The Cricket Thread 2017

[olaftab]

Oh yes yes

[paul_e]

Lovely delivery to get Paine. Jimmy really is a trump card for us. Really well taken by Bairstow as well.

[olaftab]

And now Starc gone

[paul_e]

Now treat these 3 as a proper tail and skittle them.

[Risso]

Excellent from Broad. Wry smile after the 6 then off you pop son.

[olaftab]

I think Starc looked very scared after pushing that ball for 6. A bit ike what have I done look.

[TonyD]

Put the tail on the BBQ

[OzVilla]

Straight after lunch and we start with Ball and Woakes.

[OzVilla]

And they now trail by 50 as Broad and Anderson finally appear. Ball, Moen and Woakes just lacked penetration in this session. Subsequently this game has drifted away from England.

[OzVilla]

Superb hundred from Smith, 261 balls, 415 mins. Really worked hard for that. They'll open up and play some shots now. We're very flat.

[OzVilla]

Cummins gone finally, Woakes gets one at last. Thank feck for that. Aus trail by 27.

[spangley1812]

Convicts finally all out for 328 and lead by 26

Smith 141 not out

So pretty even, we need to bat well now and need big innings from Cook and Root

[Villan For Life]

Not from Cook. The test will be decided in the passage of play between now & stumps.

[Risso]

Well done Cook. When the going gets tough, the idiot tries a desperately poor shot.

[OzVilla]

Great days Cricket with Australia just ahead now.

England did fantastically in the first session and although they didn't bowl badly Moen, Ball and Woakes let the pressure off after lunch and lacked penetration. Nathan Lyon's 2nd ball spun more than Moen did all day and Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins all bowled faster than any English bowler. That'll be the difference, their attack doesn't let up while ours is tidy but just wasnt that threatening enough once Broad and Anderson and the new ball had been seen off.

Stoneman and Root did really well in that last 45 mins, that looked a horrible session to have to bat in, we'll need that kind of fight all day tomorrow.