Cricket

[Gre]

Which proves absolutely nothing...

Well no.. of course... just as Ian Bell scoring 106 yesterday doesn't really show anything.

At least they're in a bit of form though.

[harper11]

Straus and swann

I wonder if it's swinging out there now

[modey]

Straus and swann

I wonder if it's swinging out there now

It certainly is!

[llcoolphil]

Strange decision to bat again

[harper11]

yep and quite a bit of rain forecast for tommorow

[llcoolphil]

yep and quite a bit of rain forecast for tommorow

AND no noticeable deterioration in the pitch. Seems a bottle job - getting in a position not to lose rather than backing yourselves to win from here

[ste4_20]

Strange decision to bat again

Only defence is that it's still a batting pitch in batting conditions. Can't really see many wickets being taken today, so all you'd be doing is closing the deficit by making the Aussies bat again. Any argument about needing to keep bowlers fresh is irrelevant really considering how many overs were actually bowled.

Still, think it was the wrong decision and if this match end in anything other than a draw, I'll be surprised.

[worm]

Strange decision to bat again

600 ahead in quick time, two days to bowl Aus out while the pitch and conditions are good.

Problem with Lords is getting 20 men out. By leathering a high score in quick time they can focus upon getting them out with an attacking bowling field. I think it's a very attacking approach, much like the opening innings. I'm liking England's attacking approach. I don't know if I approve of it. I understand it, but I don't know about agree.

Edited July 18, 2009 by worm

[llcoolphil]

600 ahead in quick time, two days to bowl Aus out while the pitch and conditions are good.

Problem with Lords is getting 20 men out. By leathering a high score in quick time they can focus upon getting them out with an attacking bowling field. I think it's a very attacking approach, much like the opening innings. I'm liking England's attacking approach. I don't know if I approve of it. I understand it, but I don't know about agree.

They're going to score 400 in two and a bit sesssions? I bet they dont

They aren't going to get two days to bowl The Aussies out if the weather forecast is to be believed. And if they're going to give The Aussies two days to bat, they need to make sure they score those 400 your expecting this afternoon.

This isn't an attacking approach - it's a getting into position not to lose approach. And how was the first innings a very attacking approach? The batting effectively collapsed. If they'd got the at least a hundred more they should have done, the Aussies would be trying to work out how they bat for 3 days just now. And that would have been an attacking approach.

Edited to add

We wont have scored a quick 400 by this time tomorrow at this rate

Edited July 18, 2009 by llcoolphil

[wee_insomniac]

At what point can England declare and put Australia back in to bat?

[harper11]

need 550 runs ahead really

[worm]

They're going to score 400 in two and a bit sesssions? I bet they dont

They aren't going to get two days to bowl The Aussies out if the weather forecast is to be believed. And if they're going to give The Aussies two days to bat, they need to make sure they score those 400 your expecting this afternoon.

This isn't an attacking approach - it's a getting into position not to lose approach. And how was the first innings a very attacking approach? The batting effectively collapsed. If they'd got the at least a hundred more they should have done, the Aussies would be trying to work out how they bat for 3 days just now. And that would have been an attacking approach.

Edited to add

We wont have scored a quick 400 by this time tomorrow at this rate

Indeed. That's why I didn't necessarily agree with the thinking.

Edited July 18, 2009 by worm

[worm]

need 550 runs ahead really

At least. 600 doesn't look likely.

6 wickets in hand could result in a twenty twenty style approach though. Keep wickets to 280ish then go mental???

Isn't the biggest ever second innings victory chace something like 450?

Edited July 18, 2009 by worm

[llcoolphil]

need 550 runs ahead really

And if we get that far ahead, it'll not leave us enough time to bowl them out again - though anything less than 500 with, say, 5 sessions to get them and you wouldn't bet against em doing it. Thrown the initiative away here I fear

[worm]

And if we get that far ahead, it'll not leave us enough time to bowl them out again - though anything less than 500 with, say, 5 sessions to get them and you wouldn't bet against em doing it. Thrown the initiative away here I fear

I don't think anyone's ever pulled back 550 before. I realise the 2 day time frame, but still.

Interesting like.

Edited July 18, 2009 by worm

[harper11]

if england get to 550 if should be comfortably before lunch tommorow

plenty of time to get 10 wickets

waether dependant of course

[harper11]

nice little innings from prior

[oafc0000]

Fantastic days cricket... Two days to get them out...

[oafc0000]

At least. 600 doesn't look likely.

6 wickets in hand could result in a twenty twenty style approach though. Keep wickets to 280ish then go mental???

Isn't the biggest ever second innings victory chace something like 450?

Its more like 417...

Yu would expect England to be able to wrap this up now... Going to take something special for the aussies to save this one...

[harper11]

australia did scor 674 in cardiff though

it all depends on the conditions

alot of pressure in a fourth innings

[llcoolphil]

Wrestled the initiative back after tea. I assume he'll declare overnight and have a go at them first thing. England cant lose now, the question is - and the weather could well be key - can we take 10 more wickets?

[worm]

Wrestled the initiative back after tea.

Hate to say I told you so.

Yes, England will get ten wickets.

[llcoolphil]

Hate to say I told you so.

Bit selective that isn't it?

Problem with Lords is getting 20 men out.

Yes, England will get ten wickets.

So not the problem you first suggested?

600 ahead in quick time,

Didn't get 600 and didn't get em quick enough to have a bowl at them in favourable conditions this evening - lost a session effectively this afternoon by buggering about

two days to bowl Aus out while the pitch and conditions are good.

Bowling Australia out twice when the pitch is good? That's exactly why he should have stuck em back in - the pitch isn't deteriorating and we dont know how much we'll lose to the weather tomorrow and monday - rain forecast both days. Ponting declared too late last week and the weather saved england

I think it's a very attacking approach, much like the opening innings.

I still dont understand which bit of our opening innings was attacking. They bowled a right old load of shit to the openers then took us to the cleaners when they found their rhythm.

[worm]

Bit selective that isn't it?

Probably. I was referring to them keeping wickets in hand before going mental.

I still dont understand which bit of our opening innings was attacking.

A rate of nearly 5 per over during the first ten overs or so.

They bowled a right old load of shit to the openers then took us to the cleaners when they found their rhythm.

I disagree. I thought Strauss played particularly excellently. He missed one chance to get runs in the opening few overs.

[worm]

So not the problem you first suggested?

They'll do it in two days. It's still a problem though.

Edited July 18, 2009 by worm