*Official* Second Test at Lords

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Pointful? Really, Richard? **** me.

Haha, funniest post this year.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Poor tactics on display from Ponting in the 2nd session, bowling his best bowler in this series (Hilf) into the ground is hardly a smart thing to do, should have rather rotated his quicks from one end, and bowl Hauritz from the other, anyways pretty surprising that Horrie was taken off the attack, especially after taking two quick wickets.

Entirely possible that Hauritz was having trouble with his finger injury from the first innings and didn't feel comfortable bowling any more overs. I think he probably would have come back before tea otherwise. Who knows though, I guess we'll see later.

 

[Richard]

Johnson's been a fair bit better this spell. Helps that the batsmen aren't really going after him, but he's been more consistent with his line.

Batsmen were going after him, it's just both of these two are so out-of-nick they were not coming close to middling, well, anything really.

 

[Prince EWS]

Pointful? Really, Richard? **** me.

 

[Demolition Man]

Poor tactics on display from Ponting in the 2nd session, bowling his best bowler in this series (Hilf) into the ground is hardly a smart thing to do, should have rather rotated his quicks from one end, and bowl Hauritz from the other, anyways pretty surprising that Horrie was taken off the attack, especially after taking two quick wickets.

Poor tactics ??? If england continue to score this slowly they will not win this match.

 

[Richard]

Pointful? Really, Richard? **** me.

Whelan had waited ages for the reply ITFP, couldn't be arsed waiting even longer to think of a decent word. Haven't eaten for 7 hours after all.

 

[Demolition Man]

Entirely possible that Hauritz was having trouble with his finger injury from the first innings and didn't feel comfortable bowling any more overs. I think he probably would have come back before tea otherwise. Who knows though, I guess we'll see later.

Yeah was thinking that would be the reason.

 

[Top_Cat]

Entirely possible that Hauritz was having trouble with his finger injury from the first innings and didn't feel comfortable bowling any more overs. I think he probably would have come back before tea otherwise. Who knows though, I guess we'll see later.

Think Ponting thought the pacers had a better chance of knocking Bopara or KP over early. Think he's right that they're more vulnerable to pace early but would have thought Hauritz could have counted on a couple of overs towards the end of the session. Reckon he's in for a big post-tea session.

 

[Richard]

It has Obama, ergo it's political? Unusally linear reasoning on your part.

Generally avatars containing politicians are political - either favouring or making gestures against. Yours strikes immediately as against.

Imagine if Nasser Hussain had played on today's decks against today's attacks. He'd have given Hayden what-for then.

Oh wait, he did. And he didn't.

Nah, wrong on both counts. And for so many other reasons.

 

[.matt]

So close. Unlucky Haury.

 

[Richard]

Amazing seeing the youthful Bob Massie and this relatively frail old man he is now. 37 years is longer than it seems sometimes.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Poor tactics ??? If england continue to score this slowly they will not win this match.

Hmm. Run rate for the partnership is 2.36. That'd leave England 440 ahead at stumps and a bit over 500 in front at lunch tomorrow. I don't think Strauss would be too unhappy setting Australia 500 to win in five sessions, and realistically they could easily raise the scoring rate a bit tomorrow with wickets in hand.

Obviously it's better to be chasing 500 in five sessions than 600, but the chance of Australia winning the test from that point is pretty slim, and if they're batting to save it, it doesn't really matter how many runs England have. Either way I don't think England are going to suffer hugely just from scoring slowly and keeping wickets in hand today.

 

[Top_Cat]

Think Ponting thought the pacers had a better chance of knocking Bopara or KP over early. Think he's right that they're more vulnerable to pace early but would have thought Hauritz could have counted on a couple of overs towards the end of the session. Reckon he's in for a big post-tea session.

Sure enough, Ponting virtually welds the ball into his hand.

 

[Demolition Man]

Hmm. Run rate for the partnership is 2.36. That'd leave England 440 ahead at stumps and a bit over 500 in front at lunch tomorrow. I don't think Strauss would be too unhappy setting Australia 500 to win in five sessions, and realistically they could easily raise the scoring rate a bit tomorrow with wickets in hand.

Obviously it's better to be chasing 500 in five sessions than 600, but the chance of Australia winning the test from that point is pretty slim, and if they're batting to save it, it doesn't really matter how many runs England have. Either way I don't think England are going to suffer hugely just from scoring slowly and keeping wickets in hand today.

Yeah but the rate is dropping, 8 runs in the last 7 overs. Having bopara out there is good for the Australians, he is chewing up time and overs and doing very little damage to the score card.
I do think weather will play a part but Australia batting out 5 sessions is not unreasonable possibility.

 

[pup11]

Poor tactics ??? If england continue to score this slowly they will not win this match.

No chance, there is still lot of time left in this game, and England already have the cushion of lots of runs, so both KP and Bopara had the luxury to take their own time, and ring themselves back into some sort of form in that session, they would surely lift the tempo of the innings in the upcoming session(s).

It was poor tactics on part of Ricky, because Hilfenhaus has already bowled 30 odd overs in the 1st innings, and with Australia having gotten bowled out so quickly, it hardly would have given him any time for some R&R, and as I said bowling Hauritz from one end and using the quicks from the other end would have been way to go, and if Hauritz' finger was troubling him, then could have either used North/Clarke instead of Hauritz.

 

[Demolition Man]

No chance, there is still lot of time left in this game, and England already have the cushion of lots of runs, so both KP and Bopara had the luxury to take their own time, and ring themselves back into some sort of form in that session, they would surely lift the tempo of the innings in the upcoming session(s).

It was poor tactics on part of Ricky, because Hilfenhaus has already bowled 30 odd overs in the 1st innings, and with Australia having gotten bowled out so quickly, it hardly would have given him any time for some R&R, and as I said bowling Hauritz from one end and using the quicks from the other end would have been way to go, and if Hauritz' finger was troubling him, then could have either used North/Clarke instead of Hauritz.

Yeah I meant to write may not win this match, I quickly changed it, obviously not quickly enough.

IMHO ponting is worried that KP will attack a spinner and score heavily.

 

[Pigeon]

Wow! Pietersen and Bopara looking like they are wielding brooms instead of bats and Ponting has already two guys on the fence on the leg side.

 

[pup11]

FFS..... Haddin stop giving away these ****ing byes....

 

[Top_Cat]

Hell, Hauritz with bounce and turn and no rough involved. Men around the bat, Ricky!

 

[Pigeon]

Much impressed I am by Hauritz despite being against English batsmen who are **** against any spin.

Good shot by Bopara as I type.