47er

Deserved a double century Crawley. And to think me and a few others were calling for his head a while back!

I thought it was forecast for tomorrow as well.

You'd think only rain could save the Aussies now?

Match is delicately poised in my view. Don't let the last 2 Aussie wickets get 50. Remember its a 5 day game!

We haven't got a decent No 3.Root and Brooke both failed at 3 but are succeededing at 4 and 5. The only reason Ali is batting at 3 is that no-one else wants the job.

Ali is batting at No 3 because no-one else will step up and take the responsibility. Root and Brooke have both run away.

That response is not particularly convincing is it? "We expect him to turn up for work" Is all Rovers can say? Have they actually discussed these reports with him? Seems ominous to me.

You're missing Dack from that list as well.

That's OK then.

but can he bat??

A striker is the missing piece in the jigsaw thus far though. If this goes well and we get someone who can actually be relied on to stick easy chances in the net I think we will be stronger than last season. For a start the various young ones have a season behind them. Some are now established first-teamers--Carter, JRC Wharton among our 3 very best players. Something to be proud of after 12 years of misery. We're on the up I think!

Cost of the new stadium maybe a factor here? Not much point if you're in the lower divisions though! Perhaps they think there's enough left to make them another yo-yo club!

Yeah---fair enough----apologise.

Just a passing reference to your party's'signature policy Chaddy! Wasn't really funny😩

Looks like some more "levelling up" is required Chaddy!

Top 6.

Delighted in the end, great win. Can someone please stop our batters throwing their wicket away by swishing outside leg stump? Its frustrating beyond endurance .Oh---and pick Foakes!

4 in the first session. Aussies would have taken that at the start of the day.

As ever!

Very sensible! Pity you can't SMS Stokes!

I think the weather will probably make Bazball necessary. If say, we hadn't got the runs by the end of the day we'd be sweating on the weather tomorrow. Its quite likely there will be loss of play today as well. So, I guess we'll try to make hay while the sun shines but if we don't exercise more discretion than we have so far then I can't see us getting there. I'm old-fashioned--4 singles an over would make me quite happy! Ramping the first ball of the day and I'll switch off!

These early season friendlies are meaning less really. Its just a way of upping fitness and regaining the touch after a few weeks off. I remember our first ever season in the Premier League, we played Accrington Stanley in a friendly didn't we? Can't remember the score but there was nothing happening to suggest we'd be topping the League a few weeks later!

Its not their natural game at all, Root isn't a slogger. Positive cricket is keeping your wicket. and winning

Yes but some close incidents. Aussies could easily have got 2 wickets. All I ask now, with so much time left, is that the English batters return to time -honoured tradition and protect their wicket like their life depended on it. If its going down leg side resist the temptation to have a switsh at it. If its at your head--duck, don't wave the bat at it.. As long as we stay there the runs will come. Doesn't matter if its in the last hour of the game does it?

It would help!