2017 Ashes - Spoilers only

[psmiffy]

Rain? - Give england a chance to reset?

 

[philk56]

Rain? - Give england a chance to reset?

Hopefully - not great bowling so far...

 

[Fonze]

Rain - give England a chance to draw ..

 

[philk56]

All a bit too easy for the Aussies at present.

 

[User482]

Michael Vaughan made a good point about Aussie tactics: see off Broad and Anderson, then cash in. Simple and effective.

 

[User482]

Woakes!

 

[psmiffy]

Michael Vaughan made a good point about Aussie tactics: see off Broad and Anderson, then cash in. Simple and effective.

And by my reckoning they will not get another new ball under the lights - which was to be the great equaliser

 

[philk56]

Trouble is Broad and Anderson haven't bowled well.

Oh dear - can't afford dropped catches...

 

[psmiffy]

Smith gone - 161-4 - a degree of optimism? still early days tho

 

[User482]

Smith gone - 161-4 - a degree of optimism? still early days tho

Well, we're still in the game. Smith bowled through the gate by a medium pacer on debut!

 

[tallliman]

209/4 at the close, the lost half an hour or so meant the new ball wasn't taken under lights which I'm sure the Aussies are happy with.

We'd have said we had a good day in the first test at this point so only fair to say the same to the Aussies.

 

[swee'pea99]

209/4 at the close, the lost half an hour or so meant the new ball wasn't taken under lights which I'm sure the Aussies are happy with.

We'd have said we had a good day in the first test at this point so only fair to say the same to the Aussies.

Fair? Fair? This is The Ashes. What's 'fair' got to do with it? Harrumph.

 

[User482]

209/4 at the close, the lost half an hour or so meant the new ball wasn't taken under lights which I'm sure the Aussies are happy with.

We'd have said we had a good day in the first test at this point so only fair to say the same to the Aussies.

They are in front but not by much.

 

[Beebo]

Too many Oz batsmen are getting runs. The partnership are building and We are not getting wickets in clusters so there is no panic in the Oz ranks.
The number of runs between wickets has been
33-53-53-22-48-85-17-currently 69 and counting

I can guarantee that England will have a few wickets drop in a row.

 

[psmiffy]

from cricinfo - pretty much sums it up

And that, dear reader, is dinner. What a session for Australia. A series-changing session, you might have to argue. 103 runs added in quick time, for the loss of just one wicket, and with Pat Cummins showcasing his allround talents for the second game in a row. England have looked toothless with the old ball, and the only question must be whether Smith will look to unleash his quicks under the floodlights tonight. Still time for England's bowlers to make that decision for him, of course, but they haven't looked like breaking through of late.