England v Australia, 3rd Test, Edgbaston, Jul 30 - Aug 3

embee wrote:"Australia’s bowling had been the main problem"

...I thought it was our batsmen failing to make the follow on mark mainly getting out to "millionaire" shots to some nothing special bowling that caused us to be one-nil down

Watson's selection was 'justified' by Punter (at the toss) claiming it was strengthening the batting AND the bowling ...(and then being the tactical genius he doesn't bowl him in the first 36 overs)

They're as bad as one another. The batsmen were culpable with some of their shots but the poms also bowled well. In contrast, one could argue that the carp opening session was what set the tone for the match at Lord's. Strauss and Cook probably couldn't believe their luck facing utter garbage which also must have done some psychological damage. Not many teams recover from conceding 0/196 to the opposition, in pretty quick time too.

What's the ferkin Brummy weather look like, lads and lasses?

skully wrote:What's the ferkin Brummy weather look like, lads and lasses?

Chilly, about 19 Celsius. Overcast with sunny intervals. About 8 mph wind. I think the outfield will dry slowly this morning. If no more rain, Groundsman Steve Rouse reckons 70 overs might be possible today.

Cheers Rob.

skulls, there's hour-by-hour predictions available through cricinfo's scorecard for the match as well.

What time can they play to today?

Botham says the outfield is still waterlogged - he's getting his shoes wet. No morning session, I think.

We all know why this is a problem with the recent weather, but even so it's an absolute shambles to have play delayed by a wet outfield when it hasn't rained overnight and the sun is out.

Particularly when other venues have already had the expensive drainage systems installed.

There would have been no play at Trent Bridge yesterday as it rained all day, but there would have been a prompt start this morning.

You'd have probably got 60 overs in at Trent Bridge on the opening day as well though. That's not really saying much though, because, looking around the scorecards, they're getting play on substantially inferior grounds in the same types of weather. Edgbaston has been made to look very amateur in the three days so far, and it looks like it's only going to compound that sense further today. It's the same with a lot of talismanic grounds around the country - they're twenty years behind some of the other major Test venues. Say what you like about Cardiff, it's a fantastic ground technologically, absolutely top of the range. Lord's is very much the same, Trent Bridge ain't far behind if at all. The likes of Old Trafford and Edgbaston are nomadic outposts. Headingley's alright, but even with a new drainage system managed that farce against the Windies.

Zat wrote:skulls, there's hour-by-hour predictions available through cricinfo's scorecard for the match as well.

Fanx.

Rudi says it's a 12 noon start.

Given his decisions so far, that'll mean tomorrow, then.....

The disappointing thing is that most observers agreed that yesterday play would have been possible at venues like Lord's, the MCG and the SCG. It's time for Edgbaston to be scrubbed from the tests roster until its drainage is upgraded to international standard. It's a pretty good investment if you consider the money that has to be refunded during wash-outs.

Red wrote:The disappointing thing is that most observers agreed that yesterday play would have been possible at venues like Lord's, the MCG and the SCG. It's time for Edgbaston to be scrubbed from the tests roster until its drainage is upgraded to international standard. It's a pretty good investment if you consider the money that has to be refunded during wash-outs.

Well, there's no point doing that, because it'll be done for next season.

Naughty, naughty, Shane.

Did I hear him say, "tw@t it" just then?!

How plumb does it have to be for Rudi to give an LBW?

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