I can’t believe Australia are playing in a way that England don’t like. How could they?
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Aussies would be delighted at the state of game right now. They've played out Wood quite well and England don't have a fifth bowler right now with Stokes not bowling.
I'm not saying they're playing for the draw, just that I'm sure they'd be content with one given that it would give them the series win.
Australia will do what they have to do to win and I'm not going to criticise them for that, but at the same time it's not the most entertaining watch right now. Hopefully it will pick up after lunch anyway.
What a catch
Wow that’s outstanding 
Given England are a bowler short and have scored an okayish total and Aussies have started very well, I don't think they'll be content with a match drawn.
What a catch
Was marnus night watchman?
England wont mind Australia going nowhere
Great catch but the keeper should be going after that every day of the week.
9 off 82 for batsman of his quality is pretty shameful
I mean, these are good bowling conditions. There's nothing wrong with playing patiently until the ball is a little older and then playing your shots. Bazball isn't the only way to play test cricket, mate.
He had a gameplan that he was sticking to. There's no crime in seeing out good bowling conditions.
What's with the passive aggressive nature of some of you lot ffs
I'm not suggesting it is at all - but equally Marnus batting himself into a hole wasn't very clever.
Was his gameplay to do nothing and get out if so well played I guess
Eh? So it's case of, let's just put attacking strokes away until there's no cloud cover and it's nice and sunny.
You play each ball on its merits, regardless of the conditions.
In England, you can easily have four or five days of muggy, overcast conditions. How do you think batsmen go about scoring runs if they're waiting for the skies to clear?
This is a tough watch today
Aussies really digging in playing passive risk free cricket shots.
Aussies really digging in playing passive risk free cricket shots.
Well the game has barely moved on in that session. 50 runs, one wicket. Still in the balance. No spinner might end up hurting.
2 an over glad I am in the office all day today absolutely tumescent stuff, longest it's taken Aus to reach 100 here in 42 years
I think the point is that the ball would be more unpredictable in those conditions and so that makes the merits higher in terms of difficulty.
That being said, I'm not watching so can't say how much the ball is moving but it's not the first time a batsman has set his anchor down. Stokes has done that in this series and prior, but maybe Marnus did it too long.
Marsh and Head are in next so the rate will shoot up or we'll see some wickets - it wont stay dull for long.
I would love to see the numbers on how many times batters who batted really slowly at the start actually go on to make huge scores. By real slow I mean at a SR of less than 20 after 50+ balls
Stokes is the famous one at Headingley but I feel like outside of unique run chase situations / Faf Du Plessis blocking out for a draw in Australia that one time etc it's not a clever way to go.
Good Wicket that. Much needed.
Khawaja is absolutely impossible to watch. Usually left handers are classier to watch but even his good shots are so boring
It's a big ask but apply the Boycott rule of add 2 quick wickets to the score and the momentum could turn very quickly here.
It's pretty much 50/50 now.
Keep going Broady!
This series is ridiculous
Yeah, and one more after the latest Broad wicket will put us into a very good position.
Broad on fire!!!! What a player.
You can do that, but that approach is also not without risk: you can spend 15 overs out there, score 10 runs and be back in the shed. No matter how safe you play, a certain % of balls you face will be good balls that can get you out so if you chose to just not score it can catch up with you. There's a balance which England sometimes step over and Labuschagne hasn't even approached this summer.
Need these two out quickly and it's very much game on.
You watch Marsh bat and he makes all the talk of difficult conditions seem so silly
haha wow, didn't expect Anderson to be the one taking that kind of wicket today
He looked in fantastic touch again but the ball really is moving here.
Thank me later
Boycott was right.
This match changes so quickly. England think they're cruising, then collapse. Australia think they're cruising and they suddenly lose wickets.
Our first innings score might be alright after all.
Our first innings score might be alright after all.