The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Frustrating in a way, but this morning I would have bitten your hand off for a 12 run defecit. We have to get the balance right tomorrow. The bowlers need a bit of rest.

[Lsvilla]

Frustrating in a way, but this morning I would have bitten your hand off for a 12 run defecit. We have to get the balance right tomorrow. The bowlers need a bit of rest.

Yep. They need two nights rest before bowling again. Thanks to Lynch I've had to seek my tickets for tomorrow.

[Villan For Life]

Honours even at the end of day two, we really need a batting day tomorrow like we had last Saturday. Someone needs to step up and contribute a significant amount of runs.

[Meanwood Villa]

Fair dos to the lads for battling back again. Another close match on the cards.

[KevinGage]

Frustrating in a way, but this morning I would have bitten your hand off for a 12 run defecit. We have to get the balance right tomorrow. The bowlers need a bit of rest.

Aye.

Whatever else about the Aussies being cheating cynical sugarbags (and they are) England have just lacked that extra zip at crucial times to finish them off. 

[PaulWinch again]

Ideally you’d think tomorrow will arguably be the best day to bat. We need to take the chance we’ve worked hard to get. Also bat at least a day to let the bowlers rest.

[PaulWinch again]

We really need a couple of players to stand up.

[tomd2103]

We really need a couple of players to stand up.

Yep, it’s a one innings game now.  One big score from someone could be match winning.  If we can score 320 plus this time round I think it might be enough.

[Risso]

From the postion we had them in, we should never have let them get any sort of lead. But in just about every match this series, there's been a session when the bowling has been dreadful, like later this afternoon.

[PaulWinch again]

No probably not, but equally we bowled really well to get them in the position we did. We’ll see how it plays out but put into bat and getting less than 300 I’d take parity going into the third innings, especially without our spinner. Now on us to do a good job batting. I do think we need to bat for ideally a day because the four main bowlers bowled a lot of overs. They need a rest.

[Drummond]

Lost the toss and facing a 12 run deficit after the first innings; I think we'd have all taken that.

Today is the day to show what we can do with the bat. I think we will score heavily today, losing a steady stream of wickets, and setting up a nail-biting end to the series.

Anyhow, I shall be there in my England bucket hat.

[manic-road]

Massive day today in the context of the game, we really need a couple of players to get big a big score today but with the pitch and conditions aiding the bowlers  it will be difficult.

[Risso]

No probably not, but equally we bowled really well to get them in the position we did. We’ll see how it plays out but put into bat and getting less than 300 I’d take parity going into the third innings, especially without our spinner. Now on us to do a good job batting. I do think we need to bat for ideally a day because the four main bowlers bowled a lot of overs. They need a rest.

Yes they all looked buggered by the end of yesterday, especially Wood.

[Nev]

Cramming in back to back tests is another load of nonsense driven by the H*****d, decimating the calendar and shagging out the players. A decent spread of the tests through the summer would improve the chances of players recovering from injury and improve the element of competition without excuses being thrown up.

Of course, it would also ramp up the tension and excitement for everyone following it, weaving it's way through our summer.

I'm delighted that professional football returns in 6 days, I hope it blows the junk food pyjamarama out of the water.

[Risso]

Cramming in back to back tests is another load of nonsense driven by the H*****d, decimating the calendar and shagging out the players. A decent spread of the tests through the summer would improve the chances of players recovering from injury and improve the element of competition without excuses being thrown up.

Of course, it would also ramp up the tension and excitement for everyone following it, weaving it's way through our summer.

I'm delighted that professional football returns in 6 days, I hope it blows the junk food pyjamarama out of the water.

Good points Nev. Also on TMS yesterday there was universal agreement that they urgently need to have another look at the issue of injured players, such as bringing back runners. Everything else is just counter-productive to the game as a whole and the individual player's well being.