England v Australia, 2nd test, Lord's, July 16-20 (II)

vilkrang wrote:Just because no one has ever got there before doesn't mean it's impossible, records are there to be broken and on a flat pitch with the sun shining, 521 in six sessions with Australias batting line up is gettable.

Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year? All the talk was that only one team had ever chased down a total of 400. India got there easily, and could have chased down a higher total, 521 for example.

That's the rub vilks.
It's not expected to shine over the next 48 hours ... certainly not like it did on days 1 and 3.

Anyway, it won't be 521 on the chase ... more like 550 / 570 tomorrow after Strausser runs the Aussies ragged for awhile.

I agreed with Strauss batting again, as on this deck Aus could have been 400-3 and causing us headaches.

But I also like the Aus not hanging on 9 down with time running out scenario.

Dello wrote:

Merlin wrote:
Note to Zimmer ... Sessions domination in this match so far: England 9 Australia 0 .

Gave up four piss-poor wickets to throw away a strong position on day one in the final session - that one went to Australia.

If we're being pedantic...

Bugger ... forgot that !
Aye okay - will concede that one ... guess the 336 on the board at c.o.p. swayed the mind-set !

Merlin wrote:

vilkrang wrote:Just because no one has ever got there before doesn't mean it's impossible, records are there to be broken and on a flat pitch with the sun shining, 521 in six sessions with Australias batting line up is gettable.

Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year? All the talk was that only one team had ever chased down a total of 400. India got there easily, and could have chased down a higher total, 521 for example.

That's the rub vilks.
It's not expected to shine over the next 48 hours ... certainly not like it did on days 1 and 3.

Anyway, it won't be 521 on the chase ... more like 550 / 570 tomorrow after Strausser runs the Aussies ragged for awhile.

Didn't they say today would be rainy? Weather predictions aren't always right.

And Merls, my point was that declaring now would give them a sniff of a chance, if we get up to 550/570 tomorrow morning then I'll be happy .

Oh, i'd have taken 0-0 going to Edgbaston like a shot given it just before the last day at Cardiff.

We may not get many chances at a test win this series as our bowling will still be bilge without any swing. Got to take the chance whilst we can.

Hark at me, Mr Farking Optimistic....!!

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

It's just nice that a Test match is heading towards its denouement and England's only concerns are how best to go about forcing the win, rather than how the f*ck they're going to avoid another punishing defeat.

This is as good as it gets for an England fan of the last three years...

Yeah agree Vilks ... England must bat on tomorrow (certainly if it's sunny and 30C) - but more than that - the Aussies have to be teased around the field just that bit longer to rub the salt in deeper!

One hour out of 12 possible left in the match ain't going to make any difference. If England can't bowl them out in 5 and a half sessions under the expected low cloud cover, then we really can call ourselves crap!

If heavy rain intervenes to wipe out a session then we shrug it off and move on to Edgbaston.

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

Hughes is due to get going...

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

Wouldn't need to though would they? Could crawl along at 2 and a half an over for 5 sessions then push on in the last if they still had wickets in hand.

I think everyone needs to remember that I'm only getting jittery on the assumption that Strauss declares first thing, if he doesn't (and he probably won't (I hope)) then I agree, draw or England win. Even just half an hour of Fred, Swann and Broad smashing it about (and they all can) will put the game well out of reach.

Dello wrote:

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

Hughes is due to get going...

He will if Broad gets the new ball.
Broad really has to go IMO ... was bloody awful this morning.... bowled with zero nous and kept feeding the 10 and 11.
Kinda like Johnson - only wayward harmless bouncers or dobbling half volleys begging for a tonk.

Oh come on, Jay! If Australia chase 520 down it will be a bloody miracle.

Think Broad bowling short was perhaps a team plan.

This made me laugh......

Jonathan Agnew on Twitter: "Just seen Chris Broad - fuming that they made Stuart bowl so
short."

Merlin wrote:

Dello wrote:

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

Hughes is due to get going...

He will if Broad gets the new ball.
Broad really has to go IMO ... was bloody awful this morning.... bowled with zero nous and kept feeding the 10 and 11.
Kinda like Johnson - only wayward harmless bouncers or dobbling half volleys begging for a tonk.

I know it seems sacrilige, but performing the way he is, I'd have Harmison in for Broad....

I know I know, he's liable to bowl some dross, but he is still clearly capabale of devastating spells, something which Broad has never shown the capacity for.

He really couldn't be doing any more to get back in the team, 6-20 for Durham after working over the aussies in the lions game.

Harmi should have played in this match.
The End.

vilkrang wrote:

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

Wouldn't need to though would they? Could crawl along at 2 and a half an over for 5 sessions then push on in the last if they still had wickets in hand.

Yes, if. How likely is it? England can expect to win from here but you seem to see it as more likely that Australia will do what nobody else has done in 130 years of test cricket.

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:

Rob I wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
Remember India chasing down 400 odd last year?

I don't think Australia have a Sehwag to hit 80 off 60 balls against Harmless to make it possible.

Wouldn't need to though would they? Could crawl along at 2 and a half an over for 5 sessions then push on in the last if they still had wickets in hand.

Yes, if. How likely is it? England can expect to win from here but you seem to see it as more likely that Australia will do what nobody else has done in 130 years of test cricket.

And you seem to be ignoring the circumstances, which haven't cropped up many times in 130 years of test cricket.

Like I said, India would have gotten 521 had they been set it last year. I don't really see it as that much of a stretch to see a team with Australias batting line up being able to chase 521 in 6 sessions against England's bowling attack.

If the pitch wasn't flat, I wouldn't back them.
If they didn't have a very strong batting line up, I wouldn't back them.
If they were playing against a team with a Warne, Murali, Donald etc. I wouldn't back them.
If the weather isn't fine for the two days I wouldn't back them.

I'd like to know how many times a strong batting team has been up against a relatively weak bowling attack, on a flat pitch with six sessions with which to reach 520 odd. I would guess that in 130 years of test cricket, it hasn't happened very often.

This is all academic anyway, I expect England to bat in the morning.

Other than Broad, I wouldn't really call our present bowling attack "weak" though Vilks ....
and right now, they look seriously up for it.

If conditions don't favour them then it is a weak attack. This is the side that allowed nearly 700 against them at Cardiff a week ago remember?

Different ball game ... different circumstances ... different conditions ... whole different attitude and belief .... much more kick-arse now that THEY (England) are in control of the game.... whilst conversely, the Aussies have to regroup mentally to avoid LOSING a match ... and 521+ is one helluva distance away when looking to save a game, let alone trying to win it. The pressure isn't anything like they enjoyed when making that 600 at Cardiff ...

Jesus, try giving the England bowling attack some kind of credit, rather than calling them "weak" and harking back to what now was clearly a blip at Cardiff on a flat deck.

Merlin wrote: rather than calling them "weak" and harking back to what now was clearly a blip at Cardiff on a flat deck.

yeah, because we've absolutely restricted sides to below 500 in the past on flat decks. 'Blip' my arse!

Australia don't have the temperment to bat out 2 full days

Merlin wrote:Harmi should have played in this match.
The End.

Yeah, he wouldn't have peppered the middle of a docile pitch with pies... oh.

Dello wrote:

Merlin wrote:Harmi should have played in this match.
The End.

Yeah, he wouldn't have peppered the middle of a docile pitch with pies... oh.

It's the old 'player who is out of the side is a demon bowler, whilst the one in it in bage' syndrome.

JKLever wrote:

Merlin wrote: rather than calling them "weak" and harking back to what now was clearly a blip at Cardiff on a flat deck.

'Blip' my arse!

No thanks Lever.

But just occasionally, try to lose the pessimism and look forward rather than back every time.