Australia had the better of the draw at Old Trafford. Going to Chester-le-Street we have "all the momentum" (and our bowlers even have a "psychological edge"). Just like we did after winning at Headingley in 2009 and Perth in 2010.
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Awful referral on the Broad/Rogers LB. Always looked leg.
Gower seems to think that was a good deliver to get Clarke. That wasn't what I thought. What I thought, about the shot, isn't printable.
And Tony, in answer to your twitter question about unprofessional journalists who can't be arsed reading the DRS. It is a disgrace. Everybody professionally employed in relation to cricket - player, journalist, coach, administrator, social media consultant, umpire (for preference) - should know the laws and playing conditions. They aren't that complicated.
Fvckien awful swish with lead-feet by Clarke. Gower is just being kind I suspect.
Look at what is left to scramble us to around 200 in this innings with Rogers.
Watson - no form
Haddin - sort of form but little between ears.
Smith - who can fight but loves a good cross bat swipe.
And a rotten tail. Anybody who can bat has been dropped or injured.
Russ, some of the journalists probably have read about DRS but would rather be sensationalist and part of the squealing pack than provide anything resembling reason.
Sports journos seem so terribly and unashamedly unprofessional these days.
Gower's not being kind, he was out swishing every other inns and thus thinks that is good bowling. Actually, taken as a whole it wasn't bad: Broad set Clarke up. If only he could bowl this poorly all the time (or take this wicket with him).
I just hope we can grind out another 100+. And more. Realistically, a lead of anything under 150 and we are cooked. We will not chase anything closely resembling a challenging target.
Maybe an existing mark got whiter, but not really very good evidence. Sicko shows a sound on one frame, and then nothing then a massive sound when the ball is in mid-air, then it hitting the pad. Brilliantly compelling evidence all around.
That'd be Billy Bowden, who was apparently in line for a recall, but as I read that article he gave someone in the CPL out for noone-was-sure-what when it was missing everything. A few other nations need to lift their umpiring game.
Fascinating fact about the '93 Ashes team. This is the list of (permanent) batsmen Australia used in the 14 months prior and the first Ashes test (14 tests):
Openers: Marsh, Taylor, Phillips, Boon, Moody, Langer, Slater
No. 3: Boon, Waugh.S, Langer
No. 4-7: Border, Waugh.S, Waugh.M, Jones, Martyn, Moody, Healy, Matthews
The 18 tests from the 1st Ashes test to the 3rd Ashes test of 94-95 noone was dropped except for injury (Martyn and Hayden filled in).
Eight tests prior they won 2, lost 3. The bowling attack without McDermott was Hughes and Warne (at least until Reiffel turned up).
Twelve tests after the Ashes, won 5, lost 3. But take out the New Zealand at home flogging and it is 2 and 3.
The safe and reliable conclusion about the '93 Ashes squad is that they were a) made to look really good by England and b) really lucky to have played England because it locked down their spot.
The current Australian squad would be in with a chance against any of the '89, '93 and '97 squads. The '97 series would have some short games.
Well it might rain. Or England might bat until tea.
I drifted in and out of sleep last night, but the bits I saw weren't impressive. Were they trying to bounce KP out? The tight lines weren't there and we can't win if the runs are flowing.
Seems unlikely Australia can win from here, full stop.
Conspiracy theory for the day - Watson is injured because he batted at no.6, and wants to open. Pulls the groin/hip/insert muscle here and lets the team down. As has been his modus ooperandi for any time he doesnt get what he wants. Not a team player.
This pitch. It is up and down a bit. But it is mostly just slow. Which is good, because slow turn is playable. A decent morning session and Australia are not dead yet. A 300 chase is hard, but feasible.
Hope you fellas are watching this. Harris on a hat-trick, then gets carted twice by Broad (flinching as he hit him to the boundary) then gets a bumper which he gutto's to Smith in slips.
Russ, considering how poorly they've been playing Swann, I can't see this being anything other than a loss or with luck a rain-affected draw. They've got too many runs already. Durham is not a high scoring ground.
Plus Broad is having one of his one-in-five good matches so he'll probably clean up in the second innings if Swann doesn't.
The 40 runs Bresnan has slogged has probably decided it. 240 was not out of the ball-park, 270 is a stretch. Another 20 or 30 and it is calling for a miracle.
But let's face it, the match was good as over the instant Australia failed to post a sizable lead on the first innings. Which means that the match was over the instant we became a dreadful batting side. Whenever that was.
Tony, only because England are better. I maintain the pitch is - for the most part - getting easier to bat on. George Dobell just tweeted that 4th innings here have been bigger than 2nd all season. 280 is very chase-able. If only Australia was a side that averaged 300 in a match, not 220.
Bird is not doing his chances of bowling at the Oval much good considering what our selectors are like. They may fly someone over from SA, such itchy trigger fingers as they have.
I just saw Bresnan's non-LB. How in the name of John Arlott's wine cellar did Aleem Dar not give that out? The umpires have frozen. Or they are cheating. You watch the muppets fire us out at ever single opportunity, until we are nine down and 200 behind and the maggots decide to even up with junk time decisions in our favour. Cheating arseholes.
Awful referral on the Broad/Rogers LB. Always looked leg.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 09:19 PM
Gower seems to think that was a good deliver to get Clarke. That wasn't what I thought. What I thought, about the shot, isn't printable.
And Tony, in answer to your twitter question about unprofessional journalists who can't be arsed reading the DRS. It is a disgrace. Everybody professionally employed in relation to cricket - player, journalist, coach, administrator, social media consultant, umpire (for preference) - should know the laws and playing conditions. They aren't that complicated.
Posted by: Russ | Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 09:33 PM
Fvckien awful swish with lead-feet by Clarke. Gower is just being kind I suspect.
Look at what is left to scramble us to around 200 in this innings with Rogers.
Watson - no form
Haddin - sort of form but little between ears.
Smith - who can fight but loves a good cross bat swipe.
And a rotten tail. Anybody who can bat has been dropped or injured.
Posted by: lou | Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 09:39 PM
Russ, some of the journalists probably have read about DRS but would rather be sensationalist and part of the squealing pack than provide anything resembling reason.
Sports journos seem so terribly and unashamedly unprofessional these days.
Posted by: lou | Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 09:41 PM
I did not see Clarke's dismissal live, but I can see it in my imagination. Swaft.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 10:23 PM
Gower's not being kind, he was out swishing every other inns and thus thinks that is good bowling. Actually, taken as a whole it wasn't bad: Broad set Clarke up. If only he could bowl this poorly all the time (or take this wicket with him).
Rogers looks a cross between a limpet and a crab.
Posted by: Henry Blovfeld | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:30 AM
Anyone catch Warnie's "I used to get a sore wrist [unusually long pregnant pause] from bowling lots of overs" double entendre just then?!!
What gave it away was Ather's audible muffled guffaw during the pause.
Classic TV! Warnie, I love your naughty schoolboy ways.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:31 AM
Big Rammers - yes. I chortled too.
Posted by: Henry Blovfeld | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:34 AM
"I aways wake up stiff, Straussy."
Posted by: Henry Blovfeld | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:36 AM
"You big powerful man... Take me downtown."
He's on a roll.
Posted by: Henry Blovfeld | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:39 AM
Is it a big firm, Dick?
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:42 AM
Was it Straussy who guffawed? Cheers for the heads-up, Henry Blovfeld.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 12:44 AM
Watlotto time! Get your numbers in. 67 for me.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 01:35 AM
So close Russ
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 02:48 AM
Nice one by the Buckster. At fvcken last, someone other than our not very esteemed leader can get a ton.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 03:07 AM
Nice to see a good old fashioned grafted ton too.
On a difficult pitch in not the best batting conditions.
Proper cricket.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 03:09 AM
Proper cricket indeed. If only the NSP group had valued proper batting to x-factor over the last few years.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 07:31 AM
Big swinging nick.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:24 AM
Roger Rogers.
Posted by: m0nty | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Funny how we bag England for batting slowly, but Rogers makes a ton off 233 balls and it's just proper cricket.
Posted by: m0nty | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:16 AM
He still scored 30 more runs than Cook would have at the rate he was going. Not that I cared that Cook was batting slowly.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Momentum seems to have stopped swinging -- have we reached stasis?
Posted by: Professor Rosseforp | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 04:57 PM
Cook"s innings was good. Never looked in but didn't get out for bloody ages.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 05:12 PM
I just hope we can grind out another 100+. And more. Realistically, a lead of anything under 150 and we are cooked. We will not chase anything closely resembling a challenging target.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 07:42 PM
How much will England lead by on the first innings?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:07 PM
U can see us getting exactly the same score as England.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:09 PM
If we do that we will get trounced.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:13 PM
Prior is lucky there. He couldn't have known for sure.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:20 PM
Ahhh, fvckit. Best hope now is for a draw.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:24 PM
I just saw how Watson got out. Sigh.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:26 PM
I must need a better tv because I can't for the life of me see the mark people are claiming.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:26 PM
Wio hoo - a lead.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:28 PM
Did you expect any different from Watto Tony?
The bloke is a clown.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:30 PM
Botham is sure certain about Rogers' nick.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:33 PM
Maybe an existing mark got whiter, but not really very good evidence. Sicko shows a sound on one frame, and then nothing then a massive sound when the ball is in mid-air, then it hitting the pad. Brilliantly compelling evidence all around.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:35 PM
The third muppet has gone from too inconclusive to over-rule the first muppet to just about almost conclusive enough to over-rule the third muppet.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 08:45 PM
Getting cleaned up this morning.
Our tail couldn't keep up with the rescue jobs though. It's not strong at all now.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:04 PM
And aleem dar gets it wholly wrong again.
Why does he still have a job?
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:07 PM
Has umpiring always been this bad?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:09 PM
Yes.
Jeez, Bird is Chris Martin all over again.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:12 PM
That is what I think too. The umpiring has always been shit, but tv has revealed it for the farce it has always been.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:16 PM
Bit sure its been quite as bad as this series.
This lot seem to be particularly bumbling.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:18 PM
Not sure I mean. Stupid iPhone.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:18 PM
It feels like there is an umpiring mistake every over.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:21 PM
Imagine how bad the umpires that are that can't even make the elite panel.
Posted by: Shep | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:21 PM
Easy to imagine.
Billy Bowden.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:24 PM
That'd be Billy Bowden, who was apparently in line for a recall, but as I read that article he gave someone in the CPL out for noone-was-sure-what when it was missing everything. A few other nations need to lift their umpiring game.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:25 PM
Cook will be on a go slow again.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:31 PM
Remember when Bowden gave OJ not out in India in 2010? Plumbest LB ever.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:34 PM
Rooted
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:51 PM
Wasn't that wuvwy?
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:54 PM
Uprooted.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 09:59 PM
Maybe Cow Corner has the right idea, just hit the umps with the ball to see if that knocks some sense into them.
Posted by: m0nty | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:01 PM
I reckon he'd have to hit them a shitload of times.
Posted by: David | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:03 PM
Lunch, women are 1/84. Men, let's not talk about it.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Mark Waugh is on drugs vis-à-vis the Aussie batsmen. If, if, if, if...
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:09 PM
Ah, Gough's infamous end-of-the-day hat-trick. Not sure where Miller's wicket got the nine insignia from, all I remember seeing was the news.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Paul Reiffel... was never picked for an Ashes squad.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:18 PM
It was probably on Nine in Perth.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:18 PM
BJ, AB and MW all reckon the 1993 Ashes team was pretty good. Mandy Rice Davies anyone?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:21 PM
Yeah, and Adelaide, unless they cut to an afternoon game-show or Days of Our Lives.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:21 PM
The Price is Right.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:23 PM
Fascinating fact about the '93 Ashes team. This is the list of (permanent) batsmen Australia used in the 14 months prior and the first Ashes test (14 tests):
Openers: Marsh, Taylor, Phillips, Boon, Moody, Langer, Slater
No. 3: Boon, Waugh.S, Langer
No. 4-7: Border, Waugh.S, Waugh.M, Jones, Martyn, Moody, Healy, Matthews
The 18 tests from the 1st Ashes test to the 3rd Ashes test of 94-95 noone was dropped except for injury (Martyn and Hayden filled in).
Eight tests prior they won 2, lost 3. The bowling attack without McDermott was Hughes and Warne (at least until Reiffel turned up).
Twelve tests after the Ashes, won 5, lost 3. But take out the New Zealand at home flogging and it is 2 and 3.
The safe and reliable conclusion about the '93 Ashes squad is that they were a) made to look really good by England and b) really lucky to have played England because it locked down their spot.
The current Australian squad would be in with a chance against any of the '89, '93 and '97 squads. The '97 series would have some short games.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 10:40 PM
2 for effectively 10. Cook following Clarke's lead
Posted by: Soups | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:00 PM
3 for effectively 17. Joosty strangled by a ripping short one from Spearmint. What can KP and Bell do?
Posted by: Soups | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:09 PM
There is some proper cricket being played in the women's game. 9 off the last 10 overs. And Lanning got runout FFS.
Posted by: Russ | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:15 PM
They play so few tests. Must feel quite strange for them.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 11:43 PM
Oh good. Paper cuts groin has fallen off.
Posted by: David | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 01:48 AM
Ha. Lyon didn't wanna know about that c&b.
Not saying he woulda caught it, but he definitely didn't wanna know about it.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 02:10 AM
The bells, THE BELLS.
Posted by: m0nty | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 04:17 AM
Will we take the match into the fifth day?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:09 AM
Well it might rain. Or England might bat until tea.
I drifted in and out of sleep last night, but the bits I saw weren't impressive. Were they trying to bounce KP out? The tight lines weren't there and we can't win if the runs are flowing.
Seems unlikely Australia can win from here, full stop.
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:51 AM
We'll take the match into the filth day,which will be when we bat.
Posted by: nick | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 10:12 AM
The filth day, nick? But Finn isn't playing.
Posted by: m0nty | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 01:43 PM
Our own filth will step up.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 01:44 PM
Completely awesome how you phrased that, nick, if it was intentional.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 03:39 PM
Conspiracy theory for the day - Watson is injured because he batted at no.6, and wants to open. Pulls the groin/hip/insert muscle here and lets the team down. As has been his modus ooperandi for any time he doesnt get what he wants. Not a team player.
Posted by: gillysgone | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 04:34 PM
This pitch. It is up and down a bit. But it is mostly just slow. Which is good, because slow turn is playable. A decent morning session and Australia are not dead yet. A 300 chase is hard, but feasible.
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 07:36 PM
... well feasible with a half decent lineup.
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 07:36 PM
Geez, how good is Harris?
Posted by: Remain in Faith | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:47 PM
Hope you fellas are watching this. Harris on a hat-trick, then gets carted twice by Broad (flinching as he hit him to the boundary) then gets a bumper which he gutto's to Smith in slips.
Top stuff Rhino.
Posted by: Remain in Faith | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:49 PM
All I wanted for this series was for Rhino to be fit. Class above anybody else we've got.
Posted by: lou | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:50 PM
Russ, considering how poorly they've been playing Swann, I can't see this being anything other than a loss or with luck a rain-affected draw. They've got too many runs already. Durham is not a high scoring ground.
Plus Broad is having one of his one-in-five good matches so he'll probably clean up in the second innings if Swann doesn't.
Posted by: lou | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:52 PM
Rhino is having a blinder.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:56 PM
How's Yer Father giving us a bit of how's yer father.
Posted by: m0nty | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:57 PM
The 40 runs Bresnan has slogged has probably decided it. 240 was not out of the ball-park, 270 is a stretch. Another 20 or 30 and it is calling for a miracle.
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:58 PM
Pity the match is good as over.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 08:58 PM
But let's face it, the match was good as over the instant Australia failed to post a sizable lead on the first innings. Which means that the match was over the instant we became a dreadful batting side. Whenever that was.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:01 PM
Come on fellas, it's not over yet. Khawaja may make a sublime 30 the likes of which not seen since his last sublime 30.
Posted by: Remain in Faith | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:04 PM
Tony, only because England are better. I maintain the pitch is - for the most part - getting easier to bat on. George Dobell just tweeted that 4th innings here have been bigger than 2nd all season. 280 is very chase-able. If only Australia was a side that averaged 300 in a match, not 220.
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:05 PM
I await the filth.
Posted by: Nick | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:07 PM
Russ, as Nick says, it's all coming up filth.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:10 PM
At this rate, I just hope we can get out there soon to have a chance of batting some filth.
Posted by: Remain in Faith | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:13 PM
Agreed, we'll be rolled for 100. But it won't be the conditions.
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:13 PM
Bird is not doing his chances of bowling at the Oval much good considering what our selectors are like. They may fly someone over from SA, such itchy trigger fingers as they have.
Posted by: lou | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:14 PM
I just saw Bresnan's non-LB. How in the name of John Arlott's wine cellar did Aleem Dar not give that out? The umpires have frozen. Or they are cheating. You watch the muppets fire us out at ever single opportunity, until we are nine down and 200 behind and the maggots decide to even up with junk time decisions in our favour. Cheating arseholes.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:16 PM
Speaking of which... Cummins is injured again
Posted by: Russ | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:16 PM
Pat Cummins - the greatest one-Test wonder in the history of cricket.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:17 PM
Well, Cummins getting injured has saved a plane fare for CA anyway.
Just waiting for Rhino to be stretchered off and that will be the set.
Posted by: lou | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:19 PM
Wicket is going to look like it's spitting cobras when Aus bat.
Posted by: lou | Monday, August 12, 2013 at 09:21 PM