The Ashes 2013(4)

Day one, 10 wickets, Hope nobody has tickets for Sunday!

Overcast & humid today made for a lot of the wickets

Tomorrow should start with blue sky & low humidity & that should give the Aussie middle order a chance

But if England do have a good start & get some cheap timber  - game on

Well ..........  well what an amazing days cricket

117/9 after the 1st hours play !!!   We got big 100% discounts off cheap timber 

Then they end up with 280 with a kid from nowhere with some magic that made the rest of the Aussie bats hang their heads 

That was one very very expensive tail ......

.....  BIG congrats to  Ashton Agar,  played like a genius & he has a record or two that will take some shifting.   

Steady the ship lads,  plenty time left for a long slow grind to a big number & the WX looks like a swinging Saturday & a good time to have ball in hand.   

Barmy Army  

I have been listening to TMS for forty plus years, and this broadcast was the most dramatic yet

 Fortunately at work we can agree to listen to cricket over pathetic pop music ...

Pop’s really pathetic, and sometimes cricket is as riveting as real music -like this afternoon ...

Who ever said Test cricket is boring? Twenty20 can't hold a candle to this.

MDS 

Ashton for PM 

Based on the C5 highlights I'd have been stood and clapping Agar to the rafters. Played with class and all the freedom of youth. Top stuff. Was it only me that was a bit dissapointed how England reacted when he was out? I'd have liked to see a few more players congratulate him as he walked off-as per some of the performances in 2005. Wonder what number he will bat next time?

Not a great day for DRS and Trott. The old principle of benefit of doubt for the batsman should maybe have applied when the technology was not able to comment (because the cameraman forgot to set it up after the ball before). Maybe the TV umpire had no doubt, but when overturning the on-field call they should probably be pretty sure I think. In general the system seems to me to prevent real howlers the vast majority of the time so I guess things even out. Apparently HotSpot did not show that Root had clipped his one either-but everyone on the field obviously thought he'd hit it including Cook.

Still could be a long day today for Australia, if KP bats sensibly for the first hour he looks ominously focussed. I reckon this wicket holds no fears for him and those that follow.

Swann to win it turning the ball Day 5 my prediction.

I love Test Cricket. Going to Durham for my fix later in the series.

Bruce

England are stupid putting our most promising new young batsman in at no 2. A more experienced bat like Trott should be opening with Root at 4, like Gower and Randall before him.

Not sure I agree. I think Cook and Root is a nice contrast and Root has the ability to open.Trott is a reliable No. 3 but if he opens it puts pressure on Cook to score more quickly than is his natural game. Personally I've always had an issue with Bell, who for me never really scores the 'hard runs'. I am in a minority with this I realise!

Bruce

Aussies are under the kosh now !

Used up their two video refereals - one was just dumb - Pattinson to Bell LBW, missing by a mile & then Broad hit the cover of it only for Daar to say not out - Aussies own fault really 

Sorry chaps, but in my playing experience (20 years Yorkshire Council), I have never seen anyone stand their ground after such an obvious THICK edge. It was way beyond any reasonable doubt. You don't (shouldn't have to)  wait for the Umpire's finger. Anyone with any feelings of fair play would have walked. It was an embarrassing display of unsportsmanship.

The Aussies play hard and tough and baiting is commonplace (as it is in most amateur leagues too !), but, and I hate to say this, if it had been an Aussie batsman in Broad's position, he would have walked.  

I agree with Wugged Woy here. If the batsman is genuinely unsure of whether they have hit it, fair enough. But Broad must have known he hit that one. Broad would have won some plaudits for maintaining the spirit of the game by walking - and set a good example for the youngsters watching the game. It would also have gained moral superiority over the Aussies.

MDS

Wrong, Michael Hussey was on record as saying he only abided by the umpire's decision (he never 'walked').

That's true. Many say this. But, in the position of Broad, where there is such an obvious thick edge.... zero doubt..... then I think they wouldn't wait for the finger. It's not 'walking' as such, you go because you are obviously out and don't even need to look at the umpire.

Are there any instances of Aussies thick edging to the slips (not even to the wicket-keeper for goodness sake), being given not out and then not walking ??

Unfortunately Wisden doesn't record it and my memory ain't that good!

Of course the Australians could have reviewed the decision if they'd not wasted their reviews challenging good Umpire decisions. In the days before review, the batsman knew he'd hit it, the bowlers knew, the technology knew, the commentators knew and therefore the World knew, but as there was no way to remove the batsman why go? The incident could later be refuted, how's that for cowardice, at least Broad is playing by the same rules as the Aussies and hasn't denied anything.

Maybe the problem is that us amateurs are too sporting, hafler !  The 'spirit' of the game is tarnished by such incidents IMO.

Professional sport has nothing to do with sportsmanship any more.

Out is out only when the official says so.

The Aussies never walk,  seems that when a Pom does the same they ain't playing the game

England didn't used to sledge (& I mean sledge, not a mild pi**take)   they do now

Seems a lot of Aussie ways are catching on, especially when we play them.  

Barmy Army  

I..O, I..O   We are the Barmy boys

I..O, I..O   We are the Barmy boys

We're England's famous cricket fans

We travel near and far

And when we're not singing

You'll find us at the bar

SING IT!!

Aus 202/6 after 1 hours play (Auz need 109 more to win)

Could go to the wire this one

Correction  -  207/7

The wunderkinder Agar has gone c Cook b Anderson for 14

And another gone   211/8

Starc  c Cook b Anderson for 1

Not a bad 10 minutes for Anderson, 3-6 in 24 balls

This has to be one of the best edge of seat tests ever

Delayed Lunch  291-9  - Auz need 20 runs

YES   the thinnest of edges goes behind

Its a T-Review

YES YES  All out

England win by 14 runs

I need to  go lie down.

Too tense for me to listen to. Or else I'd need to lie down afterwards.

The first four days were perfect entertainment for me though ...

ATB from George