***Official*** 1st Test at Brisbane

[morgieb]

When it came off it was glorious though. **** hit the ball harder than almost anyone I've seen, was genuinely dangerous to be a close fielder when he teed off.

Willing to say Johnson might've been Australia's greatest athlete to ever play cricket, and very very close wrt Australian sport in general.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Yep Root has a lot to answer for after lunch. England fought to get an edge, twice and have just tamely given it away.

Fully expect to wake up later and see Australia still haven't been dismissed.

One thing for someone like Smith to play really well to put a team on top, another when your own team just ****s things up with an utterly moronic hour two days running.

 

[adub]

And agree on Cummins making a real strong case to bat 8. Playing as a batsman. Picking the right balls to leave, playing good cricket shots to those he plays. Nothing at all in his technique or temperament to indicate he hasn't got a ton or two and 25+ average in him.

 

[morgieb]

Cummins throwing LMS into disarray. WAG.

Luckily I assumed before the start of play that the Smith/Marsh partnership was gonna be a big one. Got the answer right for the wrong reason.

Second question trickier...just need to hope Broad knocks off the tail. Or Moeen.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Haha, Mark Taylor saying this isn’t a bad pitch by any means; apparently there’s never a bad Test pitch in Australia according to the Channel 9 comms.

This pitch imo has been a serious disappointment so far; bland from pretty much ball 1 with even on the opening morning very little on offer for pace.

 

[morgieb]

Haha, Mark Taylor saying this isn’t a bad pitch by any means; apparently there’s never a bad Test pitch in Australia according to the Channel 9 comms.

This pitch imo has been a serious disappointment so far; bland from pretty much ball 1 with even on the opening morning very little on offer for pace.

Unless Australia are losing.

 

[Spark]

Haha, Mark Taylor saying this isn’t a bad pitch by any means; apparently there’s never a bad Test pitch in Australia according to the Channel 9 comms.

This pitch imo has been a serious disappointment so far; bland from pretty much ball 1 with even on the opening morning very little on offer for pace.

Yeah the players themselves have made this a good match despite the pitch, not because of it.

 

[Burgey]

When it came off it was glorious though. **** hit the ball harder than almost anyone I've seen, was genuinely dangerous to be a close fielder when he teed off.

Would love to see Johnson hit a golf ball.

 

[Cow]

Would love to see Johnson hit a golf ball.

each to their own.

 

[Gnske]

I'd be curious to see why Root has gone with the tactics he has against Smith. It seems like there hasn't been really a plan to get him out so much as stymie his runs and hope he does something stupid. It's half-worked.

 

[Spark]

I'd be curious to see why Root has gone with the tactics he has against Smith. It seems like there hasn't been really a plan to get him out so much as stymie his runs and hope he does something stupid. It's half-worked.

Eh, they did try the legside thing, then banging it in at him, then bowling it full and wide (which is the traditional tactic against him). They've tried a lot, Smith just hasn't bitten.

If you don't want to get out on this pitch, there isn't much the bowlers can do.

 

[Gnske]

Eh, they did try the legside thing, then banging it in at him, then bowling it full and wide (which is the traditional tactic against him). They've tried a lot, Smith just hasn't bitten.

If you don't want to get out on this pitch, there isn't much the bowlers can do.

This might sound partisan, but the bowling has probably been too good. The wider stuff has looked a bit too wide for Smith too bother or too close for him to cut. A few more temptation balls on a fuller driveable length might have been in order.

That length from Woakes right there.

 

[Spark]

A scarcely deserved wicket all around.

 

[adub]

Good knock Cummo

 

[Spark]

Hazlewood at 10 lmao.

 

[morgieb]

2.4 runs per over has to be Australia's lowest RPO rate in living memory.

 

[Cow]

Very good knock from Cummins. His batting seems to be the strongest part of his game.

Eng need to be careful not to allow Smith to go wild for the last couple of wickets.

 

[stephen]

Great knock from Cummins considering the match circumstances. It's put Australia in with a fighting chance of victory.

 

[adub]

Yeah bit harsh on Lyno, but both can keep it out. Smith will open up a bit (like that cut), but he won't be worrying about farming the strike too much with Haze in.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah bit harsh on Lyno, but both can keep it out. Smith will open up a bit (like that cut), but he won't be worrying about farming the strike too much with Haze in.

Hasn't Lyon basically been a rabbit in recent times?