Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Canberra, 1-5 February, 2019

Nice work, MrK. A double breakthrough by Koo.

Collapso by this calamitous collection of clowns.

Decent session for Aus. 4 poles and a sconing.

Shame about Ooze's catching (can't bat, can't catch) but didn't matter in the end.

With dodgy weather expected tomoz, Aus may have no choice but to enforce (should they clean them up quickly in session 2).

Yes, despite the forecast hot weather this arvo.

ugh, 5 for Starc

And he's a Dubber!!!

JGK wrote:Meanhile, another Lankan retires hurt having been sconed, only to be replaced by the one who went off yesterday. 

This game is heading for a draw.

Thought a bat who had retired hurt could only resume after a wicket fell?

Seems the Quodge has abandoned the 'buggerising about' approach.

Top order fails again. 

At least Manus has now played himself out of the Ashes.

skully wrote:And he's a Dubber!!!

Luckiest Michelle since any taken by Bung..... Another dudder.

Langer desperate for the draw.... Doing rain dances .... Made Burns, Ed and Loosechange go on 10 KLM runs as punishment.

3 run off the last 3 overs!

JGK wrote:At least Manus has now played himself out of the Ashes.

Ooze may well have swapped places with him with this late summer knock.

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:At least Manus has now played himself out of the Ashes.

Ooze may well have swapped places with him with this late summer knock.

Yep. He has done the classic Kjnr. Crap all series until a dead rubber Test.

Will they let Ooze get his ton.  Currently 86*.

horace wrote:

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:At least Manus has now played himself out of the Ashes.

Ooze may well have swapped places with him with this late summer knock.

Yep. He has done the classic Kjnr. Crap all series until a dead rubber Test.

A lot of meaningless runs for the Ausses in this test.

Lanka has always been the least interesting test tourist.

Red wrote:

horace wrote:

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:At least Manus has now played himself out of the Ashes.

Ooze may well have swapped places with him with this late summer knock.

Yep. He has done the classic Kjnr. Crap all series until a dead rubber Test.

A lot of meaningless runs for the Ausses in this test.

Lanka has always been the least interesting test tourist.

Yes Red. Commentariat (and no doubt, cbnlg) are talking up the runs. The Lankans have a pop-gun attack and it is a road. Last year the NSP and commentariat fell for the two tons scored by Hollow Man. They were meaningless on the G and WACA roads.

Burns still has technique issues as does Uber K who nowadays wears concrete cricket boots.

Elsewhere we talked about players and knocks that cheapened the 200. 

Starc's 5fer cheapened the notion of Michelles

Meh, he's not the 1st fast bowler who was out of form to take a michelle. Bung did it numerous times.

Chase's recent 8-fer was the "cheapest" 8-fer you'll ever see.

skully wrote:Meh, he's not the 1st fast bowler who was out of form to take a michelle. Bung did it numerous times.

Chase's recent 8-fer was the "cheapest" 8-fer you'll ever see.

He has been out of form since the Ashes. Agree about Bung. Chase's 8fer stands, it was the English that cheapened batting.

I don't disagree that he's been out of form, but wickets is wickets. It's like a struggling batsman who ekes out a ton (ala Ooze).

Dickinfo tells me that if we can wrap this one up, we will move ahead of England in the world rankings - from 5th to 4th. Apparently* this is worth something to CA as the ICC pays out $$ to the top 4 only each year in April ($100,000 to 4th).

A little extra incentive that's not really needed. Doesn't look too threatening on the radar, although showers predicted today.

skully wrote:Dickinfo tells me that if we can wrap this one up, we will move ahead of England in the world rankings - from 5th to 4th. Apparently* this is worth something to CA as the ICC pays out $$ to the top 4 only each year in April ($100,000 to 4th).

A little extra incentive that's not really needed. Doesn't look too threatening on the radar, although showers predicted today.

Apparently* the Windies need to be sweep the Pomgolians as well.

Not according to this article...

"Even if England win the third and final Test in St Lucia, Australia will jump ahead of their arch-rivals as long as they defeat Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval.

And if the maiden Test in Canberra ends in a draw – rain is forecast for Monday and Tuesday – Australia can still advance in the rankings if the Windies complete a 3-0 series whitewash.

The only way England can remain in fourth spot is to win the third Test in the Caribbean and Australia fail to win in the nation's capital."

Thanks S. Either way 4th or 5th shows how we have descended to mediocrity.

I reckon the 2019 Ashes will be the first time 4th and 5th have played for cricket's greatest prize.