***Official*** Australia in England (The Ashes)

[King_Ponting]

So nice of Vaughan to put on and keep on the 2 of the 3 easiest bowlers Australia could hope to face on this pitch as they give away run after run.

Whos the third?

 

[Scaly piscine]

Whos the third?

Hoggard

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

So nice of Vaughan to put on and keep on the 2 of the 3 easiest bowlers Australia could hope to face on this pitch as they give away run after run straight after the tea break.

Yeah. Bowling Giles to Clarke is a horrible mistake. If he played Kumble and Harbhajan comfortably on turners, Giles isn't going to get him out very often on a second day Lord's wicket made for seamers.

 

[King_Ponting]

Vaughan should give trescothic a trundle. See what he might extract out of the pitch

 

[Majin]

Gotta get Harmison back on, seriously.

 

[Majin]

Ah now, come on Freddie, lets see something special.

 

[King_Ponting]

and 4 more. England getting slayed atm

 

[Scaly piscine]

Just don't see the point in Giles being on, it's almost an easy single every ball with zero risk.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Giles is a waste here. Harmison needs to come back and try and get a wicket.

 

[King_Ponting]

well deserved 50 for clarke

 

[Majin]

That's another thing, Giles being on is virtually letting Clarke play himself into form.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Lovely innings for Clarke, been composed, got himself set, and handled all the bowlers well aside from one poor shot against Jones. Taken Giles apart with ease as well. Hopefully he can go on and make a hundred and seal his place in the team for a while.

 

[Majin]

If I was Vaughan now i'd bring Harmison on and tell him that Clarke said his missus was a hag England seriously need to fire themselves up a bit.

 

[Majin]

I knew Martyn was gonna get a score today, just knew it. Well played.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

50 for Martyn. This game is all but done, as far as I'm concerned. The lead is only 240 odd, but even that would be a tough chase from here, and unless someone from England can do an Ambrose and remove the rest of the Australians for next to nothing they're going to be chasing 300 plus on a wicket with uneven bounce against Warne and McGrath. Clarke and Martyn have done a great job and totally taken the fight out of England with controlled aggression. Last half of the century partnership has come at more than a run a ball.

 

[Slow Love™]

I'm going to stick my neck out here - I think we might win this one!

 

[Majin]

Either that or someone is gonna have to do a Botham in the 4th innings

 

[Majin]

Ian Bell. Ian Bell over Harmision.

Congrats, Aussies. Looking forward to equaling the series next match. :}

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

One of the really promising things about Clarke this innings is how well he has handled what is not a particularly easy wicket against genuine pace bowlers. Harmison and Flintoff haven't caused him many problems, and Jones and now Bell have swung it a bit and he's punished them. We already knew he could play spinners of course.

 

[King_Ponting]

how come bell can swing it in these conditions yet hoggard cant?