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

[TheJediBrah]

Maybe the Aussies are trying to tire out an undermanned, elderly and injury-prone English attack? Only reason I can think of for this excessively defensive batting display

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Ball check.. yep still round. They don't like how straight the ball is going. They want more diversity in the trajectories.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Has ball quality lessened in recent years? they seem to be changed/requested to change more than a tennis match of late.

They should have ball boys/girls at square leg ready to roll a replacement ball out when requested.

 

[RIcho]

This is getting ridiculous. England need to be fined, and their captain banned, every time they try to change the ball because it isn't swinging for them

It's blatant cheating afaic. "Spirit of cricket" my dick

Swinging plenty once it gets past the bat

 

[TheJediBrah]

Marnus into the 6's

 

[wpdavid]

2 wickets now and England would be in the box seat.

When I looked at the Guardian commentary 5 minutes ago it read 73-3. Which had me quite excited for about 10 seconds.

 

[Carlos]

can he get to double figures by 100 balls?

 

[Adders]

Clearly only one side trying to save cricket here.......the other trying to kill it.

Can we chalk that up as another victory in the series?

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

I thought Australia continuing to pick Warner was baffling but picking Anderson after the way he's performed this series is worse.

He still has less wickets this series than Tongue... despite bowling 79 more overs.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Broad actually turned round to appeal... so it can't be out

 

[RIcho]

Broad:
*huge appeal*
5 seconds later:
*yeah nah going down leg*

 

[wpdavid]

Well bowled tbf.

 

[91Jmay]

Sheesh Broad has this talking stop trying to change it ffs. Dunno how we haven't got a wicket so far today.

 

[chris.hinton]

We are bowling well but so far, Aussies gutsing it out

 

[Spark]

This is serious bowling tbf. Labuschagne will be happy enough to still be out there.

 

[RightArmMystery]

WTF are Australia doing? Why are they not mindlessly slogging everything and throwing their wickets away like we did? This just isn't in the spirit of the game.

 

[GIMH]

That was some over from Broad.

 

[Qlder]

can he get to double figures by 100 balls?

Marnus SR now up to a massive 11.1 so he should do it

 

[91Jmay]

Woakes has been really accurate but not threatened much, not moved it much really which is odd.

 

[Socerer 01]

**** sake whenever Nas was in the analyst box they always cut to ads and now when DK is in they don't show a single ****ing ad