- we do forget how good that trio are.

It's the problem when there's three of them though - if there's one or two, then you can see them off, but when there's three they can just rotate on and off and there's very little respite. We're lucky they lost Lyon to injury - if they had him able to hold down an end, then they could just be rotating their dangermen the other end and barely even need to touch their all-rounder(s).

Puja

[Banquo]

And Moeen looks to have very much got his eye in (although no doubt he'll get out if I take too long writing this comment). I reserve the right to be wrong at all times and it looks like I'm going to have to use it here.

Puja

Think they've been smart trying to see off three of the best pace bowlers of the era- we do forget how good that trio are.

It's the problem when there's three of them though - if there's one or two, then you can see them off, but when there's three they can just rotate on and off and there's very little respite. We're lucky they lost Lyon to injury - if they had him able to hold down an end, then they could just be rotating their dangermen the other end and barely even need to touch their all-rounder(s).

Puja

even with three they'll be getting tired. But they are a three with better test figures/strike rates than even Broad and Anderson! Lyon is a big loss, but so is Stokes as a bowler and even Leach.

[Puja]

Heh. Crawley trying to make Australia regret not picking a real spinner by smacking Head for 11 off his first three balls. He's been very good this summer (and I'll admit to being wrong for calling for his head at the start of the summer) - you'd like him to make more big scores, but he has been very consistent in providing a start at the top of the order and this is his chance to put in a very important big innings.

Puja

[Puja]

Well done Crawley. He's come through some massive pressure and grown into Test cricket a bit at a time to turn into a very useful player. Huge innings today - he's ridden his luck on a few occasions, but he's been scoring at over a run a ball and has put England in a tremendous position to get a result in this match.

Now, come on lad - go for 150!

Puja