Ashes 2010/11

[KevinGage]

Couldn't manage to stay up last night.

The thought of England being 5-6 wickets down before even clawing back the 200 probably didn't help in that regard.

Imagine my delight to get up this morning with 300+ on the board and only one wicket down. Caught a few of the highlights from just before the wicket of Strauss, looking good and composed. A shame he got out to that type of delivery, by all accounts not in keeping with the rest of his innings.

Cook and Trott need to hang about now they're set, keep the score ticking over and push the lead over 200. You always get a feeling with this England side that one wicket down could result in a cluster.

Initially I was chuffed to see that  bad light had stopped play, but England were in such command that it would have been nicer to bat a bit longer and really milk the spinner. From the game winning position they were in every run will now hurt Australia.

Not wishing to tempt fate, but they look like they have their own problems. The Strauss wicket first inning apart, Hilfenhaus has looked ineffective and Mitchel Johnson has bowled some filth. Doherty hasn't looked much cop either.

It will be great to push for the win if the chance was there but realistically even a draw will be a psychological blow to the Aussies from the position they were in. Just see off the first hour again tomorrow and it should get quite a bit easier again.

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a Test series.

[OzVilla]

Superb today, absolutely superb.   Never really looked in any danger all day tbh.

Aussie commentators very impressed so suddenly, Australian doubts about whether they have the attack to take 20 wickets are becoming a reality.

Ideally Bat well in the morning and KP get's some good time in the middle and let's look to make the feckers stay in the field for as long as we can - it's back to back Tests don't forget.

If England play well, we'll wear them down both mentally and physically.

[KevinGage]

Only note of caution I'd sound is it's quite rare for any side to post 400+ in the second innings.

Especially an England side.

Especially an England side in Australia.

What isn't so unusual is the first class exhibition of a batting collapse England teams have become famous for. This side should  be different, that lower order is as good as any in the world.

But would anyone really be stunned if 9 wickets went down for say 50/60 more runs?
That would result in a second innings of 360/370, which is a far more regular occurrence.

That's why it's absolutely key that the current two hang about. They're in and look to be in good touch. Don't leave it to the next guy in as he has to get started and the Aussies will start to gain momentum again. Hang about, pick the bad ball (there seems to be plenty available) and kill their enthusiasm for the game. Make them stay out in the field for as long as possible, feeling that with every run the game slips further and further away.

I have a feeling that England will make it as difficult (or interesting) as possible for themselves though. Force of habit. It's the only way they know.

[Tom_Mc9?]

I disagree Kevin. I think the Aussie bowlers haven't got it in them and the pitch shouldn't inspire them with confidence. I can't see this test being anything other than a draw, which'll do nicely after the first innings.

[taylorsworkrate]

My god that Aussie attack looks ordinary.

Fair do's they scored heavily against ours, but at least we had spells of looking dangerous and stuck to our gameplan when the luck wasn't going our way.

Strauss and Cook really got on top of them in a pressure situation.  They had zero answer.

[TopDeck113]

Well, I woke up at 4 for a piss (I'm getting to that age) and rather than try to get back to sleep, thought I'd turn on the radio to see how we were doing.  Very surprised and very pleased, so stayed up listening until the close.  I'm knackered now!

Presume the Aussies will throw everything at us tomorrow morning, but if we can get through the first hour with the still new-ish ball unscathed, then the draw and the moral victory will be our's.

[olaftab]

Well done Strauss and  Cook. I understnd Cook has taken lot of  unfair sledging from Aussies. Best way to answer back.

And  yes today  proved that Siddle is a donkey bowler who got very lucky  in the first innings. I suggest he savours that one  because he will not get even close to another one in the series.

[Warren Aspinall]

I spent 2 nights at work listening to TMS & to be honest it sounded like England were slowly sinking to defeat. I was gonna watch it last night but fell asleep & woke up after play had ended, superstition tells me that I should do the same tonight, that way I may wake up to find out England win...... Sod that I wanna watch some cricket

[PaulWinch again]

That was superb from England, real character shown.

[beness]

I set the alarm for 3 in the morning. woke up to 5 live sports extra.

 Decided to come into the living room and watch. Pretty tired now but might just have an early night and see how they're getting on. 

[Shrek]

I would play for a draw.

I'd bat for as long as possible, meaning we bowl for as less time as possible, keeping all our bowlers fresh and theirs knackered.

Also I could just imagine us declaring at lunch with a lead of 200 and the Aussies smashing us around the park for the win.

I think a draw will still be demoralising for the Aussies and a confidence booster for us abit like Cardiff last year.

[spangley1812]

I would bat until just before tea........a lead of 250+ then let Finn, Broad loose on them and try and get some physicological advantages over them and getting Ponting, Clarke, North out would be excellent

[Bald Eagle]

I would bat until just before tea........a lead of 250+ then let Finn, Broad loose on them and try and get some physicological advantages over them and getting Ponting, Clarke, North out would be excellent

Is the correct answer.

[cdbearsfan]

I would bat until just before tea........a lead of 250+ then let Finn, Broad loose on them and try and get some physicological advantages over them and getting Ponting, Clarke, North out would be excellent

I concur. Maybe aim for their arms and heads rather than the wicket though... try and injure a few, especially that hussey Hussey.

[tonyh]

I was hoping that they would have bowled us out with a lead of 225 giving Swanny time to spin them out. But now we will hopefully bat till an hour left and then pepper them with bouncers and a load of sledging and a moral victory.