*Official* Fifth Test (The Oval, London) 27-31 July

[honestbharani]

Australia should look to just bat and bat here. England, esp. if they are without Moeen, have to make all the running and they just dont have enough legs, I feel.

 

[loterry1994]

That’s just the double edged sword of bazball your going to get a lot of ugly dismissals while batting when your going at a high run rate it’s the same thing like in t20

 

[White Ball]

Great session for Straya

 

[Carlos]

Dont like the selections by McCullum. Wouldnt be picking Moeen, Bairstow (as keeper), Anderson and possibly resting Broad for Tongue.

 

[Spark]

Australia should look to just bat and bat here. England, esp. if they are without Moeen, have to make all the running and they just dont have enough legs, I feel.

Yeah and Wood might be tiring a little from three Tests in a fairly short period of time - England ended up bowling 170 overs at OT as well

 

[honestbharani]

Sad to see it fall apart really. Been a close series so far but feel Aus are just gonna run away with it now. Kinda like that last test in the Ind-Eng series in 2018. You may have an awesome partnership in the 3rd innings with nothing to lose, but the result will be on the wall and team is totally deflated.

 

[Burgey]

Sad to say but think Jimmy's done. Haven't seen him have so little impact with the new ball so consistently over a home series since about 2009. Wish he'd made the decision himself tbh.

I hope for his sake he makes that call after this test regardless. Been given the series and deserves to call it quits on his terms. If he tries to press on he might not get that chance

 

[Carlos]

yeah if i were them i would bat for as long as possible just tick along at 3 an over, not too many risks, keep the bowlers in the fields for as long as possible.

 

[Shri]

Stokes asks about the shape of the ball, but it goes through umpire Wilson's gauge. No replacement forthcoming

 

[loterry1994]

Come on boys we need a 400 plus score for the first time this series

 

[Shri]

I hope for his sake he makes that call after this test regardless. Been given the series and deserves to call it quits on his terms. If he tries to press on he might not get that chance

11 away from 700

don't see him going on his own

 

[wpdavid]

Sad to say but think Jimmy's done. Haven't seen him have so little impact with the new ball so consistently over a home series since about 2009. Wish he'd made the decision himself tbh.

It's looking that way, and it's always a shame when a great player goes out with whimper due to playing a series too many. Not that I was dropping him at the start of the series, and even at Old Trafford I wouldn't have been brave enough not to pick him. But I wouldn't have played him here after he was ineffectual at OT.

Now if that doesn't make him click into gear .....

 

[Burgey]

Stokes asks about the shape of the ball, but it goes through umpire Wilson's gauge. No replacement forthcoming

A metaphor for England’s Ashes chances tbh

 

[Burgey]

11 away from 700

don't see him going on his own

The rate he’s taking them now he’ll need to play til he’s 53 to get there.

 

[loterry1994]

Don’t England have like Sri Lanka and windies next summer that’ll be easy wickets for jimmy and the bowlers

 

[Carlos]

Wood down in pace by about 5kms. He probably should play every alternate test maybe alternating with Tongue. Should have played 1,3 and 5 tests perhaps?

 

[wpdavid]

11 away from 700

don't see him going on his own

Well he won't be getting many in India this winter.

 

[kevinw]

Don’t England have like Sri Lanka and windies next summer that’ll be easy wickets for jimmy and the bowlers

I'd rather see Sam Cook finally get selected.

 

[Spark]

Anderson has never been especially effective against Aus outside of a few isolated spells anyway. He hasn't looked terrible, just lacked penetration on mostly unhelpful surfaces against batsmen who know his tricks inside out and are happy to sit on him.

 

[91Jmay]

lol he's chucked another start. Needed that, bit of extra bounce but mainly just a bad shot.