*Official* Fourth Test (Old Trafford, Manchester) 19-23 July

[G. S. Kohli]

• Australia have won nine of their previous 31 Tests at Old Trafford, against seven defeats, the most recent of which came a long old time ago. Ian Botham's Ashes-sealing onslaught in 1981 was England's last Ashes success on the ground. Since then they've drawn three and lost four, including their most recent match in 2019.
• Moeen reached 200 Test wickets at Headingley earlier this month, he now needs another 23 runs to complete 3000 Test runs as well, a prospect that he said "feels like miles off" on the eve of the Test.
• Broad needs two more wickets to reach 600 in Tests, which would make him the fifth bowler overall to reach the mark, and only the second seamer after his team-mate Anderson (currently 688)
• Stokes passed 6000 runs at Headingley, but still needs three wickets to reach the 200 mark, after opting not to bowl during the third Test due to his long-standing knee injury.
• Anderson has not played in a Test victory against Australia since the Edgbaston Test in 2015. Since then he's featured in nine defeats and two draws across four subsequent campaigns.
• New Zealand's attack against Australia at Christchurch in February 1986 (Richard Hadlee, Gary Troup, Ewen Chatfield and Jeremy Coney) was the last time that any Test team fielded four specialist seamers aged 33 or older. The only previous Ashes team was Australia at Brisbane in 1928, the occasion of Bradman's debut

 

[GIMH]

Another one for you…if Wood takes three wickets in the match then it will be the first time in Test Match history that a side has fielded six players with 100 or more wickets

 

[Qlder]

Another one for you…if Wood takes three wickets in the match then it will be the first time in Test Match history that a side has fielded six players with 100 or more wickets

But 6 players will already have 200 wickets, Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Anderson, Broad and Ali

Edit: oops never mind, totally mis-read it

 

[Starfighter]

Surely picking Ashton ****ing Agar was much worse than this.

But yeah it's an odd looking team.

Picking Agar at least made some sense if you ignored his complete lack of recent FC accomplishment. This doesn't, especially when you can pick Neser.

 

[Jarquis]

But 6 players will already have 200 wickets, Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Anderson, Broad and Ali

Didn't realise they all played for the same side

 

[ataraxia]

New Zealand's attack against Australia at Christchurch in February 1986 (Richard Hadlee, Gary Troup, Ewen Chatfield and Jeremy Coney) was the last time that any Test team fielded four specialist seamers aged 33 or older.

Specialist seamer a stretch

 

[Adders]

What an utter turd of a statement.

Utter turd of a poster so hardly surprising.

 

[GotSpin]

Picking Agar at least made some sense if you ignored his complete lack of recent FC accomplishment. This doesn't, especially when you can pick Neser.

Presuming Cummins doesn’t trust Murphy for whatever reason then the team is okay I think.
Lots of bat deep momentum

 

[Prince EWS]

Presuming Cummins doesn’t trust Murphy for whatever reason then the team is okay I think.
Lots of bat deep momentum

Green surely shouldn't be playing as a bowling allrounder when Neser exists.

 

[GIMH]

But 6 players will already have 200 wickets, Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Anderson, Broad and Ali

Edit: oops never mind, totally mis-read it

I did write 200 before quickly editing so possibly tripped you up with my original

 

[the big bambino]

What an utter turd of a statement.

You're better as fusion.

 

[GIMH]

Utter turd of a poster so hardly surprising.

Well, I’m not going to go there, but it’s a dire comment.

I stood inside the closest pub to my team’s ground on a Friday night in 2006 while glass flew everywhere and lads shouted ‘were ****in Millwall mate’. I’ve been to many many grounds, including Millwall, and literally hundreds of matches. The fear they struck that night, it is incomparable to anything else I’ve ever experienced at sports. Save a few stones thrown by drone head Oldham fans not long after lockdown, and a rowdy Rangers crowd at Prenton park in 1998 (I think that was the year) for a neutral match V Shelbourne and it’s the only proper sports violence I’ve been privy to. That’s in 32 years of attending live sports, and for more years than not you’re talking 25+ matches

A ****ing dire comment frankly. A few boos does not Millwall make.

 

[Spikey]

They're just too spooked to drop Marsh even though they know Green is better

 

[Spark]

They're just too spooked to drop Marsh even though they know Green is better

Yeah this is it. They want to stick to the Pecking Order (TM) but they don't want to drop the guy who was by streets the best player in the team in the last game. So we have this instead.

Well, I’m not going to go there, but it’s a dire comment.

I stood inside the closest pub to my team’s ground on a Friday night in 2006 while glass flew everywhere and lads shouted ‘were ****in Millwall mate’. I’ve been to many many grounds, including Millwall, and literally hundreds of matches. The fear they struck that night, it is incomparable to anything else I’ve ever experienced at sports. Save a few stones thrown by drone head Oldham fans not long after lockdown, and a rowdy Rangers crowd at Prenton park in 1998 (I think that was the year) for a neutral match V Shelbourne and it’s the only proper sports violence I’ve been privy to. That’s in 32 years of attending live sports, and for more years than not you’re talking 25+ matches

A ****ing dire comment frankly. A few boos does not Millwall make.

How have the club not been severely sanctioned and threatened with extreme consequences yet? Seems ridiculous that clubs can fold because they had the bad luck to run into a ****house owner but a fanbase that is universally reviled as being full of vile bigots and thugs is just sort of a thing that everyone accepts as the cost of doing business.

 

[Qlder]

So Green can never be dropped but poor 22 year old Murphy, the savior of spinning stocks in Australia has now been dropped twice in 5 Tests

 

[GoodAreasShane]

So Green can never be dropped but poor 22 year old Murphy, the savior of spinning stocks in Australia has now been dropped twice in 5 Tests

In fairness there was no way he was ever going to be picked ahead of Lyon at the start of the series

 

[the big bambino]

Well, I’m not going to go there, but it’s a dire comment.

I stood inside the closest pub to my team’s ground on a Friday night in 2006 while glass flew everywhere and lads shouted ‘were ****in Millwall mate’. I’ve been to many many grounds, including Millwall, and literally hundreds of matches. The fear they struck that night, it is incomparable to anything else I’ve ever experienced at sports. Save a few stones thrown by drone head Oldham fans not long after lockdown, and a rowdy Rangers crowd at Prenton park in 1998 (I think that was the year) for a neutral match V Shelbourne and it’s the only proper sports violence I’ve been privy to. That’s in 32 years of attending live sports, and for more years than not you’re talking 25+ matches

A ****ing dire comment frankly. A few boos does not Millwall make.

It's an exaggeration ffs. Given the privilege of the Lords demographic their behaviour is less forgivable compared to the no real life yobs dead ended at Millwall. Its telling you and the excreta that is adders had to take it literally because you both know the rest of the post about Kev's hypocrisy and Mo's treatment is true.

 

[GIMH]

It's an exaggeration ffs. Given the privilege of the Lords demographic their behaviour is less forgivable compared to the no real life yobs dead ended at Millwall. Its telling you and the excreta that is adders had to take it literally because you both know the rest of the post about Kev's hypocrisy and Mo's treatment is true.

I had no problem with your post, per se (fight fire with fire) beyond the bit I quoted. It was a terrible statement

 

[GIMH]

Yeah this is it. They want to stick to the Pecking Order (TM) but they don't want to drop the guy who was by streets the best player in the team in the last game. So we have this instead.



How have the club not been severely sanctioned and threatened with extreme consequences yet? Seems ridiculous that clubs can fold because they had the bad luck to run into a ****house owner but a fanbase that is universally reviled as being full of vile bigots and thugs is just sort of a thing that everyone accepts as the cost of doing business.

I think I’ve posted about that night before and as it kicked off my mate and I were talking to two Millwall fans who had been telling us the knobheads were slowly being phased out. They looked so gutted when it all went off.

That’s not to defend Millwall btw. I know not the percentage of the fanbase that makes up the scum. The one time I went there, in 04, was such a creepy experience. Fans would go right up to players, as far as the boundaries would allow, and dish out abuse. Any other ground in England and you did that, out you go. But Millwall rules apply and if your hands are in your pockets then everyone is relieved.

Scary place.

 

[Spark]

I think I’ve posted about that night before and as it kicked off my mate and I were talking to two Millwall fans who had been telling us the knobheads were slowly being phased out. They looked so gutted when it all went off.

That’s not to defend Millwall btw. I know not the percentage of the fanbase that makes up the scum. The one time I went there, in 04, was such a creepy experience. Fans would go right up to players, as far as the boundaries would allow, and dish out abuse. Any other ground in England and you did that, out you go. But Millwall rules apply and if your hands are in your pockets then everyone is relieved.

Scary place.

Yeah that's fair but last I heard the club was still trying to have their cake and eat it too - phase them out, but try to do so slowly and silently so no one really notices and no toes are visibly stepped on. Doesn't work imo.