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

lardbucket wrote:

lardbucket wrote:Will Bairstow be in Manchester? He’s sleepwalking.

Hell, Kumar says the same thing.

And he's a keeper-batsman - if you mean that Kumar.

Yes, he’s commentating. Just wasn’t expecting him to come out with ‘sleepwalking’ two minutes after I’d written it ...

65 extras in the Test so far ...

PeterCS wrote:65 extras in the Test so far ...

And nobody’s criticising Mariah’s keeping…

Australia essentially one wicket away, so on a knife-edge here. Will Wood play like he did in the first innings, when he’s called upon?

He knows no other way ..,

Almost at the point where a couple of overs of carnage could swing it, though if he bats with Brook in particular there will be a bit of pressure to rein it in.

He looks unlikely to bat now.

Murphy bowls a no ball - something Lyon has never done at Test level.

lardbucket wrote:He looks unlikely to bat now.

I was wrong. Furry’s call hours ago looking spot on.

Very silly bowling

Close but no cigar. 6-24 in our first innings killed us.

Wood MoM

Well that’s three great matches done. What next??

Wood and Woakes inspired selections, saw it out with the bat as well as the wickets they took. Brook couldn’t quite see it through but that knock will still give him confidence.

Series right back on now, can we make it Desmond at Old Trafford and take it to an Oval decider?

First of all:

Congrats to furri. Coolest head in the house.

Another phenomenal Test, and brilliant advertisement for cricket - warts, faults, thrills and spills and all.

Something weird (to me - maybe it's just me):

Many of the great achievements so far this series have come from unexpected quarters.

The supposed star turns have often fallen short (so far!).

Whereas:

I certainly didn't expect Khawaja to be Aussie standout batter in TT 1 &2. (Maybe I had not been checking the form.)

Marsh an absolute Superman from nowhere in the first knock here.

Brook in this second England innings - had looked increasingly out of touch, a poor wee rabbit in the headlights. Grew to the task when needed. Beamer noted that Mo at 3 was a failure - but was it/he? Brook back in his best position looked reassured, and a proper Test batsman again.

Blokes Woakes ... drafted in partly out of desperation, I suppose. Showed he had all the temperament and calm - and the skills - to make a decisive contribution with bat and ball.

For Oz in Manchester: Warner Murphy and Boland out, Haze/Neser, Green, and Harris in.

Wss thinking you meant Rhino for a minute ...

Would need to turn the clock back a bit ...

Wood and Woakes are ideal for the McCullum/Stokes project.


Of course Wood is hit and hope with the bat, a livewire. But he has a good eye and good coordination.

As for his bowling ... if he stays uninjured, he is probably the main factor that means Aus don't have this Ashes won just yet.

And what a lovely, engaging character he is - just btw.

And of course Woakes gave half-chances batting. A charmed life, even. But what a temperament. He has that magic ingredient that he can put a snick or a bad slog behind him, and be ready for the next delivery as if nothing happened. Bowling, much better than a workhorse. Incisive where others like Robbo just plug away.

lardbucket wrote:Would need to turn the clock back a bit ...

True.

At times like this, I realise (almost every day) how ancient I am.

Not (not so) early onset, ... I hope.

Just: telescoping of time as it speeds up with age. Scary.

Well done England.

At 6-171, we were close enough if good enough, but Harry kept swinging and their tail hung in like like ours couldn't.

Shirley Warner must go. This is the Ashes not sentiment and mates rates. Piss him off for Travis at the top and play both Marsh and Green in the middle.

Pat seemingly doesn't trust Murph, although with 100 extra runs to bowl at things may have been different.

Pat looked shagged after 4 straight Tests but I reckon he'll keep going. ScoBo sadly didn't look dangerous. Koo did his bit.

Haze to return for ScoBo and maybe Neser for Murph. Although with both Marsh and Green, Murph should stay.

I'd ask Labuschagne to open with Smith 3, Green 4, Head 5, Marsh 6. Anything to be rid of that waste of space currently getting us off to a terrible start more often than not. Ask Labuschagne to do a Langer / Khawaja shift.

Shane Labia would not be the worst option as opener. He certainly watches the ball and concentrates more than the Grub

And he doesn't smile as he walks off after another failure.

Or what about Mitch Marsh as a Stacky type opener?