Ashes third test

[Buxtonclaret]

Under a 100.

[RVclaret]

Harry Brook looking good. He’s had a few of these innings so far though, getting in then finding a way to get out before going on to score big. Let’s hope he can capitalise after lunch.

[TheFamilyCat]

Hard to call who won that session. I'm sure the Aussies would have taken four wickets at 11.00 but we've taken the RR below 100.

I think we're slight favourites but. A couple of quick wickets and the Aussies are right on top.

Get through the first half hour after lunch and I think we'll go on to win it.

[Ric_C]

Positives
Ball is 32 overs old, starting to swing less
Brook looking solid
Need under 100 now which is psychology good.

Negatives
It's England

[nil_desperandum]

Changing the batting line up hasn't worked.

We'll see at the end of play.
Someone had to bat at 3 and presumably Moeen said he'd have a go.
Brook batting at 5 with Stokes at 6 and Bairstow at 7 is without doubt our best middle order,
Moeen got a pretty good ball. I'd prefer him out for 5 than Brook.

[summitclaret]

He did get a good ball, but he played across the line again.

[sjb]

Start the car

[Clive 1960]

Stokes gone now playing a ball down leg side .

[alwaysaclaret]

Another cheap one we've no need to play at, going down leg, why not just let it go instead of chancing it, it's almost like we're scared of winning. Aussies could be slight favourite's now.

[Ric_C]

Two batsmen out to leg side wafts. Absolutely criminal

[alwaysaclaret]

Bairstow due a match winning innings.

[Gunfury]

We just haven’t been able to get any partnerships going of over 50 to frustrate the Aussies

[alwaysaclaret]

Very lazy shot from him there and very lucky

[Andreshotboots]

Two batsmen out to leg side wafts. Absolutely criminal

I don't agree it's criminal. Balls that are going down the leg side like that are usually an opportunity to score runs. It's pretty unlucky if you get a thin nick on those through to the keeper.

What I'd say isn't acceptable is our batsman going for hook or pull shots with 4 catchers out in the deep, which we've done all series and contributed to several dismissals that have changed games literally.

[Newcastleclaret93]

We just haven’t been able to get any partnerships going of over 50 to frustrate the Aussies

I was listening to BBC Sports commentary earlier and they said England have had only 1 partnership over a 100 and 4 over 50 the whole series.

Seems to be a common problem

[Gunfury]

And it continues…Bairstow gone

[Casper2]

Thank god for Bairstow batting

[alwaysaclaret]

Aussies now big favourite's from here

[Newcastleclaret93]

That should be Bairstows last test match

[claretburns]

These absolutely crucial runs from Bairstow continue to justify his selection

[Gunfury]

I was listening to BBC Sports commentary earlier and they said England have had only 1 partnership over a 100 and 4 over 50 the whole series.

Seems to be a common problem

Hardly surprising with some of the shots we’ve been getting out to

[KRBFC]

Bairstow is garbo, if you wanna play aggressive brainless stuff may as well bring in Butler, Livingstone, Malan and Billings

[summitclaret]

It's a disgrace. Another one chasing a ball that could have been left.

[Ric_C]

Third test match in a row we are throwing it away

[Taffy on the wing]

Apart from losing the toss of a coin 3 times

Meant a lot of edged shots missing the fielders.

[Casper2]

What a stupid shot Woakes

[nil_desperandum]

If we lose then surely it must be the end of the series for Bairstow.
The experiment of not playing a test standard keeper has once again proved costly, and he's made few runs.

[kentonclaret]

Bairstow almost chopped on previous over with the ball going for 4 and Kumar commenting “How lucky was that”.

Not so lucky the next over.

Come on England don’t leave us with 2 dead rubbers.

[summitclaret]

WTF. Woakes first ball trying his best to get out, but didn't. Absolute shambles.

[nil_desperandum]

Meant a lot of edged shots missing the fielders.

Duckett must hold the record for this.

[jrgbfc]

Dropping Foakes for Bairstow has been a shocking decision.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Time to test you metal here Brook

All on you lad

[FCBurnley]

Root Bairstow and Stokes all got out to awful shots to awful balls

[Taffy on the wing]

WTF are we doing?........ Woakes slashing away first ball.

[Andreshotboots]

That should be Bairstows last test match

Agreed but it's all too late. Considering how little cricket he's played he should never have been selected over Foakes..

There just doesn't seem to be any fight in a lot of these players other than Stokes..we have 2 days to get these runs and they're trying to get them in 10 overs..

[alwaysaclaret]

WTF. Woakes first ball trying his best to get out, but didn't. Absolute shambles.

Exactly my thoughts

[Gunfury]

We seem to be batting like there’s an hours left of play (which might be the case if this carries on)

[Casper2]

Agreed but it's all too late. Considering how little cricket he's played he should never have been selected over Foakes..

There just doesn't seem to be any fight in a lot of these players other than Stokes..we have 2 days to get these runs and they're trying to get them in 10 overs..

Yes it’s called Baz ball and that is the way they are told to play .

[Conroysleftfoot]

We are just not good enough to beat the Aussies.

[warksclaret]

We have seen the benefit of bringing in two new bowlers this test with Woakes & Wood. Now time to bring in a specialist wicket keeper. Bairstow keeping and runs have been poor. A man sadly lacking confidence

[Andreshotboots]

WTF are we doing?........ Woakes slashing away first ball.

Love my cricket but this is getting hard to watch. Doesn't seem a backbone in most of our batsman and we just don't make the bowlers work hard enough for their wickets.

[kentonclaret]

Meant a lot of edged shots missing the fielders.

Before lunch Brook slashed at a ball outside off stump taking the edge but not carrying to Carey.

Happens to both sides. Bairstow lucky with the first inside edge but not the second an over later.

[Clive 1960]

Whatever the result Is we have to get Foakes back behind the stumps he is a better wicketkeeper than Johnny, always play your best players.

[Andreshotboots]

Yes it’s called Baz ball and that is the way they are told to play .

I don't think they're being told to play that way, my issue is there doesn't seem to be any consequences for awful shots they keep playing.

I heard the bowling coach on the radio the other day and staggeringly he said he take entertainment over results..that attitude is clearly instilled in the players.

I'd take a few Boycott types of innings and be 2 0 up in the Ashes like we should be anyday of the week over glorified slogging.

[Rileybobs]

I don't think they're being told to play that way, my issue is there doesn't seem to be any consequences for awful shots they keep playing.

I heard the bowling coach on the radio the other day and staggeringly he said he take entertainment over results..that attitude is clearly instilled in the players.

I'd take a few Boycott types of innings and be 2 0 up in the Ashes like we should be anyday of the week over glorified slogging.

I understand the sentiment but it’s not quite as simple as that. If we’d have played a few Boycott innings are you confident we’d be 2-0 up?

[alwaysaclaret]

Woakes slashing down both sides, just a matter of time before starch gets him.

[FCBurnley]

If Root catches Marsh on 12 we win !!!

[123EasyasBFC]

Could easily be 3-0 up in the season and are more than likely going to end up being 3-0, not being able to combine bazball with basics of test cricket is costing us. A team that bats all the way down to number 8 should be able to chase down 250 on a sunny day.

Bairstow has had one good summer in his test career and is coming back from a broken leg, crazy to throw him straight back in. Root failing to score in 2 innings on his home ground doesn’t help.

We needed someone like Cook to hold one end be 53 not out of 160 balls

[CrosspoolClarets]

Haven’t seen much cricket in recent times so can watch this series from a fresh perspective, and this England team look way short of Australia.

The bowlers seem inferior, though the Aussies got lucky with that ball change. The batters same, not sure the technical skills of most of these England players is up to the Aussie standard and their judgement / calmness is probably the biggest gap, mentally we do look weak. Technical skills of fielding is, well, I despair, particularly the keeper.

So we may grab the odd win (and more than the odd win against lesser teams) but we will always lose more than we win against Australia. Could win today but we seem to find a way to get out at regular intervals. Not sure Bazball is the way to do this early in the innings given the technical gulf, we needed to tire the ball and the bowlers first.

[alwaysaclaret]

If Root catches Marsh on 12 we win !!!

Same been happening all series, how many drops have we had 16 is it.