Australia v England, 5th Test, Sydney, 4-8 January, 2018

Weather is again gonna be hot tomoz. Not quite as bad but still mucho scorchio (up to 37C).  

Aus might have to work hard for the final 6 wickets.

The bet365 odds being offered for the draw are remarkably low, 8.50.

What a rip off!

horace wrote:
The sledge of course was not on par with your inspired effort on Atherton. Good times.

Remind me of that one?

Finally got to see a day of the test Live, thankfully from 3/4 of the way back in the Berwongle Stand , well batted by the Bog and Puddle.
Jimmeh bowled very well in trying conditions without reward.
Aus with the Ball were impressive esp Koo,Second and GOAT.
How long Root sticks around Tomorrow will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the match.
Gold coin entry Tomorrow for anyone that can make it.

Must've been like furnace, even in the shade of the Brewongle, BA??

Glad you got there. You saw a pretty dominant effort by Aus.

vilkrang wrote:

horace wrote:
The sledge of course was not on par with your inspired effort on Atherton. Good times.

Remind me of that one?

Day 3 of the 06/07 Boxing Day Test

Lardy Zat Zim Nath horrie and embee (plus Mrs embee and one of Zim's workmates) sit together at the G to watch the NGAF and lose by an innings on the third day

NLWL and the 2GM have announced that Sydney will be there farewell Test

The forum group is walking away from the cricket to one of horrie's favourite watering holes when a taxi pulls up alongside us at the lights . Athers is the passenger. There is some fluffy talk about is he disapponted the poms couldnt last three days ...he responds that he can get two days of golf in ....horrie asks him what courses he is playing ...yada yada

I butt in with ....

"Hey Athers ....Now that Pigeon has retired are you considering a comeback?"

The forum 6 all piss themselves laughing

He went white ....stopped talking ....and put up the window in the taxi ....and then waited an eternity for the lights to change so that either the taxi or the pedestrians could leave

I doubt we will last until lunch tomorrow, one wicket and the rest will quickly follow.

There will need to be some big questions asked but those suggesting we ditch Broad and even Anderson immediately, well we’re going to need them to win back the Ashes at home next year. They perhaps shouldn’t tour again, keep them fresh for one last push.

It wouldn’t surprise me though if Root and Bairstow are the only ones from this side to tour Australia again.

And that, dear friends, is the last we shall see of James Vince in an England shirt.

Basil wrote:And that, dear friends, is the last we shall see of James Vince in an England shirt.

Vince, Stoneman, Malan and Ali in the top starting six did appear to be the height of optimism.

Red wrote:

skully wrote:

Red wrote:Surely this is the worst attack England has sent here, and there were some horror ones in the nineties.

Any attack that has two bowlers with over 900 Test wickets between them can NEVER be considered the worst ever. England have not been helped by Broad being below his best for the 1st 3 Tests and Jimmeh has bowled the wrong length but they have been hard to score off.

It's surely about context though and not career stats. Otherwise we could roll out Lillee and Thommo for a series.

Broad has looked decidedly average. Anderson in contrast has been whole-hearted, but in essence has he been penetrative, especially at the top of the order, outside the bowling-friendly conditions he was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to bowl in in Adelaide.

Red - no, the truth is that Jimmy hasn't really been penetrative ..... or has he ?

Career average v Australia in AUSTRALIA (18 matches)

720.3 overs - 181 mdns - 2126 runs - 60 wkts at 35.43 average

Career average v Australia in ENGLAND (13 matches)

450.4 overs - 101 mdns -1468 runs - 44 wkts at 33.36 average.

This series

223.3 overs - 70 mdns - 473 runs - 17 wkts at 27.82 average.

Skulls points out that your four main bowlers each have 20  English wickets (Starc has 22), so that's 1/4 each of the 82 taken. In contrast, England have taken just 55, and so Anderson's 17 equates to just under 1/3 of the total. Conditions are a factor, of course they are - but those three lots of numbers suggest that he's no more dependant on favourable ones than anyone else - and a lot less than many.

I really don't know what more he could have done, and the more I see people calling for him to be retired/dropped, the more my jaw drops. Yes, we desperately need a replacement strike bowler, preferably a genuine quick - but when we find one he should relegate JA to change bowler. Where we'll find him though, is another matter altogether.

Growler wrote:

Red wrote:

skully wrote:

Red wrote:Surely this is the worst attack England has sent here, and there were some horror ones in the nineties.

Any attack that has two bowlers with over 900 Test wickets between them can NEVER be considered the worst ever. England have not been helped by Broad being below his best for the 1st 3 Tests and Jimmeh has bowled the wrong length but they have been hard to score off.

It's surely about context though and not career stats. Otherwise we could roll out Lillee and Thommo for a series.

Broad has looked decidedly average. Anderson in contrast has been whole-hearted, but in essence has he been penetrative, especially at the top of the order, outside the bowling-friendly conditions he was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to bowl in in Adelaide.

Red - no, the truth is that Jimmy hasn't really been penetrative ..... or has he ?

Career average v Australia in AUSTRALIA (18 matches)

720.3 overs - 181 mdns - 2126 runs - 60 wkts at 35.43 average

Career average v Australia in ENGLAND (13 matches)

450.4 overs - 101 mdns -1468 runs - 44 wkts at 33.36 average.

This series

223.3 overs - 70 mdns - 473 runs - 17 wkts at 27.82 average.

Skulls points out that your four main bowlers each have 20  English wickets (Starc has 22), so that's 1/4 each of the 82 taken. In contrast, England have taken just 55, and so Anderson's 17 equates to just under 1/3 of the total. Conditions are a factor, of course they are - but those three lots of numbers suggest that he's no more dependant on favourable ones than anyone else - and a lot less than many.

I really don't know what more he could have done, and the more I see people calling for him to be retired/dropped, the more my jaw drops. Yes, we desperately need a replacement strike bowler, preferably a genuine quick - but when we find one he should relegate JA to change bowler. Where we'll find him though, is another matter altogether.

I haven't called for his retirement - he has been the bedrock of the English attack this series, despite being in his twilight years. My assertion though, was that he has been lionhearted, but in terms of being a factor, has lacked penetration.  It was more a comment regarding his effectiveness. His stats have been somewhat massaged by the Adelaide success. He bowled well under lights, but certainly there was more assistance on that humid night under lights than at any other time of the series for bowlers.

Broad has been clearly disappointing though, because he's been a bit intemperate, while Anderson has kept plugging away at all times.

Sorry, Red - I know you weren't calling for JA's dropping or retirement, but I see plenty who are on other discussion boards. I wasn't really having a go at you and I'm sorry it looked like I was.

I did agree with you - his penetration hasn't been a significant factor - but IMO it would never have been one anyway. I don't like playing "if" ..... but bear with me this once. I'm going to make JA significantly more penetrative in the first three tests.

T1, Gabba - imagine JA nipping out both openers single figures in the second innings.
T2, Adelaide - imagine he gets S Marsh out for single figures
T3 WACA - Smith (239) and Mitch Marsh (181) fell to JA anyway - but say they both scored 100 less.

We'd still be 3-0 down, Red. That was the scale of the hidings we've been given. That's what's painful. Watching our oldest quick bowling more than 50 overs more than our spinner, then watching people who're supposed to be batsmen chucking their wickets away when he's flogged his arse off.

beamer wrote:I doubt we will last until lunch tomorrow, one wicket and the rest will quickly follow.

There will need to be some big questions asked but those suggesting we ditch Broad and even Anderson immediately, well we’re going to need them to win back the Ashes at home next year. They perhaps shouldn’t tour again, keep them fresh for one last push.

It wouldn’t surprise me though if Root and Bairstow are the only ones from this side to tour Australia again.

Bit harsh on Malan.

taipan wrote:

beamer wrote:I doubt we will last until lunch tomorrow, one wicket and the rest will quickly follow.

There will need to be some big questions asked but those suggesting we ditch Broad and even Anderson immediately, well we’re going to need them to win back the Ashes at home next year. They perhaps shouldn’t tour again, keep them fresh for one last push.

It wouldn’t surprise me though if Root and Bairstow are the only ones from this side to tour Australia again.

Bit harsh on Malan.

He’s the wrong side of 30, would need to show exceptional form to stick around for four years’ time.

beamer wrote:

taipan wrote:

beamer wrote:I doubt we will last until lunch tomorrow, one wicket and the rest will quickly follow.

There will need to be some big questions asked but those suggesting we ditch Broad and even Anderson immediately, well we’re going to need them to win back the Ashes at home next year. They perhaps shouldn’t tour again, keep them fresh for one last push.

It wouldn’t surprise me though if Root and Bairstow are the only ones from this side to tour Australia again.

Bit harsh on Malan.

He’s the wrong side of 30, would need to show exceptional form to stick around for four years’ time.

Didn't realise he was that old. Then the other question is why England aren't blocding youngsters.

Because we haven’t got any who are making a case in the county game, really. The likes of Stoneman and Malan got a chance after numerous younger alternatives failed.

There’s occasions when you have to look past county stats and pick on potential, and I’m sure the selectors have names in mind.

Malan’s only just 30, anyway, so could have a few years in him - but selectors’ patience with older players tends to be thin, you can’t afford a bad series.

skully wrote:Must've been like furnace, even in the shade of the Brewongle, BA??

Glad you got there. You saw a pretty dominant effort by Aus.

Aye, up until the Tea Break when the Sea Breeze kicked in it was hotter than I can ever remember, and 50c+ in the Centre
Just thankful I was in the shade, those out on the Concourse yesterday certifiably crazy!!!

embee wrote:

vilkrang wrote:

horace wrote:
The sledge of course was not on par with your inspired effort on Atherton. Good times.

Remind me of that one?

Day 3 of the 06/07 Boxing Day Test

Lardy Zat Zim Nath horrie and embee (plus Mrs embee and one of Zim's workmates) sit together at the G to watch the NGAF and lose by an innings on the third day

NLWL and the 2GM have announced that Sydney will be there farewell Test

The forum group is walking away from the cricket to one of horrie's favourite watering holes when a taxi pulls up alongside us at the lights . Athers is the passenger. There is some fluffy talk about is he disapponted the poms couldnt last three days ...he responds that he can get two days of golf in ....horrie asks him what courses he is playing ...yada yada

I butt in with ....

"Hey Athers ....Now that Pigeon has retired are you considering a comeback?"

The forum 6 all piss themselves laughing

He went white ....stopped talking ....and put up the window in the taxi ....and then waited an eternity for the lights to change so that either the taxi or the pedestrians could leave

It was indeed a red letter good times day.

Blackadder wrote:

skully wrote:Must've been like furnace, even in the shade of the Brewongle, BA??

Glad you got there. You saw a pretty dominant effort by Aus.

Aye, up until the Tea Break when the Sea Breeze kicked in it was hotter than I can ever remember, and 50c+ in the Centre
Just thankful I was in the shade, those out on the Concourse yesterday certifiably crazy!!!

It was in the mid to high 20s on Days 1 & 2 and my little bro and I struggled in the O'Reilly. Of course that was in direct sunlight from about 1.00 pm onwards.

We were surrounded by Poms who had beetroot faces, arms and legs and appeared to be loving it!!!!

skully wrote:

Blackadder wrote:

skully wrote:Must've been like furnace, even in the shade of the Brewongle, BA??

Glad you got there. You saw a pretty dominant effort by Aus.

Aye, up until the Tea Break when the Sea Breeze kicked in it was hotter than I can ever remember, and 50c+ in the Centre
Just thankful I was in the shade, those out on the Concourse yesterday certifiably crazy!!!

It was in the mid to high 20s on Days 1 & 2 and my little bro and I struggled in the O'Reilly. Of course that was in direct sunlight from about 1.00 pm onwards.

We were surrounded by Poms who had beetroot faces, arms and legs and appeared to be loving it!!!!

Mad dogs and Englishmen seems to have become a mantra. They would be feeling the pain for a few days, that is unless they maintains a skinful of beer.

Perhaps they should watch one of Richie Benaud's interviews on the risks of sunburn.

Hopefully conditions are more bearable today for the crowd and players.

Does anyone give the Poms a chance of hanging on or even making Oz bat again?

If they push it into the third session, it will require Root, Jonnie and Moeen to bat with great application. I thought Root batted with great determination yesterday and if anyone deserves a ton he does. If the other two stick with him we might get the hard close finish this Series has lacked.

Root’s in hospital... the game will be over by first session drinks without him.

Bad news. Rotten end to his tour. Broken thumb?

Severe dehydration apparently, surprised he’s the only one...

Thanks. Poor bugger. Makes his efforts in the last session more meritorious.