*Official* Third Test (Headingley, Leeds) 6–10 July

[Kraken]

Good to see you can catch ‘em when they don’t hit ‘em YJB

 

[Spark]

He’s deadset got nothing to lose here. He’s an injury replacement having about his third or fourth crack at it, the conditions are tough so he isn’t really expected to excel in them and he’s been in very good fc batting form for about 12 months or so. He just looks like he’s enjoying it instead of being scared of it

Yeah and it's the difference between a seasoned 31yo pro who has been dropped and recalled multiple times and has won LO tournaments around the world and a young tyro who clearly still doesn't quite believe he belongs at Test level. The difference in mental clarity is far more obvious than the difference in talent.

 

[Son Of Coco]

He hit it I think.

 

[social]

Why is green aus first choice all rounder in english conditions, when it's clear to anyone with eyes Mitch has a confident batting technique, in recent ODI matches, he has been a match winner.

a. He’s not as good

b. He rarely plays red ball cricket

Thought that was out

 

[Spark]

For all that though the bloke still doesn't really have a front foot defence.

 

[Burgey]

Play great cricket get on top and then either bat like a moron or drop catches/miss stumping/wicket off a no ball.

But they’ve really only been properly on top of the game at 1/180 odd at Lords and even then they were chasing 400, and here this morning. There’s been moments when the game has been even or thereabouts and they’ve had a chance to take it away, but they haven’t regularly been like 2/250 all out 290 or something have they?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Oooh, no he didn't.

 

[Spark]

But they’ve really only been properly on top of the game at 1/180 odd at Lords and even then they were chasing 400, and here this morning. There’s been moments when the game has been even or thereabouts and they’ve had a chance to take it away, but they haven’t regularly been like 2/250 all out 290 or something have they?

Having Aus 8 down at Edgbaston with 50-odd to get definitely counts as on top of the game

 

[thierry henry]

Yeah I saw him live once and he was bombing straight sixes with what looked like timed pushes that were flying over the long boundary (this was at Manuka) having gone maybe 10m off the ground max. He hits them scary hard. Even Warner who got a run a ball hundred that day didn't hit them anywhere near as hard.

It’s coming up 7 years ago but this game still sticks in my memory as permanently traumatising me about Matt Henry ever bowling at the death

 

[Burgey]

For all that though the bloke still doesn't really have a front foot defence.

Lol indeed.

Was thinking earlier, if Aus lost a middle order batsman would they realistically play Inglis as a batsman over Harris or would it be Harris in no matter what?

 

[Uppercut]

Was Woakes fit for the first two tests? Should surely just be an automatic pick at home. They so badly need the batting as well.

 

[Burgey]

Having Aus 8 down at Edgbaston with 50-odd to get definitely counts as on top of the game

Lol of course! How the **** did I forget that? Mind you I don’t think they dropped any catches in that partnership did they?

 

[morgieb]

Having Aus 8 down at Edgbaston with 50-odd to get definitely counts as on top of the game

Yeah, England really should've won at Edgbaston though it was a close contest all game.

Lord's they were lucky to get so close in contrast, but really one weird session cost them the game. At 1/180 and Australia being a bowler down they should've batted us out of the game.

Definitely haven't taken their opportunities anywhere near as well as they did last year.

 

[Spark]

It’s coming up 7 years ago but this game still sticks in my memory as permanently traumatising me about Matt Henry ever bowling at the death

My main memory is this kid behind me couldn't stop taking cracks at MMarsh early in his innings. Begrudgingly changed his tune after the man had done his level best to kill us about three times by bombing flat sixes in our direction

 

[Spark]

Lol of course! How the **** did I forget that? Mind you I don’t think they dropped any catches in that partnership did they?

Stokes dropped Lyon but it would have been a worldie had he caught it

Yeah, England really should've won at Edgbaston though it was a close contest all game.

Lord's they were lucky to get so close in contrast, but really one weird session cost them the game. At 1/180 and Australia being a bowler down they should've batted us out of the game.

Definitely haven't taken their opportunities anywhere near as well as they did last year.

I keep saying it but the principal difference between this series and series like 2009/13/15 is that Australia keep winning the big moments, in those series it was England who did that

 

[morgieb]

Was Woakes fit for the first two tests? Should surely just be an automatic pick at home. They so badly need the batting as well.

Yeah I think so. I think England just thought Broad/Anderson/Robinson/Woakes was too sameish? Which it probably is, but when they're their best four bowlers does it matter that much?

 

[Kraken]

Lol indeed.

Was thinking earlier, if Aus lost a middle order batsman would they realistically play Inglis as a batsman over Harris or would it be Harris in no matter what?

Renshaw maybe?

 

[Calm_profit]

What a shot

 

[Spark]

This crowd sounds like a Lord's crowd but less polite.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah I think so. I think England just thought Broad/Anderson/Robinson/Woakes was too sameish? Which it probably is, but when they're their best four bowlers does it matter that much?

I dunno if you can really bag them for running with the three guys they did at the start of the series tbh. I know Anderson hasn’t been himself but tbh Robinson is probably the guy I’ve been most disappointed in so far. I really expected him to be a lot more consistently threatening than he has been so far.