Archer goes off with cramp. His speeds have been down and hasn't looked as scary as he did at Lord's.
Whatever we end up chasing, losing this match means losing the ashes, so I reckon we may as well go into one day mode and go for it. Can't be any worse!
Ok no worries lads, here is what is going to happen, by lunch tomorrow we’ll skittle the Aussies, behind by 310, then by lunch on Sunday Root has his first ton, England 311 for 3, during the evening Margot Robbie is coming around mine with beers and a very short skirt and asks politely if it would be alright if she can bring her girlfriend around for a threesome and Eric can not decide what is worse being an Aussie cricket fan or a Leeds footy fan. quite a weekend ahead.
Yeah, why did he deliberately get him out off a no-ball? What a ****. I wasn't watching, but by all accounts Stokes bowled a fine spell this evening - 2 for 33 off 15 overs while Archer was off the field. He's also currently our best batsman (not saying much, admittedly). You're going to have to get over your Stokes hatred Col, because he will be our next captain. Actually, that's not quite right, is it? You seem to enjoy England losing, so having Stokes as captain would top it off for you wouldn't it? You could moan yourself stupid.
I know it was intentional to choose an Aussie as opposed to any other young lady who won’t be coming around
Going today hoping for some quick wickets then its going to be the Stokes show aka Botham at Headingley 1981
Enjoy England losing? **** off! No one could ever accuse me of not being behind England. **** me, I'd passionately cheer them on at tiddlywinks! No, the fact is I'm realistic and you're a blind optimist. Yes, Stokes bowled s fantastic spell at the end of the day and has a huge heart and loads of ability. Nevertheless, imo, he's too expensive at times and doesn't seem to me to have that magic touch like say Botham who was also expensive, but would take wickets just when required quite often. Stokes will no doubt continue to prove me wrong on lots of occasions and I'll be thrilled. His batting gets better and better, although the shot he got out to yesterday was about as brain dead as is possible to be. And that's my biggest problem with him. He's thick and it shows. He isn't captain material imo. Also, we shouldn't keep making our form players captain. Look at Root!! His form has evaporated and he's not a great captain either. We used to have a good test side who were crap at white ball cricket. We've concentrated on the latter and become world champions. Maybe now we'll have to flip that around again to become competitive in tests. Plus this year's schedule has been purely aimed at one day cricket and our players haven't had the chance to adjust. Just for you, I'll end on a positive note. If England are chasing under 330, I reckon they'll have an outside chance by going into full one day mode and hoping for the best. That's where their strengths are after all.
Watching the cricket debate last night with bob Willis he was so angry with the state of English cricket, saying there is too much one day stuff & not enough 4day matches at county level & only playing at beginning & end of summer & I agree totally, there is nothing bigger than playing in an ashes test but our lot are still in one day mode & not playing enough 4day games & they get in a bad routine playing shots & hence yesterday’s demise, I’d like to see more fight today but afraid only a few can do it
Interesting useless statistic, Joe Denly's 12 in the first innings is the lowest highest score in an innings in England Test history, let's see if we can beat it in our second innings...
Personally I'm hoping we get a few early wickets or I can seem the stubborn British "never surrender" attitude taking hold and anything could happen. 2-3 early wickets and the self doubt will come to the surface very quickly and England will fold.
Yes, I'm probably over optimistic, but you're not a realist, you're a downright pessimist. How many times did you write us off against India last summer, and how many times in the World Cup? You hate anyone slagging off the England football team, but seem to revel in doing it yourself to the cricket team. It's plain that we have focussed too much on white ball cricket and our red ball game has suffered as a consequence, but these are not poor cricketers. I don't know where you get the idea that Stokes is thick - how does bowling a no-ball make him so? Root should lose the captaincy if - as now seems very likely - we lose the Ashes, and Stokes seems to me to be the logical candidate to replace him. If not him, then who? Buttler would be a good pick, I would say, but his form - other than a good second innings at Lord's - is such that he's not guaranteed his place in the team. Perhaps giving him the wicket-keeping role back as well as the captaincy would be the answer. Bairstow could then move up the order. England chasing 359 and Burns just got out. Even I can't see us winning this one.