Australia v England - 2nd Ashes Test

[Milltown1882]

Back at it in the Ashes at 4am, anyone setting their alarm?

Good opportunity for Jimmy to shine under the lights but they’re unbeaten in day/nighters so could be a long 5 (2.5) days.

Harmison wasn’t overly happy with Wood missing out, would imagine it’ll be a shootout between Broad and Leach again for who starts with the below 12 man squad.

Joe Root (c)
James Anderson
Stuart Broad
Rory Burns
Jos Buttler (wkt)
Haseeb Hameed
Jack Leach
Dawid Malan
Ollie Pope
Ollie Robinson
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes

[Quickenthetempo]

Tough selections as it's supposed to be a dry turning pitch.
But the spinner isn't good enough and we don't get huge totals for the spinner to work with.

Stokes and Robinson don't look match fit to me so need Broad in there.

[ClaretTony]

I think I'll just tune in when I get up tomorrow - can watch it for a while when I'd have otherwise been writing a match report.

[SalisburyClaret]

They’re just confused- playing the wrong team at the wrong test.

[Burnley1989]

Tough selections as it's supposed to be a dry turning pitch.
But the spinner isn't good enough and we don't get huge totals for the spinner to work with.

Stokes and Robinson don't look match fit to me so need Broad in there.

Robinson doesn’t look match fit? Arguably the only seamer that will last 5 tests apparently, apologies if I’ve missed something

[tiger76]

I'll catch up tomorrow. when all being well England have scored a few runs, or taken a few wickets.

[Milltown1882]

Robinson doesn’t look match fit? Arguably the only seamer that will last 5 tests apparently, apologies if I’ve missed something

His pace deteriorated rapidly as the Test went on, more the fact he’s never been asked to bowl that many overs as Leach was smashed out of the park so he had to take on extra responsibility. Wood had also never bowled that many overs in an innings before the first test. Hopefully a watershed moment but I doubt it.

[Dressinggown]

With the Burnley game being postponed I was trying to have a relaxed evening with the prospect of a good night's sleep.

Thanks Tony for your reminder about the cricket. I now have had to set my alarm for some godforsaken hour during the night to watch us getting battered by the Aussies again.

Luckily, I am off work for the remainder of the week with a couple of days in the seaside glamour of Southport.

[Andreshotboots]

Wood just isn't capable of back to back tests I'm afraid. I wouldn't even consider Leach as we can't take games deep enough for him to get into the game!!

[Burnley1989]

His pace deteriorated rapidly as the Test went on, more the fact he’s never been asked to bowl that many overs as Leach was smashed out of the park so he had to take on extra responsibility. Wood had also never bowled that many overs in an innings before the first test. Hopefully a watershed moment but I doubt it.

Wood needs managing
Fair point on Robinson but I’m told he has an unbelievable engine

[Rileybobs]

I'll catch up tomorrow. when all being well England have scored a few runs, or taken a few wickets.

Considering it’s the first day of a test match, and we’re talking about England, I think there’s a good chance they’ll have done both - in that order.

[Burnley1989]

I still get excited for it! Hate waking up to a huge amount of notifications from the BBC, hopefully with it being a later start I’ll only have 1-2

[Andreshotboots]

36 degrees forecast for Fridays play, if we bat and get skittled again we could be doing some serious hot weather ball chasing on day 2, even though the last session is under lights..

[Milltown1882]

Leach starts over Broad according to the Twitterati.

[Milltown1882]

Pat Cummins a ‘close contact’ of a covid case - not sure how this affects the Aussies but could this be our McGrath 2005 moment?

[RammyClaret61]

Steve Smith to captain. Bunnings in Adelaide have ordered extra sandpaper.

[Quickenthetempo]

Robinson doesn’t look match fit? Arguably the only seamer that will last 5 tests apparently, apologies if I’ve missed something

It might seem harsh but these days cricketers at this level are super fit athletes. The heat in Australia will test him out massively.
But I hope your right and he comes through.

[RammyClaret61]

We’ve tested the Aussies the first 10 overs. 11-1 several close calls, wasted a DRS. But what an absolute superb catch by Buttler

[Beagle]

Lots to be reviewed when it comes to the Decision Review System.

[Quickenthetempo]

It's concerning that the 3rd umpire couldn't tell that review was pad first. Just pitching outside leg saved him from an outcry.

[RammyClaret61]

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Claret in the house!!

[Taffy on the wing]

Lesson in Test Cricket ongoing........34-1 from 21 overs....let the misery commence!

[RammyClaret61]

Lesson in Test Cricket ongoing........34-1 from 21 overs....let the misery commence!

Only Steve Smith in next……. Eventually.

[Quickenthetempo]

Decent session for England.

Kept the scoring rate down so we should still be well in the game by the time we can bowl with the lights on.

Plenty of half chances. Big gap in the slip cordon cost us with Labushagne but the pink ball not done much as of yet.

[dandeclaret]

Labuschagneagneagne dropped by Buttler behind off Ben Stokes......

For those outside of the UK, there's free live streaming on Bet365

[Quickenthetempo]

These Aussies sure know how to tough it out.

Play and miss and just put it behind them. I wish our lads had the same doggedness.

[RVclaret]

If we don’t win this match with them missing Hazlewood and Cummins plus it being under the lights with the pink ball, you wonder when or how it’s possible to win again.

[Herts Clarets]

Already looking like this one is getting away from us. If we bat like we usually do i can see a follow on and an innings defeat looming large.

[RVclaret]

Let’s be honest we are really bad at test cricket

[Milltown1882]

Great tactics from them, bat patient today get a lot of overs in the legs then increase the rate tomorrow in the heat.

[matttheclaret]

Let’s be honest we are really bad at test cricket

There's some truth in that certainly.

We never had a prayer before we even got on the plane. If you're going to Australia with only one batter averaging over 40, you're already in big trouble. In comparison, they have Warner averaging nearly 50 and Labuschagne and Smith averaging over 60. Not a good start.

No Archer and Stone available which means we have the usual one dimensional attack which never looks like taking wickets in these conditions, whereas their normal attack (missing a couple in this game) are so much more threatening with that extra pace.

We can't settle on a spinner (not had a good one since Swann) whilst theirs has over 400 test wickets. Again, only one winner there.

Fielding wise, we make the ball look like a bar of soap most of the time while they hang onto nearly every chance they get.

Then once you add in the usual questionable selections and the obligatory lack of preparation (two days against the Lions wasn't it?) and you end up with what will be another very one sided and depressing Ashes series Down Under.

[Quickenthetempo]

We have bowled well to restrict 2 very good batsman to 2 and a half an over but they look like they might cash in now.
They have played and missed plenty but credit to them they just get on with it.

Wicket as I type Warner falls short in the 90s sgain

[Bordeauxclaret]

One cheat out. Replaced by another.

[Somethingfishy]

Warne " Warner deserved a hundred". No he didn't. To get so close and then start swinging the bat and getting cocky he got his just desserts. Stokes and England laid the trap and he fell into it. Typical Aussie. Get back in the hut.

[RammyClaret61]

Dam. Just gone to bed, missed that one!!

Warner

[Somethingfishy]

Labuschagne is a seriously good player but by god he doesn't half get lucky.

[Longsidelenny1882]

I know it’s clutching at straws is it only me who can see labushagne jumping all over the wicket upthecolne

[SMClaret]

Awful drop from Buttler

[Colburn_Claret]

Proper display of test match cricket, GB would have been proud.
It isn't rocket science, but why is it, that our batsmen, and coaches, haven't got a clue how to build an innings.
No doubt we will be chasing a big total by the time we get put in, and we'll try to defend the wickets, but we'll still slash at wide balls that should be left alone, or play no shot to balls straight down the wicket. We won't get far enough forward to create doubt, it's pitiful really, and so predictable.

[Buxtonclaret]

Seems hard enough for us to give them a game at the mo, without missing simple catches like those, when they're offered.
It's just so dispiriting.

[SalisburyClaret]

Only one word for that drop by Buttler - Foakes

[ChrisG]

Only one word for that drop by Buttler - Foakes

It sounded similar to that what I was shouting when I saw it, I'll give you that.

[RVclaret]

Game over after that drop. Just put us out of our misery and cancel the series

[Andreshotboots]

Only one word for that drop by Buttler - Foakes

Totally agree. This myth about Butlers runs with the bat just doesn’t stack up.

Foakes will certainly not score any less than Butler but is 5 times the keeper. That drop there could have changed the whole complex of this match.

That’s a shocker by Lancashire League standards.

[SalisburyClaret]

Hard to see us getting anything here - other than more humiliation

[tiger76]

A perfect display of how to bat on day 1 of test match by Australia, hang in against the new ball, and then you will get your rewards later in the day.

Why oh why can't England take note and follow suit, yes the scoring rate has been slow, but the hosts have built a great platform to post a challenging total.

Mind you it does help when England can't catch a cold right now.

[Quickenthetempo]

You can't defend that drop but the Barmy Army have just tweeted Buttler catch percentage is 89%. The test average for WKs is 86%.

They are grinding us in to the dirt on the 1st day of the 2nd test.
Despite keeping the runs down we don't look like a team that wants to be out there.

[SalisburyClaret]

Buttler’s catch percentage so far in the series is 50%.

Some good takes but that last one was a killer

[jrgbfc]

Maybe it's time to go back to basics and pick your best wicket keeper? Buttler scoring the odd 40 won't cancel out the runs he's cost today unfortunately.

[RammyClaret61]

Ok. Here goes day 2. Let’s bowl these convicts out for under 300.