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

[KungFu_Kallis]

Ponting on comms for a sub fielder run out would have been spectacular

Ah memories

 

[White Ball]

Aus played Negetiv cricket since 1st ball today, they are in danger situation right now. Even eng gets 50 run lead they have full control of the test as Aus have to bats Last

Yes! Straya need parity at the very least ideally a lead of around 50

 

[morgieb]

I don't think Aus have a better keeping option for an Asia World Cup though. Can't see Inglis being any better and it's a bit of an ask to throw a debutant like Peirson straight into a World Cup. I guess going for a Dravid-esque pick like Handscomb could be an option but I'd much prefer a specialist keeper

edit: Forgot about Wade if he's still around and willing, and playing ok, he could be an option?

Yeah I guess Wade could be a goer. Tough to say he'd definitely do better than Carey but given how badly he went in India earlier this year it likely would be much of a muchness.

 

[loterry1994]

I don't think Aus have a better keeping option for an Asia World Cup though. Can't see Inglis being any better and it's a bit of an ask to throw a debutant like Peirson straight into a World Cup. I guess going for a Dravid-esque pick like Handscomb could be an option but I'd much prefer a specialist keeper

edit: Forgot about Wade if he's still around and willing, and playing ok, he could be an option?

Don’t think you need a specialist keeper as much in short form your not getting much nicks behind the stumps a lot the wickets anyway apart from the new ball. You want someone who can bat like Jos Butler, pant type players

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hasn't Inglis been first choice for the last year or so? All those JAMODIs wash over me like raindrops in a thunderstorm tbf so I could be wrong

I don't think so, last I remember was the games in Cairns/Townsville against Zim & NZ. Those games Carey was playing and batting up the order too, like number 4 IIRC

 

[Spark]

I don't think so, last I remember was the games in Cairns/Townsville against Zim & NZ. Those games Carey was playing and batting up the order too, like number 4 IIRC

Oh I have zero memory of those at all so yeah, like I said

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Ah so that's what Marnus was moaning about. The Broad bail switch shenanigans.

 

[loterry1994]

We gotta somehow get this down to a 50 run deficit at least

 

[TheJediBrah]

Don’t think you need a specialist keeper as much in short form your not getting much nicks behind the stumps a lot the wickets anyway apart from the new ball. You want someone who can bat like Jos Butler, pant type players

I don't think Aus have a part-time keeper who's that good a bat anyway. Handscomb could potentially do a middle-order subcontinent speciliast sort of role though which he did well on a couple of ODI tours when Smith/Warner were banned

 

[Viscount Tom]

Broad with some grade A shithousing

 

[Ashes81]

I agree with this. I am not a massive fan of Bazzball I don’t think it’s Test Cricket made for all conditions , BUT Straya have gone totally the other way here and the scoreboard was going nowhere.

Neither teams approach has been right for me.

We've been too over attacking with the bat and the Aussies have been too defensive.

You need to play positively but not wrecklessly. The class batsmen on either side - Smith and Root, usually play at the right tempo.

 

[TimAngas]

Don’t think you need a specialist keeper as much in short form your not getting much nicks behind the stumps a lot the wickets anyway apart from the new ball. You want someone who can bat like Jos Butler, pant type players

I think in India you would though.

 

[loterry1994]

Ah so that's what Marnus was moaning about. The Broad bail switch shenanigans.

Both him and khawaja was moaning all morning for nothing. Didn’t see England batters doing it yesterday

 

[Spark]

Neither teams approach has been right for me.

We've been too over attacking with the bat and the Aussies have been too defensive.

You need to play positively but not wrecklessly. The class batsmen on either side - Smith and Root, usually play at the right tempo.

Yeah the tempo Smith has batted at is the sweet spot. Nothing extravagant, just rotating the strike constantly and waiting for the (admittedly exceedingly rare) bad ball.

 

[Viscount Tom]

I really wish Steve Smith had stayed as the bloke the Aussies brought in to tell a few jokes for morale rather than been really good against us.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I don't think it's a logical assumption at all to say that Aus would be better off if they hadn't gone super slow that first session. There's every chance they could have been rolled for 150 if they hadn't.

However it clearly hasn't been a great success and it was not great to watch at all. Who knows could still pay off if it puts the miles in England's quicks' legs and has them knackered for the 4th innings. In that case 200 off 85 overs is more valuable than 200 off 55 overs.

 

[Shri]

has smith become peak shardul? only bats in god mode when his team is desperate

 

[loterry1994]

Neither teams approach has been right for me.

We've been too over attacking with the bat and the Aussies have been too defensive.

You need to play positively but not wrecklessly. The class batsmen on either side - Smith and Root, usually play at the right tempo.

I’d take Englands approach this series still. Least you know if they bat two sessions they’ll have 250. Did not see the point of aus first session today it was like they was playing for a draw on day 5

 

[TheJediBrah]

Starc playing the exact ball Carey got out to with a lot more intelligence

 

[Spark]

I don't think it's a logical assumption at all to say that Aus would be better off if they hadn't gone super slow that first session. There's every chance they could have been rolled for 150 if they hadn't.

However it clearly hasn't been a great success and it was not great to watch at all. Who knows could still pay off if it puts the miles in England's quicks' legs and has them knackered for the 4th innings. In that case 200 off 85 overs is more valuable than 200 off 55 overs.

I've no issue with Labuschagne batting defensively in tough conditions against accurate bowling but striking at 10 is another matter entirely

Starc playing the exact ball Carey got out to with a lot more intelligence

Unironically batting better tbh