England v Australia, 3rd Test, Edgbaston, 29 July - 3 August, 2015

Or not.

Target is 121. 

In the absence of SK Warne in the Aust team this will be a piece of piss.

For the record, the FOW at Headingley in 1981:

1-13 (Wood)
2-56 (Chappell)
3-58 (Hughes)
4-58 (Yallop)
5-65 (Border)
6-68 (Dyson)
7-74 (Marsh)
8-75 (Lawson)
9-110 (Lillee)
10-111 (Bright)

Say we do win this, which I'm now doubting heavily, we won't do it with any more than 2 wickets left. Testicle swallowing time from us. Get to the wicket, assume the foetal position.

Might be good here to send in a LW ahead of Lyth.

(Lunchwatchman.)

"And it's Mitchell Johnson to start this final innings of the match. Lyth facing - probably a bit nervous ... AND HE'S OUT!!!!! FLAILING AT A WIDE ONE, CAUGHT AT SECOND SLIP!!!! ...[...]

So Ian Bell takes his guard. Looking super-confident here, is Michael Clarke. In comes Johnson .... AND BELL'S OUT! Lobs a loosener way up in the air, POUCHED by Nevill!!!!!!! ... [...]

Nathan Lyon taking the last over before lunch, interesting .... AND COOK's LEG BEFORE IS HE? HE IS!!!!!!!!!!

Sensational two overs - England 3 down for 1 run at lunch. And not even Jimmy Anderson available to block out for 2 and a half days!!!!!!"

What is this, a woofing contest?

I'm calling it, 2 down.

Ah well, it is what it is.

If we wanted to take anything positive out of it, it was a good tail performance to get us from 111/6 to 265.

lardbucket wrote:What is this, a woofing contest?

I'm calling it, 2 down.

Aye, while at the same time playing Bell into form.

We'll see. Not a woof in sight here. Call it complete confidence in England's complete lack of gumption.

Well that was grim viewing. Once the opening two overs went for 20, I suspected Australia would be locked in for a decent lead.

A calm, steady 50-60 run partnership in the first three wickets breaks the back of this chase, of course, but you know that there's more chance of there being a panicky collapse and a whole lot of dickhead shots.

Game is set up for Jimmy to be wheeled out on a gurney to hit the winnings runs with a reverse sweep off the spinner, nine wickets down. And then his torso will fall off.

This reminds me of Trent Bridge 2005. Hopefully the end result is the same.

Cook gone.

..... and here comes the pain.

Nice ball, but why has it taken him until this point of the game to start bowling at the stumps?

Especially at Cook, who looks as 'headsy' as ever when someone bothers to try aiming for the stumps.

Sheesh, I thought that bowled him.

Starc looking incredibly dangerous here. With Lyon at the other end unplayable apparently.

Jaffa city round there ATM.

Lil' Ron is rinsing the qunt.

Lil' Ron gets dropperino.

Sack Clarke now.

Can't bat. Can't captain. Can't catch. 

Bye bye Puppy...

Shit review from Lyth, looked dead, was dead. Could be a killer later.

Lyth 'wastes' a review. Just one of 22 reviews overturned this series, the commentators said earlier.

Lyth - damned Lyth - and statistics.

Clarke dropping Bell has certainly reduced the interest in this finish.

Brass Monkey wrote:Lil' Ron is rinsing the qunt.

Runs in both innings in a bowler's match; probably man of the match.