*Official* Fourth Test at Headingley

[Nate]

Holding's commentary has been so bad today.

 

[Burgey]

Clarke in "struggling to survive late in day" shocker.

 

[Burgey]

Glove, imo. That's out.

Think you're right, but tbf to Rauf, it's hit right on top of wristband of the glove,not on the padded part. Could understand why he might have thought it wasn't out.

 

[social]

Think you're right, but tbf to Rauf, it's hit right on top of wristband of the glove,not on the padded part. Could understand why he might have thought it wasn't out.

I would've given it in realtime but easy enough to understand how the ump missed it

 

[Jamee999]

Yeah, agreed.

EDIT: North rockets onto 7.

 

[The Sean]

Strangely, I thought it looked more clearcut out in real time than it did on the replays. Was out, but can see why benefit of doubt given.

And that's a day. I'll call that for us.

 

[Dissector]

Was out of the house and just got back and checked Cricinfo. Hilarious stuff from England and given the reputation of the Oval as a batting paradise they may well have lost the Ashes in one day. Surely one of the most spectacular meltdowns on the opening day of a big test match.

 

[Burgey]

Wow, great day for Australia, couldn't have been better.

Even being 4 down is ok imo, given it means the game is well advanced just in case of weather.

Some great bowling from our guys who bowled far better areas than England for the first time since Cardiff, or indeed the whole series. But for me the highlight was Ponting's knock. Just the epitome of what you want your dominant number three to come out and do in that situation.

If we can get another 100+ ahead, we ought to win it.

 

[social]

Oz are 90 odd ahead at the close and the wicket still has a lot in it

Unless the wicket flattens out dramatically sometime tomorrow, Oz would have to have a shocker and Eng a blinder for the series not to go the Oval all square

 

[Burgey]

I would've given it in realtime but easy enough to understand how the ump missed it

Yeah same. Night all. Will sleep the sleep of teh righteous tonight .

 

[Dissector]

In fact there is a half-decent chance the match could be over tomorrow. Say Australia scores another 100 runs in a session and England is all out in 50 overs for 150. When was the last time a test match was over in two days?

 

[superkingdave]

My tickets for day 4 looking decidedly dodgy at least i will get my money back unlike those who have day 5 tickets.

Jonathan Trott is about 30 odd not out for Warks overnight, whats the betting he will score more than the whole of the England first innings?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Fair play to the Oz bowlers, we batted gash but they were consistently in the right areas.

Minor whinge re Onions's & Clarke's dismissal/non-dismissal, can't see how you'd give one that was iffy at best and not the other which just looked out, but meh. The rank selection came home to roost.

 

[Jamee999]

Do people really think that Jonathan Trott would have taken us to a reasonable total today?

 

[aussie]

Haha, it took AUS 18 months of avoiding picking 4-seamers & immediately when the play - BANGGG. Just hope they stick with it for good now.

But it seems like the stupid bug left the AUS selectors & went straight over to ENG. Foolish balance, even if Trott or no other ENG batsman in the country offers much confidence. Surely picking Broad bat @ 7 is nonsense. 3 seamers & Swann should have been playing along with 6 bats.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Do people really think that Jonathan Trott would have taken us to a reasonable total today?

Not necessarily, but going into a crunch test with only 5 specialist bats, two of whom are Bopara and Bell, is a heck of a Hail Mary to throw when 1-0 ahead in a series. If there's a chance Fred might be fit for The Oval decider I reckon the conservative route was the one to take. We did it in 2005 with Colly for Jonah.

Broad has bowled well today, admittedly, but I'd have still gone in with Trott ahead of him.

 

[Mr_Cricket]

Took the Aus selectors long enough to bring Stuart Clark into the squad. It's a great day to be a Australian cricket fan.

 

[sledger]

wow, great day for australia, couldn't have been better.

Even being 4 down is ok imo, given it means the game is well advanced just in case of weather.

Some great bowling from our guys who bowled far better areas than england for the first time since cardiff, or indeed the whole series. But for me the highlight was ponting's knock. Just the epitome of what you want your dominant number three to come out and do in that situation.

If we can get another 100+ ahead, we ought to win it.

1-0

 

[Jakester1288]

I'm so disappointed in myself for falling asleep last night. My laptop was getting really hot, so I turned it off and started watching a movie. Then I fell asleep from there, and jumped up when I woke, and saw that I'd missed from lunch onwards.

I'm still really proud of the team, we didn't let the tail wag, got them cheap, and have a big lead on day 1. If we don't win it from here (weather permitting), we don't deserve to win the Ashes.

Gun bowling Siddle, Clark and Hilfenhaus, plus Watto, Punter have done well with the bat. Hope Pup can turn this into another ton.

 

[Jakester1288]

1 Hughes
2 Jaques
3 Katich
4 Watson

Khawaja could partner Jaques, but I think he's better in the middle order. I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting someone, but I don't think Watson will be playing a lot of cricket for Australia once Hughes comes back into his test side, which shouldn't be long.

Took the Aus selectors long enough to bring Stuart Clark into the squad. It's a great day to be a Australian cricket fan.

Agreed! I've been calling for his selection since before the series, and every game after.