Xray the Enforcer Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Jesus. That pitch looks brutal. I am pretty sure one could lose an emu in one of those cracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Wouldn't it be funny if England got the highest innings total in the test match (Aussie's declaration in their 2nd innings notwithstanding) but still lost. At least there would still be hope to salvage some pride from this series. Edit: Then again, the new ball is about to arrive and it could be all over within 10 overs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Who would have thought, 3 years ago, that over a 15+ over spell, Johnson would be more economical than Harris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Good tough innings by Stokes, I was starting to feel a little uneasy till Pryor got out. Am i crazy or is this the first english century this series? ETA; I suppose I could just not be lazy and google that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 You know, for all the talk of England's poor performance, it's lunch on day 5 of the third test and every result is still in play. 176 runs in two sessions with 4 wickets in hand (Broad willing) isn't out of the question at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Yeah, the first English century this series. Australia have already had seven I think (Clarke twice, Warner twice, Haddin, Watson and Smith once each). Good fight by England, but those world record run chases are there for a reason. 504 will be plenty enough. EDIT: Yes I know I know, inviting a jinx... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alester Florent Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Despite Stokes's wicket and the almost certain loss, I believe this is England's highest fourth-innings score since 1977 and their second-highest ever in non-timeless matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Yeah, the first English century this series. Australia have already had seven I think (Clarke twice, Warner twice, Haddin, Watson and Smith once each). Good fight by England, but those world record run chases are there for a reason. 504 will be plenty enough. EDIT: Yes I know I know, inviting a jinx... And it accepted your invitation. 163 runs with 3 wickets and no recognised batsman. It's going to take something super amazing for England now. What might have been had this been England's first innings. Aussie certainly left things open falling for less than 400 in their first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Despite Stokes's wicket and the almost certain loss, I believe this is England's highest fourth-innings score since 1977 and their second-highest ever in non-timeless matches. There are certainly some positives to take away from this innings. But it's only one innings in an otherwise dismal series for them to date. One swallow and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Well, there it is :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 And the Ashes return to Australia! For a while too, as the next series won't be for another 3-4 years I think due to these two being back to back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alester Florent Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I think the next one's in about eighteen months. They're really cramming them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Congratulations Australians. We've seen a lot of each other recently and we're very fond of you, but I think it's time we took a break and saw other people. Let's still be friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Winged Shadow Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hopefully England won't feel as pressured now that the series has been decided. Hoping for some fightback at the Boxing Day test. England certainly picked up their game this last match considering it was 4/5th day batting on tough conditions. Top order still need to get some runs though. It will be interesting to see whether Aussies make any changes. Big break in between, so they should get plenty of rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Congratulations Australia. Regardless of how England have played Australia have been very good, especially the bowling. Even if England had been playing well I think they'd still be struggling. One positive for England I suppose is Stokes' performance. If he can develop into a genuine number six that'll be a real bonus for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Yeah, if Stokes can keep it up he might become a vital part of England's team in the future. Not many century-scoring all-rounders who can bowl decently. I think he's meant to be more of a batting all-rounder, but his bowling seems pretty okay for a fifth bowling option. It's a shame the series is over already, but I think in these next two Tests we will see much more of a contest. England have nothing to lose anymore, and the Australian team might be a bit down on motivation (although you'd never hear them say it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Yeah, if Stokes can keep it up he might become a vital part of England's team in the future. Not many century-scoring all-rounders who can bowl decently. I think he's meant to be more of a batting all-rounder, but his bowling seems pretty okay for a fifth bowling option. I'm not sure about that. His first class bowling average is 29, while his batting average is 35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 True, those aren't exactly dazzling first-class numbers, but he's still only 22. This series may yet be a bit early for him, but at least by scoring a century he hasn't been scarred by being put in too quickly. Looking deeper at his stats I think he's still mainly a batting all-rounder (or at least England played him as one, putting him in at No. 6). 115 wickets in 61 first-class matches suggests that despite the sub-30 average, he doesn't bowl as much as a frontline bowler, and 9 batting centuries suggests he comes in up the order whenever he plays first-class. England could probably do with one of those in the absence of any of their current Top 6 being able to passably bowl (since Flintoff and Collingwood are gone). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex. Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Congratulations Australians. We've seen a lot of each other recently and we're very fond of you, but I think it's time we took a break and saw other people. Let's still be friends. Completely agree with this. It's time to play someone different. Variety is the spice of life and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Well, I expected that result although I was hoping for a draw (just to keep the next two Tests a bit more exciting). Congratulations to Australia for regaining the Ashes. Congratulations to Stokes for his first Test century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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