England v Australia, 4th Test, Old Trafford, 19-23 July, 2023

Bazball really has become dads army now.

Clearly for stokes and baz, jonny can do no wrong. i spose they hope the 2022 version will suddenly reappear, but he wasnt keeper then. If they must have him, play him at 3 and they can have foakes as keeper.

however unless one team gets rolled, the weather could decide the ashes.

skully wrote:With the Grub seemingly assured of playing, I'd go in with the Bison at 6, Snot at 7 and Mariah at 8. No Murph for me, with Haze returning for ScoBo.

I know the "experts" will say stacking your batting side never works (although it always seems to work for India), we hold the Ashes, so a long batting line-up (and 5 seamers) seems only logical.

Ha!! MrK suggests an allegedly even stronger batting line up for Aus from available players in England:

MrK's T4 Aus XI

Grub
Ooze
Harry
Labia
Smudge
Blow
Bison
Snot
Mariah
NoShow
Koo

Patty to be rested, with 3 seamers (Koo, Snot and Bison) to use the new ball and Labia, Smudge, Blow and NoShow to handle spinning duties.

lardbucket wrote:Horrie - if the Waughs were ‘koalas’, what of the status of Warner? Why are we protecting The Cane Toad? The pest that just can’t be eliminated?

Sage.

Yes, cane toad is perfect. A useless, poisonous ugly pest. His head is even toadish.

I just do not get the thinking. I heard your mate Paine saying he should play but effectively conceding he won't do much.

Even without the 200, I suspect he would have been a lock for India and England. McDonald and Bailey are decent smart people in almost all other respects. I do not get it.

None of us do, h

On the cricket, I am pleased for Jimmeh that he is playing on his home deck.

GCS is a stable pony 

They all feel comfortable with him in the team 

unfortunately his foot work has gone (which is bad considering his already poor record in pomgolia) ....but they'll stick with him until Sydney 

he's had 4 ok scores and 4 awful scores ...they hope he can jag another couple of ok scores ....

Harry's record and technique isnt shouting out that he would be any different 

Opening with Blowie and keeping Puddle is forgetting the 10 years of hate for a wasted talent just to get rid of an over the hill unconventional perceived dickhead

No spinner.

Stacking the batting

Retention of the cane toad.

Advantage England.

Huzzah, we are going in with Bison at 6, Snot at 7 and Mariah at 8.

5 quicks and no Murphy.

Australian Sporting Public ... ' Not dropping Warner is the stupidest thing the NSP could do for this Test' 


NSP ' Hold My Beer'

GCS is way overdue to repay the NSP for their faith/stoopidity.

I can only assume they have told Warner to think of himself as a night watchman

lardbucket wrote:I can only assume they have told Warner to think of himself as a night watchman

Well, that’s what Test openers are in a sense these days, especially in England. We’ve even picked a sacrificial lamb number 3…

FFS! lost the toss again

skully wrote:GCS is way overdue to repay the NSP for their faith/stoopidity.

And he doesn’t of course.

OI….oy vented shlogger ball. Not the sheep shagger.

Whooo noids to toik the shoyne orf da ball? Bashin it about is wot oi do. Showdd Broadee didnoi? Couldna get moy.

So at least the Grub got into double figures for once.

Been at the flicks watching Mission Impossible - rollicking good fun.

Yeah, I know, where's my direhard loyalty. To be honest, it was a scheduling fark up. D'oh!!

After losing the toss again and being inserted, Aus would be quite happy with 2-107 at Lunch.

2-80 in the session for Aus.

1-80 would've been better with Marnus working very hard for his 1st 50 in 16 Test innings. Then he played lazily across the line (which is his and Smudge's habit) to a slow turner from Mo and was gone lbw.

Still, not a bad position after being inserted. Hopefully the long batting line up pays off.

Two sessions to England.

2-107
2-80

Only 49 overs in two sessions, though - that’s poor.

A decider at the Oval, then. Very poor batting on a good wicket.

5-254 with the unlikely Marsh once again leading a mini-rescue.

51 off 57 to this point and he has looked the most comfortable at the crease thus far.

Green given lbs but surely going over

FFS another umpire’s call. Joel Wilson you are a piece of shit.

and now Bairstow makes an easy catch look hard … but it sticks

he went the wrong way and was very lucky to get back to the ball

Par score - 400 - unattainable.

England needs to bowl 24 overs in the last hour!! Way behind the required rate.