creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Worthy4England]

12 catches dropped by England so far...in 4 innings

[jimbo]

In 27 innings this year, our opening partnership has only past 17 eight times….

[Worthy4England]

When it's not going your way, life has a nasty habit of hitting you in the balls...at 111 kmh. Ouch.

[Worthy4England]

Thank fcuk that was at stumps, we wouldn't have been able to tell whether we were sending out a batsman or night watchman.

[Prufrock]

Eesh. Poor Joe. Had already taken one in the nets apparently.

Kindest thing. At least everyone can get home for a nice tea tomorrow. How long are we giving them now?

[Worthy4England]

Eesh. Poor Joe. Had already taken one in the nets apparently.

Kindest thing. At least everyone can get home for a nice tea tomorrow. How long are we giving them now?

Doubt it makes tea...might not make lunch. Maybe now is the time for Stokes and Buttler to play their way. Nothing to lose IMO and it's not going to get us a win, but might add a bit of respectability...

[Prufrock]

Oh yeah I meant "tea" as the first break with it being a day-night!

[TANGODANCER]

Right now, currently, or just when they play us, the Oz seem to be able to raise their team game. We rely on a Root, a Stokes or a.n.other to even compete. A sad state.

[Worthy4England]

Right now, currently, or just when they play us, the Oz seem to be able to raise their team game. We rely on a Root, a Stokes or a.n.other to even compete. A sad state.

Whilst they're sociable off the pitch, on it they have an absolute and unwavering desire to beat the motherland. We need the same, because if everything else was broadly equal, that helps them win. Some of our Aussies, when I was playing, used to get pissed if you got them out in the nets. Different mentality (which I think is a large part of what Insano is referring to, talking about mental toughness)

[Harry Genshaw]

As if we weren't making it easy enough for them, I see we also gave them 42 runs by way of extras. That's more than any of our tail enders are going to get!

[Dujon]

Whilst they're sociable off the pitch, on it they have an absolute and unwavering desire to beat the motherland.

I have recently changed my view on England vs Australia sporting contests. Up until that moment I was strictly neutral. Now, given that for every day I lived in England I have lived for six in this far land, I have converted.

We have a population of about 25 million; just less than 1 million of those were born in England. https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/austral ... n-overseas

In other words there are not many of us with ties to England. So forget the motherland bit, though historically it is true; mind you, I wouldn't spout that to an Australian aborigine!

So, this is not really country vs country it is a cricket team battle to win or retain THE ASHES.

[Worthy4England]

I can only tell it as I see it from my side of the boundary rope Dujon and the Aussies I was privileged to have played cricket with and against which is of course further back in time than I'd care to remember.

It still felt attritional with McGrath, Healey, Waughs etc. It feels a little less so with the current crop.

[BWFC_Insane]

Fair play to Buttler. Showed real fight to take it into the final session.

[Worthy4England]

Fair play to Buttler. Showed real fight to take it into the final session.

I thought he absolutely, deffo, no-way Jose, couldn't bat like this? He's managed 4 hours and 33 overs so far. We can put that one to bed, now. Sterling effort by Jos, I mean getting past tea is more than I think most would've expected...Opening instead of Burns next match.

[BWFC_Insane]

Fair play to Buttler. Showed real fight to take it into the final session.

I thought he absolutely, deffo, no-way Jose, couldn't bat like this? He's managed 4 hours and 33 overs so far. We can put that one to bed, now. Sterling effort by Jos, I mean getting past tea is more than I think most would've expected...Opening instead of Burns next match.

He’s got the technique to block it. He spent a lot of time doing this in past series.

I think what he’s not got is the ability to do this and combine it with run accumulation. In this scenario he’s obviously not bothered about runs but there are a few times he’s stuck around for ages but got to 30 or something.

I do think he tries he just lacks genuine technique. This will all be for nought anyway. The thing with Buttler is he could be a good aggressive wicket keeper batter type. But this side we need someone more solid and consistent and when Jos plays like this he doesn’t score.

[Worthy4England]

Hit fecking wicket!

[Prufrock]

feck* sake sorry lads. Expected it to be done, saw we were still going and literally the first thing I saw was Jos jumping back. Didn't even see the ball bowled. Perfect timing.

[BWFC_Insane]

There are no words. Can we just bring them home now?

[Worthy4England]

Fair play to Buttler. Showed real fight to take it into the final session.

I thought he absolutely, deffo, no-way Jose, couldn't bat like this? He's managed 4 hours and 33 overs so far. We can put that one to bed, now. Sterling effort by Jos, I mean getting past tea is more than I think most would've expected...Opening instead of Burns next match.

He’s got the technique to block it. He spent a lot of time doing this in past series.

I think what he’s not got is the ability to do this and combine it with run accumulation. In this scenario he’s obviously not bothered about runs but there are a few times he’s stuck around for ages but got to 30 or something.

I do think he tries he just lacks genuine technique. This will all be for nought anyway. The thing with Buttler is he could be a good aggressive wicket keeper batter type. But this side we need someone more solid and consistent and when Jos plays like this he doesn’t score.

Yeah - I was thinking exactly that too.

[Worthy4England]

There are no words. Can we just bring them home now?

We just need Jimmy to be out obstructing the field now, last ball...