[MTS]

Well, that was a depressing performance. Deteriorating pitch, half-competent English? Forcing a draw, much less a win, is going to be tough from here on out. I doubt this pitch will stay anywhere near good before day 5 closes.

[Hinter]

Can Broad become the new McGrath?

From Jonathan Agnew's column on the BBC

Quote

Rather than trying to bowl too fast and aggressively, as he appeared to have been instructed to do earlier in the series, he simply bowled an immaculate and patient line and length.

This is the future for Broad. He is tall and capable of bowling a good bouncer, but his height also gives him a tremendous advantage in pitching the ball up.

His role model should be Glenn McGrath - same height, same pace, same length.

Whilst his performances have been patchy over the summer, I do like his attitude and commitment, but I was singing Ian Bell's praises not so long ago so what do I know?

[Cougar]

It's finely balanced but Australia have incredibly classy batsmen and if they can skittle an inexperienced England and restrict it to 300 they will have 2 full days at least to score at a Boycottesque rate

[Impirion]

2 full days on a pitch which is falling apart every ball....

[Cold Iron]

Going to be a fucking riveting 4th innings. Even if we bowl you out for 100 it's still going to be a tough chase. I would say 300 run lead would be safe.

[Cougar]

I agree CI, that 300 would be a tough chase but they would have an awful long time to get it, Ponting and Katich could grind it out in singles. 200 overs at 1.5 an over

[Corporal Nobbs]

A bit conservitive aren't you Cougar.

Batting first on a pitch where balls go through the surface from
virtually the first ball, you were always going to win.

[caladanbrood]

You're forgetting a vital fact Nobbs - this is England, we are very good at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. However, a 545 lead is enough to bowl at under any circumstances, you might hope...

All this talk of the pitch deteriorating, and yet pretty much all the England wickets today had very little to do with the pitch - mostly just poor shots or bad decisions. If it kept getting worse, why was the third innings the highest scoring of the match, especially when the aussies knew they had to bowl extremely well to stand a chance in the match.

This post has been edited by caladanbrood: 22 August 2009 - 04:38 PM

[Impirion]

It is vaguely reminiscent of the Chennai? game where England managed to let India chase 380 odd for the loss of 5 wickets or something like that. Hopefully a couple of wickets early tomorrow will settle the nerves, especially if one of them is of ponting.

[caladanbrood]

I think we should blood Punter up a bit more before we let him hand over the urn

[Hinter]

Two wickets down, come on England!

[MTS]

English commentators seem to be counting their eggs...

[Hinter]

Off to the pub to watch the denouement.

[caladanbrood]

Two vital wickets there. Punter and Mr Cricket were in serious danger of hanging around for a long time, and that's the sort of partnership that could have batted through the entire day. Needed something special to break it, so up steps Freddie

[MTS]

Clarke, you twat.

Ah well, we still have 3 competent batsman left...

[caladanbrood]

What, like Marcus North?

[Corporal Nobbs]

...

Bah!

[Volkh]

What is this "Cricket" you speak of good sir? Is it the little brown thing that cherps and I use for fishing bate? They work really great on purch, bluegill, and crappie. I hope that helps!

[MTS]

It's the descendant of that rip-off sport you call baseball.

I second Nobbs' comment.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

I dont think descendent is the word you're looking for there, Maps.

Oh, and while I'm here, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA TAKE THAT YOU DIRTY COLONIAL CONVICT FUCKERS!!! MWAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA



*ahem* I'm sorry, I dont know what came over me.