*Official* Second Test (Lord's, London) 28 June–2 July

[TheJediBrah]

GIMH certainly does, alas today I was volunteering at a hospice in Cheshire, sponsored to do so by my employer. Didn't clock the test starting on Wednesday when arranging, doh. Otherwise I could have had iPad at desk all day. In the actual office tomorrow so won't see any then. Friday I'm driving to London for GNR so won't see much there either. It's a hard life/.

I have to get a haircut tomorrow

 

[CartyDurham]

340 ish now at this rate, at the close. Australia dominant

a minor miracle required to get back into this match now

 

[Spark]

Or it's a New Zealand style seamy road that's completely flat on days 4 and 5.

Oh god that hit the spot

That's not ideal for us tbf. Don't want to be dangling any carrots in that case

 

[Croadymeister]

Definitely a very rattled side, England. Australia held their nerve when it mattered towards the end in the last test, England are losing theirs needlessly today. Might end up being the difference between the sides.

Yeah they are mentally tougher than us and as I feared the confidence taken from that win has put us absolutely miles behind the game

 

[GIMH]

That's not ideal for us tbf. Don't want to be dangling any carrots in that case

Last I checked the forecast suggested we'd not lose as much play as people thought. So yeah you're probably right. At the same time Oz have surely got to be thinking about going BIG here. I know the tail isn't great (last game finish notwithstanding) but they can really put us to the sword here.

 

[Croadymeister]

340 ish now at this rate, at the close. Australia dominant

a minor miracle required to get back into this match now

Yeah they are gonna win a series here for the first time since 2001. Shame it's not going to be the exciting series after all

 

[Spark]

Last I checked the forecast suggested we'd not lose as much play as people thought. So yeah you're probably right. At the same time Oz have surely got to be thinking about going BIG here. I know the tail isn't great (last game finish notwithstanding) but they can really put us to the sword here.

Yeah, have to have one eye on next week too - we're still early in the series, get miles into those legs.

Meanwhile Smith has had about ten goes at that shot in the last half hour before getting one right.

 

[Calm_profit]

Wow what a cover drive from Smith!

 

[Michelle Fivefer]

Tomorrow looks like there could be no play until about 4pm ish, clear for the last 3 days though.

Any respite is welcome. I hope the England team will be working on their skills not sitting about with coffees and donuts.

 

[Spark]

Who knows what happens from here but for Aus to be 3 for verging on 300 is ****ing remarkable. In the last 15 years, when an Australian side is put in in these sorts of conditions we'd be lucky to get to 150.

 

[Niall]

Yes, two Tests below par means he should retire. That's how it works.

I think he is done though, I did say he still has time in this test but if he continues like this he needs to be dropped and his age that's probably it for test cricket.

 

[AVA]

Are the KFC fries/chips as bad as I remember? I remember disliking them immensely and not heard anything positive about them in the last few tears.

They are usually heavily salted, but I think they go down a treat when in the right mood. Not having a drink on hand and it's a different story though.

 

[Croadymeister]

Who knows what happens from here but for Aus to be 3 for verging on 300 is ****ing remarkable. In the last 15 years, when an Australian side is put in in these sorts of conditions we'd be lucky to get to 150.

Congrats you have taken Ashes away today

 

[CartyDurham]

Still you never know until both sides have batted but it’s pretty clear the Aussies have at least sealed the draw and should really be forcing the win from this position

 

[GIMH]

I think he is done though, I did say he still has time in this test but if he continues like this he needs to be dropped and his age that's probably it for test cricket.

Going under 2 and over when everyone else has been belted.

 

[Gob]

Time to declare and get a couple of wickets

 

[trundler]

Senior statesman Smith and Head work so well together. It's a poetic pairing.

 

[CartyDurham]

Time to declare and get a couple of wickets

Spooked

 

[trundler]

You've gotta put more into short balls than that.

 

[wpdavid]

This is all a bit ****, isn't it. Apart from anything, it reinforces was some of us were saying that we couldn't afford the throw away the first test as the Aus middle order was always likely to improve, whereas our top order isn't. Their bowlers will probably improve too, so we may just be in a bit of trouble here. Given the relative strength of the sides (I reckon that given where the players are in their careers, a composite side would probably have 8 Australians), this really shows that you can't afford to throw away test matches like we did at Edgbaston. I gather there were another couple of dropped catches early on, which is never great. I also gather that conditions were supposed to be in the bowlers' favour for much of the day, not that you'd know from the scorecard. In other words, a good old-fashioned Lord's ****-show just like we remember them from years ago.