creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[BWFC_Insane]

I'll judge this innings after we've batted, because I think there's going to be plenty in it for their bowlers too. But Woody's been exceptional...

Yeah I’m not getting too giddy cos if they can get close to what wood is doing it’s going to be tough to bat. England would love some bad light now and the sun tomorrow.

[Worthy4England]

Looks like a mistake not to pick Jimmy here though….

65% of his wickets require someone who can catch!

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks like a mistake not to pick Jimmy here though….

65% of his wickets require someone who can catch!

Haha. Jimmy probably saying that too.

[Worthy4England]

I'll judge this innings after we've batted, because I think there's going to be plenty in it for their bowlers too. But Woody's been exceptional...

Yeah I’m not getting too giddy cos if they can get close to what wood is doing it’s going to be tough to bat. England would love some bad light now and the sun tomorrow.

Yeah - not sure you want to read "Mark Wood is terrorising Australia here with his pace and bounce." when they're 9 down with 90 minutes left...

[Prufrock]

Superb from Wood. Need to start well now. It definitely had plenty in it when the ball was new. Then didn't do a lot in the middle and then a hint of swing but mainly Woods pace.

Hopefully we get the erratic Starc and not the unplayable one.

Runs if you hit it, but enough there for the bowlers. This is miles better than the Lord's bouncer nonsense!

Come on!

[BWFC_Insane]

Afternoon sun came out a bit. Reckon that’s the difference here. Overheads.

Vaughan thinks this is a huge score pitch but I think the conditions have given swing that you expect in England but we’ve not seen much of this series at least not at pace.

Wood has been absolutely unbelievable though - never seen him bowl that well.

[BWFC_Insane]

Duckett. Donut.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah - Brook not a number 3...

[BWFC_Insane]

Reckon that’s pretty even.

England losing three not too surprising but Root, Bairstow and Stokes need to make some serious runs tomorrow between them. Not sure I fancy much from below them if the ball continues to swing round.

[Worthy4England]

Yes, to all that. But it probably should have felt much less even...

[Prufrock]

Yeah. Catch properly and this would be game over. It's very much not.

[BWFC_Insane]

Yes, to all that. But it probably should have felt much less even...

Yeah as with every single day of the series. England fail to step on the neck when they have their prey down.

It’s why we are losing. Catch Marsh and you’d be looking at being maybe 60 runs further on at least.

[TANGODANCER]

Every dog has its day. Marsh had his. I made the point earlier about team strength; I think we have the advantage there. What we really need is to capitalise on a low score by Oz and make two innings into one uncatchable one. But it's cricket so.....Que Sera..


Back in the dark ages, bodyline bowling was regarded as "not quite cricket old chap", now.....

[BWFC_Insane]

FFS 2nd ball Joe. 2nd ball. You’ve been disastrous this test. Disastrous.

Australia big favourites to win this now.

[TANGODANCER]

And I was so exited to start today. Root out second ball. Great..

[BWFC_Insane]

Well this is just awful.

[BWFC_Insane]

I guess we are finding out why we wanted slower dead pitches. The Aussies are simply better players. Too good for us. No shame in that.

I still think we had a chance if we were fully on it and not rusty but that isn’t the case and we are sadly taking a lesson in what happens when you come up against an outstanding team and aren’t quite ‘on it’.

[TANGODANCER]

Jonny Bairstowe is really under the spotlight at the moment. Dropped catches and poor scoring means he's hovering over the trapdoor. Today didn't help a bit.

[BWFC_Insane]

Jonny Bairstowe is really under the spotlight at the moment. Dropped catches and poor scoring means he's hovering over the trapdoor. Today didn't help a bit.

Same for Root. Neither will be dropped because McCullum isn’t like that. They keep faith in players.

[TANGODANCER]

We really had a chance to capitalise on the Oz low total. Beginning to look like a one-innings test already, sad to say. Come on England,, buck up and get a grip.