creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Worthy4England]

Well, you have to say that was probably Australia's morning at 122-4... near collapse.

I'm not sure of the wisdom of batting on after lunch - just on the grounds it'll lose some overs in the change over...

[BWFC_Insane]

Well, you have to say that was probably Australia's morning at 122-4... near collapse.

I'm not sure of the wisdom of batting on after lunch - just on the grounds it'll lose some overs in the change over...

Not at all. Englands job was to add runs. They did it. Maybe not as quickly as ideal but hardly at a slow pace either.

Wickets irrelevant now. Only way it would be Australias morning would be if they kept England below 100 runs.

[Worthy4England]

Well, you have to say that was probably Australia's morning at 122-4... near collapse.

I'm not sure of the wisdom of batting on after lunch - just on the grounds it'll lose some overs in the change over...

Not at all. Englands job was to add runs. They did it. Maybe not as quickly as ideal but hardly at a slow pace either.

Wickets irrelevant now. Only way it would be Australias morning would be if they kept England below 100 runs.

Maybe you didn't spot the joke....fck me.

[BWFC_Insane]

Well, you have to say that was probably Australia's morning at 122-4... near collapse.

I'm not sure of the wisdom of batting on after lunch - just on the grounds it'll lose some overs in the change over...

Not at all. Englands job was to add runs. They did it. Maybe not as quickly as ideal but hardly at a slow pace either.

Wickets irrelevant now. Only way it would be Australias morning would be if they kept England below 100 runs.

Maybe you didn't spot the joke....fck me.

No I did not! Sorry!

I don't really know the wisdom of England batting on here. England now can't lose this test match other than in trying to win it.

For England to keep the ashes alive - we need to basically bowl the Aussies out today. I see little prospect of play Saturday or Sunday.

[Worthy4England]

I doubt the situation is lost on them, TBF. They will know what the weather is doing, probably better than we do, with other people looking at how many overs they might get in, in the match. I suspect, whatever you or I think of the weather, they've determined that there is more advantage to try and bowl once, than have some runs to try and knock-off in a theorectical 4th innings...

[Worthy4England]

Stunning knock from Jonny. 7 slips, 2 gullies... c'mon you Whites.

[BWFC_Insane]

I doubt the situation is lost on them, TBF. They will know what the weather is doing, probably better than we do, with other people looking at how many overs they might get in, in the match. I suspect, whatever you or I think of the weather, they've determined that there is more advantage to try and bowl once, than have some runs to try and knock-off in a theorectical 4th innings...

Yeah they will know. I guess end of the day we're talking marginals. If England get Aussies 8 down and run out of time we might pick at the time to bat. If we only get 4 or 5 it probably doesn't make much difference either way.

There isn't a lot in the pitch we might be hoping Mo has a worldy of a session.

[Worthy4England]

Aye, still looks a decent pitch, with the odd low one. I mean Jimmy pulled Cummings for 4. Gonna take something pretty special methinks...

[TANGODANCER]

Real shame for Jonny Bairstow being left on 99, but a great display by England. Que Sera now...

[Worthy4England]

Great ball, Woody. Mo needs to land 'em on the pitch...

[Worthy4England]

Bit mysterious that Wood had one over before tea, got a wicket and hasn't been seen since....

[Worthy4England]

G'wan Woody. We've made some odd decisions after tea. Mo not bowled well, Jimmy not looking like a 5-fer. Woody 2 wickets in 4 overs across 3 spells. Weird.

[Worthy4England]

And Woody again. Great ball.

[Worthy4England]

Another good day's cricket. Fingers crossed now, that we can get a couple of sessions across 2 days....Looks ominous though.

[officer_dibble]

fecking criminal if the weather renders this a draw!

[KeyserSoze]

Incredible display but not optimistic sadly. Them's the vagaries I suppose.

Holding out hope. Three incredible test matches so far, with great stuff shown from both sides. Shame the one where we throttle them could wash out but it is what it is.

Anyone know a decent roofer in Stretford? Like very decent. Got a big job that needs doing by tomorrow morning.

[Worthy4England]

Not the folks who did Costco in OT, please....

[BWFC_Insane]

On balance you have to say that thus far England are a dubious run out and weather away from winning the ashes. If they’d had more prep going in they’d have won I’m sure. They were just undercooked for first couple and even then were within a whisker.

[KeyserSoze]

On balance you have to say that thus far England are a dubious run out and weather away from winning the ashes. If they’d had more prep going in they’d have won I’m sure. They were just undercooked for first couple and even then were within a whisker.

It's been proper back and forth up until this test and you could argue 2-1 or an undeserved 3-0
was in play for either side at this point.

Anyway. Roofer?

[Worthy4England]

We've no idea what might happen should it go to the 5th Test. It's certainly been fairly fine margins all the way. I think I read on Zaltzmann that the sequence of margins in the first three tests combined is the closest for Ashes in a very long time...