Re: England v Australia, 3rd Test, Old Trafford, 1-5 August, 2013

by lardbucket Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:07

whatever ... you asked what his thinking might have been, I think that's what it was

by Chivalry Augustus Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:09

I haven't seen much in Root as an opener to convince me he's got it all worked out. Staying exclusively on the back-foot, he always seems to get one in the channel around off-stump that he nicks behind early on. He got away with it last time thanks to some dreadful keeping, but he looks far from assured. When he gets in he looks a classy player but he belongs in the middle-order where he can develop his game and play regular innings of length against a softer ball.

by taipan Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:09

lardbucket wrote:whatever ... you asked what his thinking might have been, I think that's what it was

Was being a tad rhetorical.

by taipan Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:11

Chivalry Augustus wrote:I haven't seen much in Root as an opener to convince me he's got it all worked out. Staying exclusively on the back-foot, he always seems to get one in the channel around off-stump that he nicks behind early on. He got away with it last time thanks to some dreadful keeping, but he looks far from assured. When he gets in he looks a classy player but he belongs in the middle-order where he can develop his game and play regular innings of length against a softer ball.

So Compton to open and score 8 off 57 and Root at 6 in place of Bairstow?

by lardbucket Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:14

So where does the game go from here? IS it destined to fizzle out as a draw? Lyon showed enough late today to suggest that he might be a handful for the left handers, including Cook. I suspect it all boils down to whether Pietersen has a brain fade early, or plays a brilliant match-winning hand of 200+ which is only curtailed by fatigue. I'm obviously hoping for the former, but worried about the latter.

by taipan Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:19

lardbucket wrote:So where does the game go from here? IS it destined to fizzle out as a draw? Lyon showed enough late today to suggest that he might be a handful for the left handers, including Cook. I suspect it all boils down to whether Pietersen has a brain fade early, or plays a brilliant match-winning hand of 200+ which is only curtailed by fatigue. I'm obviously hoping for the former, but worried about the latter.

Englamd probably need a big ton from either Cook or Trott to force the draw.

by baggygreen Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:21

The game rests on Lyon really. He needs a lot of wickets in both innings.

Hopefully the pitch deteriorates more to help facilitate that. It's amusing that the first time in the series when England need the weather to go their way, it looks like coming in.

If the English keep crabbing away for the rest of tomorrow then game will be a draw.

by baggygreen Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:21

skully wrote:
embee wrote:
skully wrote:
baggygreen wrote:Boof favouriting his converted Banjo

UKoaja
Ah yes. Shows what sort of season UK had for the Banjos - I'd forgotten he'd moved north.

The statement was made in the context of Warner v Hughes.

Cheers A.

baggygreen wrote:
skully wrote:I find myself barracking a bit for Warner tonight. If he gets runs on the back of Smith's, then it becomes a contest in two between Koaja and Con. Boof clearly seems to be leaning towards UK, so at last we might see a glimmer of hope that Fuse's career is over.
Except Hughes has been the better of two on current ability.

Boof favouriting his converted Banjo

by Chivalry Augustus Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:36

taipan wrote:
Chivalry Augustus wrote:I haven't seen much in Root as an opener to convince me he's got it all worked out. Staying exclusively on the back-foot, he always seems to get one in the channel around off-stump that he nicks behind early on. He got away with it last time thanks to some dreadful keeping, but he looks far from assured. When he gets in he looks a classy player but he belongs in the middle-order where he can develop his game and play regular innings of length against a softer ball.

So Compton to open and score 8 off 57 and Root at 6 in place of Bairstow?

Well, really, if they wanted an experienced opener that guy ought to be Michael Carberry. I know his form has been up-and-mostly-down, but he's the guy, really, of the rest of them.

by skully Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:47

Fell asleep not long after Lunch. Woke up to see Clarke and Siddle fall quickly after what seemed a slow middle session. Went to bed and missed Koo's cameo. 65 at near a run a ball. Noice.

Well done to Swanny on yet another Michelle.

Saw the highlights on Foxy just now. Haddit's dropped catch off Chef from Elmer will be costly. Good start by Cot, although Brezzy's non-referral was mystifying. Chuckled at the English bowlers congratulating each other on reaching 100 runs conceded (Pom and Aus self-deprecating humour is grouse Very Happy

).

Unless Aus makes early inroads tonight, I can see big hundreds from Chef and any one of Leon, KP or Belf, and a sure draw.

by lardbucket Fri 02 Aug 2013, 21:50

Apparently Bresnan thought he might have hit the ball, hence the non referral.

by skully Fri 02 Aug 2013, 22:05

Obviously.

by Gary 111 Fri 02 Aug 2013, 22:22

I think England have played the 30/3 and get out of jail card once too often. The Belf can't get a ton every time. 2 or 3 wickets in the first session and Aus will win, unless it rains a lot more than anticipated.

So, I reckon its on Cook, Trott or KP to score a hundred or we're screwed.

by Basil Fri 02 Aug 2013, 22:28

Two days to save the test for England. The weather forecast for Monday is dire - or delightful, depending on which side of the equator you come from.

by skully Fri 02 Aug 2013, 22:47

So Ashes retained then.

by Basil Fri 02 Aug 2013, 22:52

skully wrote:So Ashes retained then.

Don't underestimate England's ability to collapse quicker than Liz Hurley's knickers.

by skully Fri 02 Aug 2013, 22:56

Hmm, I think on this deck Bangladesh would be flat out collapsing. I think Elmer is the key, if he can land them and remove Chef early, then knees might be knocking. But KP & Pigs are due.

by lardbucket Fri 02 Aug 2013, 23:28

JGK wrote:Twatto will stay because of his bowling.

Patto will go. He's had his chances. Bird in. I'd like to see Starc too.

Agar could play as a batsman for Con.

SOS to Katich.

And cross fingers that the match is still going when I get there on Day 3 (although I don't have tickets anyway so possibly moot).

text us when you get in

I saw Bird bowling in the nets again today; really I have no idea why he hasn't played all the Tests, as he looks by far the most dangerous bowler there. Perhaps he'll come in for the Durham game.

by PeterCS Sat 03 Aug 2013, 00:29

Gary 111 wrote:
PeterCS wrote:
taipan wrote:
PeterCS wrote:Root's thinking was clearly to see out the day with Tyke doughtiness, take advantage of any poor deliveries (which hardly came), and live to accumulate another day.

Cook didn't seem much interested in the traditional Yorkie virtue of the cheeky single.

In retrospect, Root's policy was a plod followed by a flop.

However, until Siddle popped up with more meaning and menace than the other four put together, Root had competently dealt with all challenges at the outset of what he wished to become a long innings.

I've already mentioned what Sid brings to Australia's attack (I didn't say gargoyle-gorgon effect). His swerve and skid were crucial for Australia's push, and Root made his one, fatal, error.

He has still quite a bit to learn.

Poor, brain dead cricket then. Fair enough.

Boycott cricket, for better or worse. Yorksher creeckeet.

Pete, were you on TMS when they mentioned Boycs once went 590 balls on a tour of Aus without hitting a boundary! That's proper batting #digin

He was in his golden prime that 79/80 tour of Oz:

13 (67)
16 (82)
77 (337)
23 (103)
1 (13)
38 (155)
8 (40)
0 (1)
6 (21)
49 (212)
19 (80)
13 (52)

No, that was one of the passages I missed! Good stuff, tho. I suppose Agnew raised it?

by PeterCS Sat 03 Aug 2013, 00:38

lardbucket wrote:I am pretty sure Clarke declared when he did just to catch the English batsmen on the hop. They would have expected him to declare at tea, or 60-90 mins after tea. The last thing England would have expected was to come out and bowl just 2-3 overs, then have an innings changeover. Root was forced to change his thinking from bowling to batting quickly. I think it was a tactical move and not a bad one. It didn't give Australia an early wicket, but it might have.
....

Aye, good answer, more specific than my suggestions on the same lines.

And it didn't get Oz a very early wicket, but left time for three or four changes of bowling under conditions of continuous attrition. And that - admittedly with Siddle's specific commitment, energy and swerve - DID leave time and space for Oz to get a fairly early wicket, set against 527.

by PeterCS Sat 03 Aug 2013, 00:41

lardbucket wrote:
JGK wrote:Twatto will stay because of his bowling.

Patto will go. He's had his chances. Bird in. I'd like to see Starc too.

Agar could play as a batsman for Con.

SOS to Katich.

And cross fingers that the match is still going when I get there on Day 3 (although I don't have tickets anyway so possibly moot).

text us when you get in

I saw Bird bowling in the nets again today; really I have no idea why he hasn't played all the Tests, as he looks by far the most dangerous bowler there. Perhaps he'll come in for the Durham game.

The shifty-eyed scalpers are everywhere in evidence around the ground, so, on your multimillions, have no fear, Mr K, you'll be in with the It Crowd!

by PeterCS Sat 03 Aug 2013, 00:45

lardbucket wrote:So where does the game go from here? IS it destined to fizzle out as a draw? Lyon showed enough late today to suggest that he might be a handful for the left handers, including Cook. I suspect it all boils down to whether Pietersen has a brain fade early, or plays a brilliant match-winning hand of 200+ which is only curtailed by fatigue. I'm obviously hoping for the former, but worried about the latter.

Kev seems intermittently injured, either slow to field or - at least once, or is it twice so far? - off the field.

Not that he needs the extra niggle for him to do something distracted/rash ....

by PeterCS Sat 03 Aug 2013, 00:57

skully wrote:Hmm, I think on this deck Bangladesh would be flat out collapsing. I think Elmer is the key, if he can land them and remove Chef early, then knees might be knocking. But KP & Pigs are due.

The pitch is not quite as bat-friendly as lazy commentators have claimed. It has taken quite a bit of turn already, but also there is some fast bounce and also some evidence of keeping low. However, despite quite a lot of playing and missing off individual balls, the bowlers have generally lacked the consistent purpose and cool, nagging precision to use this to their wicket=taking advantage.

I would expect conditions to become more bowler-friendly, with footmarks, wear and a bit of weather. It is certainly not to be written off as a shirtfront or pudding.

Hence my tendency to pessimism, from a Pom perspective, at this juncture.

by LeFromage Sat 03 Aug 2013, 01:09

lardbucket wrote:Apparently Bresnan thought he might have hit the ball, hence the non referral.

Then he's brain dead. He must think he's nicked every leave he's ever made. He probably thinks he's the luckiest cricketer ever as a result of all the edges he's gotten away with.

by PeterCS Sat 03 Aug 2013, 01:11

lardbucket wrote:Apparently Bresnan thought he might have hit the ball, hence the non referral.

The DRS has played a starring role in this series, as much villain as hero.

I read it as follows. Bresnan thought he probably/almost certainly hadn't hit it, but was well aware of Cook's stern views on using the DRS lightly - only intensified by the disaster of the two unfortunate reviews used on Smith in the Oz first innings in this match and the subsequent loss of a (winning) third case against the same batsman, who then went on to make a large score and assist his skipper to an even larger one.

Cook, hearing Bresnan's views, will have then asked ARE YOU 100% SURE?, and hearing Bresnan say FAIRLY SURE, SKIPPER, sent him on his way.

There's another disadvantage of sending in a NW who is not really up to snuff as regards sound (defensive) technique, - Bresnan was in too high (3!) in what will have to be a long England innings for Cook to consider risking wasting a review on him. Even though the case against the umpire's decision would have been sound.

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