The Cricket Thread. RIP Phil Hughes

Two great reviews now. Australia on top day one.

Let it get away from us a bit when we took the new ball. Clarke went very attacking with his field placements and leaked 40 odd runs in 6 overs.

That’s an outstanding day for us. Especially Lyon. Hopefully the pitch quickens up a little bit for day two. And how good was Birds legcutter to cook!? Brilliant.

That's an outstanding day for us. Especially Lyon. Hopefully the pitch quickens up a little bit for day two. And how good was Birds legcutter to cook!? Brilliant.


Yeah that's was a gem. Michael Holding couldn't stop talking about it for 5 overs. Was great to hear.

Killed it today

Serious question. I don't watch much English cricket apart from of course the Ashes, but is Joe Root overrated? Apart from that second innings in Lords where honestly almost anyone could've probably scored 180 against us he hasn't done too much this series. Is this the general opinion or is he, just like a lot of the batsmen having a rough time?

I reckon Root will get slaughtered on our wickets. It’s weird, he plays off the back foot in terms of crease positioning, but doesn’t seem to be a back foot player in terms of shots. The poms waffle about how late he plays the ball like its a huge positive, but for him I think itsa negative. Because he’s going so far back as a first move, when he then has to come forward he barely gets forward of the crease and is actually on the move without his front foot being grounded and steady at point of impact. I reckon last night his foot was 3 inches off the ground when he got a nick. Drop in pitches will give him a career. Perth could kill him.

He is heavily over-rated. If Haddin went for that nick that went between him and Watson early on in his innings of 180 (was on 8), he may have been dropped from the side. It was a battle between him and Compton, so they went with youth and potential over an experienced and probably a more limited player ability-wise. Bairstow is another who I don’t really rate that highly, again Siddle bowls him off a (referred) no-ball early on, goes and makes 70-odd. The Poms have some issues with their top six as well, we have got through them on a regular basis this series, but we are just worse with the bat…

We have done very well against both Cook and Trott who they rely on quite strongly to anchor the innings. We have exposed flaws in Cooks technique, especially down the leg, that other teams will have sat up and noticed. Bell has been our achillies of late, glad we got him out early.

Can't believe Lyon is only 25. 

He looks like a well lived 42.

Before Australian faster bowler Jackson Bird played cricket he was a lab assistant. Oh and his name was BEAKER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mggl7cC8iys

Michael Holding doesn’t think the pitches this series have been good enough.

It'll be interesting to see whether we can bowl their tail out early or if we allow them to make a quick 50 runs like we seem to do every other test.

It'll be interesting to see whether we can bowl their tail out early or if we allow them to make a quick 50 runs like we seem to do every other test.

It will also be interesting to see if our openers can play a disciplined innings like theirs was showing.  This is not an easy pitch se we need to play thoughtful and focused cricket.

Anderson clean bowled by Bird. Good over from Bird.

England all out for 238.

exactly what we needed.  Now if only i thought there was any chance we could be none-down at lunch.........

The ball is swinging too much and they are getting movement off the seam. It's going to be a tricky innings for us. Anyone thinking we'll breeze our way to a big first innings lead is dreaming.

Warner gone for 3.

1/12

Why they persist in using batsmen who are not natural openers is beyond me.  Warner and Watson have no idea how to play the new ball.