The International Cricket Thread

[Jane]

But why do it in the first place? It was a comfortable pairing. Ifs and buts I suppose.

[German James]

But why do it in the first place? It was a comfortable pairing. Ifs and buts I suppose.

Chutzpah? Hubris? That first innings really did get in the Aussies' heads, so it didn't seem so bad.

[German James]

And... we're done.

[nigel]

They’re bloody going to win aren’t they.

That declaration has cost us.

It hasn't, dropped catches and missed stumpings have cost us, if we do lose this.

Exactly

[Jon Crofts]

Not sure why the thread got locked there for a while.

[PaulWinch again]

Urgh. The reality is if we’re going to be proactive it’s fine, but we need to be top notch in the field. We weren’t and that’s why we lost. It’s a bit worrying that we carried Jimmy in that game.

Must win the next one.

[Ads]

Had to take our chances on a pitch like that. Far too sloppy in the field. Lacked that extra pace we needed from a Wood too.

Green top next please.

[Rory]

They’re bloody going to win aren’t they.

That declaration has cost us.

It hasn't, dropped catches and missed stumpings have cost us, if we do lose this.

Exactly

To be fair, we lost by two wickets, having ceded two wickets. It wasn't the only factor but it's pretty stark.

Overall, great test, but a huge missed opportunity, and a massive bonus for Australia.

[Jon Crofts]

Is Anderson carrying an injury?

[simboy]

We need a spinner. Lyons bowling was the difference in the two teams overall imho.

We cannot have a frontline spinner out with a dodgy finger on day 3 when he is needed for day 5. I’m afraid we needed to look around the county 4 day circuit, not call Mo out of retirement.

[Rory]

Is Anderson carrying an injury?

If so, it's a recent one because he said last Tuesday he was 100%

[KevinGage]

Bazball's great. Reinventing Test cricket, and all the rest of it.

But against NZ last time out and now Aus England have found a way to lose from a position of strength.

The better sides generally don't do that. 

[PaulWinch again]

We need a spinner. Lyons bowling was the difference in the two teams overall imho.

We cannot have a frontline spinner out with a dodgy finger on day 3 when he is needed for day 5. I’m afraid we needed to look around the county 4 day circuit, not call Mo out of retirement.

That didn’t help, but it’s the missed chances that cost us the game. Also in essentially a 3 seam attack our main spearhead just didn’t perform at all.

[PaulWinch again]

They’re bloody going to win aren’t they.

That declaration has cost us.

It hasn't, dropped catches and missed stumpings have cost us, if we do lose this.

Exactly

To be fair, we lost by two wickets, having ceded two wickets. It wasn't the only factor but it's pretty stark.

Overall, great test, but a huge missed opportunity, and a massive bonus for Australia.

It’s a factor but I don’t think it’s material. The main factor was failing to take a number of straightforward chances - that’s what Australia did and we didn’t.

[ADVILLAFAN]

What other options do England have for out and out spinners, with Leach out?