4th Ashes Test Durham

First topic message reminder :

They're all at it again on Friday. Just as England are likely to chuck in a bad performance when everyone expects them to win (Leeds 09, Perth 2010/11, Manchester 2013) they usually bounce back next Test (Lord's and Oval 09, Melbourne 2010/11).
I'm taking England to win one of the last two Tests to ensure a series victory. Onions, it seems, will come in and that could be a good move. Still think this is not a very strong Australia team. It's just that they were an average team playing poorly in the first two Test while at Manchester they were an average team playing well.
Before Manchester, we were asking if Australia could improve/get back into the series. Well they certainly achieved the former if not the latter. Now we could ask - Can England start firing on all cylinders ?

Wow - Harris has been having something of a field day, adding the skipper and Trott to his list of victims today.

England in a rather precarious position here. Really need KP and Bell to get us close to 200.

Id have Steyn a level above Philander and Harris. The guy is an anomaly. But after that you have Philander who is probably #2, but with longevity being a question mark. Peter Siddle is still my #3, as Harris also has longevity questions about him. Jimmy Anderson fills out the fab five.

Olly wrote:How many times have we passed 400 this series? Once at Lords?

England haven't gone pass 400 even ones in this series have they? They scored 360+ at the HQ and then in OT, but the batting has underachieved in this series so far.

So Aussie have several of the best bowlers in the world even without their young kids and England's not very good.

Makes engs performances seem better then and those poor bowlers like jimmy have done well with limited talent.

Certainly doesn't give England a hope down under against one of the worlds best attacks with limited batting, limited bowling and with Aussie having even more to come.

606 is good for setting my expectations. Now I realise a poor bowling line up did really well getting those few clutches of wickets.

The rebuilding is going ok at the moment (touch wood)

England go to tea at 123-3. Nice little partnership between KP and Bell, but their job hasn't even started.

Okay, KP and Bell doing the business. Steadied the ship quite nicely. Hoping these two can bat the rest of the day.

England fully asserting control now, another good session in the evening and Australia will be staring down the barrel.

Bit early to say that against the worlds second best bowlers doods.

And with a non top five line up, they would need 500 to present a target.

I do seriously think anything less than 350 is a target Aussie will chase. They only need Clarke to fire or rogers to scrap his way through again and they will get it.

England have got the best spinner in the world, the most talented fast bowler in the world, a chap with a five-for in the first innings, and...Reliable Tim, as well as the occasional spin from Root.

England will successfully defend a lead of 200 and up, of that I'm sure.

They would have some nice onions if they would use them too.

50 for Bell.  

After all the pressure he was under, it's nice to see that he's had a wonderful series with the bat.

Ian Bell disproving the theory he only scores "easy" runs this series

Duty281 wrote:England have got the best spinner in the world, the most talented fast bowler in the world, a chap with a five-for in the first innings, and...Reliable Tim, as well as the occasional spin from Root.

England will successfully defend a lead of 200 and up, of that I'm sure.

Still living in a dream world I see.

Swann's the third best spinner. Herath and Ajmal are ranked higher. Ajmal's considerably more talented than Swann.

World's most talented fast bowler? Nah that would be Dale Steyn. Overrated clubman Anderson could only trouble Siddle and Lyon...

Overrated poster numpty more like,

Anderson is as good as anything Aussie have and near steyn.

Olly wrote:Ian Bell disproving the theory he only scores "easy" runs this series

Leading run-scorer in this series I believe.

trebellbobaggins wrote:Overrated poster numpty more like,

Anderson is as good as anything Aussie have and near steyn.

What's the difference between 22 and 30?

Whats the difference between a career of making the difference  at the top level time after time and one of not doing so.

I now realise that unlike me you actually talk crap and mean it.

That ignore button is useful.

Oh dear, Gerry's posting again. Was a good thread until he came along.

Now I find myself  every time I read what he writes.

trebellbobaggins wrote:Whats the difference between a career of making the difference  at the top level time after time and one of not doing so.

I now realise that unlike me you actually talk crap and mean it.

That ignore button is useful.

Anderson's never been in Steyn's class. Smith Amla etc showed Anderson's lack of talent last summer.

Suck it up.

Anderson's a B grade bowler who you deluded Poms big up.

Duty281 wrote:Oh dear, Gerry's posting again. Was a good thread until he came along.

Now I find myself  every time I read what he writes.

churlish bullcrap. Calling someone like jimmy club level.

Duty281 wrote:Oh dear, Gerry's posting again. Was a good thread until he came along.

Now I find myself  every time I read what he writes.

I get bored watching B grade sides like England...

Why can't England be half as great as South Africa?

trebellbobaggins wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Oh dear, Gerry's posting again. Was a good thread until he came along.

Now I find myself  every time I read what he writes.

churlish bullcrap. Calling someone like jimmy club level.

I always feel sorry for wums like him, they have nothing better to do all day than to try and get a rise out of people they've never met. It's sad really.

And pointless.

I am a numpty myself much of the time but never head into the threads of other countries just to stir up their fans.

Let them enjoy their cricket and keep my opinions to my own side only. Life's too short to stir people up like that.

Duty281 wrote:

trebellbobaggins wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Oh dear, Gerry's posting again. Was a good thread until he came along.

Now I find myself  every time I read what he writes.

churlish bullcrap. Calling someone like jimmy club level.

I always feel sorry for wums like him, they have nothing better to do all day than to try and get a rise out of people they've never met. It's sad really.

Says the 17 year old with no life outside 606v2...

On your way kid

Watson's hobbled off, not good to see.

He's been struggling hasnt he.

But they are lucky to have a lot of bowling options there.

Big bird is young and can bowl plenty,

Shame for Shane Watson, he's been vital for Clarke to build up pressure.

KP losing patience. Really needs to apply himself.

Awful review that. Miles outside off, quite clear. Even Tony Hill couldn't get that one wrong

Watson off is not good for Aussies in terms of bowling and batting. Not allowed a runner remember

Lyon gets Pietersen again

Start of the tail with Bairstow...

Hmmm, Pietersen gone. Lost patience, perchance?

I've been saying for a while now that Bairstow needs a score - well there's no better time than now with the game right in the balance.

Again a batsman getting in, and not going on.

Jonny Bairstow, this is pretty much your final chance...

KP trying to play balls miles outside his off stump to square leg!!

Even you're not that good KP, play it straight

And he goes. Doesn't really have the temperament for tests when the pressure is on at all.

200 looks unlikely now. Aussies should get this easily.

Olly wrote:Again a batsman getting in, and not going on.

Jonny Bairstow, this is pretty much your final chance...

When you're relying on him you are in trouble.

Huge difference when England just give away wickets and Aussie have to have theirs torn from their cold dead hands.  Totally different mentality.

Can't believe we've let a non spinning spinner take 5 wickets in the match so far...

Pietersen sums up why he isn't an all time great.

Would Kallis, Lara, Tendulkar etc play such a low percentage shot when they've got the opposition on the mat? Plus one bowler less.

Okay, 155-4 isn't too bad in the circumstances...provided Bell & Bairstow can take England past the 200 mark.

Useful cameo from KP, if not very convincing at times.

No need to panic yet.

Very much like the 1st Test this one, only with Australia's spinner taking wickets and not scoring runs this time around.

I like it from Bairstow. Not gonna die wondering

Most who die not wondering also die having failed.

Well, England are only another 70-100 away from setting Australia a pretty challenging 4th innings total.

So much time Wolfie. Surely anything less than 400 can just be slowly achieved?

Ok Bairstow seems to be back into 1st innings Bairstow mode

Lead up to 150; England halfway to that magic number.

Sometimes as a cricketer, you can get flowing so well, it feels kind of like driving a Supercar without brakes, it feels like you are losing control somewhat and you need to slow down, which is what Bairstow is doing, and what Trott may need to do

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=7362;type=series

Bell over 130 runs ahead of his nearest competitor in the "most runs" column.