England were impressive with the bat building a good score of the first day. Hadden dropped what many might say was a sitter. Root went on to build a great innings.
If Bell and Cook can fire "dad's Army" might be in a bit of trouble,
Australia might be in a bit of trouble.
Smith and Clarke both threw their wickets away trying to hit Ali out of the park. It's a five-day game, and Test attacks should be treated with some degree of respect. A good spinner thrives on batsmen trying to put him into the next postcode, and Ali showed very nicely just how it's done.
I think it was the right risk to take for Smith to go after Ali. It just didn't work, and all credit to England for their aggressive tactics (the bastards!).Sure; but there's a right way and a wrong way to go after a spinner. Smith was on his way down the pitch before the bowler had released the ball. Ali changed his delivery and, Bingo! . . . Smith was plainly outsmarted. We didn't need to be aiming for 3 for 300 at stumps. . . 3 for something was what we wanted. I repeat; it's a five day game, and patience and concentration are what it's about. Rogers is the only one who displayed these attributes.
Sure; but there's a right way and a wrong way to go after a spinner. ... I repeat; it's a five day game, and patience and concentration are what it's about. Rogers is the only one who displayed these attributes.
The biggest Ashes chase was 1948 at Headingly, Leeds when they scored 3/404 to win by 7 wickets. Just as a matter of academic interest, two gentlemen named Bradman and Morris scored very big hundreds. Who's going to do it this time? I can't see Australia batting out the day.How right you were.
I can't see Australia batting out the day.
I would pretty much agree with everything you said there. And I don't believe the series is lost, it is there to claim if Australia can manage to learn from the first test and apply some discipline to batting and bowling. But most of all, Watson has to go.
The No 6 position should be a recognised batsman and Watson with an Test Average of 35 fails to meet the grade. At his age he won't get any better. The question needs to be asked, is there a better batsman in the squad? And is so he needs to be selected.Unfortunately, the answer to that is no. You could make a case for S Marsh, but he has a similar issue to Watson in getting out the same way all the time. S Marsh doesn't prop onto the front foot like Watson, but he's a regular nicker to the slips when the ball is slid across him. With his bottom hand grip always hitting inside out through the off side. Watson & S Marsh have similar test averages, but when S Marsh does fire (usually before the opposition bowlers have worked him out) hits big scores in precisely the same way Watson doesn't.
Watson has been dropped, and Haddin is unavailable. Replacements are M Marsh and Nevill.It appears Haddin's family are with him in the UK, in which case his daughter might be able to get specialist attention.
I'd shed crocodile tears for Watson, but I am very worried about Haddin. It seems that his little daughter is again beset with health issues. I'm sure we all had wished that she had overcome these issues a couple of years ago, and I hope this is only a minor hiccup.
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