The International Cricket Thread

[taylorsworkrate]

They'll feel like they've won the battle though at least....

[taylorsworkrate]

It's lazy cricket. It takes hard work, concentration, focus and stoic determination to stay at the crease for a long spell - look at Khawaja. Playing almost every delivery and then practically shrugging shoulders when you get out with an attitude of "well at least I tried" really isn't good enough. The accusations of carelessness and a sloppy approach are had to fend off when you look at both batting and catching, the concession of so many extras and the seemingly laissez faire response to setbacks.

What looked like fine margins in the first test now look like big problems.

It was perhaps fine margins in the first two tests (particularly Lords) because England have had much the better of the conditions and have won the toss on each occasion

[LeeB]

And gone. Somehow managing to concede a nigh-on three figure deficit here. Congratulations everybody.

Even with this piss poor batting display we'd have still had a lead if we could catch

[paul_e]

I think Wood did the right thing there, it's only 24 runs but in the context of the match they're massive and he's not the sort of batsman who'd hang around for long. Now we need Stokes to fire up and try to take the bulk of the batting. Another 30-40 runs on the board and this game is back in the balance.

[Nev]

Every single run is a bonus here but it all feels so desperate. Anything near their total will be welcome just to keep the series alive.

[taylorsworkrate]

And gone. Somehow managing to concede a nigh-on three figure deficit here. Congratulations everybody.

Even with this piss poor batting display we'd have still had a lead if we could catch

Yep. Our fielding has been that bad throughout this series you'd heavily criticise an under 8s team for it. Unacceptable, especially in an Ashes

[taylorsworkrate]

Every single run is a bonus here but it all feels so desperate. Anything near their total will be welcome just to keep the series alive.

They will just grind us into the dirt when they bat again.

[PaulWinch again]

Stokes is dragging us vaguely back into this.

[paul_e]

All done, trail by 26, which is pretty much parity.

Massive knock from Stokes, the approach after lunch was the only way we could go from there.

Now we need them 2-3 down by tea.

[PaulWinch again]

And that’s it - but that innings from Stokes means it’s not over.

There are a lot of players who owe massive performances to their captain in the second innings. We need to bowl them out cheap - no dropped catches and then Brook, Bairstow, Crawley in particular, and Root owe some runs.

[Steve67]

26 behind, could have been worse. Need to get Wood with the new nut, not Robinson.

[Villan For Life]

We scored 95-3 since lunch off 10.3 overs, Stokes is a remarkable cricketer.

[tomd2103]

And gone. Somehow managing to concede a nigh-on three figure deficit here. Congratulations everybody.

Even with this piss poor batting display we'd have still had a lead if we could catch

Yep and could have been a reasonable lead as well.  We've blown another big opportunity I think.  Might be wrong, but I think the Aussies will get a big score (or big enough) and it will be game over. 

Hate to be defeatist and might be proved wrong, but can't see us winning a test in the series now, unless it is the last one as a consolation. 

[taylorsworkrate]

We've got 4 bowlers and one of them is Moeen Ali so effectively 3.

Need early wickets desperately or the Aussies will play the match situation and grind us into the dirt

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah I think they’ll grind us down.