England v Australia, 3rd Test, Headingley, 6-10 July, 2023

51 Ashes catches to Smiff - impressive! Catches win and lose matches ...


Joe Root started out his Test career at 6, 1 and 3 (can't remember in which sequence). TIme and again he was found wanting as opener - the moving new ball always seem to see him nicking off before he could get set. Today's wasn't a new cherry, but the seamy Dukes ball, not that old, and first thing in the morning ... did for him as usual.

JAFFA from Cummins, mind. Who has been Aussie's star with the ball so far, leading from the front.

Jonny might as well have done the Jitterbug, so jittery was he.

A Yorkie batting collapse at Headingley ... not good.

I didn't want to say I told you so about Brook at 3, but ... well. Daft decision, all things (not) considered.


England in a ton of trouble, but who knows which way this day, this Test, this series is going to turn next?

Wood might need to play a blinder with the willow, as well as the nut. "Nominative determinism".

Bairstow is not having a great match…. Well so far anyway.

And screw the Headingley crowd.

horace wrote:Bairstow is not having a great match…. Well so far anyway.

Bit of "safety reverse-ferret" there ....

He seems to have fear in his eyes. Not a good sign, except for the Aussies. When he's up for it, the eyes speak "icy fire" (a bit of Petrarca for yez).

PeterCS wrote:

horace wrote:Bairstow is not having a great match…. Well so far anyway.

Bit of "safety reverse-ferret" there ....

He seems to have fear in his eyes. Not a good sign, except for the Aussies. When he's up for it, the eyes speak "icy fire" (a bit of Petrarca for yez).

Yeah, he may yet do a Geraint Jones, i.e. get dropped for his batting before he does for his keeping.

Anyway, did I mention 100-5 earlier?

Need another Stokes masterclass here, though Australia still won’t relax unless they can set us 350+ second time up.

horace wrote:And screw the Headingley crowd.

Hmmm. The Aussie grounds have not always been temples of hushed respect, o Horatie ... for this Test, for obvious reasons (whatever contempt you may feel for the Lord's kerfuffle, for the West Yorkshire barrackers, for the Poms), you might as well just take it on the chin, with a patient impassive saturnine grimace .... like S Broad, the legendary Stoic philosopher.

PeterCS wrote:

horace wrote:And screw the Headingley crowd.

Hmmm. The Aussie grounds have not always been temples of hushed respect, o Horatie ... for this Test, for obvious reasons (whatever contempt you may feel for the Lord's kerfuffle, for the West Yorkshire barrackers, for the Poms), you might as well just take it on the chin, with a patient impassive saturnine grimace ....  like S Broad, the legendary Stoic philosopher.

Lol. The idea of Broad being a stoic philosopher cracked me up. Looking forward to him taking block next to the square leg ump as per usual.

Meanwhile England is digging in and enjoyed a bit of luck with the Stokes lbw escape. Looks like hard fought Test cricket to me at the moment. Good bowling and batting . What happened to BazBall? Know you hate the term too.

Am happy with Murphy’s start by the way. Will be a worthy successor to Lyon.

How much cortisone (or whatever it is, corticosteroids? naproxen caps? - is there a doctor in the house?) is Capn Stokes on? He gives the impression of a walking hospital. He's a bloody golem.

Looks increasingly like we’ll see Captain Broad in action at Old Trafford.

Have two specialist seam bowlers ever captained on opposing sides in an Ashes Test?

PeterCS wrote:How much cortisone (or whatever it is, corticosteroids? naproxen caps? - is there a doctor in the house?) is Capn Stokes on? He gives the impression of a walking hospital. He's a bloody golem.

Think he has bone on bone in the crook knee and that is not fun. He will need a full knee replacement at some stage. I expect he is on a cocktail of meds to get by in routine life, let alone what is taken while playing. I suspect we may not see him bowl again.

Aye Horace, re: ""Bazball"".

As I said (the repetition is boring me too now), the McCullum/Stokes project is not about wildly yahooing at everything in sight.

Though the Yorkies in particular may not have got that message in the previous two Tests.

But to be the best undaunted, undeflected (and hopefully undeflecting) version of your skills.


In a tight corner, just lashing out would be doubly daft.

Was singly daft (i.e. just: daft) for anyone to play without timing or poise in the first place.

beamer wrote:Looks increasingly like we’ll see Captain Broad in action at Old Trafford.

Have two specialist seam bowlers ever captained on opposing sides in an Ashes Test?

Surely not. Stokes will keep going as a specialist bat means they must keep playing 5 bowlers but it is probably worth it.

There would be a view Bairstow should play as a specialist bat but that can’t work given the Skipper cannot bowl.

beamer wrote:Looks increasingly like we’ll see Captain Broad in action at Old Trafford.

Have two specialist seam bowlers ever captained on opposing sides in an Ashes Test?

In a surprise move, draft in E Morgan as #7 bat and McCullumesque skipper ....

Mo didn't get the message either.

PeterCS wrote:Aye Horace, re: ""Bazball"".

As I said (the repetition is boring me too now), the McCullum/Stokes project is not about wildly yahooing at everything in sight.

Though the Yorkies in particular may not have got that message in the previous two Tests.

But to be the best undaunted, undeflected (and hopefully undeflecting) version of your skills.


In a tight corner, just lashing out would be doubly daft.

Was singly daft (i.e. just: daft) for anyone to play without timing or poise in the first place.

So far, it looks like not Wood but Marsh will be the difference.

(I mean mathematically ... there's a vast difference in skill application & brainwork too.)

I really like Moeen. Will be criticised for his dismissal but he stuck around with purpose against some top bowling.

As for Woakes, what was he thinking? Was he batting under instructions?

Good morning session for Aus.

They shut out the noise and got on with the job.

Neph and Jonny went early, then Stokes and Mo but on 40-odd, before Pat got Mo then Koo removed Woakes.

Will Robbo bat? Stokes looks like the walking wounded atm.

horace wrote:

PeterCS wrote:How much cortisone (or whatever it is, corticosteroids? naproxen caps? - is there a doctor in the house?) is Capn Stokes on? He gives the impression of a walking hospital. He's a bloody golem.

Think he has bone on bone in the crook knee and that is not fun. He will need a full knee replacement at some stage. I expect he is on a cocktail of meds to get by in routine life, let alone what is taken while playing. I suspect we may not see him bowl again.

Could he get a new knee, take a year or so then come back, as per Andy Murray with his hip?

horace wrote:I really like Moeen. Will be criticised for his dismissal but he stuck around with purpose against some top bowling.

As for Woakes, what was he thinking? Was he batting under instructions?

Worst of both worlds, they didn’t score quickly and then got themselves out. That was 1-win-in-17-ball, or whatever we had until 18 months or so ago.

If they come out and have an almighty slog for half an hour we might get past 200 which would put us in the game.

Useful session. Boland very unlucky, Murphy has bowled well on an unresponsive deck, Starc and Cummins leading the attack well. Mitch Marsh not used this morning.

Having experienced bone-on-bone (20 years of fast bowling), I can vouch for the misery of it. Before my op (5 years ago) I couldn't walk for 5 minutes anywhere.

I was right as rain after my knee replacement in well under 6 months. So Stokes should do it and give himself a few more years in the game.

skully wrote:Having experienced bone-on-bone (20 years of fast bowling), I can vouch for the misery of it. Before my op (5 years ago) I couldn't walk for 5 minutes anywhere.

I was right as rain after my knee replacement in well under 6 months. So Stokes should do it and give himself a few more years in the game.

Guess it depends what his future aims are… over two years until the Ashes rematch, he’s not playing ODIs, does franchise money motivate him that much? Could just opt for a future as McCullum’s deputy/heir apparent.

Stokes just made it to lunch. I winced each time he was hit on the knee roll.

Expect he will get some pain relief over lunch and go full BazBananas when play resumes.

Who knows how long the tail will last. Expect Slobbo’s back will be tested with some decent bouncers and the clotted bruises on Broad will get a refresh. I reckon Woody will hang about and scrap some runs out.

Importantly given the nice weather England will also want to consume as much time as possible to deny Oz pleasant batting conditions.

Eventful Starc over!