Boland and Marsh marking their run-ups
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it beginsā¦ soon
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Buzzing for this. No more talkā¦ crowd will be feral for the first 2 days at least, but a chance to put these fkers and Bazball back in the doldrums of test cricket
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Just popping in to say Fark England. Pack of chodes.
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Love the triggering picture the Aussies have used
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āNoThiNg To LoSeā
=
āThEy KnOw WeāRe CoMiNgā
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Thank fark we donāt have to worry about the weather. A sneaky little part of me hopes it pizzes down for two days. 
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Predictions?
Iām going draw with rain ruining this one. Also think we get 2 days of constant shithousery and umps being made to work hard.
Australiaās last 22 Test Matches:
14 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses
2 of the 5 draws were significantly rain impacted SCG Test matches where Australia had a commanding position in both. The 3 losses all on the Subcontinent.
This Leeds one will be the most important of all of them though.
Nasser reckons thereāll be much more in this pitch according cricinfo. Also fairly hard and should get good carry.
I had poor phone reception at Lordās on Sunday so wasnāt really able to follow anything on Blitz or post my thoughts. With the 3rd test about to start itās now or never!
Three distinct phases to the day with the first session being mostly calm, Australia generating few chances. Had a G&T and the bar staff put slices of cucumber in itā¦ thought to myself itās all very civilised here! We arenāt generating too many chances it seems but we get Duckett and then Bairstow of course.
Now from where we were sitting, it all happened very quickly but the 3rd umpire had access to all the rules of the game and replays and gave it out. There was some discussion among our group about whether or not it was in the SOC but also comparison with the Starc catch and respecting the umpireās decision. This has all been covered here and I guess my point would be that everyone at the ground had the opportunity to make similar assessments.
After the dismissal the atmosphere was toxic. Iāve been to the cricket in England a number of times, not just at Lordās. I donāt mind (and expected) that there would be singing, references to sandpaper etc. The main issue we had is that one of the instigators of chanting in our section was sitting immediately next to us and would try to start something every single ball. A difficult situation to de-escalate so we just said nothing. Weirdly, he was a Bairstow lookalike wearing a West Indies One-dayer T-shirt. A few rows behind us was a woman who sounded like the kind of cockney caricature that the Simpsons would do. She was quite vocal too. The group in front of us would join in all the chats, but were respectful and friendly toward a group of Aussies in front of them (and us too, later).
Stokes, of course, flicked a switch and played a great innings. Afterwards, once the game was over, I pondered if it was the best innings Iāve seen live. I probably still need to think on that. England had some luck, and we fluffed a few chances. As they got closer to the target it looked like weād blown it. Then in the lead-up to the new ball it was notable that we slowed the scoring down for a few overs and seemed to wrest back some control. I wasnāt confident at all that weād make a breakthrough but thatās partially a coping mechanism.
Then we get Stokes. The atmoshpere is still toxic, but quieter. the chants start, but arenāt sustained. There is still a possibility England can win and we are nervous, but it becomes more and more likely for Australia as we get Broad and Robinson.
The same crowd whoād given Stokes a standing ovation, donāt bother to clap for Broad when he gets out. I think thatās shameful, as Stokes doesnāt get as close as he did without Broad sticking around.
Afterwards, we want to hear what is said at the press conferences and also need to wind down from it all. The cockney woman with a few too many drinks in her sticks around to abuse us directly. Steve Smith gets MOTM and how we laughed and cheered. The English fans near us who stayed back to abuse Cummins, choose to do so from the other side of the ground. Iām sure they could have got closer if theyād wanted. We reflected on whether or not weād actually want to go to an Ashes test in England again. Maybe by the next series we might have an appetiteā¦ not sure Iād take a child which is pretty damning.
Finally, after getting away from the event and access to more of the commentary about the Bairstow dismissal I think itās fair to say the group I went with are very much of the view that there is no Spirit of Cricket issue other than giving the umpire the opportunity to make a decision and then respecting it. Very happy to see us go up 2-0!
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England win the toss and bowl
3 in a row. No luck for Patrick on that front
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Davey, if ever there was a time to make ALL of Australia love youā¦
Poms take the cowardly option again, not prepared to back their bats to bat first. Hope it backfires on them like Lordās.
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I think thatās something like 20 to 8 their way since 2005 now
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Something is up with the toss of the coin in England.
Are the Poms winning the toss because theyāre such a bunch of tossers?
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Weak. Always chasing Poms
Another example of Cazball. Gives them an out given how hard chasing is in test cricket - even with Ben Stokes.