creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Montreal Wanderer]

I'd be tempted to put them in them in for a little while tonight to see if we could get a couple of quick wickets. Of course this may depending on the weather forecast (can we be guaranteed two full days?).

[Worthy4England]

I'd be tempted to put them in them in for a little while tonight to see if we could get a couple of quick wickets. Of course this may depending on the weather forecast (can we be guaranteed two full days?).

Strangely enough for the UK Monty, I think we will probably get two full days, weather-wise. Would be just our luck to suffer a plagues of frogs though.

[Worthy4England]

Anyone else other than Bumble didn't think that catch from Bell carried. I understand what Gower is saying about it being deceiving, but I didn't think it carried either and can absolutely see why an Umpire who has to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt might have given it not out.

[BWFC_Insane]

Anyone else other than Bumble didn't think that catch from Bell carried. I understand what Gower is saying about it being deceiving, but I didn't think it carried either and can absolutely see why an Umpire who has to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt might have given it not out.

I think it carried. But that's a think, not a certain. So what would you do as a 3rd umpire?

Edit: I agree with Bumble though, the more overs we make them bowl the further we grind their bowlers down physically and mentally for the rest of the series. Bowled 170 more than us already. Few more can't hurt.

[Worthy4England]

Anyone else other than Bumble didn't think that catch from Bell carried. I understand what Gower is saying about it being deceiving, but I didn't think it carried either and can absolutely see why an Umpire who has to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt might have given it not out.

I think it carried. But that's a think, not a certain. So what would you do as a 3rd umpire?

Got to give the benefit of the doubt...

[BWFC_Insane]

Really impressed today with Root. As good an innings as I've seen from an England batsman for a while. Before today I felt he didn't look comfortable opening this series looked a little nervy all the time. Last night he got away with one that should have been caught but today he's come out and looked the part.

Totally solid and with just about all the shots. Great stuff.

[Worthy4England]

Really impressed today with Root. As good an innings as I've seen from an England batsman for a while. Before today I felt he didn't look comfortable opening this series looked a little nervy all the time. Last night he got away with one that should have been caught but today he's come out and looked the part.

Totally solid and with just about all the shots. Great stuff.

Agree on all counts. That little dink down to fine, followed by a sublime cover drive was a joy to behold. Not long handled any sixes yet though - bloody boring openers.

[TANGODANCER]

34 for 3 to 282 for five as Bell goes for a great 74. Hero of a man this series.

[Worthy4England]

I was just about to post I can see us declaring at Bell's 100 or Bell's wicket....Apparently not.

[TANGODANCER]

I was just about to post I can see us declaring at Bell's 100 or Bell's wicket....Apparently not.

Only 18 off three hundred this innings. That might be the break point....then again it might not.

[TANGODANCER]

Root gets the Zulu salute and rightly so. Magnificent 150.

[BWFC_Insane]

Think I'd be declaring right now.

Get em in tonight and see how they do after a day in the field.

Cook et al all sat in trackers though so seems like we will bat through. Wouldn't surprise me if we bat on tomorrow morning as well.

[Worthy4England]

Think I'd be declaring right now.

Get em in tonight and see how they do after a day in the field.

Cook et al all sat in trackers though so seems like we will bat through. Wouldn't surprise me if we bat on tomorrow morning as well.

Well they'd need to 548 is only 3 an over, with 180 overs left to bowl.

[TANGODANCER]

Root's the man. Two sixes get the crowd Roooooooooting...

[Montreal Wanderer]

Don't give any credit to Siddle so what you do Geoffrey.

Just watched it all again and what a crazy day's cricket. Oz got a couple of bad calls early on but our lads pressured them all day. Got to dig in and get the momentum back. Hope Bell and Prior can get us right back on track. Our star batting lads haven't really shown in this one, but as I said, credit to Siddle. He's a tough little character and a good bowler. Fantastic cricket to watch.

Trott's was a poor shot.

Pietersen's was terrible.

Siddle bowled well but KP had no need to go after that particular ball especially so early in his innings.

Do we excuse KP since he was actually hurt?

[Montreal Wanderer]

No team has ever score more than 406 in the last innings so 566 looks pretty safe to me - but will they go on grinding Oz into the ground?

[TANGODANCER]

No team has ever score more than 406 in the last innings so 566 looks pretty safe to me - but will they go on grinding Oz into the ground?

There's always the possibility Oz can dig in, hang on and force a draw. That would be rather less than exciting, so yes, grind them down, soften them up and kiss em goodbye. It's an Ashes thing.

[BWFC_Insane]

No team has ever score more than 406 in the last innings so 566 looks pretty safe to me - but will they go on grinding Oz into the ground?

There's always the possibility Oz can dig in, hang on and force a draw. That would be rather less than exciting, so yes, grind them down, soften them up and kiss em goodbye. It's an Ashes thing.

In tests the record 4th innings chase is 418. In first class cricket the record is 530 or something.

Of course you also have to look at 4th innings successful chases whereby less runs were achieved but wickets were in hand. There are examples of those. West Indies v England in 1984 for example, Windies chased down 344 with 9 wickets remaining.

I think they have more than enough. I would have stuck em in end of today. But I think England will bat on an hour in the morning as the weather is set fair.

[Montreal Wanderer]

No team has ever score more than 406 in the last innings so 566 looks pretty safe to me - but will they go on grinding Oz into the ground?

There's always the possibility Oz can dig in, hang on and force a draw. That would be rather less than exciting, so yes, grind them down, soften them up and kiss em goodbye. It's an Ashes thing.

In tests the record 4th innings chase is 418. In first class cricket the record is 530 or something.

Of course you also have to look at 4th innings successful chases whereby less runs were achieved but wickets were in hand. There are examples of those. West Indies v England in 1984 for example, Windies chased down 344 with 9 wickets remaining.

I think they have more than enough. I would have stuck em in end of today. But I think England will bat on an hour in the morning as the weather is set fair.

Actually we were both wrong (or used inaccurate sources which in my case which stated India's 406 was the highest successful chase). The highest fourth innings score in test cricket was England's 654 for 5 against South Africa in 1939 chasing a total of 696. At the close of the tenth(!) day of play (they rested on two Sundays and had one day of no play) a draw was agreed to. England's second innings lasted four days. God, it must have been painful to watch.

[BWFC_Insane]

No team has ever score more than 406 in the last innings so 566 looks pretty safe to me - but will they go on grinding Oz into the ground?

There's always the possibility Oz can dig in, hang on and force a draw. That would be rather less than exciting, so yes, grind them down, soften them up and kiss em goodbye. It's an Ashes thing.

In tests the record 4th innings chase is 418. In first class cricket the record is 530 or something.

Of course you also have to look at 4th innings successful chases whereby less runs were achieved but wickets were in hand. There are examples of those. West Indies v England in 1984 for example, Windies chased down 344 with 9 wickets remaining.

I think they have more than enough. I would have stuck em in end of today. But I think England will bat on an hour in the morning as the weather is set fair.

Actually we were both wrong (or used inaccurate sources which in my case which stated India's 406 was the highest successful chase). The highest fourth innings score in test cricket was England's 654 for 5 against South Africa in 1939 chasing a total of 696. At the close of the tenth(!) day of play (they rested on two Sundays and had one day of no play) a draw was agreed to. England's second innings lasted four days. God, it must have been painful to watch.

That's the highest 4th innings total though. As it was drawn its not a successful run chase. Technically.

There may well be several high fourth innings scores in lost and drawn tests.

Australia got 406 not that long ago in a test they lost for example.