The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

We needed that wicket there. It's really important that we bowl tight.

[PaulWinch again]

We need to get Smith early.

[paul_e]

Can see Aussies declaring on 600-2 sometime tomorrow evening.

it will either go that way or we'll get the top 4 fairly early and skittle them for a lot less, Voges is a bit of an unknown at test level but after that Watson and Haddin don't have much form and the bottom 4 are all capable of scores but they are a genuine tail so If we can get into them early enough I don't think they'll offer massive resistance, our bowling at the tail has bene poor for years but I think Wood does a lot to address that.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd get some spin bowled at Rogers.

[PaulWinch again]

This is looking ominous. We need to bowl tight on this pitch and try and force an error.

[Proposition Joe]

Smith gone.  TBH that shot of his to get out looked like Steve Smith from 2013.  Is he really the world's number 1 batsman?  Still looks shite to me.

[PaulWinch again]

That was excellent bowling from Moeen and good captaincy from Cook there. It's a very important wicket.

[PaulWinch again]

That was a vital wicket before tea. Smith is a brilliant player of spin, so it's a big wicket for Moeen. Hopefully he can get rid of a couple more.

[paul_e]

Smith gone.  TBH that shot of his to get out looked like Steve Smith from 2013.  Is he really the world's number 1 batsman?  Still looks shite to me.

I think he might well have to hand that crown over to Root very soon.

[LeeB]

Big wicket.

This game really is finely poised.

[PaulWinch again]

Moeen has done brilliantly today.

[PaulWinch again]

Moeen has answered all the debates about whether he should play.

[paul_e]

I wonder whether Holding might regret the "England really need a spinner and don't tell me Moeen Ali is a spinner" comment from tea yesterday, maybe not yet on the back of 2 wickets but if he can keep taking important wickets when needed then it's going to start to look like a silly statement.

[Proposition Joe]

Punter's had a hair transplant hasn't he?

[paul_e]

I don't really see what he brings to commentary team, I've always thought he was a knob and nothing in the last 2 days has made me think I was wrong, good batsman, decent captain (but nothing like as good as he thinks he was) but not a person I could ever warm to.

That's a massive wicket, given the form Haddin has been in we're potentially into the tail now and we really should be looking at a decent lead.  Commentary talking about it sticking in the pitch but for me it was as much down to a rank shot, the bat was almost sideways when he made contact, nothing like strong enough wrists, I can't really work out what he was trying to do.