The Cricket Thread 2017

[olaftab]

This is turning into another great day. Cook has just got double. I am pleased I never said he was finished😉 now with England well past 400 it’s pure fun here at MCG and still about 90 mins play left.

[KevinGage]

What d'you reckon, olaftab?  Declare on 450+ and have a dart at them tonight? Or grind them down further?

Nice to have the dilemma.

[olaftab]

Noooo no declaration grind them into dust. It’s fantastic fun now.

[KevinGage]

Broad winding the clock back and looking like a batsman.

[olaftab]

Jackson Bird getting load of stick as he is fielding in front of BA.

[JD]

Fantastic innings by Captain Cook. Just a shame he didn't have an innings like this earlier. He really is a brilliant batsman (and an Essex boy  )

[PaulWinch again]

Stunning from Cook, brilliant. Nice to see Broad bat to his talent.

[Villan For Life]

When he gets in the zone Cook is an absolute machine. It's incredible to think that he's been in the middle since the very first ball on day one.

[cheltenhamlion]

Those runs for Broad mean we get a spell from him tomorrow.

[manic-road]

Fantastic to wake up to see the England scoreboard, that's some knock by Cook and an important partnership with Broad.

[paul_e]

Great day, I hold my hand up and admit to giving in an heading to bed not long after Ali went and thinking we'd probably end up with about 375-400

to add some thoughts
Root knew what he'd done, I don't think I've seen him that angry with himself before, I suspect there was some colourful language in the dressing room, silly shot when him and Cook looked like putting together a mammoth total.
The umpire that gave Malan out should be ashamed of himself, awful decision, as was the lack of a review, very disappointing wicket from that point of view.
Bairstow had a good start and had them lookig a little nervy but the shot that he got out with was truly awful.
Ali added some great impetus but he needs to work on scoring that quick 20 and then settling in and building towards a 50.  The little blitz cameos he does are great in a lot of ways but if he could 'down gear' and settle in after 10-15 deliveries he could be a real match winner for us.
Bird for Starc is very possibly the worst injury replacement I've ever seen, he looks totally out of his depth, he's gone at 3.6 but from what I saw it could've been 5+ because he was bowling right in the slot for Cook.

[Chris Jameson]

BBC Midlands Today has really gone for the local angle with their headline. Woakes helps England to dominant position in fourth Ashes Test.

[PaulWinch again]

Ha ha whilst technically accurate, probably not really reflective of what has happened.

[Risso]

It’s just a shame we haven’t completely rammed the advantage home. Root out again the morning after, and nothing much from the Moeen again. 550+ would look a lot nicer and is the sort of score you expect when somebody scores 250.

Great knock from Cook though and thoroughly entertaining from Broad.

[OzVilla]

Tremendous from Cook, the bloke really is a cases act off the field too.