Cricket

[K-Hod]

Rollercoaster of emotions today.

Woke up early and was incredibly concerned at the start, then absolutely ecstatic with Root's batting and in love with the batting from Archer. Took me by surprise, after I'd completely resigned myself to the continuation of an expected batting collapse!

How wrong I was. Fair play to England, they ended superbly today.

[Gav]

You can’t give them chances Jamie Smith, great delivery by Archer. 

Aussies playing Bazball here, flying along after a slow start.

Edited yesterday at 05:18 by Gav

[47er]

Aussies now playing real Test Cricket! On the way to a big lead I imagine.

We have had good moments but compared to them we are amateurs.

No dabbling at balls outside the off stump while the feet are stuck to the turf.

[oldjamfan1]

Aussies are always only a wicket away from a collapse too, plenty of life left in this game yet, but it’s not looking great at the moment 

[47er]

30 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Aussies are always only a wicket away from a collapse too, plenty of life left in this game yet, but it’s not looking great at the moment 

That dropped catch from Smith as opposed to the ripper of a catch from Labuschagne sums up the difference between the 2 teams. The Aussies are ruthless.

[Gav]

Wow - 5 minutes of subline to ridiculous cricket! 

We could have had 3wkts in 3 balls, we have 2!

Come on England.

[47er]

Could get back into it! Hold those catches lads!

[jim mk2]

22 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

They haven't finished yet Jim - 350 is a winning score at the Gabba for sure.

You were saying old chap? I thought England were 100 light on 1st innings and it looks like going that way. You don’t win by Tests by dropping catches and giving wickets away - the difference between us and them

[K-Hod]

Dropping catches as damaging to our chances, as getting out to shots we should be leaving.

I think that's the most frustrating thing with us, we make such a mess of the basics.

[den]

40+ in front now with 4 wickets left. 5 dropped catches. I fear played two, lost two and series already gone. Not good enough from England against a pretty ordinary Aussie team. 

[Gav]

I've been one of the biggest supporters of the current regime, they've taken English cricket to another level, a winning level and I've loved almost every minute of it. But the catching has been abysmal throughout this tenure, something you can practice till the cows come home, which I’m sure they do, but dropping that many catches could well have lost us this test and ashes.

I'm sure the ball will come into question and under lights, but its not just this test.

Not good enough Stokes/McCullum.

[Gav]

Why the hell isn’t Stokes bringing the field in on ball 4/5 to keep the number 9 on strike?

Amateur hour.