The Ashes 2013(4)

I was just the opposite yesterday pm Jamie,  went out 2 to 11pm & was very please to find I missed all the  good stuff.

Now if Bell can carry his bat & if we can make 300  .........   might need to send cheeky e-mails to my Oz buddies.  

Not sure this match has made the selectors jobs any easier with some not so hot performances with bat & ball

With the series in the bag do they stick with what we have or do they try some young blood, thinking about the touring squad & experience ?????

Time for Jimmy to have a break at the very least. I'd also rest Prior, let Bairstow keep (and try to answer the question if he is the future keeper-batsman in waiting) and bring in another batsmen such as Taylor-again thinking of the future. England selectors are never going to do it mind you!

Tremlett for the Oval. he needs to be back inthe fold as he will definitely got to Oz in the winter if fit.

Bruce

Mike - when people who have followed the game for decades have no clue how the DRS works, or is supposed to work, how are the new supporters or the casual fans of Test cricket supposed to warm up to it ?

Yes about 300 will be beyond the Aussies, especially with Watson carrying an injury as well.

Time to rethink the batting order and soon. 

Shaun Marsh needs a call up IMHO & either Smith or Khawaja need to go.

Can't see Hughes coming back as his batting skills stink at this level - they are only just OK against the lesser test teams let alone against England, SA or India.

Australia need 299 to win. Good performance from Harris. Opening spell will be key. If Anderson and Broad get the new ball to move like Harris did the Aussies will be in trouble. Survive the spell and they will be in with a shout. Captivating game. 

15 minutes for Andersen & Broad on full throttle + max boost before lunch

= nice

Aus might fancy their chances to get 299, its do-able if 2 or 3 can get in

Problem is I have to go out for the afternoon, oh well,  I guess its not everyday your mum gets to 92

Should be good from here. Aussie will treat it like an ODI I reckon-in a way plays to their strengths. Maybe!

Bruce

" ...I guess its not everyday your mum gets to 92"

Well my batting average was 30 something, so if your mum can manage a 92 then that's pretty good going.

Rain.

Disappointing.

Can you believe this game? Aussies 109 for 0 and cruising to victory and now 181 for 7. Great stuff this test cricket.

Aus 213/9

Extra 30 minutes granted, but limited to spin.  

If England persist with pace & the light goes, they'll be off

Change that 224 all out 

Aus wrapped up in 2 & a bit sessions 

I would not have bet on that this morning

I missed it!

What a cracker!

steve

well done england, had my heart in my mouth for most of the afternoon, lets hope jimmy is rested for the next test

There is no better game than Test Cricket.

A game that has ebbed and flowed suddenly explodes. Teamwork and individual skills. Battling the conditions to tie it up in 4 days. Brilliant stuff.

Hard luck to Australia. The difference between the teams is not so wide I reckon, at least in form rather than class, but one has a hard-won winning habit.

Bad luck also to Graham Onions. Misses out on a Test at his home ground then breaks his finger so out of contention for the Oval.

And all that talk about replacing Broad..!

Well done England , especially Stuart Broad.

Pathetic batting Aussies -  save the openers. Aussies need steel in the middle order NOW. 

Poor old Bresnan. Played really well in the Durham test and is now out for the rest of the summer with a stress fracture of the lower back. With Onions already out with a broken finger there's a vacancy for a bowler for the fifth and final test.  Following rather unimpressive earlier performances from Finn, does Bresnan's injury open the door for Tremlett?    

Looks like Tremlett, and maybe Jimmy Anderson does not get a rest after all.

Bresnan has his detractors but he adds to the balance of the side. Hope he gets fit for the winter.

Bruce

So England's squad for the fifth test has been announced and includes a couple of uncapped youngsters in Simon Kerrigan from Lancs and Chris Woakes from Warks. Suspect they've been included just to get the feel for being in the squad and won't get into the XI. But being 3-0 in the series it wouldn't hurt to give Swann and Anderson a rest and blood them.    

Well, well, Kerrigan and Woakes are in, replacing Bresnan and Bairstow. Aussies win toss and will bat first. 

...and Anderson has Warner in the fifth over. Aussies 11-1.

Great day for the Auzzies,  especially Watson

176 - his highest test score - together with Steve Smith with 66 n.o.

307-4 at the close is a good day 

England need to do a lot of work to get this corrected,  both overnight in the phyco dept & tomorrow with focused play & tactics. 

The 2 new England bowlers,  Kerrigan especially (a dodgy selection me-thinks) was ravaged by Watson & (listening to TMS) got a serious bout of nerves giving away 53 runs in 8 overs.

Yep. The Aussies had a good day and our newbies looked nervous. I'm pleased for Watson getting an unbeaten century. He strikes me as a good, honest all-rounder who whether bowling or batting alway gives 100%. And in this innings at least he has overcome that tendency to play across the line making him vulnerable to LBW. 

 492/9 dec .........

'fraid England did not do the business

They only used 3 proper bowlers from what was supposed to be a 5 man attack, although it has to be said Woakes did a good job with 7 maidens from 24 overs,  but did give away an expensive 96 with the other 17 overs 

Assuming the Oval; is the usual flat track over 5 days,  & Saturday looks like a wash out,  I see this as having all the signs of a draw.