***Official*** 2nd Test at the Adelaide Oval

[Matteh]

You beeeeauty.

 

[Laurrz]

this was my inghtmare....

 

[Slow Love™]

Bloody hell, a post I made about ten minutes ago obviously never got through.

Anyway, just wanted to say amazing stuff from Collingwood. Who would have picked him for highest runscorer at the start of the series? Definite possibililty now, although more predictably, KP, Ponting and Langer are all in contention at this stage.

I was pondering if England might go on to bat tonight for 600, just to make the follow-on figure 400 (and possibly raise their chances of victory), but inserting Australia in to face 10 overs had to be tempting. I'd also written that Langer and Hayden generally negotiated these periods really well, but then Langer was out.

I'm firmly in Captain Obvious territory myself, in that the most likely result here is a draw or an England victory (I expect the draw), but Australia aren't completely out of this yet. A few 5-0 series predictions are probably on the window-sill and just tipping over around now though.

 

[Laurrz]

tomorrow is gonna be awesome

its amazing what scoreboard pressure can do

 

[PY]

Anyone see what happened with this:

"There weren't just glares," adds Chris in New Zealand referring to the Langer incident. "Langer used his bat but not sure what for - looked like a poke at someone - and the guy behind him (security, I think) had to step in quickly, but Langer was already walking on..."

- http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ausveng/engine/current/match/249223.html

Seems a bit odd, he copped it as he was walking off through the crowd supposedly. Bit out of character for Langer to react though isn't it? Probably a big nothing though.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Hayden's due a few I think, and this is a good sort of wicket for him. His pull shot is usually a good measure of how he's playing, as he rarely hits it well or plays it at all when he's out of touch, and he played a good one before stumps. Tipping him for a century tomorrow.

Can easily see Ponting making plenty again if they don't knock him over early too. He'll make 600+ in the series I'd say, given he's already got over 250 and is in incredible touch.

There's still a bit of concern over the middle order though, and if England get an early wicket Australia could really be on the ropes, even if one of those two makes plenty. Obviously the keys are Flintoff and Giles, the latter of whom really has to bowl well for England to take 20 on this surface. Will be interesting to see how well England use reverse swing too, without Jones in the team. There should be some for Flintoff, Anderson and Hoggard, given that Lee found a fair amount, so that could be a factor.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Anyone see what happened with this:

"There weren't just glares," adds Chris in New Zealand referring to the Langer incident. "Langer used his bat but not sure what for - looked like a poke at someone - and the guy behind him (security, I think) had to step in quickly, but Langer was already walking on..."

- http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ausveng/engine/current/match/249223.html

Seems a bit odd, he copped it as he was walking off through the crowd supposedly. Bit out of character for Langer to react though isn't it? Probably a big nothing though.

Haha, bit of a beat up really. They showed about 35 angles of it on 9, and he didn't poke anyone with his bat, nor did the security guard "step in". Langer turned around and reacted to something someone in the crowd said, took a few more steps up and then turned around a second time and glared at them. The worst thing you could accuse him of would be aggressive body language.

 

[Perm]

The reverse swing should be a major factor, I know Hoggard and Flintoff get a bit but I'm not sure about Anderson or Harmison. I hope Giles bowls really well and keeps the batsman relatively quiet at his end, if England can swing the ball tomorrow then they should be able to dismiss Ponting and Hayden quickly and get a crack at the middle order.

 

[LA ICE-E]

it's going to be a boreing draw if Englands bowlers can't get the assuies out to force a follow through or get 'em out with england at least having a lead of 100 even then it would probably be a draw

 

[Laurrz]

The reverse swing should be a major factor, I know Hoggard and Flintoff get a bit but I'm not sure about Anderson or Harmison. I hope Giles bowls really well and keeps the batsman relatively quiet at his end, if England can swing the ball tomorrow then they should be able to dismiss Ponting and Hayden quickly and get a crack at the middle order.

hey, just wondering, r u an aussie supporter? sorry about ignorance...

anyways i really hope the man in your avatar fires i forgot what it looks like for him to dominate bowling attacks in whites

 

[Slow Love™]

anyways i really hope the man in your avatar fires i forgot what it looks like for him to dominate bowling attacks in whites

Could possibly need something special from Gilly tomorrow. I'm going to be very nervous when he comes to the wicket, that's for sure (and if he doesn't come in to bat tomorrow, that can only be a good thing from Australia's perspective).

I can never pick what form Hayden's in just from how he looks early - it often gives very little indication, I've found, and he can have a tendency to look like gold and then get himself out via impatience or sometimes arrogance in the 40's or thereabouts. He's certainly due, though, and once he gets over 70 or so, we know he can really go on to big hundreds.

KP's dismissal was quite funny - particularly given that it was obviously on his mind that he was on 158, his highest test score, and that he'd been dismissed on that score twice already. But who would think you'd hit the ball firmly to Ponting who was only two or three paces from the stumps, and try and steal a single? Absolutely death by his own hand.

Shaping up to be potentially the most interesting day of the series tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing how Harmy fares.

 

[Laurrz]

Could possibly need something special from Gilly tomorrow. I'm going to be very nervous when he comes to the wicket, that's for sure (and if he doesn't come in to bat tomorrow, that can only be a good thing from Australia's perspective).

I can never pick what form Hayden's in just from how he looks early - it often gives very little indication, I've found, and he can have a tendency to look like gold and then get himself out via impatience or sometimes arrogance in the 40's or thereabouts. He's certainly due, though, and once he gets over 70 or so, we know he can really go on to big hundreds.

KP's dismissal was quite funny - particularly given that it was obviously on his mind that he was on 158, his highest test score, and that he'd been dismissed on that score twice already. But who would think you'd hit the ball firmly to Ponting who was only two or three paces from the stumps, and try and steal a single? Absolutely death by his own hand.

Shaping up to be potentially the most interesting day of the series tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing how Harmy fares.

i have this bad bad feeling Harmy will bowl well... he has had two days to think aobut it... well in this test that is... coming at first change with nothing to lose... wtachout for some head hunting

and yea i'll be hell nervous as well good to see im not the only one...can't wait for tomorrow...

imagine watching Gily hitting cuts and drives for four... ahh good times

 

[GIMH]

Uninteresting fact of the day...it was the second time this year that England declared in the first innings on the second day on 551-6 after KP had scored 158...hope you'll all sleep better in the knowledge of that

Great performance by England. I'm in for overtime this morning, and I'm very tired having watched most of the morning and evening sessions, but it was worth it. Must have woken the whole black of flats up when Freddie got Langer. Game on, I predict us to win late on day four

 

[PY]

Game on, I predict us to win late on day four

Open-shut case of sleep deprivation....

 

[GIMH]

Open-shut case of sleep deprivation....

Very true.

On that topic, does anyone get really bad coffee hangovers? They're worse than proper hangovers

 

[pasag]

Woah dude, massive fightback from England. I'm impressed tbh.

 

[Josh]

Oh dear.

McGrath & Warne's careers over??

 

[Son Of Coco]

Its a very odd situation for an England fan, the more we score is great without the tail, but ironically theres that nagging feeling if we had monty (not played because it was decided we needed a longer tail) in the side we'd have more chance of winning this.

I agree, on a wicket that was always going to be flat I would have thought the sensible option would have been to pick players that were capable of bowling Australia out...although I guess in hindsight you could say the same thing about the bowlers Australia played! If Giles takes 5 for tomorrow this post will look a bit silly

 

[Son Of Coco]

Woah dude, massive fightback from England. I'm impressed tbh.

I'll be impressed if their bowlers perform and they win this test match...scoring 550 on that wicket is not indicative of a major turn around as far as the team as a whole goes yet. If they start bowling us out however things will change quite a bit. I think we'll score less than England (we'll nearly have to for anyone to win), but it'll all come down to what happens on day 4. If we can roll them on what's supposed to be a wicket that gradually takes more spin it could be good viewing on day 5.

I think the only way a result will be reached is if Australia declares or is bowled out by the end of tomorrow, then attempts to dismiss England cheaply before trying to get the runs on the 5th day. The other option is, of course, that England bowls us out twice in the next three days for less than 550. Without Monty though I don't think so...I'm not a big believer in A Giles ability.

I'd back a draw though.

 

[Laurrz]

I agree, on a wicket that was always going to be flat I would have thought the sensible option would have been to pick players that were capable of bowling Australia out...although I guess in hindsight you could say the same thing about the bowlers Australia played! If Giles takes 5 for tomorrow this post will look a bit silly

If Giles takes wickets tomororw it wil be off bad shots... ie. top edge sweeps.. thin edge cut shots