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*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

King Pietersen

International Captain
EDIT: To go on, in the last two Ashes Series, England's tail has started at seven because of poor quality wicket-keepers. He has brought a stability to their lower-order that was much needed.
Still starts at 7 tbf. Prior bat's 6. Flintoff's batted like a tail ender since 2005.

Ouch, Fred didn't play that one well. Looked to hit him on the helmet/shoulder. Got himself in an awful position.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
:huh: From an Australian point-of-view, he's been the wicket I've wanted most after Strauss. Quality batsman who needs to concentrate a bit more imo.

EDIT: To go on, in the last two Ashes Series, England's tail has started at seven because of poor quality wicket-keepers. He has brought a stability to their lower-order that was much needed.
As an Australian, I can't blame you. It was a crucial wicket.

EDIT - Turns out prior has improved leaps and bounds since 2007. Fair play to him if he has but he was truly dire in 1997 when I saw him seriously last.
 
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Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Personally I think England are still ahead, solely because they won the toss and the ball is already going through the surface, it's a very dry pitch and will only get worse given the weather seems set to be good for the duration. The differential between first and last innings averages scores on this pitch is large - I think something like 348 vs 140odd according to TMS. In the recent past the pitch has been good but without this level of dryness, so it deteriorates but the par score is still relatively high.

Australia basically need to get a significant first innings lead to wipe out England's advantage. This is obviously the crucial part of the game.
 

pup11

International Coach
Pratters said:
Prior is a dire keeper though. How many worse keepers than him have kept for England since Stewart Jamee?
Tbf to Prior, he has shown massive improvement in his glove-work since his comeback into the test side, and as it has already been mentioned, he is probably good enough to break into the current English side on the back of his batting alone.

EDIT: Beaten
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Tbf to Prior, he has shown massive improvement in his glove-work since his comeback into the test side, and as it has already been mentioned, he is probably good enough to break into the current English side on the back of his batting alone.

EDIT: Beaten
See my edited post. I am not talking about his batting for your information, I am talking about his keeping.
 
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tooextracool

International Coach
Yeah yeah I know. Fair enough pessimism from English fans, but as a neutral, I still think 330 isn't actually that bad.
This is the biggest problem with England though, they just never put a team away. Every time they are given a golden opportunity to do so (today with the toss and the Australian bowling) they somehow conspire to throw it all away and bring the opposition back in the game. Yes technically even if they get all out for 241 and if Swann steps up they will still be very much in the game but you know that if Australia were in the same position they would have easily got 400+
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
This is the biggest problem with England though, they just never put a team away. Every time they are given a golden opportunity to do so (today with the toss and the Australian bowling) they somehow conspire to throw it all away and bring the opposition back in the game. Yes technically even if they get all out for 241 and if Swann steps up they will still be very much in the game but you know that if Australia were in the same position they would have easily got 400+
Yeah fully agree.
 

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