Well it was an ok start for Australia in the final test. When pretty much every batsman gets a start, it tells me it’s an ok batting wicket (which is why I wouldn’t personally read too much into England’s form in NZ), so I am absolutely not feeling comfortable at 4/255. So much of the result hinges on whether Khawaja and Green can keep steady minds into day 2 and build further on their partnership. Australia’s batting, even with someone like Starc who is no chump,. Is still very shallow compared to India’s, so Aus need a big score here to have a chance.
Well, you’d be disappointed not to get north of 450 from there. Australia are absolutely in the driving seat.
Indians not crowing so loudly now, Aussies still whining though 
Whining when we lose, or being mouthy when we win? It’s a toss-up in terms of what’s more annoying for other fans.
Poor Aussies, they just can’t win
Whining while winning is the worst though 
Well we are in an excellent position right here. I wouldn’t be upset with a draw and losing the series 2-1, given our low run rate makes a win a very long shot. But still a long way to go even to be comfortable that we can take something from this match.
The Green-Khawaja had been timely. Yes, in comparison to all the doctored pitches in this series this one is a road, but they still have done the business. Great anchoring job by Khawaja and Green batting with a great strike rate. Getting through a whole season with a loss of a wicket is probably something we needed to do to at least have a chance of taking something from this game.
Logic dictates that this next session after lunch will see at least a wicket fall (Khawaja 350 balls faced so fatigued, and Green the potential post-century drop off in concentration) but I just want our tail to fight it out to reach 400 or just above.
The WIs are so poor. They are a shadow of a shadow of their former selves It is so sad for cricket and for cricket fans.
The great sides all the way from the 60s through to the early 2000s (at a stretch) were truly great but now, it feels like that they will never again regain that majesty.
It is sad.
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Thanks for that - nice read.
OT but there was an author (V S Niapaul) from that area who (warts and all) is a great read - many books written of life out there and the interaction with and travels to home of the colonial overlords.
It would be a travesty if Foakes is dropped. He’s been excellent, and is a far better keeper than Bairstow.
I’d like to see Bairstow open with Duckett. Had enough of watching Crawley scratching around.
Agreed, I don’t see why you’d drop Foakes who is a rather important player further down. We know Bairstow can play further up so we should look to accommodate instead of as you see being 1 down every single time after about 5 overs.
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Watching the IPL matches over the last couple of days, the tactical subs is an awful addition.
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County Cricket starts next week.
It’s going be 12 degrees in parts on Thursday with evening temp of 3.
And they wonder why it’s not tempting.
I remember I used to play (village) cricket for a team in Dundee - our first game was always Arbroath away… April (or indeed any month except maybe August) is refreshing to say the least! The ground was just off the North sea and the wind was something fierce. I took up wicket keeping and put on 3 t-shirts, 2 jumpers, 2 tracky bottoms under the whites and was still frozen! Umpiring was even worse - was an incentive to not get out early!
Yeah I expect a few players not fancying it.
What a finish to that match…Sandeep takes a wicket with the last ball of the match, celebrates as if he’s won the match, turns out he overstepped and Samad hits the resulting ball for 6 to win it.
Joe Root’s IPL debut, didn’t even get to face a ball.
Archer out for the summer with an elbow injury again. Bairstow recalled after breaking his leg late 2022 and Anderson suffering a groin injury but picked anyway (and being 40, I doubt he will recover as quickly as they say) could be a long summer for you English lads
Very sad. Archer is done I fear. Think if he goes under the knife it’ll be his 5th operation on that elbow. Shades of Alex Tudor. Naturally gifted but also brittle.
Also worried about Stokesy’s knee
A long and glorious one with the urn staying here (not that it ever leaves). I worry about Anderson and Broad (who both make our own James Milner look like he’s 16) playing on flat decks and our real pace (such as it is) breaks down like a Friday afternoon Landrover. But our batting, for once, looks mesmeric. The Ashes are always fabulous, cheers to another titanic series.
Yeah, shame to see such a talent wasted due to being made of glass.
*And putting my baggy green on - fantastic chance for a 5-0 
It’s England the chances of a Test not falling to the weather is very remote and I doubt you’ll win all 5 anyhow.
Was looking at the squad earlier and I don’t think the batting looks particularly strong, but any team with Root, Bairstow and Stoakes will always be capable of putting on a big score. The bowling looks problematic in my opinion.
Already lost Archer for the summer. Anderson, Broad and Woods whilst great bowlers aren’t a trio you would bet can great through a 5 test series, leaving you with Jack Leach, who lets face it, seems like a nice guy, but would probably be as scary as a 3 day old kitten.