The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Stokes gone - good ball. Trouble now.

[Risso]

Ah well, at least losing this will mean the weather in the last match didn't really matter.

[PaulWinch again]

I think this is far from lost. We could easily get up around 300 still and I think this pitch is tricky.

[paul_e]

I think this is far from lost. We could easily get up around 300 still and I think this pitch is tricky.

I agree, it looked like the sort of pitch where you're never in this morning. The big question mark is whether it's going to flatten out. Australia clearly think it will which is why they're bowling to avoid a similar situation to Old Trafford.

[Monty]

Some very poor shots here. Not as bad as Lords, but pretty bad.

[paul_e]

Now things look tougher, they were 2 big wickets to lose so close together.

We could really do with cameos from the tail now, a quick 30-40 from Wood would be very useful.

[Risso]

We're not going to 250 at this rate, terrible batting.

[Jon Crofts]

Sat on a Wattbike doing a workout watching England fall apart isn't good for the heart rate.

[Risso]

Wood going for it.

[tomd2103]

Woakes and Wood having to dig them out again!!  The discussion piece on SKY between Mike Atherton and Mark Taylor and Nasser Hussain and Ricky Ponting was interesting.  Ponting made the observation that England had twice got into good positions with the bat, only to then not manage the situation and it cost them, most notably at Lord's. 

Seems like we have done it again today.  Started really well but then have given it away a bit when we probably just needed to change tack for a period.  That is the one thing I hope we take out of this series really.

[Jon Crofts]

Some lovely shots he's got.

If we can nudge 280/285 we should be OK.

[PaulWinch again]

Been pretty weak from the batsmen, except Brook and Mo.

[PaulWinch again]

That said I don’t think it’s an easy pitch/conditions.

[Nev]

Those comments by Bairstow about proving people wrong in the last test now sound hollow and he appears to have proved people right. He was excellent in the last test but better let that speak for itself rather than make yourself look a plum. That being said, the conditions are tough.

[PaulWinch again]

Proof will come in the Aussie innings, but I think we’re only a bit below par given the conditions. If we could somehow get up around 300 I think we’re in the game - if we bowl well.