The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Stunning from Crawley now batter them into the dirt.

[Villan For Life]

Crawley is in the zone

[LeeB]

We're less than 30 behind with 2 down, thoughts are surely turning to not having to bat again here

[UK Redsox]

Zaltz - Most runs at the 50th over mark in any Ashes innings ever by either team 

[Villan For Life]

We're less than 30 behind with 2 down, thoughts are surely turning to not having to bat again here

I’m not sure, I think they will want to have a go at them for about 30 minutes tonight. I would declare in around an hour and get Wood and Woakes in amongst them.

[PaulWinch again]

In these conditions that would be mental. We have to be cognisant of the weather, but declaring tonight would be daft.

[Villan For Life]

In these conditions that would be mental. We have to be cognisant of the weather, but declaring tonight would be daft.

Available time left in the match will be an influencing factor though. There’s unlikely to be any play on Saturday and the forecast for Sunday is poor too. If we accelerate now, get a lead of around 50 then have a go at them tonight. It’s what Bazzball is about, doing the unexpected.

[Gareth]

Can see both viewpoints ref declaring tonight but I think we would probably have gone harder after tea were we looking to declare before the close

[PaulWinch again]

Nah I understand what Bazball is about. It’s about ruthlessness, we might not get a chance to bat again. We need to maximise our runs now. Declare is exactly what Aus want.

[Risso]

Can see both viewpoints ref declaring tonight but I think we would probably have gone harder after tea were we looking to declare before the close

They've gone pretty hard to be fair.

[LeeB]

Can see both viewpoints ref declaring tonight but I think we would probably have gone harder after tea were we looking to declare before the close

They've gone pretty hard to be fair.

No, they're crawling along at just 6 an over since tea

[PaulWinch again]

I think we want a 150 odd lead within the first hour tomorrow.

[Risso]

That's what so good, no idea what they're going to do.

[paul_e]

A little back the commentators were talking about the plan from here and someone (I think it was Nas but I might be wrong) correctly pointed out that Stokes will be thinking that whatever happens to win the game we need to take 10 wickets. I think we'll give ourselves plenty of time to do that. Getting a lead of 200-250 and then seeing them creep over the line with a wicket or 2 in hand would be be awful and I genuinely think we'd rather have to chase a decent target in a race with the clouds than be desperately hunting a wicket in bad conditions.

[Gareth]

Can see both viewpoints ref declaring tonight but I think we would probably have gone harder after tea were we looking to declare before the close

They've gone pretty hard to be fair.

No, they're crawling along at just 6 an over since tea

Test cricket will die at that pace :-)

Loved seeing Starc appeal that lbw…not sure it would have another set of stumps…desperation is great