Looking forward to this as ever

First off field story the crims are coming home, old habits die hard

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cri...s-tickets.html

Had it been a Pom he's have been dropped no doubt.

I think the series will be a lot closer than some pundits expect

 

before the NZ series I thought we would get smashed... now after a great all round performance against NZ I think we will just miss out.. but agree it MIGHT be alittle closer than people think.. and those aussies are guilty of being OVER confident..

should be a good series I just hope its not played in bad spirit and Clarke can keep his mouth shut and not make stupid comments like last time!

 

That's Clarke for you disliked by Poms and Aussies alike

 

Thoughts for the series??

I think it will be close.. As was already said.. But I just can't see past those pesky Aussies.

So the Aussies by one test.

 

So which game do we think Bell will make his career saving innings in?

 

Back just in time for the Shirmanator eh Chris , hope you're hanging around for the series.

In a FMEA meeting and I can see at least 4 people checking the score, that's 50% of the room!

 

they will be disapointed when they check lol

 

Well, it won't be this innings that Bell saves us.

 

I think the bell has rung and it's time to go for him... He absolutely MUST score a minimum of 50 and a good one at that in the second innings.. IMHO shouldn't have been picked anyway.

 

Root should go back up to No3

 

I thought that Funkii but then thought he is protected from the new ball batting at 5 and he is such a crucial player for us i'd much rather he came in when the ball isn't moving as much. Losing him early on is too damaging.

 

Valid point, if it aint broke....

I do think Bell's time maybe up, I can no longer defend his selection, much to "7's" relief

 

Good day for England imo.. Think we are just leading.. Although still a longgg way to go..
Sadly rain has been mentioned for Sunday.

 

Yep I think Bell could be dropped but replace with who? That's always the issue.

What's happened to Cook? I actually agreed with his fielding positions of what I saw of today's play, much more aggressive having the field in close and it paid off.

 

That's down to the new coach and more so the assistant IMHO. You can't just change a whole side and what they do in that short space of time.. And I think they'll only get better..

How about bairstow or even rashid! Got to better than scoring no runs at all which is exactly what dinger is doing..

 

Yeah Bairstow, good shout, that ton in the one dayer changed him, he's a far more confident batsman now and it's shown at County level.

Root up to 4 and Bairstow at 5 jobs a goodun

 

Great start to day 3 for Eng, foot on throat time boys !!

 

LOL at the replays of when Cook caught one in the nuts and Root instead of being sympathetic was laughing behind his hands over his face

 

Here we go cookie just gone, start of the collapse

 

If Bell has to be questioned on his batting of late then so does Cook. His important innings are becoming fewer and further apart. Lythe and Ballance at the top with him makes it a very fragile top order until they become more established.

 

Great stat about Bell on BBC.

Since his alst career saving innings v WIndies of 143. He has scored 56 in 9 complete innings. An average of 6.22.

#JustSaying

 

 

Au contraire...

271 ahead with 7 2nd Inns wickets remaining.

What's more, the man of the moment, The Rooter, is still there... And The Bell(end lol) has his fifty.


Keep the faith peepoo.

 

...Stokes, Butler, Moeen (and Broad) are ideal in situations like this i.e. to have the colossal licence (and skills) to smash it to all parts.

Hopefully, and barring a ludicrous 'collapse', the Aussies are staring down the barrel of 400+ to chase....... Which, knowing England lol, we'll probably need!!

 

Fair play to dinger.. That knock (for me) has just included him in the next test..

I did see that stat on dinger above and that's why I would have bombed him out before the ashes..

Difficult question now is when do we stop and give the Aussies a go?? Think they should crack on now and even harder tomorrow morning.. Then give them ago so as to give them 1 3/4 days. I see rain for Sunday and through most of the day.

 

Wait till the end of today to see where we are, then worry about the runs to get/overs left ratio from then on.

Thankfully, the game is nicely advanced.


It'd be good to see the boys play ODI/T20 style once we pass 350-370 odd ahead -- in order to maximise time/overs remaining. But hey, I'm getting waaay ahead of myself!

 

Just checking, is Bell still in

 

Other than my usual rib at Funkii about Bell, great to see this game ticking along in our favour.

 

60 off 89 -- all good for the cause.


309 ahead with Joe and Ben in (and Jos and Ali still to come!).... Let's do this!


Lol at Johnson's only wicket thus far. Let's hope that's an omen for the series...

# He bowls to the left
He bowls to the right
That Mitchell Johnson
His bowling is ****e #

 

They batted over the top this afternoon and I just hope it doesn't bite them on the ar$e, it was careless/reckless however I think Woods innings was enough to get them far enough ahead.

And what the hell is the point playing Ali at 8, what a waste, he should be batting at 6 just behind Root plus I think they bat well together.