*Official* Third Test at the WACA

[Flyonthewall]

Neither did England day one Adelaide or day one here. Especially the latter.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I pretty much agree with that. Maybe not so much with Adelaide, where Jimmeh was outstanding IMO, but certainly here I don't think we bowled as well as 268 all out suggested.

It's just slightly frustrating as an England fan, really, because I don't think we fought as hard as we could have done this evening. Still, I'd have taken 1-1 after three, I suppose. Melbourne should be a cracker.

 

[Pizzorno]

Some just don't understand the pressures of Test cricket.

Test cricket isn't just a test of who can swing the ball the furthest. It is also a test of who has the mental capability to stand up in a high pressure environment. This last session was a high pressure environment, the Australian bowlers placed the ball in the right areas to expose cricketers unsure of the situation, and the English batsman cracked.

Kevin Pieterson may have been dismissed from an innocuous deliveries outside off-stump. The delivery that dismissed him doesn't matter. It's the fact that the game was in a tight situation after the loss of a couple wickets, and the naturally aggressive Pieterson was looking for bat on ball after only scoring 3 from 22 deliveries.

I agree with this so so much. It's why I refused to write the crims off after Adelaide. Australia are just mentally tougher than us. I can pretty much guarantee that if roles were reversed tonight Australia would have finished about 120/1 or something like that. As soon as Cook went England went into their shell and admitted defeat. Shocking.

 

[vicleggie]

Some just don't understand the pressures of Test cricket.

Test cricket isn't just a test of who can swing the ball the furthest. It is also a test of who has the mental capability to stand up in a high pressure environment. This last session was a high pressure environment, the Australian bowlers placed the ball in the right areas to expose cricketers unsure of the situation, and the English batsman cracked.

Kevin Pieterson may have been dismissed from an innocuous deliveries outside off-stump. The delivery that dismissed him doesn't matter. It's the fact that the game was in a tight situation after the loss of a couple wickets, and the naturally aggressive Pieterson was looking for bat on ball after only scoring 3 from 22 deliveries.

exactly. anyone who thinks a batsman plays the same when its day 1 , vs chasing 400 2 down in a nasty session in the 4th innings, hasnt played cricket.

it was great tight bowling by australia tonight, and england succumbed. i wouldnt say they were horrible at all.
but they werent brilliant.

thats the danger of playing aussies at home, when theyre in that nasty form. you have to be utterly brilliant and show grit- ie duminy, laxman04 to even get close to beating them.

 

[Spark]

Anderson needs to be slapped if on review there was a single on offer second last ball of the day.

 

[TumTum]

Didn't watch the ending, but just realized they didn't take a single off the 2nd last ball. WTF?

 

[JBH001]

Well, although not English, I thought Australia bowled well in that session. Even Hilfenhaus bowled "decent" towards the back end of his spell, although, as I said, I saw him as mostly ineffective (KP gave away his wicket in one of the most limp ways imaginable). But the standouts were clearly Johnson and Harris. Siddle was alright too but I don't think he was all that threatening either, tbh.

If you were an England fan the only one you'd really gripe about, imo, was the KP dismissal (and maybe Colly's).

 

[morgieb]

Awesome, awesome day.

Game on, ****s.

 

[Burgey]

The thing about a couple of the dismissals in this match, Pietersen today in particular, is that because Johnson was shaping the odd ball back in, all of a sudden the batsmen are playing at balls they otherwise wouldn't and edge them.

The ball isn't bowled in a vacuum.

 

[vicleggie]

poms, dont feel too bad, atleast you dont have this guy in your team:

Jaidev Unadkat | India Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

vegetarian fast bowler. pfft
india bring him to sth africa and expect to hold on to the number one ranking? bahahah

this is fastbowlings equivalent of Xman doherty

 

[MW1304]

Oh and I don't think anyone has taken anything away from Johnno's performance on day 2, that was incredibly good bowling that came out of nowhere. Its entirely based on the 2nd innings performance for me, where Australia's bowlers were good yes, but not so good that we should be any more than 2 down.

Also, I think it'll be a really good series from here on in. Probably going to finish 2-1 to someone again. Not sure our bouncebackability remains tbh after today + yesterday's horrorshow.

 

[GIMH]

The thing about a couple of the dismissals in this match, Pietersen today in particular, is that because Johnson was shaping the odd ball back in, all of a sudden the batsmen are playing at balls they otherwise wouldn't and edge them.

The ball isn't bowled in a vacuum.

Haha, true that, indeed

Will get up at 2.30 tomorrow, might as well, **** it.

At least India are getting hammered, keep GI Joe and Shri from coming in and running their mouths

 

[Spikey]

Anderson needs to be slapped if on review there was a single on offer second last ball of the day.

i didn't think there was a single in it but if someone can get me a replay of it....

 

[GIMH]

We've never lost back to back tests under Strauss. Don't think we'll lose in Melbourne.

 

[JBH001]

The thing about a couple of the dismissals in this match, Pietersen today in particular, is that because Johnson was shaping the odd ball back in, all of a sudden the batsmen are playing at balls they otherwise wouldn't and edge them.

The ball isn't bowled in a vacuum.

Er, Johnson didn't get Pietersen, Burge.

 

[Spark]

Some just don't understand the pressures of Test cricket.

Test cricket isn't just a test of who can swing the ball the furthest. It is also a test of who has the mental capability to stand up in a high pressure environment. This last session was a high pressure environment, the Australian bowlers placed the ball in the right areas to expose cricketers unsure of the situation, and the English batsman cracked.

Kevin Pieterson may have been dismissed from an innocuous deliveries outside off-stump. The delivery that dismissed him doesn't matter. It's the fact that the game was in a tight situation after the loss of a couple wickets, and the naturally aggressive Pieterson was looking for bat on ball after only scoring 3 from 22 deliveries.

Top post. Agree so much.

 

[vicleggie]

In the first innings it was undoubtedly awesome (unplayable) bowling by Johnson, so the batsmen can't really be at fault there. I admit though some of the batting so far in your second innings was lousy. Pietersen being the obvious example - worst shot of the series tied with Clarke's I think. Collingwood was a bit lazy at the end as well. But Cook, Trott and Strauss all got pretty good deliveries.

Which one?

 

[andyc]

Didn't watch the ending, but just realized they didn't take a single off the 2nd last ball. WTF?

Thoughts on Smith more than trebling Hughes' contributions?

In all seriousness though, am very, very annoyed that I have to work tomorrow. Would've loved to see Australia wrap this up tomorrow morning.

Also, I said it yesterday and I'll say it again today; kudos to the selectors for going with four pace bowlers. They copped a lot of stick for it, but it's clearly come out well (so far), so well done. Let's hope these good decisions continue!

 

[JBH001]

Kevin Pieterson may have been dismissed from an innocuous deliveries outside off-stump. The delivery that dismissed him doesn't matter. It's the fact that the game was in a tight situation after the loss of a couple wickets, and the naturally aggressive Pieterson was looking for bat on ball after only scoring 3 from 22 deliveries.

Don't buy that, tbh. I think KP more likely just lost concentration after farting about for a new bat. All this crap about "pressure" bowling from Hilfenhaus.

Anyway, I cbf talking about it anymore.

 

[Noble One]

All this talk, but Australia still have 5 wickets to take including the in-form Bell. England can make Australia toil tommorrow if they can apply themselves like Hussey (and Bell in the first innings).

 

[Ruckus]

Anderson needs to be slapped if on review there was a single on offer second last ball of the day.

haha you have to admit though if there was a single it must have been somewhat tight. And 9.9 times out of 10 you wouldn't risk being run-out over facing one more ball for the day. Collingwood unlucky there (in a condoling sense), just like Clarke was against Pietersen.