*Official* Second Test at Lords

[grecian]

Which day you going again? Day two?

Going on day three myself, a bit worried that we might have wrapped it up by then

Yeah the Friday, and as I've said I shall be in Leeds during the fourth test, but not at the cricket.....

 

[GIMH]

Couldn't get a Headingley ticket this year myself, Edgbaston is expensive but tbh all things considered I'd probs rather go there anyway, don't need my passport to cross the border for one

 

[Richard]

Well i agree in the most part. But if its really overcast tomorrow and the ball is swinging around corners first thing, theres a chance you'd want to put Australia in again knowing you could take 3-4 quick wickets and pretty much win the game there and then.

If England batted again and collapsed to the swinging ball we could be in trouble too.

That's true, and my comments are based around the assumption that it'll be pretty fresh and sunny tomorrow. That's what all forecasts I've so far seen have suggested.

If it's thickly overcast again I'd strongly consider the follow-on, especially if it takes like a couple of overs to get the last couple of wickets and the ball still swings plenty.

 

[Richard]

Thinking about this again, isn't it just fantastic that England can bat, from three downwards, pretty damn poorly, and bowl no more than decently, but still have Australia completely on the rack... at Lord's.

In so many ways this was so unlikely. Which is why it's so important that we get the job finished and don't let them back into it.

There are precious few people who will remember England beating Australia at Lord's once. There is no-one who will remember them doing it more than once. England have a phenomenal opportunity to do something impossibly rare.

And it's so bloody annoying that we didn't get that bloody 650 score that we absolutely should've got from 196 for 0. If we'd done that we could've been on for an innings-and-300-run victory. That'd feel like it did when Man Utd beat Arsenal 6-1 in 2000/01.

 

[superkingdave]

Couldn't get a Headingley ticket this year myself, Edgbaston is expensive but tbh all things considered I'd probs rather go there anyway, don't need my passport to cross the border for one

Still limited tickets left for Headingly tbph, bought tickets for me and my dad last week. Steep though.

 

[GIMH]

TBH I don't know why people thought I wasn't serious when I made posts like these:

Yeah, I have indeed, don't want our day ruined when we end the game with an innings victory at Sunday lunchtime

Hope we do get a bit of rain, have a mate coming to see the game on Sunday and would hate for there to be nothing to watch because or anitpodean friends can't bat

Don't worry, you lot won't need to bowl again

 

[GIMH]

Still limited tickets left for Headingly tbph, bought tickets for me and my dad last week. Steep though.

Am broke tbh, don't even know where my beer money is gonna come from for Edgbaston

 

[superkingdave]

Am broke tbh, don't even know where my beer money is gonna come from for Edgbaston

yeah, i'm hoping my dad offers to pay for them at some point jut stuck them on my credit card for now but they were 60 apiece as I wanted to sit at mid off rather than midwicket. Also bought a new laptop tonight so thats all my savings gone.

 

[GIMH]

£60, dammit, paying £70 for edgbaston, and the train is dearer as well, and probably the beers. BUT it is Saturday at Edgbaston so it should be pretty ****ing special, watching us go to the brink of 2-0

 

[zaremba]

Nobody can match English cricket fans for pessimism. Australia are 286 runs behind and it's the last pair before the bowlers in. You couldn't really have hoped for anything better at the start of the match, or the start of the day.

Yeah, Hauritz and Siddle could both crack double hundreds and then Ponting could nip out a quick five wickets with his outswingers, but realistically England are well on top. Enjoy it or something.

edit: Scrap that, it is the bowlers in now.

You see? Pessimism works. I've not been on CW during an Ashes before, but studied internet pessimism from me has taken hapless Sussex from perennial losers to 3 county championships in recent years.

 

[tooextracool]

Thinking about this again, isn't it just fantastic that England can bat, from three downwards, pretty damn poorly, and bowl no more than decently, but still have Australia completely on the rack... at Lord's.

In so many ways this was so unlikely. Which is why it's so important that we get the job finished and don't let them back into it.

There are precious few people who will remember England beating Australia at Lord's once. There is no-one who will remember them doing it more than once. England have a phenomenal opportunity to do something impossibly rare.

And it's so bloody annoying that we didn't get that bloody 650 score that we absolutely should've got from 196 for 0. If we'd done that we could've been on for an innings-and-300-run victory. That'd feel like it did when Man Utd beat Arsenal 6-1 in 2000/01.

It is a new experience to watch the Ashes contested between not one but 2 middling sides tbh. England batted poorly in the first innings, Australia bowled poorly in their first innings, now England have been no more than ok with the ball and Australia have batted poorly in the 2nd inning.

Certainly in my time watching cricket, I haven't seen such a contest and no matter how much of a rose tint you apply to it, this is the worst Australian side I have seen on English soil. I think they have kind of shot themselves in the foot by dropping Clark (IMO should be in there instead of Hauritz) who really is the only Australian bowler with any sort of success in English conditions. Despite the potential that Siddle and Johnson possess, they are still young, inexperienced bowlers who along with Hilfenhaus have been given far more responsibility than they are perhaps ready for at this stage in their career.

Anyhow, if Clark and Hilfenhaus bowl in tandem at some point this series, I would be quite worried as an English supported, although I'm not sure if that is likely to happen.

 

[Goughy]

Just back from work and this thread is far too big to digest.

Clearly Englands day, just wish I had a chance to see the highlights.

Im hoping noone on theis thread has suggested England decine to enforce the follow-on if it is an option.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, Richard has, and a few others IIRC

 

[tooextracool]

Im hoping noone on theis thread has suggested England decine to enforce the follow-on if it is an option.

did you mean 'decline' or 'decide'? one letter creates a complete paradox in that sentence

 

[Goughy]

Yeah, Richard has, and a few others IIRC

hmm, I feared as much. Madness

 

[tooextracool]

It is probably wisest to examine the conditions tomorrow when England take those 2 wickets to bowl Australia out before making a decision on whether to enforce the follow on or not. However, I've always felt that unless your bowlers have already bowled their hearts out, it is best to enforce the follow on because I think captains get in too much of a conservative mindset when it comes to setting targets for the opposition. Eden Gardens 2001 is a once in a lifetime event and people make too much of a big deal out of it.

 

[JBH001]

Just woke up and checked the score. w00t about expresses it, a somewhat surprised w00t too, I might add.

Also pleased that Broad played a part in proceedings, to my mind gets far too much flak on CW.

Anyway, time to see if I can catch some highlights. Come on, England!

Edit/ Stupid Sky Sports and their silly Golf and Tour de France.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Adelaide...

 

[Prince EWS]

Nevertheless, Siddle is such a class bowler. Anderson should be taking notes.

Hope Siddle was taking notes during yesterday's play then.

Anyway, wasn't it you who all but suggested that Anderson bowled the best spell in the history of cricket in the first innings at Cardiff, but that Hughes somehow managed to not only survive but score off him? You can't turn around and start ripping into Anderson now after using him like that to prop up 'the new Hayden'.

 

[JBH001]

Adelaide...

Time to get over 2006/2007, your Grace.