*Official* Third Test at Old Trafford

[Bushranger]

1. You are exaggerating this by far. Granted England were going a bit too slow but then again realistically they'd go nowhere by rushing their overs so it was expected to be honest. The bad light delay was outrageous but in retrospect with the rain appearing just half an hour afterwards play woul have been abandoned after another 5 overs max so at most Australia would have declared and Lyon would have bowled one or two 2 overs. It was already highlighted before the start of play yesterday that rain could spoil it for the Aussies, that's what happened (along with their own weird dismissals). What happened, man, was that your captain Clarke declared too early in the first innings instead of pursuing another 70 runs (which could really have come quick - both Haddin and Starc were looking sharp) which would have added extra pressure on England.

2. There may be fans who lionize England like they are great, and at times I may be guilty of this too. Yet I don't think this England team is at its peak, for they are yet to find the form they donned from 2011 or so. But you've got to admit England has still been pretty damn impressive, beating India in India (which any other top team finds difficult) and drawing a tough series in NZ (especially the last match which was a classic cliffhanger finish). So yes England are flawed but still strong. One can just as much say that you're elevating Aussie ability (with the "we don't have Pattinson" and "our bowling is so cool bro" ****), ironically.

3. You lost by 14 runs in TB just because your team was stupid enough to use **** reviews for clear not outs, thus wasting them which proved to be costly. Your batting also suffered an important mini-collapse on day four (You were 126-3 and ended the day 176-6, which gave England a great chance because otherwise the match would have slipped from their hands most likely). Yes you did show resilience with Agar, Haddin and Pattinson but England did the same with Bell/Broad and had Anderson deliver just when they needed him to.

About the so-called "unfair" decisions, Broad's was a howler but then you guys are responsible for him staying on in a major way, and one can argue that in this test match Smith (who added another 70 runs mate) was plumb out at 20 somethings, and there were dubious decisions re Pietersen and Warner's not out, PLUS the fact you won a good toss and got to bat day 1 on a totally flat pitch.

Tell me even though the Aussies were shafted forget about some decisions made by the Captain Im talking 2 major decisions made by the Umpires that affected the first game result. But did Any of the Australian player whine or say anything NO. And what Im saying is my main point is England have had 75% of crap decisions go there way plus Bad Light plus Rain now plus some how England all of a sudden for as far back as I can remember it being a Pacemans heaven all of a sudden has pitches that are more like India.

Plus the Aussies have the worst ever Batting lineup of All Time and we in parts are outplaying you. Plus I feel some forget that majority of our strike Bowlers are under 23 years of age. And Agar is 19.
Waiting for next Ashes series I can tell you especially Perth I hope its a bloody Afgahnistan Airport Minefield. Hahahaha. But England are a great side Im not denying that and Bell has been well there best.

 

[hendrix]

I'd really like to meet the parents who named Mr Poor Umpiring, Unsportsmanlike Tactics, Rain, and Drawn Match

 

[benchmark00]

Tell me even though the Aussies were shafted forget about some decisions made by the Captain Im talking 2 major decisions made by the Umpires that affected the first game result. But did Any of the Australian player whine or say anything NO. And what Im saying is my main point is England have had 75% of crap decisions go there way plus Bad Light plus Rain now plus some how England all of a sudden for as far back as I can remember it being a Pacemans heaven all of a sudden has pitches that are more like India.

Plus the Aussies have the worst ever Batting lineup of All Time and we in parts are outplaying you. Plus I feel some forget that majority of our strike Bowlers are under 23 years of age. And Agar is 19.
Waiting for next Ashes series I can tell you especially Perth I hope its a bloody Afgahnistan Airport Minefield. Hahahaha. But England are a great side Im not denying that and Bell has been well there best.

Won't get any respect on here with stuff like that.












I'm talking about your avatar.

 

[Jono]

Why does Afghanistan airports have mines? I can understand if he hoped the pitch was like an Afghanistan minefield. But the airport? That'd be the flattest part of Afghanistan.

 

[Burgey]

I've found timing declarations one if the trickier parts of captaincy tbh, but it's made easier if it's a must win situation, rather than sitting on a first innings result in your favour being enough to get you the points or a win. None of it really compares with managing it all over five days though, in terms of bowler fatigue and the like.

 

[andyc]

Also take into account we lost by 14 runs in the first test and take Broads extra 25 runs he made from Poor Umpiring then Haddin with 14 runs to get be given out without even nicking it behind and nothing on Hotspot yet he was given we would be 1-1 now outplaying them only for Unsportsmanlike Tactics by England and the Rain and without our best bowler in Pattinson. I dont think there as good as they think they are.

... Don't fool yourself, Haddin hit that ball. No doubt at all.

 

[Prince EWS]

... Don't fool yourself, Haddin hit that ball. No doubt at all.

Haddin even admitted it.

 

[Spark]

Will it Rain Today? | Rain radar for the UK | Going to rain? | MeteoGroup

Yeah this one is done

 

[GIMH]

Will we be starting the match 30 minutes early today if its not raining/too dark?

Wouldn't have thought so. Extra time is always used in he evening here. And that's when the weather will be better apparently.

I'm about 45 miles from OT and its pissing down ftr.

 

[aussie tragic]

Manchester Hourly Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for Manchester United Kingdom

This site indicates it will be raining until after lunch, then clearing....so a possible 60-70 overs to get 10 wickets

 

[Hurricane]

Account hacked. But this is the probably the most entertaining post made from my account ever Damn, this is awesome! Raises my profile on CW at least No such thing as bad publicity......

Did you leave your computer unattended?

 

[Riggins]

it's seriously windy here, wouldn't be surprised if it started raining.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Account hacked. But this is the probably the most entertaining post made from my account ever Damn, this is awesome! Raises my profile on CW at least No such thing as bad publicity......

Your account was hacked by somebody angry and knowledgeable about cricket and not peddling links to pharmaceutical products? What are the chances!

Also it's absolutely rodding down here in south Wales which is where the weather is coming from. I doubt a ball will be bowled.

 

[Malleeboy]

Ok so we have gone from the batting side having the call on safe conditions in regards to light to effectively the fielding side having the call.

Once you request, "Would you bring spinners on", you have ceded the call on whether play goes on to the fielding captain.
Yes if he wants to keep going, no I'll keep my quicks on if the doesn't.
The old rule worked on the batsman being most at danger, having the call.

Here is an idea, why not give the batting side the option of a white ball, once it gets murky and the lights are on.
Sure it will probably swing more for bowling side, but I reckon Clarke would have taken the gamble and thrown the bat.

 

[King Pietersen]

Watching this "England's best days" programme on Sky, with the game at the MCG in 2010/11, and my god, this batting from Australia has been atrocious. Didn't watch much of this series, so it's nice to see it. Excellent bowling from England, but some really, really bad batting. I like this bowling attack from England too. Jimmeh, Timmeh and Tremmeh.

Also, the weather looks awful. Be surprised if we get much play at all. If Clarke hasn't declared overnight, he's a moron.

 

[Uppercut]

I'm not sure if it really does, I'm just curious as to how many people will criticise someone without any real frame of reference for the situation. I understand that very few of us will ever have any sort of real experience at that level, but it's still not unreasonable to expect people to have some sort of similar knowledge base. I personally think he played it right, and to m00pheh's point, blind aggression without a base to be aggressive from is basically suicide. Especially when the pressure on your decision isn't just your own but the weight of 10-20 of your peers and 20 million others. But I'm not sure whether my view of it comes from having several years of captaincy experience at as high a level as my meager talent will allow, or whether it says more about my personality. That is why I asked the question.

Yeah, I mean, I don't particularly expect to be right or anything. I'm just calling it as I see it. I don't think he needs to be unreasonably aggressive for the sake of it, but I do think he should take the weather forecast into account to some extent, and I think he oversimplified the decision by pretending that he was going to get 4 sessions in after tea when that was clearly very unlikely.

Given what you say about needing a solid base of runs to allow you to be aggressive, do you normally disagree with Clarke's early declarations?

 

[Furball]

Will we be starting the match 30 minutes early today if its not raining/too dark?

That would be the sensible thing to do so of course it won't happen.

Having seen the weather forecast I'll be amazed if there's any play at all.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

May as well do the presentations now and move up to Durham.

 

[Stapel]

That would be the sensible thing to do so of course it won't happen.

Having seen the weather forecast I'll be amazed if there's any play at all.

What service does provide the most reliable forecast? If there won't be any play, I actually do have other things to do......

 

[Furball]

What service does provide the most reliable forecast? If there won't be any play, I actually do have other things to do......

No idea, but the BBC forecast showed pretty much the entire west of England as being under a rain cloud.