The Cricket Thread 2013

[paul_e]

The run rate has been my issue with England all summer.  Lots of people complaining about not scoring 400, but that's focusing on the symptom, we're regularly batting for well over a hundred overs but too often at a rate of 2.7-2.8  Get that up to the numbers we were posting 18months ago (which was closer to 3.5) and the whole game changes.

It coincides with Gooch coming in and he really should be on his way out before we make the return trip, the only players in the top 7 who have delivered with any consistency since Gooch joined up are Bell and to a lesser extent Prior (he was great last year, but his form has collapsed now).  I definitely think the changes that need to come are at the coaching level rather than the players; kerrigan and woakes aside (who are only in because the series is dead and they're picked to get some experience) only Bairstow hasn't repeatedly shown he is good enough to feature for a top test side and he is very promising and has shown flashes of being able to step up.

[andyaston]

Really negative batting by England - giving the Aussies the impetus here, so many players in our team have under performed this series and yet we are still going to win 3-0.

Bad sign for the Aussies is that England have been so below par and are still cruising 3-0 .
This pitch is poor for test cricket , nothing for the bowlers and too easy for batting - pieterson never looks good just hanging around at the crease , needs to play his natural game.

The only test England have played really well was lords - strange series.

Your right it has been a strange series. We played well at Lords, had problems with our batting first up at Trent Bridge as well as getting the last Aussie wicket in each innings. At Durham we came back well after an awful first day but the Aussies could of won if they kept their heads in the last innings. At Old Trafford the team that won the toss couldn't lose the game, same here at the Oval.

The Aussies won the toss on both occassions when you knew batting first was a cert. We have been 30 odd for 3 several times and somehow got out of it. We have been behind the game plenty of times and the Australians have shot themselves in the foot. England scoring rate is on par with the Boycott/Tavare school of scoreboard operator suicide. I've not really enjoyed it for the most part.

[taylorsworkrate]

I certainly feel sorry for those shelling out to go to the Oval today. A slow pitch and negative dull batting conspired to make it an incredibly tedious days viewing

[eastie]

I certainly feel sorry for those shelling out to go to the Oval today. A slow pitch and negative dull batting conspired to make it an incredibly tedious days viewing

Rarely have i switched over during an ashes test match , dull uninspiring stuff and very boing to watch .

[UK Redsox]

[cdbearsfan]

Why are England still batting? Couldn't Cook and Clark have contrived to get a result one way or another here to make it actually worth watching for the paying public?

England could've declared and Australia could've agreed not to enforce the follow on, and then forfeited their second innings.

Then England would need 240 odd to win, Australia would need 10 wickets to win... and we'd have an exciting finish.

Much better than this borefest.

[eastie]

Why are England still batting? Couldn't Cook and Clark have contrived to get a result one way or another here to make it actually worth watching for the paying public?

England could've declared and Australia could've agreed not to enforce the follow on, and then forfeited their second innings.

Then England would need 240 odd to win, Australia would need 10 wickets to win... and we'd have an exciting finish.

Much better than this borefest.

No- I'd rather take the 3-0 win than turn it into a kind of one day game , roll on 5-30!

[Flamingo Lane]

Did anyone see that vile looking bloke in the crowd refuse to throw the ball back to the Aussie fielder at the boundary?  What a twat.

[TheTimVilla]

Hello from Iran. What's happening in the cricket? I'm struggling to get coherent updates from cricinfo or Auntie Beeb. Cheers.

[spangley1812]

Australia lead by 158 runs with 9 2nd Innings wickets remaining

[TheTimVilla]

Cheers. I know we lost all of yesterday, so play will end about 7ish tonight? And what's the forecast for tomorrow?

[spangley1812]

No wont go that late probably finish about 6.00ish as a draw, this is the last day

Australia lead by 164 runs with 8 wickets remaining now

[Ad@m]

Cheers. I know we lost all of yesterday, so play will end about 7ish tonight? And what's the forecast for tomorrow?

Even if tomorrow's forecast is glorious I'm not sure they'll let the match go in to a sixth day!!!

[Chris Smith]

Why are England still batting? Couldn't Cook and Clark have contrived to get a result one way or another here to make it actually worth watching for the paying public?

England could've declared and Australia could've agreed not to enforce the follow on, and then forfeited their second innings.

Then England would need 240 odd to win, Australia would need 10 wickets to win... and we'd have an exciting finish.

Much better than this borefest.

No- I'd rather take the 3-0 win than turn it into a kind of one day game , roll on 5-30!

Agreed, don't give them a sniff. We worked hard to avoid the follow on, we don't want to throw it away for the sake of a contrived result that could give them a lift ahead ahead of the winter series.

[spangley1812]

52/3 now convicts lead by 167