The International Cricket Thread

[tomd2103]

Yep, time to accelerate and declare at lunch.  A lead of anything over 150 will be very handy, but 200 or over would be excellent. 

Shame we aren't ahead or even level in the series as, I might be going early on this and don't want to jinx it, the Aussies are looking spent here. 

[Monty]

Game is in a bit of a lull right now. Listening to the Australians on comms trying to act like this is a good morning for them is pretty funny.

A lull and a wicket with the forecast as it is, in my view, constitutes about as good a morning as they could've hoped for.

[olaftab]

This ia all surprisingly pedestrian.

They are letting Australians manage the run rate.

[PaulWinch again]

I think we’re demoralising them and I think it shows it’s quite a tricky pitch now.

[aev]

Think Australia have done ok this morning - it maybe negative tactics but we haven't scored as many as we'd have hoped to.

[paul_e]

Brook gone, I'd declare now.

[Nev]

Villa boy gone. Try for 200.

[PaulWinch again]

This pitch has plenty in it.

[Jon Crofts]

Surely we’ll declare on 500 and get into them, the convicts look absolutely disinterested.

[paul_e]

I'm not sure what England were doing there really. I hope we declare during the break, going out for a few overs and losing 2 overs with the ball would be weird. I reckon we're gonig to see a backs to the wall defensive batting display from them whenever they get in and it'll be enough to sneak the draw.

[PaulWinch again]

I’d get them out for an over or two just so they can’t settle mentally over lunch.

[LeeB]

I'd let Bairstow have a blast for 20 mins after lunch, declaring now gives them lunch to prepare. Make them toil a bit more first.

[paul_e]

I’d get them out for an over or two just so they can’t settle mentally over lunch.

There's a very real chance that there are 60 overs (at most) left in the game. I'm not sure we should be giving any of those away right now.

[tomd2103]

I'd let Bairstow have a blast for 20 mins after lunch, declaring now gives them lunch to prepare. Make them toil a bit more first.

Total wise, I think a declaration now would be fine, but like you I would want to make it as uncomfortable for them as possible. 

Would be a massive wind up, but even just go out after lunch and then declare after a few balls.

[Risso]

I don't get this, at all. There's almost certainly going to be no play at all tomorrow, and Sunday is looking dodgy at best. Yet for the first time we've been playing un-Bazball, relatively normal test cricket.