4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester

[SillyCowCorner1]

Another fifty for Smith

 

[Burgey]

How good is Ponting on comms btw? As a UK-viewer he’s been a massive breath of fresh air.

Yeah he’s superb. Really hoping he doesn’t get that complacency and laziness which so many who start off well develop over a few years

Another fifty for Smith. My goodness, what a player. What a series

 

[Spark]

I think these are "oh god please stop" boos now

 

[aussie tragic]

Considering this is only Smiths 5th innings of the series, he is about to pass some ATGs for most runs ever in a series:

19. Steve Smith - 639*

18. Neil Harvey - 650
17. Neil Harvey - 660
16. Victor Trumper - 661
15. Bill Lawry - 667
14. Don Bradman - 680
13. Steve Smith - 687
12. Arthur Morris - 696
11. Doug Walters - 699

 

[Compton]

I’m surprised Smith even raises his bat for 50. For him that’s basically just “getting in”.

 

[StephenZA]

And the run machine marches on...

 

[trundler]

Just off 62 this time.

 

[Compton]

If Smith ducked that Archer bouncer, would he have made 1,000 runs this series?

 

[vcs]

To be fair, England are going to lose if they try to chase whatever they are set. Headingley was do or die, this isn't quite that. Maybe they've resigned themselves to a stonewalling day out tomorrow and then fight at the Oval.

They've no other option really. It's going to be much harder on this deck compared to Headingley, and it required the innings of a lifetime to make that happen.

They need to hope for a lot of good luck against the new ball and a couple of Aussie bowlers having a bad day (especially Cummins, his threat at first change makes their attack so potent).

 

[Compton]

If Smith ducked that Archer bouncer, would he have made 1,000 runs this series?

Now that I’ve said this, I’m not convinced he won’t still make 1,000 runs this series

 

[Burgey]

To be fair, England are going to lose if they try to chase whatever they are set. Headingley was do or die, this isn't quite that. Maybe they've resigned themselves to a stonewalling day out tomorrow and then fight at the Oval.

Fair point this.

 

[Spark]

To be fair, England are going to lose if they try to chase whatever they are set. Headingley was do or die, this isn't quite that. Maybe they've resigned themselves to a stonewalling day out tomorrow and then fight at the Oval.

That's probably fair enough, although I'd say these tactics still don't help in that regard because of how easy it is to get singles.

 

[Groundking]

To be fair, England are going to lose if they try to chase whatever they are set. Headingley was do or die, this isn't quite that. Maybe they've resigned themselves to a stonewalling day out tomorrow and then fight at the Oval.

It still is do or die, all test its been like this and other than maybe a couple of sessions we've been ****ing **** all test.

 

[Maximas]

To be fair, England are going to lose if they try to chase whatever they are set. Headingley was do or die, this isn't quite that. Maybe they've resigned themselves to a stonewalling day out tomorrow and then fight at the Oval.

Depends what Australia set, I'd be interested to see them perhaps look at setting 370 with about 100 overs to get them, if the ghost of Headingley wasn't so close behind this might happen but I'd say Aus will look to bat England out of the game tonight and hope to run through them on day 5 like in the first test

 

[Spark]

hahaha the sneaky pre-review

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Forearm

 

[Burgey]

Not out clearly

 

[Burgey]

hahaha the sneaky pre-review

It surprises me more blokes don’t do this

 

[quincywagstaff]

I think England called that just to waste some time.

 

[Compton]

Wade’s pre-review convinced me that he had hit it. He just seems like the sort of prick to do that.