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The Ashes 2017-18

Went to bed at 3 am after Anderson winkled out Smith and March in the first 30 minutes, woke up at 8 am and England are 100 for 4. I reckon there's something wrong with my computer.
 
The commentators at cricinfo are often spot on.

Opti: "I see odds against England are only 200-1 at the moment. Day 4 at Headingly 1981 the odds were 500-1. Worth a flutter?" I think you're better off investing in Bitcoin until the close of play
 
Malan, Bairstow, Stoneman, Vince — in that order — have all outscored Root and Cook in this series to date. Who saw that coming?

Ali has outscored Cook too whilst playing one innings less, and Woakes will easily end up overtaking him by the end of this test even with a moderate knock. Even Overton may well do it, despite having played a match less. Cook has been a disaster, sadly.
 
Our best post war batsman Cook’s been by far the biggest disappointment of the tour. Fortunately for him, England openers don’t grow on trees, particularly ones that have scored more runs than any other for their country. He’ll probably score a few runs in the dead rubbers to book his place in 2018.
 
He’ll probably score a few runs in the dead rubbers to book his place in 2018.

Rubbers aren't dead yet! It's on, it's on! Play abandoned! Rain! Yay! We're doing good!

Now if only we can *********, and then *********, if *********, and, bearing in mind there's not much between the teams, ********. Then...elephants.
 
Rubbers aren't dead yet! It's on, it's on! Play abandoned! Rain! Yay! We're doing good!

Now if only we can *********, and then *********, if *********, and, bearing in mind there's not much between the teams, ********. Then...elephants.
It’ll all be down to the CPS if we draw this. If they don’t clear Stokes in time to get him to Melbourne on Boxing Day it’ll be their fault that we lost the ashes! :mad:
 
Just seen Starc’s ball to Vince. That would’ve got anyone out. Wicket of the series so far. If he faced the same ball all week it would clean him up every time. Superb bowling.
 
It was unplayable...because it hit a crack,

Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood, speaking to BT Sport, on Mitchell's Starc delivery to bowl James Vince: "It was pretty special. It was heading down leg, hit the crack and took the top of off. It would get any batsman out."
 
I was fearing the worst right from the first couple of overs when Anderson hit cracks a couple of times. Without a bit of help from the rain, it's going to be incredibly tough to survive tomorrow. Not impossible, but realistically, they're going to have to bat 2 1/2 sessions to save this if there's a full day's play.
 
James Anderson. The English Courtney Walsh? Hats off to Jimmy, regardless of your answer.

C.Walsh Tests 132. Wickets 519.
J.Anderson Tests 132. Wickets 518.
I think that's about right. Nobody would put Walsh at the top of the great windies quicks. Just about everyone would put Marshall and Ambrose ahead of him, and many would put Holding and Garner ahead of him as well. But he was a top bowler, seemed to improve with age if anything, and lasted a massively long time. Not the same kind of bowler, but the same level of greatness, yes, that's fair. Walsh's average was better than Jimmy's though.
 
I think that's about right. Nobody would put Walsh at the top of the great windies quicks. Just about everyone would put Marshall and Ambrose ahead of him, and many would put Holding and Garner ahead of him as well. But he was a top bowler, seemed to improve with age if anything, and lasted a massively long time. Not the same kind of bowler, but the same level of greatness, yes, that's fair. Walsh's average was better than Jimmy's though.

Walsh had Ambrose. Jimmy has Broad.:cool:

There are indeed a multitude of angles on this. Which is one of the reasons we all love cricket so much.
 
There are indeed a multitude of angles on this. Which is one of the reasons we all love cricket so much.
My only caveat with Jimmy is his relative lack of success away from home. Ave 33 vs 24 at home. Lots of great players have holes in their records - Sobers failed in New Zealand; Warne, oddly, struggled in India. But Jimmy has a few holes, including in SA and NZ, two places you'd have thought he would have done well. He's had success in India and UAE, plus one good series in Aus, so it's not all bad, but there are holes.
 
Well, well, well!!!! Not only rain, but wet patches on the pitch. England doing the whinging pom routine, groundsmen using Blowers to try to dry it... My dear boy!!!

Drama without a ball being played... Only cricket, this great game we all love :D:D
 
Gilly made a point on BT and I agree, I feel a little sorry for the Australians, they were nailed on for a win and now this palaver will take the sheen off their display. Shocking that a pitch can get wet like that
 
Just been reading the laws:

9.4 Watering the pitch
The pitch shall not be watered during the match.

Well, it hasn't been watered, but it has got wet? No grounds for not playing IMO

6.2 Fitness of pitch for play
The umpires shall be the sole judges of the fitness of the pitch for play. See Laws 2.7 (Fitness for play) and 2.8 (Suspension of play in dangerous or unreasonable conditions).

Well, they are playing!!

2.8.2 The Umpires shall immediately suspend play, or not allow play to start or to recommence, if either umpire considers that the conditions of ground, weather or light, or any other circumstances are either dangerous or unreasonable.

My bold: is the change in the condition of the pitch unreasonable?

That whole section actually has arguements for and against?

2.7 Fitness for play
2.7.1 It is solely for the umpires together to decide whether either conditions of ground, weather or light or exceptional circumstances mean that it would be dangerous or unreasonable for play to take place.
Conditions shall not be regarded as either dangerous or unreasonable merely because they are not ideal.
The fact that the grass and the ball are wet does not warrant the ground conditions being regarded as unreasonable or dangerous.
2.7.2 Conditions shall be regarded as dangerous if there is actual and foreseeable risk to the safety of any player or umpire.
2.7.3 Conditions shall be regarded as unreasonable if, although posing no risk to safety, it would not be sensible for play to proceed.
2.7.4 If the umpires consider the ground is so wet or slippery as to deprive the bowler of a reasonable foothold, the fielders of the power of free movement, or the batsmen of the ability to play their strokes or to run between the wickets, then these conditions shall be regarded as so bad that it would be dangerous and unreasonable for play to take place.
2.8 Suspension of play in dangerous or unreasonable circumstances
2.8.1 All references to ground include the pitch. See Law 6.1 (Area of pitch).
2.8.2 The Umpires shall immediately suspend play, or not allow play to start or to recommence, if either umpire considers that the conditions of ground, weather or light, or any other circumstances are either dangerous or unreasonable.

On balance it seems fair to me to be playing but if I was in England camp it would feel 'unfair', regardless of what the laws say.
 
We just haven't looked like taking 20 wickets. Batting has been patchy at best and generally some odd decisions. Let's hope we can wrestle something from the series but with Cook, Broad, Moeen, Woakes, and arguably Root, all in such poor form, what to do to avoid the whitewash?
 
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