Aus Inv XI v England XI, Sydney, 13-16 November, 2013

The Zimbok run out for 55. should be enough given no one else seems to be getting runs.

and it keeps the quota up

Not looking too promising for a turn around in the second test...

nah...we have over celebrated...chinhead has a look of determination and the intro of Ballance could prove a masterstroke

Starts yet again. No one going on with it yet again. The batting problems seem terminal.

Ashes, what Ashes FFS? Look up the Indian domestic thread you lot if you want some quality cricket news, that's where the real action is today.

That's where Vijay's action is. He should become the national captain.

Back on topic (apart from being off the thread title) ....

Well, this game is proving a feckload of use for the Poms.

1) It's on a strange, huge pitch out in the middle of nowhere (with apols to NT folk)

2) all the Test-ready Aussies have been pulled off the team, it's an even more bits-and-sods team than the previous Invy XI, and yet

3) 9/10ths of the visitors' batting is rank bloody awful nevertheless, with (as Trev says) a couple of starts and no hint of solidity

4) the ones the selectors were presumably hoping to prove themselves (Stokes, ?Prior?), or else get some good practice in (Carbs, Root, Bell, ?Prior?), have pretty much failed, the previously fringe players (Ballance, Bairstow) seem to have done best of a bad lot - against straw opposition.

5) it all seems a bit of a scunner


Apart from that, I'm beatific, darling.

On the bright side, I suppose, Finn hasn't bowled too many four-wides or skyscrapers yet, Rankin neither.

And Bresnan will be rubbing his mitts.

Mitts with an M. Not a T.

However badly Matt Prior has batted, he must be praised.

For why?

Gaz has the hots for him, Peteypoos.

We weren't meant to fall in love with Jonathan Trott – but we did

True love never runs smooth.

Unless it gets the .... errr, trots.

With your lukewarm attitude to Nephew Joe, and your stubborn headshaking denial of the Test merits of Brezzy Lad AND Huggy Bair, I am beginning to think that - by the Order of Geoffrey Boycott - your citizenship of Yorkshire should start to fall under serious scrutiny, Mr Garrington.

Either that, or you're one of those closet Geordies from Wearside, Whitby or Ripon. Always ready to turn their traitorous coat against God's Broad Acres.

Once again, all going sweetly for England



... players Tremlett and Bresnan.

Swannesar in the wickets. Not sure I'd want to play them both if I was an England selector, but given my lack of confidence in seamer #3, I'd probably end up picking them both.

And the tour of loveliness continues abound as the announcer at Alice Springs is "stood down" for racially mocking Monty over the tannoy, introducing his spell in a comedy Indian accent.

Dello wrote:And the tour of loveliness continues abound as the announcer at Alice Springs is "stood down" for racially mocking Monty over the tannoy, introducing his spell in a comedy Indian accent.

Clearly a SA ex pat.

He was probably high on de beers.

Well, I suppose it COULD have gone worse.

Swann could have broken an arm, England could have ended up 7 down.



Warm-up matches don't really matter much for the result - and even if the visitors get out fairly cheaply to indifferent bowling, it may be the workout that matters.

It's the manner of utter struggling that's the hard (dispiriting) part.

It's about time Finn was cast out of the England setup for an extended period of time. The man is going nowhere.

Henry wrote:It's about time Finn was cast out of the England setup for an extended period of time. The man is going nowhere.

Too many people whispering in his ear methinks - short run? long run? close to the stumps? wide of the crease? out and out quickie? line and length merchant? He probably doesn't know whether he's having a shower, shave or shite.

Aye, he needs to take a step back - maybe his head's gone. He can't be the third of four ATM, nothing's working for him.

There's talk that Finn and David Saker don't see eye to eye, and that Finn prefers the advice of Gus Fraser at Middlesex.

The best Finn has bowled was in ODI cricket this time last year. He just roared in, and bowled up around 92mph on an awkward length. Sure, he kicked the stumps occasionally, but it was only once a spell. The odd no ball for kicking the stumps will be worth it if he bowls fast and accurately.