creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[BWFC_Insane]

Funny every session this test seems to be crucial.

For me the morning session tomorrow defines it.

Aussies get the new ball. Couple of wickets early days and England could lose their last five wickets cheaply like the Aussies did yesterday. If we bat through that session at worst for 7 then bat an hour into the afternoon we should be 320 ish ahead. And 300 plus, if Australia get that we are talking top class performance.

if we get 320 ahead - then you'll have some humble pie to eat!

On what? Our top order batting has been poor. Bell has saved us again. Overall it won't change my view that before Australia we need to address our batting because Bell is something like 200 plus runs ahead of our next highest run scorer this series. Which shows how crucial he has been but how poor the rest have been.

[William the White]

Funny every session this test seems to be crucial.

For me the morning session tomorrow defines it.

Aussies get the new ball. Couple of wickets early days and England could lose their last five wickets cheaply like the Aussies did yesterday. If we bat through that session at worst for 7 then bat an hour into the afternoon we should be 320 ish ahead. And 300 plus, if Australia get that we are talking top class performance.

if we get 320 ahead - then you'll have some humble pie to eat!

On what? Our top order batting has been poor. Bell has saved us again. Overall it won't change my view that before Australia we need to address our batting because Bell is something like 200 plus runs ahead of our next highest run scorer this series. Which shows how crucial he has been but how poor the rest have been.

There is a Joe Root issue in my view... Have they had a 50 opening partnership yet? And, with the exception of the Lords 180 plus has he made a 50? And - I guess - there may imminently be a Pietersen question?

[TANGODANCER]

Before knocking the batsmen of either side too much, might be fair to keep in mind the competitive quality of the bowling and fielding from both sides we've seen so far. Just a thought.

[thebish]

Funny every session this test seems to be crucial.

For me the morning session tomorrow defines it.

Aussies get the new ball. Couple of wickets early days and England could lose their last five wickets cheaply like the Aussies did yesterday. If we bat through that session at worst for 7 then bat an hour into the afternoon we should be 320 ish ahead. And 300 plus, if Australia get that we are talking top class performance.

if we get 320 ahead - then you'll have some humble pie to eat!

On what? Our top order batting has been poor. Bell has saved us again. Overall it won't change my view that before Australia we need to address our batting because Bell is something like 200 plus runs ahead of our next highest run scorer this series. Which shows how crucial he has been but how poor the rest have been.

I see you've smuggled a "top" in that wasn't there before...

That's the trouble. We now rely on the batsmen.

you were saying we'd lose because we cannot rely on the batsmen.

if we get a 320 lead - then that should be a cause for a least a small piece of humble pie... not that I'd expect you to acknowledge it...

[thebish]

There is a Joe Root issue in my view... Have they had a 50 opening partnership yet? And, with the exception of the Lords 180 plus has he made a 50? And - I guess - there may imminently be a Pietersen question?

it may be a mistake - but the England selectors have moved away from chopping and changing batting lineups... On the whole, I'd say the policy has borne fruit. It may not work in every case - but I still think Root will make the grade - and they are determined that this will be as an opener... I think they will be patient - and I think they may well turn out to be right to be patient...

I remember the days they changed the side after every mistake made - it wasn't good...

[William the White]

There is a Joe Root issue in my view... Have they had a 50 opening partnership yet? And, with the exception of the Lords 180 plus has he made a 50? And - I guess - there may imminently be a Pietersen question?

it may be a mistake - but the England selectors have moved away from chopping and changing batting lineups... On the whole, I'd say the policy has borne fruit. It may not work in every case - but I still think Root will make the grade - and they are determined that this will be as an opener... I think they will be patient - and I think they may well turn out to be right to be patient...

I remember the days they changed the side after every mistake made - it wasn't good...

Yes, I agree pretty much... I think there's an issue and a question, but no need to do much more yet than look quizzically at them... And, for me, hope they come through...

[BWFC_Insane]

There is a Joe Root issue in my view... Have they had a 50 opening partnership yet? And, with the exception of the Lords 180 plus has he made a 50? And - I guess - there may imminently be a Pietersen question?

it may be a mistake - but the England selectors have moved away from chopping and changing batting lineups... On the whole, I'd say the policy has borne fruit. It may not work in every case - but I still think Root will make the grade - and they are determined that this will be as an opener... I think they will be patient - and I think they may well turn out to be right to be patient...

I remember the days they changed the side after every mistake made - it wasn't good...

I'd not be chopping and changing massively either.

Perhaps we need to look at moving Root down.

But after that perhaps we ask if Gooch is providing adequate batting coaching?

[Bruce Rioja]

I'd not be chopping and changing massively either.

Perhaps we need to look at moving Root down.

What a resolution to your assertion that we can't bat for shit.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'd not be chopping and changing massively either.

Perhaps we need to look at moving Root down.

What a resolution to your assertion that we can't bat for shit.

As I said yesterday, you have to hope Cook, Trott and to an extent KP come good.

Said all along it's not about massive changes. Have to look at Bairstow and Root. And possibly whether the coaching is right.

[thebish]

There is a Joe Root issue in my view... Have they had a 50 opening partnership yet? And, with the exception of the Lords 180 plus has he made a 50? And - I guess - there may imminently be a Pietersen question?

it may be a mistake - but the England selectors have moved away from chopping and changing batting lineups... On the whole, I'd say the policy has borne fruit. It may not work in every case - but I still think Root will make the grade - and they are determined that this will be as an opener... I think they will be patient - and I think they may well turn out to be right to be patient...

I remember the days they changed the side after every mistake made - it wasn't good...

I'd not be chopping and changing massively either.

Perhaps we need to look at moving Root down.

but, y'see - that IS chopping and changing... being opener is what they are setting him up to be - dropping him down the order would be a fairly big chop and change...

[William the White]

There is a Joe Root issue in my view... Have they had a 50 opening partnership yet? And, with the exception of the Lords 180 plus has he made a 50? And - I guess - there may imminently be a Pietersen question?

it may be a mistake - but the England selectors have moved away from chopping and changing batting lineups... On the whole, I'd say the policy has borne fruit. It may not work in every case - but I still think Root will make the grade - and they are determined that this will be as an opener... I think they will be patient - and I think they may well turn out to be right to be patient...

I remember the days they changed the side after every mistake made - it wasn't good...

I'd not be chopping and changing massively either.

Perhaps we need to look at moving Root down.

but, y'see - that IS chopping and changing... being opener is what they are setting him up to be - dropping him down the order would be a fairly big chop and change...

Is there another viable candidate for opener with Cook? I ask as a comparative innocent on these things - I really like cricket but not to the extent I really follow it - so I genuinely don't know who is knocking at the door... I know Root is really young and all that... and it looks like he hasn't once been part of an opening partnership but has had one great innings... Is there anyone really challenging - who does BWFCi think is suitable as opener instead?

[thebish]

oops - all of a sudden - two balls, two wickets - golden duck for prior... bell got an unplayable scuttler that didn't bounce more than an inch...

the new ball is a threat...

[thebish]

broad survives the hat-trick ball

[mrkint]

Tbf if the ball is doing as much as the text commentary/wireless says it is then the lead as it stands looks a lot bigger than it is.

[Bruce Rioja]

BBC Text bunch clearly know their stuff. They wrote this after the Bresnan appeal;

Bresnan survives, but the way Bird is jagging it about off the seam suggests more problems will come England's way over the next few overs.

I blame them!!!!

[thebish]

broad's not messing about!

[thebish]

ahhhh!! (oops!)

[thebish]

well - barring rain - the one thing this game isn't gonna be is a draw...

[mrkint]

Looks like rain might be on the agenda this afternoon.

[thebish]

300's up..