Cricket

[Giles]

I actually do not have strong views one way or the other.  It's a personal decision and that's it as far as I am concerned….

[Giles]

Bloody hell.  Unless we find a batsman who can actually bat today, we will be humbled…...

[RocknRoll]

Saved by the rain in the 3rd test.

Likely to be saved by Aussie mediocrity in this test.

…or maybe I just have to admit the Poms have a decent team...

[Winchy]

Some high scoring overs and now a lead approaching 270. Go Bresnan!

[RocknRoll]

@Winchy:

Some high scoring overs and now a lead approaching 270. Go Bresnan!

You have no idea how painful it is to watch this! Smith drops a skyer and now Swann is making hay…..I can see your English smirks from here

[Giles]

I can hardly read your post because my smirk is getting in the way…..

[Giles]

Phew, got rid of one of the obdurate openers…...

[Giles]

Clarkie has gone.  Game back on…...

[Giles]

Broadie doing a "decent" job, sorry Jake…..

[Maynard Friedman]

3 Ashes wins in a row… 10 years ago that would only have happened in the Fantasy Cricket thread!

[Giles]

Who says we don't want a 4:0 result….?

"Broad, bowling as quickly and aggressively as at any time in his career, then had Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris lbw before bowling Nathan Lyon."

[RocknRoll]

@Giles:

I can hardly read your post because my smirk is getting in the way…..

Alright, aright, you've earned gloating rights. Broad did indeed do a 'decent' job.

Well done, you annoyingly smug Poms. 

[RocknRoll]

Only a matter of time until Broad gets Clarke again…

[Winchy]

Oh dear. After a reasonable first day with the ball things went a bit shonky over night it would seem! Was pleased to see Broad bagging a decent amount of wickets and had high hopes for Carberry but didn't expect the domino effect from the middle order.

Roll on the second test…..

[Giles]

Yep, as Boycott said after yesterdays performance "I reserve judgement until I see how England bat".  Well we got our answer - pableedingthetic….

[simonc]

Good to see things have returned as they should be.

[Giles]

"should", are you Australian…..?

[RocknRoll]

The convicts fight back!

Pleased as I am with today's play, i cant forget that Australia's top order failed again in the first innings (with the exception perhaps of Warner). If it wasn't for Haddin and Johnson, our score would have been pretty similar to England's.

I'm hoping the second innings is better…Clarke, Smith, Watson, et.al. need to step up. Looking forward to the weekend....

[Giles]

Good point from an Aussie on BBC:

Can't believe the English media and fans already writing their team off. I'm an Aussie and delighted to see us on top but this series has plenty of life left in it. There is a lot of quality in that England team and plenty of good cricket to come. Don't write your team off yet England.

[RocknRoll]

Ah, the media here does that kind of stuff too - quick to jump on or off the bandwagon.

I think England will come back in a big way, at least i hope so. I want Australia to win the series (of course), but i also want it to be close and hard fought.

I'm starting to like Broad. He was copping it from all directions during this match and he stood tall, took it all, and dished some out too. That's the kind of thing that makes ashes cricket special.