Cricket

[pg]

RE : tennis. I think the rest of the world takes it seriously now.

We don't even have that excuse with cricket

[Kamy100]

Fantastic team performance and well deserved victory.

The scary thing is that thus far our big three batsmen (Cook, Trott and Pitersen) haven't fired yet.

Hopefully we can wrap this up at Old Trafford.

[Guest Norbert]

It seems the only decent Aussie this summer is Richie Porte.

At one time, we were all expecting the Aussie cricket academy to be churning out player after player as they had from Warne, the Waugh twins to Gilchrist, McGrath and so on. And then it has just stopped. No-one remotely capable of stepping up to replace the Warne/Ponting/McGrath generation, and the team being filled with guys in their 30's who were never good enough in their younger years (e.g. Harris, Haddin). What has gone so wrong?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

On another topic how many people thought the guy running into Swann did it accidentally ? I think he could have avoided Swann but chose to take a cheap shot. Not that it did him much good.

[jim mk2]

Wouldn't surprise me - about their only chance of winning.

Loved the look on their supporters' faces at the end (those that had stayed and not slunk off)

[somersetrover]

On another topic how many people thought the guy running into Swann did it accidentally ? I think he could have avoided Swann but chose to take a cheap shot. Not that it did him much good.

Clearly an accident Khawaja had his head down and was just focused on completing the single, he did not even see Swann.

I terms of England in the series Root has cemented his place as opener with Cook for the winter Ashes. Bairstow has given himself some breathing space until the end of this series at least. But in my opinion Prior's place must be under pressure very few scores lately except on a couple flat tracks in NZ and lets face it his wicket keeping has always been shoddy to say the very least and this was highlighted again in this match.

Edited July 21, 2013 by somersetrover

[Baz]

Clearly an accident Khawaja had his head down and was just focused on completing the single, he did not even see Swann.

I terms of England in the series Root has cemented his place as opener with Cook for the winter Ashes. Bairstow has given himself some breathing space until the end of this series at least. But in my opinion Prior's place must be under pressure very few scores lately except on a couple flat tracks in NZ and lets face it his wicket keeping has always been shoddy to say the very least and this was highlighted again in this match.

Agree on Swann, accidental. He went straight over to apologise.

Disagree on Prior, I wouldn't change the team at all. 2-0 and cruising at this point, and without scoring a really decent total yet.

[jim mk2]

Prior's a lynchpin of this England team and one of the world's best batsmen / wicketkeepers - any suggestion he should be replaced is ludicrous. I expect England to stick with the same XI for OT. Cook and Trott are due big scores. Can't wait.

[somersetrover]

Prior's a lynchpin of this England team and one of the world's best batsmen / wicketkeepers - any suggestion he should be replaced is ludicrous.

He a good batsman (although terribly out of form at the moment), but his wicket keeping is and always has been poor, as we saw again today.

[pg]

On another topic how many people thought the guy running into Swann did it accidentally ? I think he could have avoided Swann but chose to take a cheap shot. Not that it did him much good.

Look at the replay. Swan took two steps backwards right into Khawaja's path whilst watching the fielder.

[jim mk2]

He a good batsman (although terribly out of form at the moment), but his wicket keeping is and always has been poor, as we saw again today.

If he were "poor" he would not be in the Test team. He's not in the Alan Knott class but he's very good and his rivals don't come anywhere near as batsmen.

[neekoy]

Except for AB de Villiers, Sangakkara or Dhoni you mean.....

Terrible effort, prob the worst Australian cricket team I have ever seen made worse that an above par England team is destroying them, thank god we are not playing SA anytime again soon.

[thenodrog]

It all goes in cycles. One nation can't hope to perennially be top of the rankings.

Correct. Much worse to be a West Indian cricket fan and see all the kids over there playing the American versions of rounders and netball. There really is no way back for them for a long time.

[dave birch]

Jim Maxwell (ABC Cricket commentator) says that Clarke could retire within the next twelve months. He (Maxwell) says that Clarke has said that he's not going to be like Ponting and hang around.

Some glimmer of hope, but who to replace him with?

I think the situation that Australia find themselves in is a direct result of being so successful for a long time.

With the players they had being so good no one else could get a look in. Bowling stocks aren't too bad, but the batting has been woeful (with a couple of exceptions).

[neekoy]

Dave, I don't believe there is anything wrong with his captaincy....the top order is not at Test cricket level.

Clarke has to go to 3, no question. He has to lead from the front in the batting or this is going to be a whitewash. The problem for me has always been Watson, you are essentially entrusting the formation of an Australian innings to a poor mans version of Andrew Symonds which would never have been the case.

Cowan, Rogers, Clarke, Khawaja, Hughes, Warner/Faulkner, Haddin, Siddle, Lyon, Pattinson, Bird would be my team

[dave birch]

Neekoy, I'm of the opinion that Clarke is not well liked in the dressing room.

I agree entirely about Watson. Not convinced about Cowan and Rogers. Khawaja deserves a go, Hughes is too fragile, Warner too impetuous. We are very thin in the batting stakes at the moment.

Check out Catherine Mcgregor's article on the ABC website and take the time to read some of the comments left by readers. Some very scathing remarks aimed at James Sutherland.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-22/mcgregor-ashes-lords-review/4834386

Here's another one that bores it up Watson:

http://www.sportsfan.com.au/watson-needs-a-reality-check/tabid/91/newsid/109117/default.aspx

Edited July 22, 2013 by dave birch

[pg]

Clarke will be sacked as captain inside 12 months anyway.

Here is my dream XI for the 3rd test:

Warner
Rogers
Katich ©
Clarke
Khawaja
Smith
Haddin (vc)
Agar
Siddle
Pattinson
Harris

[dave birch]

Unfortunately pg, I've got more chance of being called up than Katich.

He should be though, there's a passion to the way he plays and it would make the dressing room an "interesting' place for a fly on the wall.

[Blue n White Rover]

I think it's about time this DRS was scrapped and good old-fashioned days bought back to cricket. Some great cricket has been on show over the past 2 weeks and all of that has been overshadowed by the controversial DRS.

Obviously we saw the blatant cheating from Broad in the first test. However, what irked me a lot was the Smith catch. What happened to asking the fielder whether he had caught it clean or not? The honesty and integrity of this sport is going down the pan and a lot of it I believe, is down to the reliance on DRS. Scrap it!

[ABBEY]

What about Dhoni catching a bouncing ball,Tendulaker not walking or Smith yesterday was no difference form Broad not walking give it a rest.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I think it's about time this DRS was scrapped and good old-fashioned days bought back to cricket. Some great cricket has been on show over the past 2 weeks and all of that has been overshadowed by the controversial DRS.

Obviously we saw the blatant cheating from Broad in the first test. However, what irked me a lot was the Smith catch. What happened to asking the fielder whether he had caught it clean or not? The honesty and integrity of this sport is going down the pan and a lot of it I believe, is down to the reliance on DRS. Scrap it!

What a joke. The DRS has been brought in to ensure fairplay, if you're against it then I can only assume you're against fairplay as well. Its very illuminating that India are the only team in the world to refuse to use it, little wonder with a team who would appeal for an lbw for something going 5 feet down the leg-side.

[Blue n White Rover]

What a joke. The DRS has been brought in to ensure fairplay, if you're against it then I can only assume you're against fairplay as well. Its very illuminating that India are the only team in the world to refuse to use it, little wonder with a team who would appeal for an lbw for something going 5 feet down the leg-side.

It has been brought in to ensure fairplay yet these 2 test matches clearly show how flawed the system is.

India refuse it and it's bloody good job that they do. Stops all the controversy around DRS and focuses more on the match.

Mind you, DRS wouldn't have saved Broad from that humiliating over he served up to Yuvraj. You still haven't told me which one was your favourite six?

Edited July 22, 2013 by Blue n White Rover

[jim mk2]

India and Pakistan don't like DRS because it is fair and there is no cause for doubt with marginal decisions. They prefer to win matches by bribing umpires or by blatant cheating.

Except for AB de Villiers, Sangakkara or Dhoni you mean.....

.

It must have been obvious I was referring to Prior's England rivals

[Blue n White Rover]

India and Pakistan don't like DRS because it is fair and there is no cause for doubt with marginal decisions. They prefer to win matches by bribing umpires or by blatant cheating.

I guess the umpires were bribed in the World Cup, Twenty20 and ICC Champions Trophy?

[Baz]

I think DRS highlights how poor some of the umpire decisions have been, plus how optimistic some of the appeals are too.

See no problem with it personally. In fact, if as a bowling team you use DRS and the review shows the ball would hit the stumps, but not by enough, I don't think you should lose a review.