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

It's stopped raining and brightened up a fair bit where I am in the city centre. And the cloud cover is high at the moment, so we might get more play than expected, if they can get the outfield drained sharpish. I think we're in for a tricky day and any urn-retention celebration is premature..

well, you're the local expert, but the commentators are suggesting that it will take two hours to dry the outfield, and that the likelihood of rain falling again within that time is 100%

Yorkshire's championship hopes also boosted by this rain

It's certainly a lot clearer here now. If it doesn't rain again today I reckon there could easily be 50 overs.

Looks like the "other Old Trafford" tour will have to be done tomorrow...

JGK, please shut up ... if you talk the weather up at all we won't just get more rain, there will be glaciers on the ground before close of play.

watching weather updates from the bar at present ... play not looking remotely likely according to commentators. One loony Aus fan with his tongue planted firmly in cheek predicting 50 overs; but it'll never happen.

It seems like I've gone all Jon Snow.

Agree, I know nothing. There will be no play today.

Apparently play has now been scheduled to start at 11:30 am local time - that is if it doesn't start raining again.

From cricinfo...

10.50am: Australia have declared and we are going to try for an 11.30am start, so England will need to chase 332 in, perhaps optimistically, 98 overs.

JGK wrote:It seems like I've gone all Jon Snow.

Agree, I know nothing. There will be no play today.

Wow. My powers seem quite strong over here.

Aye. It's notoriously difficult to predict when it's like this though. If it's showery some places might get a dousing whereas others only a few miles away can escape. I'm a couple of miles north of OT and it's still fair.

Night cricket anyone?

If ever Elmer needs to pull a 7-38 out of his bag of tricks, it's today, and with a soapy ball. Yeah, that's gonna happen.  

7 Jeffs?

Woah, panic time!

SACK.....COOK.............NOW!!!!!!!!!!

As Dougie Walters would say - "Bloody Bewdy - one for none"!!

Watsonesque review by Chef.

Cook does a Watson. That LBW was the plummest plum to fall from a plumber's plum tree.

Nice to see England can make a mess of using DRS too!

doctorspin wrote:SACK.....COOK.............NOW!!!!!!!!!!

suspend him for a game, anyway

The sun's out here now. Good old Manc weather!

bizarre ... there's even a bit of blue sky in one corner

it won't last according to forecast

Australia must wish Ryan Harris was 10 years younger.

He was, once. He wasn't as good then as he is now.

Starc is wasting the new ball, bowling two feet wide of off stump.

Aye, get him off and get Siddle on. One or two more wickets before the rain returns would be a good boost before Durham.

Oi Lardy. I'm with Peter. Plenty of seats. Come to stair e4.

England's approach to this so far is great for Australia. Clarke knows they're not going for the target and can set fields as attacking as he likes.