4th Ashes Test - Melbourne

First topic message reminder :

The Boxing Day test match is upon us people!

There are rumoured to be a few changes to the England side, one of course enforced with the retirement on Graeme Swann. There hasn't been too much about who will replace him, Panesar would be the obvious choice. The other all but confirmed move will be Jonny Bairstow taking Prior's place.


Australia:
CJL Rogers, DA Warner, SR Watson, MJ Clarke*, SPD Smith, GJ Bailey, BJ Haddin†, MG Johnson, PM Siddle, RJ Harris, NM Lyon

England:
AN Cook*, MA Carberry, JE Root, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, BA Stokes, JM Bairstow†, SCJ Broad, TT Bresnan, JM Anderson, MS Panesar


With the series already over, lets hope we just get to see some good cricket. From an English point of view, lets not lose 5-0!!

Now back to the Christmas pudding for me...

Duty281 wrote:Will Monty regret not keeping the strike, I wonder?

Been robbed of it again.

Monty in a giving mood this morning

Johnson has 28 wickets now in this series, the most by a left armer in a series since 1977-78. Any guesses on who that was?

Well at least England have limped up to 250 for 9.

Use your bat Monty, use your bat, no not that bat!

Immaculate by Monty. Sees off that Siddle over with ease...and some discomfort.

So Monty gets off the mark. England 252 for 9. Unusually, that means that every England batsman has got a start in this innings - only Pietersen getting past 50.

Lofted drive over extra cover from Jimmy (that's what we'll call it anyway)!

The Burnley Lara cashing in!

What have you done Monty?

Oh dear Monty. Leaves one from Lyon and is clean bowled. England 255 all out.

So Monty's batting buddy in practice is Michael Carberry

Never a dull moment with Monty batting



This is still majestic

Mind games from Monty. He's clearly expecting to be ragging balls from middle stump to miss off. Clever, very clever... In their heads already.

"Siddle and Harris bore people out" says Andrew Strauss

Is there any way we can get Andrew Strauss's commentary into the helmets of the Aussie batsmen, to bore them out?

I'd say England around 100 runs short of a par score.

Oh dear.... Piers Morgan winding up Brett Lee for the bowling challenge during the tea break. Reckons he's gonna smash him out of the nets! 

Linebreaker wrote:Oh dear.... Piers Morgan winding up Brett Lee for the bowling challenge during the tea break. Reckons he's gonna smash him out of the nets! 

I think, on behalf of the country, we don't mind losing that one!

Broad bowling quick. Hit 91.8 with that ball. Finn probably would have been bowling 120 and taken 17-9. Why did we pick Tim?

JDizzle wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:Oh dear.... Piers Morgan winding up Brett Lee for the bowling challenge during the tea break. Reckons he's gonna smash him out of the nets! 

I think, on behalf of the country, we don't mind losing that one!

Apparantly said on Channel 9 he won't cower away like Trott. Hope Lee hits him square in the nuts and then straight in the throat

JDizzle wrote:Broad bowling quick. Hit 91.8 with that ball. Finn probably would have been bowling 120 and taken 17-9. Why did we pick Tim?

Finn probably would've bowled them all out by now

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:Oh dear.... Piers Morgan winding up Brett Lee for the bowling challenge during the tea break. Reckons he's gonna smash him out of the nets! 

I think, on behalf of the country, we don't mind losing that one!

Apparantly said on Channel 9 he won't cower away like Trott. Hope Lee hits him square in the nuts and then straight in the throat

He's such a Tinkywinky. And if he said that about Trott then that is low. I might even endure a Warner ton to see him be destroyed.

Finn would definitely have hit the stumps by now... With that trusty right boot of his.

It must be horrible bowling to Warner. He's missed out on the two wide ones and cracked the good ball for four!

Is the speed gun legit at the G?

Harris and Broad been clocked at 92mph.

Would seem so, Johnson and Harris clocking similar speeds to what I've seen before. And whether it's just the speed gun getting in my head but Broad does seem to be getting it through sharper than I've seen all tour.

I must be honest, Im beginning to wonder if this Australian team hasn't been vastly undersold. For a team to lose a series 5-0, two things need time happen simultaneously, just one wont do: The first is that the team receiving the bloodbath, needs to be shocking. That box is ticked. But the second is that the team handing out the breakdown needs to be pretty damn good. While this isn't a vintage Australian side, they have in Michael Clarke one of Australia's greatest ever batsmen, in Mitchell Johnson one of the greatest left-armers in history. In D.Warner a batsman of almost unlimited potential who is, for the summer at least playing cricket of the gods. And of course in Haddin they have a player currently having the greatest Ashes of any wicketkeeper ever. Combine that with Good assistance from heavies like Siddle and Harris, and a decent, if frustrating bat in Shane Watson, and you actually have a good team, with a few really good players, as well an undoubtedly great Clarke.

We're not gonna lose 5-0 - England have got a ruddy wicket!

Huzzah a wicket!

Warner doesn't do first innings performances. He leaves that to the other guys, like Haddin or Johnson, he'll be around in the second innings to knock the final nails and all that

Silly shot from Warner.
He's been told to play his natural game but he's definitely come out today with the T20 mentality.

Not what was needed!

May as well be 2 down with Watson now out there....  his groin must still be feeling a bit tender.

stupid shot though. Unless he was given explicit orders to kill and maim, I suspect Clarkus will have a strong word with him.

If Australia are still batting by the end of the day then they will be around parity with England. That being the case England need plenty of wickets today at regular intervals. You feel they cannot afford to give Australia a lead of more than 50 runs on first innings.

Broads pace is up, but pace isnt enough, you have to be doing something at pace to trouble the batters. Steyn swings it late at 90mph, that's difficult. Johnson is coming with the left arm, using an unfamiliar angle at the chest, the ribs, at 90mph - that's difficult. Morkel is seaming it back in the ribs at 90mph. You need to be real express pace to do batters in with just your pace, I'm talking 96mph+.

God I'd hate to be demolished by a team that has Watson at three... with his big pad, and apparent concentration span issues. Still, he's good for an entertaining 25-40.

Despite everything, it seems like Australia will avoid the follow-on.

And a world record attendance yesterday? They're only here, to watch England...

Get in Stokesy!

overstated Watson's contribution by 15 runs there.

Stokes strikes just before lunch with Watson caught behind and Australia are 36 for 2. England need to keep picking up wickets.

Nice work from the Kiwi.

Duty281 wrote:Get in Stokesy!

Jeez, I've just googled Stokesy.

Won't be using that one any more! Stokester?

It does genuinely amaze me that Shane Watson has managed quite a prolonged test match career despite being so crap.

Stokes slowly becoming the next Tim Bresnan

England still well in this - and after four sessions, that's a rather surreal feeling this series!

Australia 38 for 2 at lunch.

Good start from England but poor play from Warner and Watson threw away his wicket again.

Looks like it will be up to our middle/lower order to save some face and build towards a respectable total by the end of the day.

Oh joy, Sky taking us back to the happy days of three years ago!

Well time for sleep for me chaps!

Will see you at 7am where I fully expect to see Clarke on a healthy hundred!

Olly wrote:Well time for sleep for me chaps!

Will see you at 7am where I fully expect to see Clarke on a healthy hundred!

Goodnight Oliver.   

Here they're just talking about how KP is Siddle's bunny (he's so humble) with some kiddies playing "Kanga Cricket" in the background.

England taking a leaf out of Australia's book. Throttling the batting side for runs and being rewarded with a steady stream of wickets. Clarke bowled by Anderson and Australia 62 for 3.

At tea Australia are 96 for 3. England restricting Australia to under 2.5 runs per over and bowling much better as a unit. If England can continue to restrict the scoring and take a couple more wickets in the final session then they will feel they have the advantage. Australia will feel they are on top if they get to say 150 for 3 or 4 by close.