Australia v England, 2nd Test (D/N), Adelaide, 16-20 December, 2021

GCS grunted and winced his way through half an hour of throwdowns in the Adelaide nets this morning.

Apparently* signs weren't that great in support of his position in tomorrow's XI. Or he could just be scared shitless of Sturat.

JRich confirmed as Haze's replacement and it looks like GCS is clear to play after an xray showed no break.

As an ex-over-35 goalkeeper who had his share of run-ins with dumb forwards who like to bulldoze keepers, I can relate to Warner's discomfort. Even breathing is a chore when you've got bruised/busted ribs.

Forecast says fine for all 5 days of the Test.

JGK wrote:I reckon there’s a chance that a bunch of players catch covid during the Melbourne Sydney Test.

fixed

Poms vowing to attack Warner's ribs.

Hmm, not sure that's a good plan. Sturat got him consistently with full balls on or around off.

Nath wrote:

JGK wrote:I reckon there’s a chance that a bunch of players catch covid during the Melbourne Sydney Test.

fixed

Catch it in Melbourne, Sydney Test gets cancelled.

skully wrote:Poms vowing to attack Warner's ribs.

Hmm, not sure that's a good plan. Sturat got him consistently with full balls on or around off.

Yeah - wasting the pink ball sounds particularly dumb.

JGK wrote:

Nath wrote:

JGK wrote:I reckon there’s a chance that a bunch of players catch covid during the Melbourne Sydney Test.

fixed

Catch it in Melbourne, Sydney Test gets cancelled.

saves it getting rained out

skully wrote:Poms vowing to attack Warner's ribs.

Why have we left Wood out then? After all, he doesn’t even need to make the ball bounce to do so…

Very odd, beams. He was clearly England's 2nd best bowler in Brisbane, after Ollie.

Just read the Dickinfo preview of the Test and it claims England are rotating/resting Woods. Er, you are one down England. You need all your big guns for this one.

Aside from the jokes about aiming beamers at Warner’s ribs as per his Head-hunter in Brisbane, I guess he’s probably seen as likely to be less effective with the pink ball, and they want to manage his workload.

Attack of Anderson, Broad, Robinson, Woakes and Stokes seems a bit “put all your eggs in one basket” though.

skully wrote:Poms vowing to attack Warner's ribs.

Hmm, not sure that's a good plan. Sturat got him consistently with full balls on or around off.

Bullies! Why can't they go off and find their own dinners??

And there's no call for that sort of behaviour from Stuart.

Doubt anybody wants Sturat's pink balls anywhere near them.

Broad in, Wood out meanwhile doing nothing to lessen the perception that Benny Hill has too much say in selection policy...

Ah, Stuart Broad, notorious prick.

Is it too much to hope for a Broad 0-140, preferably with a few easy catches put down off his bowling early on, a conspicuously craven and inept pair, a stubbed toe to which he attributes this performance of my dreams, and a career-ending sook of Swann-scale proportions, before he departs forever, whining westward to Mummy? Although seeing him perform 12th man duties for the rest of the tour does have its own appeal.

Not a fan, Mr bucket??

Covid scare for second

Neser to debut

Smith to captain

shades of 2005

Blow goes from fighting for his spot to VC in one game.

Maybe this will count as 2nd's rest/rotation and he can power home in the final 3 Tests.

Nath wrote:

JGK wrote:I reckon there’s a chance that a bunch of players catch covid during the Melbourne Sydney Adelaide Test.

fixed

Fixed again.

Ric Findlay reports this is the first time since 1884-85 that Aus has had 3 different captains in 3 successive Tests.

Here's hoping either JRich or Neser (or both) step up with a bag and make the selection of the bowling line up really tough for Melbourne.

So what do we call Neser?? "Loch" Neser? I'll go with "Lochie" until MB waddles in and overrules.

It being Christmas and all that, Ebba? Or Scrooge?

Nice, Nerkles.

Great suggestion. You choose.

Either....natural selection tends to win out in these matters in any case.

(BTW Pronunciation guide: Gilly has just called him 'Neezer' as he covered his Oz cap presentation)

skully wrote:Poms vowing to attack Warner's ribs.

Hmm, not sure that's a good plan. Sturat got him consistently with full balls on or around off.

Also remember Warner is barely knee high to a fire hydrant. Trevor Chappell's most famous bowling trajectory would put the ball closer to his ribs than any of the bowlers mentioned so far.