creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[thebish]

Last man Nathan Lyon is wearing his armguard on the balcony, so it looks like he's planning to bat.

[BWFC_Insane]

TBH I thin if Australia play for the rest of the day then they are not going to have time to beat us. Australia are already killing this game IMO.

i think you seriously underestimate England's capacity to buckle under scoreboard pressure... have we jot been 20-odd for three in just about every innings so far?

Aye unless the weather intervenes big time, I reckon Aus are big favourites here.

[thebish]

oooh - Oz have made a surprise declaration!

[thebish]

all we have to do is bat for a couple of days! On their day - trott, cook, root, pieterson and bell are all capable of batting for hours... BUT...

[bwfcdan94]

We don't even need to score just defend that's exactly what the England teams of old did, isn't it meant to rain tomorrow anyhow.

[thebish]

We don't even need to score just defend that's exactly what the England teams of old did, isn't it meant to rain tomorrow anyhow.

nahhh - bad move to go and and defend for three days - it encourages a siege mentality!! {boycott voice on} just bat sensibly - hit the bad ball, block the rest or let them go by... {boycott voice off}

remember - they have to WIN it - after a while there will also be some pressure on them...

[thebish]

and we're off...

from ye BBC..

Cricket is an amazing game. For most of the day, batting has looked easier than making a cup-a-soup, but now, with 527 runs to play with, Australia's bowlers are making the ball talk. Movement from left-armer Mitchell Starc away from Cook. Cook, bat like a sliding door, fences with three slips and a gully waiting to be fed, but there's no edge.

[bwfcdan94]

Nowt wrong with a siege mentality when required. My opinion is that if we draw this test match and give it another go at Chester -le Street (which is a nice place in the North east btw) but if we lose our confidence will be shot and Australia's will be high in the sky the result will be that Australia will win at CLS and will probably win at the Oval as well. We need to save the possibility of embarrassment today better to win an ashes series 4-0 then risk losing it 3-2 in an attempt to win it 5-0. I am sure however Bish that having been around and played/umpired/watched a lot more cricket then me will prove you right.

[thebish]

Nowt wrong with a siege mentality when required. My opinion is that if we draw this test match and give it another go at Chester -le Street (which is a nice place in the North east btw) but if we lose our confidence will be shot and Australia's will be high in the sky the result will be that Australia will win at CLS and will probably win at the Oval as well. We need to save the possibility of embarrassment today better to win an ashes series 4-0 then risk losing it 3-2 in an attempt to win it 5-0. I am sure however Bish that having been around and played/umpired/watched a lot more cricket then me will prove you right.

i am not suggesting we try and win it - just that we don't play too defensively - if you score no runs, the pressure builds - more attacking fields are set and you end up pressuring yourself into defeat... even though they are 500+ runs ahead - the trick is not to let them think they are totally in control... start to knock off the runs bit by bit - and they too will start to look at the scoreboard...

[thebish]

ooooooffffffffffff - cook dropped! phew!

[TANGODANCER]

Nowt wrong with a siege mentality when required. My opinion is that if we draw this test match and give it another go at Chester -le Street (which is a nice place in the North east btw) but if we lose our confidence will be shot and Australia's will be high in the sky the result will be that Australia will win at CLS and will probably win at the Oval as well. We need to save the possibility of embarrassment today better to win an ashes series 4-0 then risk losing it 3-2 in an attempt to win it 5-0. I am sure however Bish that having been around and played/umpired/watched a lot more cricket then me will prove you right.

Behave Dan. If it was going to be a whitewash job there'd be no point bothering playing for the Ashes. We won't lose confidence, we're two up already remember? One win or two draws and we keep the Ashes. When it stops being competitive it won't be worth playing.

[BWFC_Insane]

Nowt wrong with a siege mentality when required. My opinion is that if we draw this test match and give it another go at Chester -le Street (which is a nice place in the North east btw) but if we lose our confidence will be shot and Australia's will be high in the sky the result will be that Australia will win at CLS and will probably win at the Oval as well. We need to save the possibility of embarrassment today better to win an ashes series 4-0 then risk losing it 3-2 in an attempt to win it 5-0. I am sure however Bish that having been around and played/umpired/watched a lot more cricket then me will prove you right.

i am not suggesting we try and win it - just that we don't play too defensively - if you score no runs, the pressure builds - more attacking fields are set and you end up pressuring yourself into defeat... even though they are 500+ runs ahead - the trick is not to let them think they are totally in control... start to knock off the runs bit by bit - and they too will start to look at the scoreboard...

Bish is right. First target is follow on. Don't just sit there prodding cos that's what they want.

Don't be silly either, but runs are still part of this equation.

[bwfcdan94]

Just keep it ticking over and play the natural game is what your all saying basically.

[thebish]

Bish is right. First target is follow on. Don't just sit there prodding cos that's what they want.

Don't be silly either, but runs are still part of this equation.

there are several targets before follow-on!

first target is close of play without losing a wicket!

[thebish]

oh pish - root's out for 8, arse....

[thebish]

apparentlym, Geoffrey knew that would happen!

[bwfcdan94]

I was about to ask if Geoffrey would defend him being from Yuuuurkshire.

[BWFC_Insane]

It was good bowling to be fair.

Remains to be seen but my suspicion is that England didn't bowl all that well, despite the flat pitch.

Warne reckons we bowled a fraction too short.

[TANGODANCER]

Had to miss the last hour. What did we finish at?

[bwfcdan94]

52-2 we are in trouble. Defend!