5th Test at The Oval, London

[the big bambino]

Archers a tosser

What did he do now?

 

[Tangles]

Caught the highlights after work and that Harris dropped catch lol. Not the first one iirc.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

According to The Ashes debate on Sky Australia were going to bat first and Tim Paine changed his mind while walking to the middle for the toss.

 

[aussie tragic]

Still can't work out why Bairstow wasn't penalised 5 runs for fake fielding as per the rules.

What if Smith's increased speed and dive due to the fake caused him to pull a hammy?

What if the Godlike Smith stopped running thinking he'd be out and so turned around to sacrifice the mere mortal batsman instead of him, thus causing a run out

 

[zaremba]

Combined team

1. Burns
2. Denly
3. Root
4. Smith (c)
5. Lasagne
6. Stokes
7. Buttler (w)
8. Cummins
9. Archer
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood

Only three troublesome picks.

First, it’s insane that Denly gets in, but he really is the best candidate after Burns.

Next, the keeper. I refuse to pick either Bairstow or Paine, and Wade can GAGF. Buttler lucky obvs but in this team he’d hopefully be coming to the crease with runs on the board, and he’s played well in his last 3 innings.

The trickiest choice is no.10. Lyon only there for his efforts at the start of the series, and you’d be tempted to pick either Leach, who’s been consistently good with bat and ball, or another quick - either Pattinson or Broad.

So a fairly even Pom/Crim balance.

 

[Spikey]

Still can't work out why Bairstow wasn't penalised 5 runs for fake fielding as per the rules.

What if Smith's increased speed and dive due to the fake caused him to pull a hammy?

What if the Godlike Smith stopped running thinking he'd be out and so turned around to sacrifice the mere mortal batsman instead of him, thus causing a run out

answer the question zoarx

 

[quincywagstaff]

Considering how stoic he's generally looked with the bat previously, surprising how much Cummins has struggled with the bat this series.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Considering how stoic he's generally looked with the bat previously, surprising how much Cummins has struggled with the bat this series.

Signs were there in the World Cup. He's never been a particularly useful ODI batsman but he looked especially hopeless.

 

[Victor Ian]

Maybe he only has batting hax on his home pc.

 

[zaremba]

Still can't work out why Bairstow wasn't penalised 5 runs for fake fielding as per the rules.

What if Smith's increased speed and dive due to the fake caused him to pull a hammy?

What if the Godlike Smith stopped running thinking he'd be out and so turned around to sacrifice the mere mortal batsman instead of him, thus causing a run out

Just a prank; no attempt to get any kind of advantage. 5 runs would’ve been harsh and inappropriate.

 

[Spark]

Combined team

1. Burns
2. Denly
3. Root
4. Smith (c)
5. Lasagne
6. Stokes
7. Buttler (w)
8. Cummins
9. Archer
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood

Only three troublesome picks.

First, it’s insane that Denly gets in, but he really is the best candidate after Burns.

Next, the keeper. I refuse to pick either Bairstow or Paine, and Wade can GAGF. Buttler lucky obvs but in this team he’d hopefully be coming to the crease with runs on the board, and he’s played well in his last 3 innings.

The trickiest choice is no.10. Lyon only there for his efforts at the start of the series, and you’d be tempted to pick either Leach, who’s been consistently good with bat and ball, or another quick - either Pattinson or Broad.

So a fairly even Pom/Crim balance.

There's an amusing irony in that the guy you've picked as captain (and fair enough too) is literally the one guy here who isn't allowed to be captain.

 

[GIMH]

Just a prank; no attempt to get any kind of advantage. 5 runs would’ve been harsh and inappropriate.

That was my thinking

 

[stephen]

Ok that was a woeful batting performance by Australia. Take out Smith and we got rolled for 140. The theories and pet players and rubbish needs to stop. Get the best guys in there and keep them there.

 

[aussie tragic]

Just a prank; no attempt to get any kind of advantage. 5 runs would’ve been harsh and inappropriate.

Labuschagne did it for Queensland as a prank, he got 5 runs penalty when the rule first came out

 

[zaremba]

There's an amusing irony in that the guy you've picked as captain (and fair enough too) is literally the one guy here who isn't allowed to be captain.

Yep. To be fair, he’s the captain who won the Ashes, allowing Paine to retain them here with a draw.

 

[zaremba]

Labuschagne did it for Queensland as a prank, he got 5 runs penalty when the rule first came out

Harsh.

Edit: just seen it on YouTube. Clearly not a prank: the batsmen were setting off a run and Labuschagne tried to kid them into going back.

 

[aussie tragic]

So 9-263 is the highest winning chase at the Oval. Unfortunately that was all the way back in 1902 (England beat Australia)

 

[aussie tragic]

England 1.32 to win, Australia 3.80 to win

Sounds about right. Where's this infamous September rain as Draw is 26.00

 

[zaremba]

On the “fake fielding” issue, there’s quite a good piece here which refers to the Labuschagne incident and also addresses the question of whether the penalty should be awarded if the fake is just in jest. Glad to see the MCC Laws supremo agrees with my take!

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20894363/why-fake-fielding-law-relevant

 

[aussie tragic]

Geez, Healy just said Harris has a split webbing on his ring finger and he's not sure if he'll bat.

Not that his output has mattered, but don't want everyone going up a position (Wade, Marsh and Paine at 4-6)