SA Footy

I think the thing England will be most happy about is the game has moved forward. They should be batting inside the first hour and if they bat well will be close enough or even past Australia on stumps day 2.

England wont have to go full bazball (6+ an over) and can go at their best batting pace imo of 4-5 an over.

Advantage England for me - they've picked up the bulk of the wickets on what looks a reasonable track, should knock over the tail relatively quickly today and then will get the best of the batting conditions today and tomorrow before it deteriorates.

No specialist spinner either bowling in a 4th innings could be interesting.. also interested to see the bowling tactics if the Aussie just go the short ball barrage again.

Would've liked to see Neser in.

Mitch Marsh top scorer again.
Going to be an interesting dilemma if he continues this form to see what selectors do here.
Green not setting the world on fire either.

amber_fluid wrote:Mitch Marsh top scorer again.
Going to be an interesting dilemma if he continues this form to see what selectors do here.
Green not setting the world on fire either.

Green is barely getting the kindling alite at this point.

stampy wrote:8/299 what a frustrating score that is
7 out of 8 got starts ffs...

Sent in with loss toss again.
I think we would take that score, what will BAZZ ball do ? declare at 250 with heavy rain forecast for wend.
We don't need to win POMS do.

For mine:

If you are sent in 300 plus is a tick. If you get 8 scores above 20 then you have left runs out there.

But what let us down was poor batting by senior players. Marnus gifted his wicket to a ball that does not get any one out who is concentrating. Travis gets himself out again. The runs were already flowing, Broad forecast short leg side delivery and Travis played it like a 10 year old at a birthday party. Leave it alone. You were scoring well along the ground when they pitched up. Smith would have been out first ball but Wood was off with the fairies.

Woakes bowled very well. Broad was poor and we made Ali look like a spinner. Apparently he's a number 3. England bowled much straighter and we simply missed the ball and were trapped in front. England fielded well. Bairstow kept much better.

Time for one of those annoying hang arounds that our tail used to do frequently.

Talk of a 3 day test due to the weather has evaporated.

DOC wrote:Bairstow kept much better.

He's the worst keeper i've ever seen at international level.

Hopefully we can scrape another 30 runs

The Bedge wrote:

DOC wrote:Bairstow kept much better.

He's the worst keeper i've ever seen at international level.

Matthew Wade couldn’t be far behind him

mots02 wrote:

amber_fluid wrote:Mitch Marsh top scorer again.
Going to be an interesting dilemma if he continues this form to see what selectors do here.
Green not setting the world on fire either.

Green is barely getting the kindling alite at this point.

Green wood is hard to burn!

we will bowl them out for under 170

The Australians score sets it up for another exciting Test match. I think England would be very happy with the day. Still 2 important wickets to get. Every ball and minute the Australian tail can keep the English out there will be crucial.

Australia have a blueprint of what wins Test matches. Khawaja long 100 in 1st Test, Smith long 100 in 2nd Test and WTC Final. Labuschagne left his out there today. These are the three key players for Australia.

Head and Marsh have batted well enough to save us from some sub-par scores, but their quick 50's only put real pressure on the opposition if there is an anchor down the other end.

From an England point of view, get Australia out quickly and bat for 100 overs plus and they'll be in a position to win this Test match, provided there is some play on Days 4 and 5.

Game evenly poised, Australia a pimple in front at this stage.
1 player from each team excelled themselves on day 1.
Chris Woakes 4/51 outstanding again, and a chance for 5 wickets +
David Warner 36 an astonishing innings by his standards in England.

The BIG concern is that David 'darcy' Bairstow took a blinder to catch out Mitchell Marsh.
That might boost his confidence when he comes out to bat.

Lotsa rain forecast during the Manchester weekend
Australia should be reasonably happy to have lasted out day 1

mal wrote:1 player from each team excelled themselves on day 1.
David Warner 36 an astonishing innings by his standards in England.

Sad state of affairs when you're praising an international cricketer of making 30 odd

The Bedge wrote:

mal wrote:1 player from each team excelled themselves on day 1.
David Warner 36 an astonishing innings by his standards in England.

Sad state of affairs when you're praising an international cricketer of making 30 odd

i was just happy to get 10 when playing in the minor leagues

Anyone else absolutely sick of Marnus when he gets out? Going down on his haunches again last night, you missed a straight one from possibly the worst spinner in world cricket, ffs just get off the ground, not sure whats worse that or Warner smiling when he gets out.
The only one that could feel hard done by is Marsh, mustve walked under a ladder for Bairstow to hang onto that

The Bedge wrote:

DOC wrote:Bairstow kept much better.

He's the worst keeper i've ever seen at international level.

No argument (said me rarely).

He still was much better than the last 3 tests.

daysofourlives wrote:Anyone else absolutely sick of Marnus when he gets out? Going down on his haunches again last night, you missed a straight one from possibly the worst spinner in world cricket, ffs just get off the ground, not sure whats worse that or Warner smiling when he gets out.
The only one that could feel hard done by is Marsh, mustve walked under a ladder for Bairstow to hang onto that

Yep!
You’re out, piss off!
Simple

Every other batter manages to do it, why can’t Marnus.

Old Trafford weather for tonights play

Cloudy and 19C no rain forecast though

DOC wrote:As dumb as you can get.

This quote in reference to Travis Head- which I can agree with
However
I'm more concerned about Lab missing a ball off Moeen Ali in defence and getting out when well set
,