I don't like cricket...

King Billy

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Could it be... the slightest glimmer of a hope that the Ashes was not going to be a complete whitewash????

I'm excited! Come on Aussies!!!!
 

trevpr1

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Yes. Watching that kid Agar yesterday I actually wanted him to get a ton. His shrug as he got out suggested he knew he'd have many more opportunities. There have been some very poor umpiring decisions though in this game. Three 'gainst England with Agar's foot clearly on the line for the stumping yesterday. Root's second innings wicket looked dodgy to me and Trott was left defenseless due to the stupid system whereby Sky Sports had the hotspot system set up to replay the Root dismissal. Then there was the Broad incident. I'm really not sure I know what I feel about that. I think there are men on the Aussie side who wouldn't have walked either.
 

Martin Mayers

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Yes. Watching that kid Agar yesterday I actually wanted him to get a ton. His shrug as he got out suggested he knew he'd have many more opportunities. There have been some very poor umpiring decisions though in this game. Three 'gainst England with Agar's foot clearly on the line for the stumping yesterday. Root's second innings wicket looked dodgy to me and Trott was left defenseless due to the stupid system whereby Sky Sports had the hotspot system set up to replay the Root dismissal. Then there was the Broad incident. I'm really not sure I know what I feel about that. I think there are men on the Aussie side who wouldn't have walked either.
A few thoughts from me.

Firstly, I don't think Australia will win this one now, and England I feel have played, for large parts, like absolute buffoons. The first innings batting was probably the most awful batting performance I've seen from an England team in years. Just horrendous. One thrown away wicket after another. Almost every single wicket was a give away. Then the bowling against Agar was basically incompetent. Bowl it full, and straight. It's worked for the upper order so why all of a sudden serve the guy 98 up on a plate. The guy hit two sixes in a Test Match FFS.

Which leads me to think that Australia have MAJOR problems in this series. IF they don't win this one, they have no hope of winning any of them for me. England are notoriously slow to get out of the blocks. This was the wide open door for the Aussies to make a series of it and they've not had the quality to take advantage. 4 or 5-0 for me.

Secondly, that fat bastard Erasmus has always been a problem for England. That stumping decision needs to seriously be looked at because it's patently bent. There is simply no explanation for why that wasn't given out.

With regard the Broad wicket that wasn't. I don't recall any of the Australians calling Trott back when Trott maintained he'd had an inside edge. If we're going to go back to the days of gentlemanly conduct in cricket then let's cut it all ways. No-one walks anymore, no-one. The only Australian I've ever seen walk in these kind of circumstances is Gilchrist, and credit to him for that. Fact of the matter is that it was a bad decision, but nowhere near as bad as the Erasmus stumping where that plank had about 15 replays from all angles to make the wrong decision on.
 

Martin Mayers

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I still think Aussies are in with a shout....140 to get with 4 wickets but a full day to get them.
Hmm
 

Vinnie

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Finely balanced indeed. If England hadn't got those three late wickets then I'd have said the Australians were on top despite the score needed. There's no time pressure so they can do it. I don't think they have the men left to get the needed score.

I was surprised at promoting the new boy from 11 to 8, one good innings does not a batsman make.
 

King Billy

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It will be tight, but it will be a test match remembered for batting collapses on both sides. While the bowling was good, and I don't want to take it away from the bowlers, some of the dismissals showed very poor batting skills on both sides. Oh, yeah, the less said about some of the decisions the better......
 

trevpr1

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It has been a fabulous Test for the spectator. You just cannot predict what is going to happen. Marred as it is by some poor umpiring which in its turn has exposed the DRS system's three main Faults:

First is that the more technology and the finer the detail you put into replay review you are always going to be left with the marginal call. I watch three sports with video review which are the cricket, the NFL and the Rugby League. In nearly every game there will be a review result with which I disagree.

Second is what the third umpire is looking for when reviewing is inconsistent. Some times he's looking for compelling evidence that the umpire got it wrong , such as in LBW reviews, at others the third umpire is called in to make the call. In the NFL the reviews system is invoked on the basis that there exists a call by the on-field referees, so the reviewing ref must see clear evidence that that call was wrong, in all cases. I prefer that approach and I believe it should be applied consistently to cricket. If there is a run out the umpire should say what he saw and then make the square in the air. Stumpings and no ball reviews the same.

Third flaw with DRS in tests is the way the reviews available to teams are abused, with captains fishing for the half chance rather than saving them to overturn the occasional real stinker of a decision. That's why the Australians perspective on the Broad incident needs adjustment; they had used their second review in that innings in a clutch at a straw of a possible chance and left themselves with no way of having the decision on that catch off Broad reversed. Blame the umpire by all means but look to yourselves for not being able to reverse what was a very clear mistake by Dar.

As for the teams, well the test might be compelling but the truth is that there have been more failings than successes. These scores are low and the pitch has not been identified as sticky which that tells us the batting lineups on each side have failed, and the figures show it.

Australian joy at the performance of Agar on Thursday can't hide the embarrassment of having to rely on your 19 year old debutant No.11 to save your national side, although Hughes' support must not be overlooked. Second innings Aussie batting has also been found to be quite ordinary, top score so far 52.

England's batsmen, with the exception of Root and Bairstow, all have Pedigree with past glory in their careers but can't seem to access it right now. First innings higher scorer was 48 from Trott. This can't be good enough for an Ashes Test. They made Siddle look like a far better bowler than he is. Bell is the only century scorer out of himself, Cook, Pietersen and Trott over two innings and that is why England have struggled. The bowlers remain England's strength. Even so, relying on Root to take a wicket has the faint whiff of desperation about it.

Imagine this Test being played by the 2005 teams instead of this lot and you might agree this Ashes might be interesting and important (the Ashes always matters) but is less likely to be remembered as a classic tour.

The true joy for me is the combined ABC/BBC radio coverage. Jim Maxwell and Glenn McGrath become part of the Test Match Special team and the same show gets broadcast on either side of the world. They're all old friends, with praise given for good play on either team, yet retaining just that shade of national loyalty that adds the final seasoning to the sound of the summer for me.

As for moving Agar to No. 8 Billy, he deserves that promotion. He's just behind the glove man now which shows promotion to the head of the bowlers. I have to admire him, his attitude is perfect and he seems to have that right combination so far of skill, hunger and luck. He may be the all rounder that everyone envies in the years to come. Root vs Agar might be the classic confrontation in the next decade.
 
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Martin Mayers

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All over by lunchtime I reckon.
Nearly Trev
Nearly (gulp)

We've had a few close shaves we've been on the right end of and I think this one might be the one that got away.

I blame Finn....terrible fielding, terrible bowling, fluffed his lines on the catch which was pretty easy.

I'll put it on record that if the Crims win this one they bloody well deserve it for some really gutsy stuff.
 
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Steven Linton

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Nearly Trev
Nearly (gulp)

We've had a few close shaves we've been on the right end of and I think this one might be the one that got away.

I blame Finn....terrible fielding, terrible bowling, fluffed his lines on the catch which was pretty easy.

I'll put it on record that if the Crims win this one they bloody well deserve it for some really gutsy stuff.
Interesting. I thought it was Australia vs England. Who are these crims you speak of?

It can't be England, because as Trev has pointed out they've played average at best - and if you were speaking of the Australian team, not one has a criminal record, and under the laws of the land would be within their rights to sue you for slander.

Of course, if its an insult, its a pretty poor one, but then you couldn't expect much more from a whinging pom whose idea of summer is when the snow is less solid.

:p
 

Martin Mayers

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Interesting. I thought it was Australia vs England. Who are these crims you speak of?

It can't be England, because as Trev has pointed out they've played average at best - and if you were speaking of the Australian team, not one has a criminal record, and under the laws of the land would be within their rights to sue you for slander.

Of course, if its an insult, its a pretty poor one, but then you couldn't expect much more from a whinging pom whose idea of summer is when the snow is less solid.

:p
:laugh:
 

trevpr1

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Wow. Drama indeed. I was a bit unsure with the hotspot but the third umpire reckoned there was audio as well. No doubt the Australians claim a cime against humanity, but who cares? "Haddin should clearly have walked!" snort!

I'm off to the pub for a pint of Jennings Cumbrian Ale and a steak and kidney dinner, if I don't die from heat prostration on the way.

As for that Linton... I'm taking no crap from someone who sounds like a New Zealander and lives is a country that is just like America.
 
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Martin Mayers

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Wow. Drama indeed. I was a bit unsure with the hotspot but the third umpire reckoned there was audio as well. No doubt the Australians claim a cime against humanity, but who cares? "Haddin should clearly have walked!" snort!

I'm off to the pub for a pint of Jennings Cumbrian Ale and a steak and kidney dinner, if I don't die from heat prostration on the way.

As for that Linton... I'm taking no crap from someone who sounds like a New Zealander and lives is a country that is just like America.
Haddin knew he'd hit it to...the urgent turn to look behind is the give away.

Yet didn't walk. Would you credit it?

Whinging Poms 1 : 0 Crims
 

trevpr1

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Oh crap! Things looking bad... three down before the first hour is up. The Queen has left the Committee Room... She's going to pad up!
 

King Billy

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Nothing to worry about, we might be able to bowl half decently, but we can't bat for nuts.....
 

trevpr1

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This is not great cricket. Neither side can bat worth a light except Bell.
 

King Billy

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Well played the Poms. You simply have better batters than us. We need someone who can spend a full day in the field with a bat
 
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