Ashes Second Test

[fatboy47]

Lancashire had 2 fast medium lads in action this morning who both demonstrated more nous and control than anything I've seen from England in this series.

The wicketkeeping and captaincy was faultless too.

[Mondsley]

Just wondering if the Aussies will declare and have a bowl for 20 minutes.

[kentonclaret]

Just wondering if the Aussies will declare and have a bowl for 20 minutes.

Tomorrow?

[Herts Clarets]

Just wondering if the Aussies will declare and have a bowl for 20 minutes.

They may well do that. Unfortunately for England it is more likely to come at the end of Day 2 than Day 1.

[Mondsley]

Irony is difficult to express in a written message! We've simply not bowled well enough. And, as much as it pains me to say it, the Aussies have been excellent. We'll just have to draw this one and win at Headingley

[ClaretTony]

We’ve not been good at all today

[FCBurnley]

Aussie bowlers will love bowling on the pitch.

[ClaretTony]

Head out, stumped for 77

[Quickenthetempo]

What a superb stumping by JB.

Very wide and had the bails off before he turned

[Quickenthetempo]

Root again

[ClaretTony]

And another wicket - Green caught Anderson.

Root has got both wickets.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Great over from root getting a decent bit of spin on day one

[Taffy on the wing]

Doomed!…….. We’re DOOMED!

[Newcastleclaret93]

Been any news on pope yet?

What does that mean for us Dan Lawrence comes into the Team? O

[kentonclaret]

Been any news on pope yet?

What does that mean for us Dan Lawrence comes into the Team? O

No white smoke from the England dressing room?

Nathan Lyon will be rubbing his hands seeing turn on Day 1.

[nil_desperandum]

Been any news on pope yet?

What does that mean for us Dan Lawrence comes into the Team? O

Hopefully it will create the opening for Foakes.

[Spijed]

Why are we bowling so many no-balls?

[jrgbfc]

Hopefully it will create the opening for Foakes.

I honestly wouldn't blame Foakes if he told them to shove it.

[CoolClaret]

I think best we can hope for is either skittle the Aussies under 400 tomorrow by some minor miracle

Or

They bat for ages and we get our rain dance going - and somehow scrape a draw.

Some serious revisions needed for the next test imo.

I’m very disappointed with Robinson if honest - it’s one thing doing it against Windies or whoever but 77-78mph balls doing nothing off the seam or in the air isn’t going to do much against top Test batsmen - disappointed with his fitness as well, he looks nackered after 4 overs.

At least Jimmy has been economical - for me one or two of Broad/Jimmy/Robinson needs dropping for Wood/Potts.

As for Stokes - he’s clearly not fit to bowl, I’d be tempted to push him up the order and bring another all rounder in

[Newcastleclaret93]

I think best we can hope for is either skittle the Aussies under 400 tomorrow by some minor miracle

Or

They bat for ages and we get our rain dance going - and somehow scrape a draw.

Some serious revisions needed for the next test imo.

I’m very disappointed with Robinson if honest - it’s one thing doing it against Windies or whoever but 77-78mph balls doing nothing off the seam or in the air isn’t going to do much against top Test batsmen - disappointed with his fitness as well, he looks nackered after 4 overs.

At least Jimmy has been economical - for me one or two of Broad/Jimmy/Robinson needs dropping for Wood/Potts.

As for Stokes - he’s clearly not fit to bowl, I’d be tempted to push him up the order and bring another all rounder in

The issue with stokes is his batting average is really poor. Who do you drop to bring in another all rounder.

Ideally we need to get Robinson out and bring someone like Wood in for the next test.

[CoolClaret]

The issue with stokes is his batting average is really poor. Who do you drop to bring in another all rounder.

Ideally we need to get Robinson out and bring someone like Wood in for the next test.

No idea - this might seem crazy but if Duckett has a poor test I wouldn’t be against Stokes opening and throw another all rounder in there

I think Stokes could at least have the temperament to open albeit maybe short term

It’s kinds crazy that we find ourselves not having a clue what our best XI is at stumps, day one of the second test

[Newcastleclaret93]

No idea - this might seem crazy but if Duckett has a poor test I wouldn’t be against Stokes opening and throw another all rounder in there

I think Stokes could at least have the temperament to open albeit maybe short term

It’s kinds crazy that we find ourselves not having a clue what our best XI is at stumps, day one of the second test

I don’t know,

I think batting wise we are nearly there. Only swap I could think of is Pope for Hains.

It’s the bowling where I think we have issues. I would be tempted to drop Anderson and Robinson next test.

[CoolClaret]

I don’t know,

I think batting wise we are nearly there. Only swap I could think of is Pope for Hains.

It’s the bowling where I think we have issues. I would be tempted to drop Anderson and Robinson next test.

I wasn’t convinced with Duckett’s shot selection in the first test at all or his technique - again, you get away with it against lesser bowlers but against Cummins, Hazlewood & Starc you have to have good shot selection and solid technique.

Bowling absolutely has to change. We need variation. I’d be tempted to stick with Jimmy because at least he will stuff up one end and has the ability to swing it / do stuff off the seam… and to be fair to him he’s still incredibly fit and good in the field.

Can’t have two bowlers struggling to break 80mph going for 4 an over - just suicide

[Quickenthetempo]

Relax. 3 of the 4 best batsman in the world had good days with plenty of luck.

Hopefully we regroup after a night's rest and bowl really well tomorrow.

If we do and bat well. We can still win this Test.

[Taffy on the wing]

No idea - this might seem crazy but if Duckett has a poor test I wouldn’t be against Stokes opening and throw another all rounder in there

I think Stokes could at least have the temperament to open albeit maybe short term

It’s kinds crazy that we find ourselves not having a clue what our best XI is at stumps, day one of the second test

Tarkowski's not doing much at the moment.......maybe he could come in at #3

[Clive 1960]

On a decent bowling pitch which should have been helpful to all our seamers i have to say we bowled awful not enough ball's in the right areas . Today especially this morning if we don't have a good hour we can kiss goodbye to this test match and probably the series, and also Jimmy who as had a great career but as not been Jimmy of old.

[Longsidelenny1882]

Well said tempo upthecolne

[Burnley1989]

Relax. 3 of the 4 best batsman in the world had good days with plenty of luck.

Hopefully we regroup after a night's rest and bowl really well tomorrow.

If we do and bat well. We can still win this Test.

Spot on, I think some people listen too much to your extremely bipolar pundits like Vaughan who loves to be controversial all the time, it’s either terrible or the greatest he’s ever seen, his opinions change by the over.

We all know we need to be at 100% to beat Australia due to their danger men with bat & ball, but I wouldn’t say we played badly at all, just not quite at our best (yet) Todays the day!

[Newcastleclaret93]

I reckon Tongue will come charging in and blast a few wickets this morning.

He kind of reminds me of Flintoff the way he bowls

[Quickenthetempo]

On a decent bowling pitch which should have been helpful to all our seamers i have to say we bowled awful not enough ball's in the right areas . Today especially this morning if we don't have a good hour we can kiss goodbye to this test match and probably the series, and also Jimmy who as had a great career but as not been Jimmy of old.

That's the spirit Clive.

Against slow scoring batsman like Khawaja you can put 5/6 balls an over in the right place, but sadly for us it was their fast scoring batsman that all had good days.
We beat the outside edge plenty followed up by great shots.

Australia did to us yesterday what we have been doing to teams since Stokes took over. But at 4.15 an over not 7.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Spot on, I think some people listen too much to your extremely bipolar pundits like Vaughan who loves to be controversial all the time, it’s either terrible or the greatest he’s ever seen, his opinions change by the over.

We all know we need to be at 100% to beat Australia due to their danger men with bat & ball, but I wouldn’t say we played badly at all, just not quite at our best (yet) Todays the day!

Very true is that. Pietersen is the same on Sky.

I thought we bowled quite well in the morning but didn’t have the luck.
The afternoon session was sloppy though.

[kentonclaret]

That's the spirit Clive.

Against slow scoring batsman like Khawaja you can put 5/6 balls an over in the right place, but sadly for us it was their fast scoring batsman that all had good days.
We beat the outside edge plenty followed up by great shots.

Australia did to us yesterday what we have been doing to teams since Stokes took over. But at 4.15 an over not 7.

Their fast scoring batsmen all had good days because our bowling attack lacks any real pace or venom to trouble them. Tongue apart, the others trundle in and bowl in the region of the low 80’s mph which doesn’t trouble the world’s leading batsmen. Stokes cannot bowl at full throttle because of injury concerns. Anderson is coming towards the end of a wonderful career but has thus far bowled 53 overs in this series and taken just the 1 wicket. England enjoyed a wonderful piece of luck in winning the coin toss but failed to capitalise on a green tinged wicket, plenty of cloud cover and having the lights on for almost the entire day’s play.
Hopefully, England can strike early this morning and keep the Australia score at under 400.

[Quickenthetempo]

Their fast scoring batsmen all had good days because our bowling attack lacks any real pace or venom to trouble them. Tongue apart, the others trundle in and bowl in the region of the low 80’s mph which doesn’t trouble the world’s leading batsmen. Stokes cannot bowl at full throttle because of injury concerns. Anderson is coming towards the end of a wonderful career but has thus far bowled 53 overs in this series and taken just the 1 wicket. England enjoyed a wonderful piece of luck in winning the coin toss but failed to capitalise on a green tinged wicket, plenty of cloud cover and having the lights on for almost the entire day’s play.
Hopefully, England can strike early this morning and keep the Australia score at under 400.

Best to judge at the end of a Test match after both sides have batted and bowled.

Test cricket is full of captains being deceived about bowling conditions and putting the opposition in.

Englands bowlers weren't at their best yesterday but it's not just about pace. I bet the two fastest bowlers in the game, Starc and Tongue, have the highest economy rates for each side at the end.

[Longsidelenny1882]

We have to win the 1st session today then bat for 2 days tough ask but can be done Upthecolne

[nil_desperandum]

No idea - this might seem crazy but if Duckett has a poor test I wouldn’t be against Stokes opening and throw another all rounder in there

I think Stokes could at least have the temperament to open albeit maybe short term

I made this suggestion the other day.
Stokes is without doubt a better batter at test level than Duckett, and it's not as though he's making tons of runs batting at 6. He has a sound technique, so give him the additional responsibility of opening and bring the all-rounder Foakes in.
We should have enough bowlers even without Stokes.

[Quickenthetempo]

Broad gets Carey

[Clive 1960]

Good start to this morning with early wicket, hopefully get Smith out early then into the bowler's.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Jimmy needed that

Starc gone

[ClaretTony]

I think best we can hope for is either skittle the Aussies under 400 tomorrow by some minor miracle

Two gone this morning 358/7 and a wicket for Jimmy

[ClaretTony]

Ton for Smith 381/7

[kentonclaret]

On 99 Cummins looked more anxious than Smith

[Casper2]

Warner doing the Sun crossword stuck on 5 letter word beginning with P ending in K , which is surprising.

[Quickenthetempo]

8 down

Smith out 110

[ClaretTony]

Warner doing the Sun crossword stuck on 5 letter word beginning with P ending in K , which is surprising.

I think he got some help from RICky Ponting

[FCBurnley]

The cheat is finally out

[Casper2]

The cheat is finally out

Forgiveness is an admirable act , but not in his case

[FCBurnley]

Warner and Smith should never be allowed on a cricket ground ever. No forgiveness from me. No place for cheats in sport

[Commy]

Warner and Smith should never be allowed on a cricket ground ever. No forgiveness from me. No place for cheats in sport

One year ban was a disgrace for what they conjured up. They got away with it really.

[Foshiznik]

These pace lacking bowlers aren't doing too bad today. Them's the breaks.

[Quickenthetempo]

9 down.