I'll never forget the look of shock / admiration on the faces of the NFL players (Giants v Dolphins) for one of (if not the first) NFL International Series games in London when the entire crowd starting singing the national anthem. It might be a dirge, but it's our dirge.

I'm sure they could have if they'd wanted to - I bet there would have been minimal complaint from the Australians. However it's just easier to put the decision in somebody else's hands isn't it?

He was also theatrically confirming with the umpire at square leg that the over had been called for the rest of his innings - he was being a pantomime villain at that point to make a point. Much like he asked Cummins if he thought that was out too, when he grassed a C&B from Stokes. While I'm replying to you I'll also add (rather than finding the exact thing to quote) - they're only a good Australian side, but Test cricket has fallen off so much since the invention of T20 that good is enough. They're by far the best Test side in the world.

My problem is the umpires hide behind 'the laws', much like referees hide behind VAR. The umpire wasn't even watching, he was unclipping the bowler's cap to hand it back to him. All he needs to say is "give over, lads". Instead he was a coward, confirmed they were appealing and sent it upstairs. The fact that Bairstow had scratched his mark was ignored - baffling decision, but that's professional sport for you.

He wasn't taking the moral high ground, he was speaking from experience. He has nearly 600 Test wickets, but all he's remembered for in Australia is not walking when he nicked a ball. It's a fair warning to Carey - his card is marked now, this is all he'll ever be remembered for in England.

Ah yes, JDT received £15m to spaff on strikers last season. I forgot.

The likes of players we don't currently have.

Agree to disagree. They're comfortably the best Test team in the world. They've narrowly beaten us twice. If we played more traditional cricket they'd thump us.

They can only play the cards they're dealt - they haven't been dealt many top-class Test players. Only Root would get in the Aussie XI.

No.

Well, Smith, when he used sandpaper to doctor the ball.

We have a plethora of white ball cricketers trying to play Test cricket as that's been our focus for the last decade - there's a reason Aus can't get close to us in the shorter formats. The vast majority of them are walking wickets - their only chance is to be hyper aggressive and put bowlers off their lines and lengths. We also (partly due to injuries) have no strike bowlers at the moment.

And we were stupid to do so - he couldn't move, they should have york'd him.

This short bowling is really dreadful cricket for the spectator. I thought bodyline had been banned?

Sums up their 'culture', really. Cried about Starc grassing a catch. Gloat about Carey running out a player when the over was over. Lovely stuff.

You mean when he grassed the catch?

Makes it up as he goes along this cunt: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/65033457?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=64a1636d1babaa614a473d94%26%262023-07-02T11%3A46%3A55.141Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:9703c356-0253-4f03-92d6-cd334d5675c3&pinned_post_asset_id=64a1636d1babaa614a473d94&pinned_post_type=share

Imagine cheating to win and celebrating. The Aussies never change so they? It's in their blood.

Honestly we should have sat him in the stiffs for the duration of his contract - we've lost so much money, who cares about £4m (+ salary)?

Sadly they're just much better than us. There's nothing worse than a gloating Aussie sportsman (or commentator!). Thankfully they closed their Institute of Sport so they're shite at most sports now.

I'm not sure what drawing board you're going to - they have better players from 1-11.

Imagine how many pages this thread would be up to if people had some discipline and debated the GKs here rather than in the Transfers thread...

Speaking of Lancashire - they're letting Parkinson and Lamb go at the end of the season. Odd choices those, unless there's been a falling out behind the scenes.

I'm on the fence. I thought Kompany was a poor appointment, but it's all about recruitment at this level. If they spend wisely, Martin will have them at the top of the league.

He has played LB in the past - Mowbray used to put him there.