The Cricket Thread 2013

[taylorsworkrate]

our run rate is poor in this innings aswell. If we'd have batted at a reasonable rate, say 3 an over the we'd have passed 350 now.

[PaulWinch again]

our run rate is poor in this innings aswell. If we'd have batted at a reasonable rate, say 3 an over the we'd have passed 350 now.

Yep and that goes back to our mindset and being too negative which comes from the top. Additionally Australia have been a much better bowling unit in this Test.

We're winning this series quite fortunately at the moment, and our performances need to improve a lot in all aspects.

[taylorsworkrate]

It'd be interesting if Sky grew some balls and asked the umpires about the review system. In this match there have been at least 3 decisions that were incorrectly given out on the field, then inexplicably not overturned despite the overwhelming evidence.

[PaulWinch again]

The umpiring has been absolutely shocking this series, and all the umpires on the elite panel should be available regardless of nationality.

[paul_e]

I think it's worth noting that australia have had a lot of lucky breaks in this match so far.  We had the Khawaja eicket in our favour and not a lot else.

[PaulWinch again]

They've earned their luck, they've played a lot better in all aspects. They're bowling was tight and forced mistakes, and their batting was positive. They've won 8 of 9 sessions and comfortably so.

[paul_e]

I'm not sure about that the one for broad that wasn't given (lbw vs smith) was about as clear as you can get (similar to the KP one this evening) you can't earn luck like that, we lost both reviews, 1 to an lbw where hawkeye had nearly 50% of the ball hitting and 1 where there was a noise but the tech found nothing to account for it.  After that you have to question the umpire.  The Clarke and Smith partnership then set up the situation they're now in when in real terms the performances up until that point were fairly similar.

I agree they're been much more aggressive and have made the most of the luck but if they'd lost their 4th wicket on 140ish like they should have the game would look very different.  Our run rate is a concern I've always had but it doesn't change the fact that their first innings hinged on that smith decision.

[TheTimVilla]

We just need Prior, Broad and Swann to avoid the follow on and hopefully a draw will be ours and the Ashes retained. Shame not to get 5-0 though.

[SoccerHQ]

Am I being really thick or something but why don't they just use snick-o-meter in the DRS instead of hotspot which just seems a much poorer review method to determine if the batsman has slightly edged the ball.

[paul_e]

because snicko picks up other sounds which can be misleading, a hotspot on the bat is a definite edge, snicko can show a noise but it can't show exactly where the noise is from.

[PaulWinch again]

If we look across the series both sides have had some shockers, so it's gone both ways. However Australia have been the much better side in this Test. As a bowling unit, they've been very good.

[Meanwood Villa]

No second innings collapse and we'll be OK. In an ideal world the run rate would be higher but grind it out, don't get out, frustrate them tomorrow and we keep the urn.

[peter w]

Another poor first innings batting display.

[PaulWinch again]

Another poor first innings batting display.

Yes basically, but it's more than that. Our bowling unit aren't performing either.

[PaulWinch again]

It's going to take a great performance plus some weather to save us. Regardless of the result, our top order and our bowling unit needs to look at itself. Tremlett should be in, and if the batting fails again then Taylor should be in.