*Official* Fourth Test at Chester-le-Street

[Howe_zat]

That's just rude.

 

[Swingpanzee]

Btw I love Harris' celebration after dismissing Root.

 

[BeeGee]

This Harris bloke is **** hot. Pity he didn't play in the first test.

 

[Furball]

You know, it's been years since I've heard a commentator say that 3rd innings runs count double.

Did a memo go out to all of them telling them it wasn't true?

Tony Grieg's dead.

 

[Philhughesisbes]

Ian Bell is living proof that some batsmen take quite sometime to mature and come into their own.Hope Australian selectors take note.He was spotted as a guy with immense talent , struggled early on in his career, and has now reward the selectors for their patience.Ricky Ponting a simliar example.I'm not saying that Aussies should stick with every poor performing batsman on the basis of potential, but surely there is a young batter in this squad that fits the bill.

 

[Riggins]

gonna be all over trying to late cut the **** out of everything this summer.

 

[Furball]

Ian Bell is living proof that some batsmen take quite sometime to mature and come into their own.Hope Australian selectors take note.He was spotted as a guy with immense talent , struggled early on in his career, and has now reward the selectors for their patience.Ricky Ponting a simliar example.I'm not saying that Aussies should stick with every poor performing batsman on the basis of potential, but surely there is a young batter in this squad that fits the bill.

Other than his maiden Ashes series Bell didn't struggle much early on. His average has been over 40 for almost all his career.

 

[91Jmay]

Ian Bell is living proof that some batsmen take quite sometime to mature and come into their own.Hope Australian selectors take note.He was spotted as a guy with immense talent , struggled early on in his career, and has now reward the selectors for their patience.Ricky Ponting a simliar example.I'm not saying that Aussies should stick with every poor performing batsman on the basis of potential, but surely there is a young batter in this squad that fits the bill.

Valid point this is actually. Not sure any of the Aussie batters have quite the raw ability Bell had but Smith/Hughes shouldn't be totally forgotten if they don't score big next Ashes.

 

[Swingpanzee]

Really, with the way things are going will 250 be enough? Looks good enough for batting.

 

[Philhughesisbes]

Yeah they've not bowled badly at all - Lyon in particular was good, but end of the day batting last when we know there will be cloud at some point is a dangerous thing and they need wickets.

Spot on, the best they could have done today was build preessure bowl to specific plans and hope for the best.Surely it was difficult blasting batsmen out today compared to yesterday.

 

[Riggins]

Ian Bell is living proof that some batsmen take quite sometime to mature and come into their own.Hope Australian selectors take note.He was spotted as a guy with immense talent , struggled early on in his career, and has now reward the selectors for their patience.Ricky Ponting a simliar example.I'm not saying that Aussies should stick with every poor performing batsman on the basis of potential, but surely there is a young batter in this squad that fits the bill.

ponting not a great example imo, but agree with the sentiment, hopefully some of our blokes can develop in the fashion bell has. from my limited view bell seems to have been treated a whole lot better by the selectors than the majority of young aussie bats the last few years or so, and hopefully that doesn't hurt us in the longer run.

 

[Howe_zat]

Batting suddenly looks straightforward, doesn't it?

 

[91Jmay]

Glorious innings this from Bell. Barely a false shot and some wonderful ones.

 

[Riggins]

these two are batting well, for sure.

 

[GIMH]

Batting suddenly looks straightforward, doesn't it?

Yeah I'm thinking we need to set 300

 

[Howe_zat]

Yeah I'm thinking we need to set 300

I dunno. Partnerships can do that, and we've seen it before in this match between new balls. I think if we set 260-280 we'd get two new balls and so we'd be favourites.

~

Holy **** they're using a third man. Not fair.

 

[superkingdave]

Must irk Warne having to commentate on Australia not being able to get Bell out when all he had to do was rumble in and bowl a straight one.

 

[Riggins]

it's one of things, where if a couple of guys get set (esp. if one is clarke) nothing will really look safe, but at the same time a couple of early wickets and you think anything over 100 will be defendable. really good cricket.

 

[Riggins]

Must irk Warne having to commentate on Australia not being able to get Bell out when all he had to do was run in and bowl a straight one.

was just thinking that, how disingenuous it sounds for warne to say "he looks like a really hard guy to bowl to at the moment" when you know that warne would back himself to walk up and get him in 20 balls.

 

[Philhughesisbes]

Valid point this is actually. Not sure any of the Aussie batters have quite the raw ability Bell had but Smith/Hughes shouldn't be totally forgotten if they don't score big next Ashes.

I remember watching bell bat and thought this guy has an awesome technique but he is totally out of it,no confidence and no presence at the crease.I believe the selectors backing of him must have helped boost his confidence.He looks a totally different player now.Some people will say he was up against Warne but he didn't only play Australia.I think Hughes in particular before he was first dropped had pressence, temperament and confidence at the crease,maybe not such a great technique.But too me confidence is the key.I remember saying after Hughes was reselected he didn't quite seem like the same confident batter, can that confidence come back,well not right away,but if it will come back he"ll need the backing of selectors and the same goes to the other young batters.Its just that I'm not convince the Australian selectors know what they want or what they"re about, its like they hit the panic button everytime things don't quite go right.