The Cricket Thread 2017

[Chris Jameson]

With or without the weather I don't think we'll lose this match.

[LeeB]

I’m going out on a limb and expect to find out in the morning that Australia have gone past our score and taken early wickets.

[tony scott]

Well as predictable as our batting collapse Smith has got another century and a double doesn't look out of the question ,  you have to wonder at the captains tactics you may as well attack the stumps rather than hope he'll get bored and make a mistake.  I just hope we can get a first innings lead.

[passitsideways]

Pitch is an absolute road.

[OzVilla]

Pitch is an absolute road.

Yes it is, plus the outfield is like lightening. 400 is barely par on this deck and England are finding this out the hard way.

In fairness we've not been blown away, we've had opportunities in every Test so far and we've just not taken any.  Yesterday was just another example.  We'll be well behind on 1st innings now.

[Risso]

With or without the weather I don't think we'll lose this match.

Hope you haven’t put any money on that Chris. It’s entirely possible Australia won’t need to bat again.

[PaulWinch again]

Our batting effort shown to be woefully inadequate. We're making a decent Australian side  look fucking outstanding.

[PaulWinch again]

Without Stokes our Test side really lacks inspiration. If we're ever going to be a top side we're going to have to learn to play outside our home conditions. But that isn't the only issue, we'be batted pretty poorly in our home conditions, it's just if it swings we can get teams out cheaply.

[PaulWinch again]

I think after this and our last away tour where, baring rain, there's a very good chance we'll have lost 9 of 10 Test matches. There needs to be a look at the development of our side.

[OzVilla]

Without Stokes our Test side really lacks inspiration. If we're ever going to be a top side we're going to have to learn to play outside our home conditions. But that isn't the only issue, we'be batted pretty poorly in our home conditions, it's just if it swings we can get teams out cheaply.

I said before the series losing Stokes and Mark Wood mortally wounds England in Australia as there goes our attack, we lack pace and aggression the 2 ingredients pretty much essential to winning here.

Overton has done well all things considering but Woakes has been useless, Moen has barely turned a ball while Anderson and Broad look pedestrian in comparison the the Aussies.

As for the batting, when James Vince is your Test no3 you've got serious issues. And as for the ore series hyped battle of the Captains, well Joe Root is so far behind Steve Smith he's barely in the same time zone.

[PaulWinch again]

Stokes is a huge blow, don't know about Wood purely because he's rarely fit enough to get up to 90mph even when he plays.

All the talk prior to the series was Cook and Root vs Smith. Smith has absolutely crushed them, not even a contest.

At the moment it's just waiting for the declaration and the collapse for England to be 3 or 4 down for 80 odd.

[Villan For Life]

I think that this series will mark the end of Cook and Broad who have been ineffective. I expect Anderson to follow them soon after. Then we are left with an even poorer squad. I'm not hopeful about the immediate future.

[OzVilla]

Stoneman, Malan and Overton have enhanced their reputations so far. They'd be the only 3.

[aev]

It is frustrating as the only time they have been remotely under pressure when Root and Malan were batting in Adelaide, Smith was all over the shop as a captain.

Root seems burdened by the captaincy, Smith energised, presumably because Smith's bowling attack is so much more potent in Aussie conditions.

[PaulWinch again]

I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise given that we had a competitive series against the Windies, who have been smashed by New Zealand.

There needs to be a major focus on the Test team now, because it's not good enough. Our top order has consistently failed as a unit for a couple of years and our bowlers can't do anything without helpful conditions.