*Official* First Test (Edgbaston, Birmingham) 16–20 June

[Kenneth Viljoen]

One thing about Khawaja, he's a terrible runner between the wickets. So many runs left out there because he doesn't push hard enough.

I guess Khawaja is from the school of "No run is worth a run out" .

 

[Burgey]

That's not true at all. The pitch has atleast started to grip more and more and both spinners have found some bite. Its not an ideal pitch but you've been way overstating it imo.

Yeah, lyon was low key excellent this test aside form a couple of overs

 

[Molehill]

Oh yeah it's absolutely down to England's tactics - another team would have batted for two days on that wicket up front, put on 550, and put us all to sleep.

And yet England did manage to take 10 first innings wickets without Australia (bar Head) playing stupid shots.

**** me that declaration looks stupid now.

 

[CartyDurham]

There will be another new ball about an hour into the last session

I think the key is obvious , Khwaja bats through Australia go 1-0 up

 

[Spark]

And yet England did manage to take 10 first innings wickets without Australia (bar Head) playing stupid shots.

**** me that declaration looks stupid now.

Marnus's was a much worse shot than Head's. Defensive shot bias be damned. Head was at least trying to achieve something.

 

[Burgey]

I thought tea was due at 4:15 local?

hahahaha Ponting slyly calling out the reverse from 2095 and englands blatant cheating that series

 

[RightArmMystery]

Time for our real frontline spinner

 

[CartyDurham]

@shortpitched713

Zimbabwe did it v England in the 90s

nearly under the 100 to win

 

[Burgey]

And yet England did manage to take 10 first innings wickets without Australia (bar Head) playing stupid shots.

**** me that declaration looks stupid now.

Marnus, Warner, Khawaja and Head all played wildly loose shots to lose their wickets first innings.

 

[Bijed]

Marnus's was a much worse shot than Head's. Defensive shot bias be damned. Head was at least trying to achieve something.

Yeah, defensive shots to balls nowhere near the stumps are the worst way to get out

 

[TimAngas]

Green could be on here.

 

[CartyDurham]

I thought tea was due at 4:15 local?

hahahaha Ponting slyly calling out the reverse from 2095 and englands blatant cheating that series

Blatant? Well it must have been both sides

must be 430 pm now for tea with that delay

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hussain: "Time for Root"
Ponting: "Same thing for me here"

 

[Burgey]

shot that.

Root will be dangerous here I reckon

 

[shortpitched713]

@shortpitched713

Zimbabwe did it v England in the 90s

nearly under the 100 to win

Game's different these days though. Back in those days you could bowl a slow delivery on the full over waist height, or a delivery that bounced twice.

 

[CartyDurham]

Could I ask. Whenever an Australian is out, it’s a bad shot and nothing to do with the bowler ?

 

[TimAngas]

Khawaja has faced the most balls in an Ashes test by an Australian since Langer in 1998.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Usman seeing Oz home in his unfussed, measured manner would be quite something where Bazball has been getting all the praise all match.

 

[Spark]

Could I ask. Whenever an Australian is out, it’s a bad shot and nothing to do with the bowler ?

Most of the English wickets across both innings didn't exactly owe a lot to great bowling either. The number of straight up donations has been a striking feature of this Test.

 

[shortpitched713]

Could I ask. Whenever an Australian is out, it’s a bad shot and nothing to do with the bowler ?

In these circumstances, with the nerves kicking in, yeah most likely.

That's the only reason I think England are getting pretty good odds still, despite the score. And would be a great win for Australia to pull it off.