5th Ashes test

[RVclaret]

Big couple of wickets at the start of the new session for Broad who seems on one

[Quickenthetempo]

Get in there Jimmy

[claretonthecoast1882]

Really strange approach from the Aussies

[Bordeauxclaret]

Really strange approach from the Aussies

With Ali out I think the plan is to grind the bowlers into the ground.

[claretonthecoast1882]

With Ali out I think the plan is to grind the bowlers into the ground.

Khawaja & Labuschagne appear to have grinded their own team into the ground

[Bordeauxclaret]

They probably think it’s worth the risk.
Tough wicket to bat on, bit of rain around for the remaining few days, an ageing bowling attack with their spinner missing in the fifth test of a congested series plus they only need a draw.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Root gets Carey still 113 behind 170/6

[LeadBelly]

Another one before tea please lads.

[FCBurnley]

Decent comeback by the bowlers. Just need Smith now

[claretonthecoast1882]

185/7

[LeadBelly]

Thank you lads.
With their slow scoring, the new ball will probably be taken before Oz have got much past 200. Fair chance of a first innings lead here.

[TheFamilyCat]

They probably think it’s worth the risk.
Tough wicket to bat on, bit of rain around for the remaining few days, an ageing bowling attack with their spinner missing in the fifth test of a congested series plus they only need a draw.

Not looking like it's worth the risk at this moment. If we can knock them over in, say 90 overs they won't have taken that much time out of the game and could be looking at a 50+ run deficit. Really need Smith out.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Maybe they are just struggling against a good team?

[Spijed]

Smith could have been run out.....but Bairstow....oh well.

[CoolClaret]

Might sound harsh here but Bairstow has been utterly disgraceful all series - well bar one innings that ultimately led to nothing.

I think any other keeper - Foakes, Buttler and we’d be 3-0 or 2-1 up looking at going 4-0/3-1

[FCBurnley]

He looked out to me on the single screen but not on the split screen. Not sure the 2 views were in sync. Controversy as usual when Smith is involved. He thought he was out and walked which he NEVER does. Game changing decision either way

[123EasyasBFC]

Might sound harsh here but Bairstow has been utterly disgraceful all series - well bar one innings that ultimately led to nothing.

I think any other keeper - Foakes, Buttler and we’d be 3-0 or 2-1 up looking at going 4-0/3-1

Surely butler is the perfect WK batsman for Bazball if they don’t trust foakes with the bat

[CoolClaret]

Surely butler is the perfect WK batsman for Bazball if they don’t trust foakes with the bat

You’d have thought so but apparently playing red and white ball cricket is too much for English cricketers…

[JarrowClaret]

Might sound harsh here but Bairstow has been utterly disgraceful all series - well bar one innings that ultimately led to nothing.

I think any other keeper - Foakes, Buttler and we’d be 3-0 or 2-1 up looking at going 4-0/3-1

I think 2 innings he got 70+ in his first innings and 1 catch, he has kept okay in the last couple of tests but yes the run out you would have to point the finger at him. I agree though disgraceful is harsh.

[Vino blanco]

Ben Foakes test average 32,2, Jos Butler's 31,9.

[UGR]

Well bowled Jimmy, great career for England, take your jumper though. Cya

[Newcastleclaret93]

I think with Bairstow he’s not a good enough batsmen to make up for his crap keeping.

He’s a decent player but there’s no denying his keeping mistakes have cost England dearly this series

[CoolClaret]

I think 2 innings he got 70+ in his first innings and 1 catch, he has kept okay in the last couple of tests but yes the run out you would have to point the finger at him. I agree though disgraceful is harsh.

Feel like his glove work (bar one really good diving catch) has been really, really poor.

Point to that first test and stuff like the run out just now.

Carey has been pretty pants with the bat and has dropped a dolly but has been pretty on it with the gloves imo.

[FCBurnley]

Sky comms have now shown that Smith was run out. However it has taken almost an hour to prove it by using triple screen technology Obviously the third umpire did not have that luxury. In the meantime the Aussies are closing in on Englands score mainly due to some innocuous bowling with the new ball

[CoolClaret]

Good catch Bairstow

[FCBurnley]

Smith out caught by Bairstow lol

[Bosscat]

That Bairstow is rubbish

[Newcastleclaret93]

Shows how crap Bairstow has been that people are praising him for taking a skier lol

[winsomeyen]

If we look back at our world class keepers, Alan Knott,Jack Russell and Bob Taylor they were all wiry guys with lightening reflexes,Bairstow possesses none of these qualties.

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Perhaps we will rue not getting the Australian tail out more cheaply

[Bordeauxclaret]

They made those catches look ridiculously easy nowadays.

[roperclaret]

12 behind and gave away 13 more extras than they did. 31 out of a score of 295 is way too many

[JarrowClaret]

Feel like his glove work (bar one really good diving catch) has been really, really poor.

Point to that first test and stuff like the run out just now.

Carey has been pretty pants with the bat and has dropped a dolly but has been pretty on it with the gloves imo.

Yeh Carey has been the better keeper although admittedly certainly for the first 2 tests it wasn’t hard. Even though he has improved over the last couple of tests I agree he hasn’t been good enough as a keeper. Point to note Bairstow is only doing it to balance the side out as Stokes can’t bowl and they wanted a spinner. People keep pointing to his batting average as well which frustrates me as I am sure it is much lower when he is keeping. I wouldn’t have played him as keeper personally but hey what do I know.

[Quickenthetempo]

You can't excuse his batting on Wicketkeeping if we bat first.

[nil_desperandum]

Approaching the end of a tight series that we may well lose 3-1, but could easily have won 4-0.
No doubt that the man of the series has been Bairstow, but sadly not for the right reasons, and not really his fault since he isn't one of the selectors.
Two highly "controversial" decisions have now gone against England in this series- but both would not have arisen but for Bairstow errors.

[123EasyasBFC]

Approaching the end of a tight series that we may well lose 3-1, but could easily have won 4-0.
No doubt that the man of the series has been Bairstow, but sadly not for the right reasons, and not really his fault since he isn't one of the selectors.
Two highly "controversial" decisions have now gone against England in this series- but both would not have arisen but for Bairstow errors.

Going into the first test match with 3 bowlers who all struggle to get the ball up to 84mph doesn’t help either, I know wood wasn’t fit enough but I do think having a bowler with that extra pace in the first test, we win the game

[Quickenthetempo]

Approaching the end of a tight series that we may well lose 3-1, but could easily have won 4-0.
No doubt that the man of the series has been Bairstow, but sadly not for the right reasons, and not really his fault since he isn't one of the selectors.
Two highly "controversial" decisions have now gone against England in this series- but both would not have arisen but for Bairstow errors.

It's a bit sad that with all the exciting cricket that has been played in a super series, Bairstow's errors are the main talking point.

[Quickenthetempo]

Going into the first test match with 3 bowlers who all struggle to get the ball up to 84mph doesn’t help either, I know wood wasn’t fit enough but I do think having a bowler with that extra pace in the first test, we win the game

I wouldn't have picked Ali but he had to pick our best 3 seamers at the time. I can't recall there being much complaining on here about them at the time.

Woakes should have come in at Lords as he has a superb record there. I said this at the time, before he got in the series.

[nil_desperandum]

I wouldn't have picked Ali but he had to pick our best 3 seamers at the time. I can't recall there being much complaining on here about them at the time.

I would have picked Tongue ahead of Robinson with Wood not available at Edgbaston. He would have given us a bit more variety and pace.

[Quickenthetempo]

I would have picked Tongue ahead of Robinson with Wood not available at Edgbaston. He would have given us a bit more variety and pace.

Based on what?

Robinson averages less than 22 in Tests.

[nil_desperandum]

Based on what?

Robinson averages less than 22 in Tests.

Based on the way they were bowling earlier in the season.
Tongue was pretty impressive. Robinson less so,and also - as I suggested, because Robinson is (IMO) an inferior version of Anderson and Broad, whereas Tongue is a bit different - can get up to 90 mph and apparently bowls a "heavy ball".

[Newcastleclaret93]

Based on what?

Robinson averages less than 22 in Tests.

For me variety.

I don’t think you can play all three of B-road, Anderson and Robinson in a test line up

[Quickenthetempo]

For me variety.

I don’t think you can play all three of B-road, Anderson and Robinson in a test line up

I would agree with you now, but we were talking about for the first Test.

I suggested on that thread of playing Wood instead of the spinner for the extra pace, not knowing he was injured.

[Quickenthetempo]

Based on the way they were bowling earlier in the season.
Tongue was pretty impressive. Robinson less so,and also - as I suggested, because Robinson is (IMO) an inferior version of Anderson and Broad, whereas Tongue is a bit different - can get up to 90 mph and apparently bowls a "heavy ball".

I can't say I had seen much of him. Did he bowl well in the Ireland Test?
I thought Potts was the next youngster in line at the time?

Tongue is certainly on the radar now though.

[Ric_C]

That's 3 tests now where one of our bowlers have got injured in the first innings. How's your luck?

[JarrowClaret]

I can't say I had seen much of him. Did he bowl well in the Ireland Test?
I thought Potts was the next youngster in line at the time?

Tongue is certainly on the radar now though.

Potts has done reasonably well but his problem is that if anything he is slower than Anderson and Robinson and wouldn’t have given us that variety we wanted. I think Tongue should have played in the first test and for me I would have left Anderson out.

[blatherwickstattoos]

If we look back at our world class keepers, Alan Knott,Jack Russell and Bob Taylor they were all wiry guys with lightening reflexes,Bairstow possesses none of these qualties.

He’s too fat. Why is nobody saying this ?

[winsomeyen]

He’s too fat. Why is nobody saying this ?

He is also too fat

[Spijed]

Anderson has no interest in retirement
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66337179

[jrgbfc]

That's 3 tests now where one of our bowlers have got injured in the first innings. How's your luck?

Not sure Mooen Ali getting injured is bad luck, they knew he hadn't played any red ball cricket for years when they picked him, was always a gamble.