Winter ashes...

[thebish]

pretty much conclusively Oz's day now...

[thebish]

make it stoooooop!!!!

[LeverEnd]

Our batsmen will be lucky to get half of what they finish on. England always struggle in Perth, even when they are playing well. All over by tomorrow morning I reckon.
Will make the next series an interesting one. Would be nice to see them put up a bit of a fight in the rest of this one too.

[Dujon]

I can tell you without the complicated time workings that if it kicks off at half past something there, it won't be 2am here!

It depends on what you mean by 'there' Prufrock. Adelaide is half an hour behind my time.

___________________________________________________

Well, another lucky escape for the hosts. I wonder how long it will be before the sixth and seventh wicket stands fail to produce a rescue operation. I had to chuckle at some of the local commentators - optimists to the end - suggesting that Australia will manage 450 runs in the current innings. That's a long way off fellows! Once the current partnership is broken I suspect that the remaining wickets will fall relatively quickly. Still, the runs scored yesterday are reportedly (I haven't tried to check) the most ever for a test match first innings at the WACA.

Anyway, in wilting heat Australia has managed a reasonable score to date. There is no reason why England with its decent batting line-up cannot manage the same. This could be an exciting match or a boring fizzer.

[Worthy4England]

I think someone should mention that most of the Aussie batting is from No 7 downwards - we saw this enough in England in the English Summer. They should recognise that if the tail (from 1 to 5) have put on > 100, then we're in deep doo doo.

[jaffka]

This fantastic attack that someone once said is showing in this series to be quite average.

[Dujon]

Congratulations, England. Australia dismissed for an attainable number of runs. 180-4 overnight. Given the heat (maximum of 40ºC - that's in the shade, not out in the middle) both sides performed quite well to my mind. Even KP was doing well until the red mist descended and he skied, yet again, Peter Siddle.

I find it interesting that the Australia fast bowler known as Johnson has done well. When he hasn't (2nd innings in Adelaide to date) then Harris, Siddle and Lyon have plugged the gap. Even bad-boy Watson has helped along the cause.

England are dong the job at the moment. They should come close to, if not surpass, the Australia total. It will depend on how quickly those runs are scored as, assuming no debacle for either side, that could well decide the difference between a win and a draw.

[thebish]

^

[superjohnmcginlay]

Congratulations, England. Australia dismissed for an attainable number of runs. 180-4 overnight. Given the heat (maximum of 40ºC - that's in the shade, not out in the middle) both sides performed quite well to my mind. Even KP was doing well until the red mist descended and he skied, yet again, Peter Siddle.

I find it interesting that the Australia fast bowler known as Johnson has done well. When he hasn't (2nd innings in Adelaide to date) then Harris, Siddle and Lyon have plugged the gap. Even bad-boy Watson has helped along the cause.

England are dong the job at the moment. They should come close to, if not surpass, the Australia total. It will depend on how quickly those runs are scored as, assuming no debacle for either side, that could well decide the difference between a win and a draw.

Have you been watching this series at all?

[Dujon]

The overnight score was reasonable. I couldn't convince myself that England would do the let's-fall-in-a-heap trick for a third consecutive game. The facts clearly indicate that I was wrong, so wrong that I could hardly believe that I was not dreaming. How the heck can a team with so much talent produce three tests worth of rubbish on the trot? Three occasions when it's had the opposition 'on the ropes' so to speak and then allow them to duck under and away. The loss of Broad for the second innings must have been a heavy blow - no wonder Australia got off to such a good start (with the additional help of some sloppy field work).

It looks like bad light or rain is not likely to affect the game. Should the carnage continue later on today then it'll be interesting to see when Clarke calls a halt. I cannot see him declaring short of a 400 run lead. If the first session proves successful for the batsmen - i.e. quick run rate - I'm guessing he'd aim for 450 in front. Should England then be given five sessions that's 90 runs per session. Cook won't think of chasing that total and will be forced into wicket protection mode. Even at 80 per session I suspect it would be a lost cause.

With the best optimism I can muster a draw or an England win is not on the cards. So, to steal a sub-editor's piece of 'wit' before he's written it: Well done Australia you've urned it.

[Dujon]

'Struth, it gets worse!

[Prufrock]

How does it KEEP getting worse?!

What the feck!

[Worthy4England]

Just as I was saying to myself, Bell needs to reign it in a little and try sensible, he plays a shot like that.

[thebish]

Just as I was saying to myself, Bell needs to reign it in a little and try sensible, he plays a shot like that.

oh ffs - is bell out now??

[mrkint]

Don't worry, we have the unflappable brick wall that is Matt Prior in now...

[thebish]

Don't worry, we have the unflappable brick wall that is Matt Prior in now...

ahh - yes - phew! I'd forgotten about him... panic over!

[thebish]

ok - we were set 504 to win... we still have half of our wickets and we have knocked off just about half of the runs..

piece of piss! tomorrow is a glorious day!

[bobo the clown]

It really is pretty pathetic isn't it.

Last summer's over-confidence was bad enough as around May the only question was whether it'd be a 5-0 whitewash and really Australia's squad was barely good enough to warrant calling them tests. The actual performances in the end meant England for fortunate to win the series.

The wheels have come off and we can anticipate some soul searching as to the reasons.

Megson Out !!

[thebish]

It really is pretty pathetic isn't it.

Last summer's over-confidence was bad enough as around May the only question was whether it'd be a 5-0 whitewash and really Australia's squad was barely good enough to warrant calling them tests. The actual performances in the end meant England for fortunate to win the series.

The wheels have come off and we can anticipate some soul searching as to the reasons.

Megson Out !!

Uwe Rosler in!

[jaffka]

If prior fails with the bat again his place must be under threat as his keeping hasn't been great either.