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Post by paulus on Aug 2, 2019 9:54:16 GMT -5
Work has kept me from seeing even a ball of it today  Looks like a good start - but as Jacko will tell you, we can put together a middle order collapse in the blink of an eye... plenty work left to do yet. |
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Post by Giraffe72 on Aug 2, 2019 12:43:31 GMT -5
Must admit I was fearing the worst today and have been pleasantly surprised. Good, old fashioned test match cricket. Great effort from Burns to bat all day in tough conditions, we've seen two top drawer centuries already in this Ashes and it's only day 2! England have to be looking at 400 as a minimum from here and then put them under some pressure tomorrow afternoon. Yesterday was shared in the end, today was England's  |
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 2, 2019 20:25:31 GMT -5
Yep, advantage you guys for sure. A lead of 100 would be handy, but it’s close enough that we could get a good start on day 3 and end up not many behind. All 3 results are still possible from here 🙏🏼
Cracker of a test so far, good to have you guys to banter with about it as well, I’ll talk cricket all day given a chance.
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 2, 2019 20:30:54 GMT -5
Smith’s ton took away from how well Broad and Woakes bowled in the absence of Jimmy on day 1. Short of Smiths brilliance you had the test by the short and curlies at tea on day 1. It’s a shame for those guys but fitting that Broad got himself ANOTHER 5fa against us. Not sure of the figures but I’ve always had Broad ahead of Jimmy against us. Maybe influenced by remembering how bad Hayden punished Jimmy early in his career, but Broad has always looked the better bowler to me. His leg cutter is as good as I’ve ever seen from a quick.
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Post by paulus on Aug 3, 2019 6:18:25 GMT -5
I’ve had a man crush on Broad for quite a number of years - he’s a beautifully controlled bowler - as close as we got to McGrath. I think Jimmy’s *just* the better out of the two of them and has more fire, so that influences people’s opinion.
As a bowling partnership I think statistically they are up there as two of the best ever. Might even be top?
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Post by paulus on Aug 3, 2019 7:08:20 GMT -5
As a bowling partnership I think statistically they are up there as two of the best ever. Might even be top? Had to look it up - not quite - but in the top 5. Warne and McGrath top the charts - given they're the best two bowlers of all time, I guess not surprising. |
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 3, 2019 8:06:54 GMT -5
Was certainly handy having them at the same time, along with Gilchrist. Those 3 would have to make almost any all time XI.
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Post by rob4590 on Aug 3, 2019 8:13:18 GMT -5
Was certainly handy having them at the same time, along with Gilchrist. Those 3 would have to make almost any all time XI.
To be fair - your side from the early 2000's would give most 'all time XIs' a good game - both Waughs, Ponting, Hayden, Langer, Gillespie, Lee, Fleming, Bevan etc - not anywhere near as lauded as McGrath and Warne - but gotta easily be the best side of the last 40 years (since the mid-70s Windies of Richards, Lloyd, Garner, Marshall, Holding etc)
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Post by paulus on Aug 3, 2019 8:39:39 GMT -5
Good to see our tail put up a fight - Broad showing why even if he is just shy of Anderson as a bowler - overall he's a slightly better cricketer... he can bat a bit. No one could ever accuse Jimmy of that  Aussies dusting off the old "sh%$ gets wickets" theory. Throwing Smith on to bowl seems like clutching at straws a little.... hasn't taken a test wicket in 3 years.... |
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 3, 2019 10:26:34 GMT -5
True, but was first picked batting at 8 as a bowling option lol.
There was a point where we’d taken 3 wickets in 11 balls at 8-300 where you were just 15 in front where we missed a trick. Everyone knows you bowl short at Broad to get him out and it took 60 balls to him and a 65 run partnership with Woakes before we did it for 6 balls and got him. Those 65 will be very very costly when we’ve set you a total I fear..
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 3, 2019 10:29:27 GMT -5
Was certainly handy having them at the same time, along with Gilchrist. Those 3 would have to make almost any all time XI.
To be fair - your side from the early 2000's would give most 'all time XIs' a good game - both Waughs, Ponting, Hayden, Langer, Gillespie, Lee, Fleming, Bevan etc - not anywhere near as lauded as McGrath and Warne - but gotta easily be the best side of the last 40 years (since the mid-70s Windies of Richards, Lloyd, Garner, Marshall, Holding etc)
I think you’re right, with Bradmans ‘48 side as the 3rd of the all time great sides. Got to think the evolution of the game has made it better and the early 2000 Aussies would beat the other two, depending on conditions and the rub of the green. |
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Post by Giraffe72 on Aug 3, 2019 10:34:23 GMT -5
Well, it looks like it's all on Smith's shoulders again. If we can nick him out today...
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 3, 2019 10:41:59 GMT -5
Hmm 🤔
Kawaja is looking ok, Head looked better than Smith while they were together in the first dig, Wade has made enough runs to rule Marsh, as well as Patterson and Burns (who both made tons in their last test against Pak) out, so is due, as is Pattinson and Cummings.
I’m ok with where we’re at, I think if you tie your hopes up in getting Smith it could bite you in the ass.
Big, BIG 4th innings coming. Will tell a bit about the tests to come.
Edit - 6pm in Birmingham, still 13 overs to go. We’re 3-124, lead by 34. If we can get thru till stumps 3 down and 60 odd in front I think it’s game on.
Happy to keep putting my heart on my sleeve (like an Aussie) predicting, just don’t be too brutal if I look a fool in half an hour lol.
🙏🏼🇦🇺🙏🏼
Edit edit - Too dark, stumps. Huzzah 😁🇦🇺😝😉🙏🏼
All 3 results possible, game on 🇦🇺👍🇦🇺
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Post by paulus on Aug 3, 2019 12:10:44 GMT -5
Yep - very nicely poised, we're 2 wickets ahead. But you have Smith looking limpet like. First 5 overs tomorrow will be critical.... if he gets back in...
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 3, 2019 12:46:54 GMT -5
I think whoever is batting at tea time will be in control of the match tomorrow. If we are you’re in trouble.
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