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Cricket 36: Ashes to Ashes, Warner to Dust...


Jeor

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25 minutes ago, Paxter said:

I’m surprised England are still well ahead in the betting stakes. Not saying they will repeat their first innings from Lord’s but I don’t see them making 400 either.

I'm surprised too, especially given the Anderson injury, but I imagine the betting stakes reflects the 8/122 more than the total of 284. Most people probably think that 8/122 is the closer reflection of reality rather than getting 162 runs from the last two wickets.

And maybe people don't trust the new-look Australian bowling attack, what with Pattinson and Siddle being underrated compared to Starc and Hazlewood.

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Pattinson gets the early wicket, Roy caught in the slips.

It's early days but (as @Paxter mentioned I think) the Australian bowling attack does seem rather samey without Starc in there. Three right-armers who bowl around 85mph, Cummins is maybe a touch faster. Then Nathan Lyon. They only have the four frontline bowlers and no genuine all-rounder (Smith and Head can bowl a little bit of spin, but you wouldn't see them taking lengthy spells). Typically we've survived with four bowlers by either picking an all-rounder (Mitch Marsh, urgh) or relying on Nathan Lyon to soak up lots of overs. He might be the key today, there was a bit of turn yesterday.

EDIT: Ugh, another umpire error and another misplay by Australia in not referring one to DRS. Lyon should have had Burns LBW. Root also gets given out incorrectly, although I sympathise with the umpire there in that the ball nicked the stumps, hence the sound. Still, the umpiring really hasn't been great. And now Root gets given out incorrectly on an inside edge, DRS to the rescue again.

England pulling ahead here, the top order is performing!

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Not wanting to curse him but...Root at three makes such a difference. Completely transforms the situation when you have him coming out there at the fall of the first wicket. He’s combined well with the plucky Burns and England’s top order has (somehow) looked reasonably convincing.

Australia will be a little worried about this start but they’ve kept the run rate down and are by no means out of it.

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The top order is doubly important for England because they have so many strokeplayers coming in later - Stokes, Buttler and Bairstow at 5/6/7.

If the top order can set a good foundation, those guys can play their shots and start to take the game away from Australia.

The ball is old now and not doing much, and the sun is shining - conditions are good for batting. England will look to get to parity by the end of the day with the top order and then look towards pushing for a big lead by the strokemakers tomorrow morning.

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3 minutes ago, Paxter said:

Hehe sorry Joe. His conversion problems continue.

Denly has been a walking wicket in his yes career so far. Let’s see how he fares today.

Yes, Root's conversion figures of 42/16 are quite underwhelming especially considered against Smith's 24-24. Still, he is England's best batsman by a long shot.

Tea break now. Solid day by England so far, only one wicket lost each session. Australia have bowled with control without quite threatening enough. England should be pretty happy with today so far.

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38 minutes ago, The Winged Shadow said:

Hmmmm, did anyone else notice how the pom supporters don't post while the poms are batting? :huh:

Trying to not invoke the curse methinks <_<

Ha, my phone died and my work computer doesn't like this site so I couldn't post. Having said that it seems to have worked out ok so I might have to take the hint in future. 

Still some work for England to do here but this is certainly more like it from the top order. If they can get to parity with plenty of wickets in hand that destructive lower middle order might actually be able to do what I'm sure the plan is before every test and smash some quick runs to bat the opposition out of the game. 

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It will only be a problem if the other batters don't fire. Burns seems to be a really good find. Roy is still untested in tests, but we all know what he can do. The question is if Stokes, Ali, Bairstow middle order provides enough. I feel like they are missing atleast one more consistent batsment (Burns and Denly could be that, but we'll see i guess). Someone like Cook or Bell etc. Someone with grit. Someone who may not score huge runs but just wear down the opponent while providing some valuable runs.

With Aussies you know that Warner will score at some point, Smith will probably keep on trucking. And the rest will be useless shits who chip in with some runs every now and then.

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Yeah, this change of ball has really hurt England.

ETA: That’s an important 100 for Burns. He’s not the most talented, he’s got an awkward looking technique and he tends to score scratchy runs but he does look to have the composure to grind out tough runs under pressure. That’s something England are certainly lacking despite having a lot of batsmen who have a lot of natural talent.

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4 hours ago, ljkeane said:

ETA: That’s an important 100 for Burns. He’s not the most talented, he’s got an awkward looking technique and he tends to score scratchy runs but he does look to have the composure to grind out tough runs under pressure. That’s something England are certainly lacking despite having a lot of batsmen who have a lot of natural talent.

It is a great performance by him, it didn't look easy there with the Australians bowling well. Hopefully he can back it up with more performances in the rest of the series, there have been a few of the recent England openers who have had one or two good innings but not managed to deliver consistently.

Root also showed a lot of determination even if he couldn't go on to a century, it was the sort of batting performance that England haven't managed to deliver often in recent years.

I still think there's all to play for in the game, particularly if Australia can make early breakthroughs tomorrow. I think England still won't want to be chasing a significant total in the final innings.

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England definitely well ahead now. Even if Australia take early wickets, you'd think they would still grab a healthy lead. With Burns and Stokes looking set (that non review of Burns early on has really hurt) and Bairstow, Ali and Woakes to come there is plenty there for England to push onto a 100+ lead at the very least.

The big question mark is how the Australian batting lineup will deal with the English seamers second time around. With Anderson likely still out it would make sense for them to bat time and wear the English bowlers down, if they can see off Broad/Woakes and then cash in on Stokes and the part-timers. Moeen will be interesting at this pitch looks like it takes some turn.

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It’s a little precarious for England here with Stokes getting out just as they’ve reached parity. Bairstow and Ali aren’t in good form and a below three figure lead probably isn’t going to be enough.

On the plus side they have managed to bat for some time and given Broad and Woakes a decent rest.

ETA: Shit. England are in big trouble here. Batting last isn’t going to be fun.

ETA2: Fuck’s sake. For once England’s top order manage to turn up and they’re still messing it up.

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Well, even Broad and Woakes can probably hang around to make more of a lead but boy that was a good old fashioned collapse by England, just like something out of the 90s!

Will Anderson bat?

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