Harris gone for 13.
28-2.

Broad's on fire this morning,Jofra not so much,Smith's arrival might get him going though.

Longsidelenny wrote:Any suggestions how to get 20cans of cider into old Trafford without drinking it first cheers in advance up the colne

Get a pen, cross out the word ‘Strongbow’ and replace with ‘Appletise’. Job done.

Avoid drinking it all first by simply bringing 40 cans with you instead of 20.

Apart from Broad, England have been surprisingly flat. Australia’s morning and if these two are still together by tea then the test could be out of reach.

The rain's stopped but i don't see play starting anytime soon.

Good morning for Australia,this duo are the glue for Australia's batting.

tiger76 wrote:The rain's stopped but i don't see play starting anytime soon.

Good morning for Australia,this duo are the glue for Australia's batting.

When we start need a good hour to get back in the game

Overton hasn't impressed me. Seems a strange selection, not that quick, doesn't do a great deal with the ball and not that impressive of a batting average to really be considered an all-rounder. Smacks of a 1990s 'bits and pieces' selection.

Foulthrow wrote:Overton hasn't impressed me. Seems a strange selection, not that quick, doesn't do a great deal with the ball and not that impressive of a batting average to really be considered an all-rounder. Smacks of a 1990s 'bits and pieces' selection.

If they wanted another seamer,i'd have opted for Sam Curran,he offers with bat and ball,and provides balance to the side.

Longsidelenny wrote:When we start need a good hour to get back in the game

Did you get the cider in?

Got 12 cans in bought a bag with a false section in it well worth it very dear drinking in the ground covers still on I’ve got a rock on only 3 o’clock up the colne

Think they'll be struggling to get back out today.

Play just resumed,that rain break came at a good time for England,gives the bowlers a rest and the batsman have to start again,need one or both of these out soon.

On for 12 mins.

Shambles. Who'd have thought a test match in September at Old Trafford might have a few weather issues

Great delivery by Overton to bowl the guy whose name I cant spell. But overall Aussies on top and England flat.

Looks absolutely freezing sat in the crowd

170-3 all over for the day,Smith and Head unbeaten.

A few early strikes tomorrow could change things.but Australia's day today.

tiger76 wrote:170-3 all over for the day,Smith and Head unbeaten.

A few early strikes tomorrow could change things.but Australia's day today.

Ordinarily I wouldn't be worried given the pitch, but even if they make 400 they could still knock us over for 200. That said if we get on a roll their tail could disappear, our bowlers should be aiming to get them out for 280

Broad strikes again Head LBW

183-4

It wasn't actually that cold there yesterday, but it's so frustrating that we got a really good morning session, but ultimately what amounted to about half a days cricket because of the crappy weather and then today I'm sitting here watching on the box and the sun is beating down!

I think it's fair to say that Smith will become the greatest batsman ever.

Spijed wrote:I think it's fair to say that Smith will become the greatest batsman ever.

Greatest ever in this series or history of the game ?

claretonthecoast1882 wrote:Greatest ever in this series or history of the game ?

All time. He might not get the most runs due to his suspension but it wouldn't surprise me to see him being regarded as the best ever because of his ability to stay around the middle and score runs.

Spijed wrote:I think it's fair to say that Smith will become the greatest batsman ever.

I think it is also fair to say that he is also an aggravating little **** and will forever be a convicted cheat

Now lets get the rest out cheaply


FFS no ball from the spinner

That's a BIG wicket!

Damn!

I repeat he is an aggravating little t***. He gets so lucky then hits the ball 6 feet behind the wicket to knock it away from Bairstow. It’s beyond funny now

How the bleeding hell can a spinner bowl a no ball that's criminal,the way this test is heading England will be fighting to salvage a draw.

Archer is innocuous so far in this test

Spijed wrote:I think it's fair to say that Smith will become the greatest batsman ever.

But still be best known for being a cheat

We are already just playing for a draw. Aussies will score over 400 for sure

Yikes a wicket at last Paine gone 1st ball after tea for 58,379-6 with him that shall not be named on 179*,having just smashed a Jack Leach full toss for 6,i wonder if the Aussies will try and get some quick runs and get England in tonight for a tricky half hour.

Obviously Steve Smith and the Australia team have not read the script.

It was supposed to be England that had the upper hand and all the momentum (according to pundits and media pre match).

Vaughan said earlier on the radio that there had been harsh words in the dressing room over the attitude of some players yesterday. He didn’t elaborate and nobody quizzed him further on it.

Any other stories doing the rounds on who it was aimed at and why?

Joe Root is just hopeless as captain when things go against us.
Let’s the game drift and drift so often.

TheFamilyCat wrote:Vaughan said earlier on the radio that there had been harsh words in the dressing room over the attitude of some players yesterday. He didn’t elaborate and nobody quizzed him further on it.

Any other stories doing the rounds on who it was aimed at and why?

Vaughan’s another one who always has something to say....

He usually has a go at Bairstow tbh

FCBurnley wrote:We are already just playing for a draw. Aussies will score over 400 for sure

We will only manage a draw if the weather intervenes.
I agree that the Aussies will score over 400 --not difficult because they are 395 now!
Starc and Lyons will see us off for less than 200 and we will be fighting another uphill battle, whether we are asked to follow on or not.
I hope that this is not the case, however, our batting is very brittle and our cricket in this series has not been very good.
Jason Roy needs to score a hundred because he has dropped that many catches during the series he owes us more than that!

Poor forecast tomorrow might help. Will make it more difficult for them to bowl us out twice.

Double ton for Smith.

Don’t know what the record is in a series but he’s nearly 580 runs and this is just his fourth innings.

Leading run scorer now in 2019 which is incredible

I heard on commentary recently that his number of runs scored in 12 Ashes innings is almost identical to Don Bradman, Maybe even better after this double hundred.

Bradman scored over 5,000 Ashes runs and he scored not far short of 1,000 in one series. He must have been exceptional.

ClaretTony wrote:Don’t know what the record is in a series but he’s nearly 580 runs and this is just his fourth innings.

Leading run scorer now in 2019 which is incredible

D Bradman - 974
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ype=trophy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

First time I have ever seen the bowling side declare !!!

Smith finally gone

Embarrassing

Steve Smith has become the first batsman (from either country) to score 500 runs in three consecutive Ashes Series.

When I said that Starc and Lyon would see us off ---I meant with the ball ----they are doing it with the bat too!

Hibsclaret wrote:Vaughan’s another one who always has something to say....

He usually has a go at Bairstow tbh

I agree. I don’t particularly like him as a commentator and find him to be a bit of an odd character to be honest.

And I tend to think that anything said behind closed doors should stay there but it caught my attention as it was attitude being questioned. Archer’s pace was down; could be a backlash from players about Woakes being dropped; Denly possibly not happy about being pushed up to open. Obviously i’m speculating but trying to think who’s attitude was being questioned and why.