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

[Burgey]

If Warner and Khawaja can hang around for another 15-20 overs tomorrow ...
Would you be tempted to change the batting order ?
I'd take a punt on Todd Murphy , I was impressed with his ball striking ability in the first innings ..

Nah you back your best batsmen, especially the guys who bat three and four, to have gears and to play to the situation. That’s their job.

 

[Burgey]

Let’s be honest here, if Aus held their catches this test they’d need about 30 tomorrow, if the game wasn’t already over. They’ve already had a #moralvictory and have saved test cricket in this game. What happens tomorrow doesn’t matter.

#postlikeStokes

 

[Anthony Clayden]

I wonder if there is a stat for ball change request, clearly another thing England are leading Australia in.

 

[Anthony Clayden]

Ali is sore as, not sure how many overs he will be able to bowl for the rest of the match.
Wood has an injury, down on pace from it.

Broad and Anderson have bowled a lot of overs.

It may be up to Woakes and Root to bowl the bulk of the overs.

Still expecting a lollapse from Australia, but this is about as good a situation. Just need one of the other bowlers to not be able to bowl and we might a Brook spell.

 

[chris.hinton]

The funny thing is England could have easily lost this series 4-0 if Australia put on another 60-70 on Saturday at Headingley

 

[Skipper Pup]

Let’s be honest here, if Aus held their catches this test they’d need about 30 tomorrow, if the game wasn’t already over. They’ve already had a #moralvictory and have saved test cricket in this game. What happens tomorrow doesn’t matter.

#postlikeStokes

They're Australian, they won at life a very long time ago.

 

[Coronis]

Looks like we’re in good shape to either go for the win or bat it out for the draw depending on the amount of rain. Of course who knows the pitch could be much spicier today we’ll see.

Some random stats fwiw.

Last time both Aussie openers made a ton in an innings:
Jan 2017 vs Pakistan @ SCG Renshaw 184, Warner 113
Overseas:
Mar 2009 vs SA @ Kingsmead (Durban) Hughes 115, Katich 108
In England:
Sep 2005 vs England @ The Oval Langer 105, Hayden 138

(now that I’ve said this Warner will be gone first over today)

 

[Adorable Asshole]

England gonna win this match. I said it first. On Day 5 only 140 runs will be scored. Broad will take a 4fer.

 

[91Jmay]

Watch: Marnus Labuschagne And Usman Khawaja Confront Spectator Shouting 'Boring' At Australia Team As They Leave Field | Ashes 2023

Watch: As the Australian team walked back to the dressing-room after the third day’s play at the Kia Oval, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne had a confrontation with a fan.

wisden.com

Is this more abuse from spectators? Seriously how ****ing soft is Khawaja? Does his think the plebs shouldn't be allowed to even look at our glorious betters?

 

[Skipper Pup]

England gonna win this match. I said it first. On Day 5 only 140 runs will be scored. Broad will take a 4fer.

How many times do you predict the English will complain about the ball hoping for a new one?

 

[GotSpin]

That was one of the most imprressive opening partnerships we've had in a while

Yeah the pitch was relatively flat and not too much action in the air but we put our heads down and didn't really give a single chance

Now we're in the box seat and if these guys survive another hour or so tonight then this series is ours

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

We need 250 to win and have 10 wickets. It's very doable of course.

Mods

 

[GotSpin]

Also they probably wont get any credit for this but making England bowl so many overs in the first innings seemed to have paid off last night too

 

[G. S. Kohli]

This is the first century partnership for the opening wicket in the Ashes since the 122-run stand between David Warner and Cameron Bancroft in Melbourne in 2017/18. The last 100-run opening partnership in the Ashes,

not involving Warner, was between Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, who had added 159 in Melbourne in 2010/11.

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Mods

Plus 98 ovs excluding rain

BBC Sports says more rain at oval on monday.

Weather forcast not correct always both team has chance if Root take 5 fer or more

 

[social]

Also they probably wont get any credit for this but making England bowl so many overs in the first innings seemed to have paid off last night too

England were owed some luck after OT & they got it yesterday as most of their bowlers looked cooked/injured

 

[Anthony Clayden]

Long sessions tire bowlers out...250 runs, if you go at 3 per over, then that is 83 overs, so Australia can afford to lose aourn 10 overs to run without feeling any real pressure to up the tempo..

 

[Son Of Coco]

Watch: Marnus Labuschagne And Usman Khawaja Confront Spectator Shouting 'Boring' At Australia Team As They Leave Field | Ashes 2023

Watch: As the Australian team walked back to the dressing-room after the third day’s play at the Kia Oval, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne had a confrontation with a fan.

wisden.com

Is this more abuse from spectators? Seriously how ****ing soft is Khawaja? Does his think the plebs shouldn't be allowed to even look at our glorious betters?

To be fair, the bloke was being a knob. No reason why spectators should be allowed to yell whatever they want and not expect to be confronted. If he had any courage, he wouldn't have backed down so quickly.

 

[the big bambino]

Nah think they have move on from Broad and Anderson. Guys bowling low 130s on flat pitches in Australia isn’t going to work. Just look at the last 2 ashes series in Australia and the bowlers they’ve had down there, Australia declared plenty of times those 2 series . If they bring in guys like tongue, wood maybe even archer to Australia think that’s their best chance

for example indias series wins in Australia they had guys like bumrah, shami,natrajan, Siraj etc

Archer is pressed bowling 4 overs and two on the trot. Wood's fitness history suggests he's best to play a few games not a whole series. Tongue looks good and should be picked.

India beat us with their 2nd to 3rd level attack bowling to their fields and with good lines. Bumrah missed most of the last series. Shami was injured too. Shami doesn't average much better than Anderson and Broad in Oz and did his best work when Aus were missing Smith and Warner (when both were at or near their peak). the other bowlers mentioned are about the same as Broad and Anderson.

I agree its a great advantage to have a bowler of real pace in Australia but both these sides have shown you can win here without it.

 

[Son Of Coco]

We need 250 to win and have 10 wickets. It's very doable of course.

Aussie Chris!