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

Bit of a shite ending.

Ended up watching some 80s? vhs quality Worlds Fastest Bowler thing with all these seamers and only Thomson getting up to 147km/h. Speed gun was the equivelant of hot spot back then

Then they started 'The Streak' so I called it a night

Worlds Fastest Bowler was 1977/78

It was a Packer World Series Cricket excuse to give money to Jeff Thomson (who couldnt play WSC because of a previous contract he had with a Brisbane radio station)

taipan wrote:

JGK wrote:I've just left Old Trafford. The weather has been perfect for cricket for about an hour and a half and thy could easily still be playing in this light.

Say hello to Jon.

Hey Taips! JGK did give you an honourable mention. Peter couldn't make it, but Lardy was there to sink a few.
Top night.

It was.

Although Lardy took about half an hour to walk the 500m back to the hotel because he stopped at the window of every "vinyl" store on the way back drooling and counting the albums that he had in his personal collection.

Jontyh wrote:

taipan wrote:

JGK wrote:I've just left Old Trafford. The weather has been perfect for cricket for about an hour and a half and thy could easily still be playing in this light.

Say hello to Jon.

Hey Taips! JGK did give you an honourable mention. Peter couldn't make it, but Lardy was there to sink a few.
Top night.

Good stuff. Was a year too early for me.

taipan wrote:

Jontyh wrote:

taipan wrote:

JGK wrote:I've just left Old Trafford. The weather has been perfect for cricket for about an hour and a half and thy could easily still be playing in this light.

Say hello to Jon.

Hey Taips! JGK did give you an honourable mention. Peter couldn't make it, but Lardy was there to sink a few.
Top night.

Good stuff. Was a year too early for me.

I'll still be here next year!

Dello wrote:

Henry wrote:Well I know it's easy to say in hindsight, but I reckon Aus were too slow in their second innings, and Clarke declared too late. 280 should have been a decent enough carrot to dangle in front of England considering the forecast today was awful.

Realistically, they could have only expected to get through 90 overs in one and a half days, max.

You can't really be making declarations based upon what the weathermen are saying, though. They said we'd lose lots of time to rain on three of the five days of this match.

As it turns out, we've had four full days of cricket, pretty much. Only today's forecast has come to pass. Even then, it was looking a turkey up until lunch.

Agree, you can't make risky declarations based on the vagaries of the weather.

Congratulations England, it won't be a whitewash but the home side has always looked more likely to win given that Australia's still in a state of flux selection wise and England is a bit more polished atm.

The heartening thing from Australia's point of view is that the gulf between the teams doesn't look as great as was feared and the clashes for the Ashes are very much alive this summer. Of course the winner then gets to hold the Ashes for longer than usual.

Jontyh wrote:

taipan wrote:

Jontyh wrote:

taipan wrote:

JGK wrote:I've just left Old Trafford. The weather has been perfect for cricket for about an hour and a half and thy could easily still be playing in this light.

Say hello to Jon.

Hey Taips! JGK did give you an honourable mention. Peter couldn't make it, but Lardy was there to sink a few.
Top night.

Good stuff. Was a year too early for me.

I'll still be here next year!

Will probably only be able to swindle 2 weeks but lets see.

Things that were reinforced watching this test

Oz batsmen look a million dollars when the ball doesnt swing

They are shit against spin ...even ordinary spin

Oz fast bowlers are OK (mostly) ...our spin has no wicket taking options

Haddin has the MEWlike ability to make a score when hes on his last chance

The DRS was tinkered with and they went too far the other way ...it needs to be scrapped and taken out of the players hands ... (maybe they need three tv umps and a majority decision)

Red wrote:

Dello wrote:

Henry wrote:Well I know it's easy to say in hindsight, but I reckon Aus were too slow in their second innings, and Clarke declared too late. 280 should have been a decent enough carrot to dangle in front of England considering the forecast today was awful.

Realistically, they could have only expected to get through 90 overs in one and a half days, max.

You can't really be making declarations based upon what the weathermen are saying, though. They said we'd lose lots of time to rain on three of the five days of this match.

As it turns out, we've had four full days of cricket, pretty much. Only today's forecast has come to pass. Even then, it was looking a turkey up until lunch.

Agree, you can't make risky declarations based on the vagaries of the weather.

Congratulations England, it won't be a whitewash but the home side has always looked more likely to win given that Australia's still in a state of flux selection wise and England is a bit more polished atm.

The heartening thing from Australia's point of view is that the gulf between the teams doesn't look as great as was feared and the clashes for the Ashes are very much alive this summer. Of course the winner then gets to hold the Ashes for longer than usual.

The heartening thing for Aus is that the selectors seem to be moving towards more sensible selections, the team appears on the up as England dither, and the battle for the return Ashes down under is now very much on - with (woofing aside) Australia probably now favourites on home soil.

I also quite agree on the "vagaries of the weather forecasters" point. It's a bit too easy to be wise on a forum, especially after the event. If Clarke had declared with a 230-250 lead, and the sun had continued, who knows, Anderson might even have snicked a winning boundary on Day 5.

Actually, the winner DOESN'T get to hold the Ashes for longer than usual, though!

2015, and the show's on the road again!

embee wrote:Things that were reinforced watching this test

Oz batsmen look a million dollars when the ball doesnt swing

They are shit against spin ...even ordinary spin

Oz fast bowlers are OK (mostly) ...our spin has no wicket taking options

Haddin has the MEWlike ability to make a score when hes on his last chance

The DRS was tinkered with and they went too far the other way ...it needs to be scrapped and taken out of the players hands ... (maybe they need three tv umps and a majority decision)  

Lyon wasn't bad, actually. He was a bit unlucky.

Your point about Haddin is dead right. The man was inspired when he had to be. Any keeper would have been proud of three or four of those catches. And he batted with a bit of chance but like a little champion as well (admittedly, good runs were on the board by then). Remarkable turnaround from his gormless liability status previously.

Dunno what to say about the DRS. The debate will continue. It's certainly a Bails-saving device.

A point you might add, Marty, is that "it's a good thing to win the toss for a change".

G.Wood wrote:I guess we have Merlin to thank for at least stopping the rot.

Well, quite!

It's as if Boof had nailed his braying triumphalist words on the Oz changing room door. ...

JGK wrote:It was.

Although Lardy took about half an hour to walk the 500m back to the hotel because he stopped at the window of every "vinyl" store on the way back drooling and counting the albums that he had in his personal collection.

Nobody's perfect.

The walk took 5 minutes. I think JGK was in REM on 3-4 occasions during the walk and 2-3 in the 10 mins before he was dragged from the bar.

Jet lag is a bastard especially on days 2-3.

Probably not enough grog, J. A couple of drinks promote sleep; as you approach a skinful sleep is inhibited! I was trying to help you with those cognacs ...

Cognactive-intuitive theories don't always work, though.

Sometimes a merited Australian victory is the only pick-me-up.


Besides, I don't think think JGK was really complaining. That much.



Where the hell are you? At the aerodrome?

Have a good onward flight, whenever it is!!

tbh, I'm surprised you found that many records on show in Manchester, apart from clubland.

interesting. the last time england successfully defended the ashes for 2 consecutive series was in 1956. before that was more than a century ago

Australia showed they were a match for us, but that's because we're shit. It's all well saying about not playing to the weather, but Clarke should've backed his charges to get this wankheap of a batting line-up out for less than 250. He could've got us 4 down by close and watch our empty cereal boxes fold in the morning.

Anybody mentioned yet that, to go with Bairstow's complete lack of Testitude, if Australia could catch then Joe Root would currently have a string of 6 incredibly low scores to his name - all out. He'd actually be averaging 11.66.

So, whilst there's an 'in your face, selectors' somewhere, I don't really know when or where to put it.

Where? In their face.

When? Now?

Have been busy the last week so unable to get on but what's the general consensus?

I thought Aus had the best of the wicket in the game and put up a good total but we fought pretty well on a deteriorating pitch against some manful bowling on their part and got lucky with the weather.

Our batting remains a bit flakey and KP, Cook & Trott really need to come to the party the last 2 tests.

Don't think the pitch deteriorated that much.

Ah right, i've seen snippets of play and had to listen to most of it. Aggers reckoned the pitch was playing a lot harder than Kp made it look and that it was very up and down by the last.

I caught a bit of the first day evening session and it looked a road.

And yeah.... 2/10 for the Old Trafford overhaul. I know it was there last year but that big red box was designed by a blind man.