Ashes Test Cricket 2023

[mikeyboy]

Second day equally as absorbing ,   Aus  311/5  Usman Khawaja with a fine century not out at close , only 80 behind England now .

England will feel they could have done better ,  Jonny Bairstow missing a regulation stumping and also a catch   ( where's Foakes ?? )  and Stuart Broad cleaning up Khawaja but overstepping .   Can't afford these lapses against quality batsmen .

Rain predicted at some point today , 

Mikeyboy

 

 

[Mav]

28 minutes ago, mikeyboy said:

Second day equally as absorbing ,   Aus  311/5  Usman Khawaja with a fine century not out at close , only 80 behind England now .

England will feel they could have done better ,  Jonny Bairstow missing a regulation stumping and also a catch   ( where's Foakes ?? )  and Stuart Broad cleaning up Khawaja but overstepping .   Can't afford these lapses against quality batsmen .

Rain predicted at some point today , 

Mikeyboy

 

 

Many would say he missed two catches....the one late in the day that got between him and Root.....l have seen many keepers snare them....good keepers that is, like Foakes.

JB batted superbly and should be 100% in England's batting line up.....but surely they take the gloves off him, even if he does not turf any more catches or miss any more stumpings. He was very chirpy when Oz went 2 down. The last half hour he looked as though he was in a library. Not wanting to make eye contact with Ali or Root.

[mikeyboy]

6 hours ago, Mav said:

Many would say he missed two catches....the one late in the day that got between him and Root.....l have seen many keepers snare them....good keepers that is, like Foakes.

JB batted superbly and should be 100% in England's batting line up.....but surely they take the gloves off him, even if he does not turf any more catches or miss any more stumpings. He was very chirpy when Oz went 2 down. The last half hour he looked as though he was in a library. Not wanting to make eye contact with Ali or Root.

England have a bit of previous regarding playing keepers with supposed superior batting skills  ,   Matt Prior and later Jos Buttler were preferred to  Essex's James Foster who was acknowledged by all to be far and away the best keeper in the land and played a grand total of 7 test matches  .   

England lead by 7 on first Innings , but are 28/2 second time round .  Promised rain arrived a couple of hours ago .

[mikeyboy]

After bowling England out for 273   Aus need 281 to win 

110/3 , going into 5th day .   Early rain forecast, then cloud cover might suit England on 5th day , but this game could go either way .

Mikeyboy

[mikeyboy]

What a fantastic Test Match , Could have gone either way , with Australia winning by 2 wickets .

4 more tests to go ..  

[keepitfun]

What’s the betting on a first innings declaration for T2?

[Hey hey]

Australian here, great test. I love Ben stokes and his captaincy, very entertaining. It’s what test cricket needed. Looking forward to the next four tests. 

[Eric Le Roi]

Bazball has turned test cricket on its head, we won't win every match but it's brilliant entertainment. 

[jocky king]

Agreed , very entertaining match yesterday, more to come hopefully. 

[mikeyboy]

20 hours ago, keepitfun said:

What’s the betting on a first innings declaration for T2?

Probably odds against  😃  😃 

[mikeyboy]

2nd test , Australia 173 - 2 after being put in at Lords .   Marnus and Steve Smith looking good .

Looks like a good toss to lose as Pat Cummings would have bowled first also .

England playing 4  seamers plus Stokes and Root .  First time in over 20 years England have gone into a Test match without a front line Spinner .

Rain about for the next day or so .

Mikeyboy

[davidge]

21 minutes ago, mikeyboy said:

2nd test , Australia 173 - 2 after being put in at Lords .   Marnus and Steve Smith looking good .

Looks like a good toss to lose as Pat Cummings would have bowled first also .

England playing 4  seamers plus Stokes and Root .  First time in over 20 years England have gone into a Test match without a front line Spinner .

Rain about for the next day or so .

Mikeyboy

The main surprise so far today is that Bairstow didn’t drop the protestor. 

[davidge]

I wonder if any of the protestors can bowl at more than 79 mph? 

[Olderhand]

Very disappointing day so far ..I'm off to bed hoping a few wickets fall during my slumber.

 

[mikeyboy]

4 hours ago, Olderhand said:

Very disappointing day so far ..I'm off to bed hoping a few wickets fall during my slumber.

 

Didn't see much of todays play other than highlights , but Australia's middle order are starting to go through the gears .

Ominous for England who have to be a lot better tomorrow .

Mikeyboy

 

[Hey hey]

Bazball counter attack  headball, catchy name .

[mikeyboy]

England 278/4 after bowling Australia out for 416 

Lots happening on second day , Steve Smith  Ton , Ben Duckett 98 , catches going down , brilliant ones being taken , Lyon and Pope injured .  

England a lot better than on day one , Australia will be hoping Lyon calf Injury not too serious 

Mikeyboy

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by mikeyboy
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[Leo_Bia]

Anyone else watched that Botham v Chappell documentary.

Absolutely brilliant, even after all these years, refusing to bury the hatchet.

 

[Pattaya_mad]

One was given out, the other one wasn`t, strange old game isn`t it.

 

[keepitfun]

52 minutes ago, Pattaya_mad said:

One was given out, the other one wasn`t, strange old game isn`t it.

 

Doesn’t matter.  I half expect entry will be free tomorrow.   Game won’t last until lunch

[mikeyboy]

8 hours ago, Pattaya_mad said:

One was given out, the other one wasn`t, strange old game isn`t it.

 

Great Photos 

England trying not to take any kind of backward step , have played some pretty dumb cricket so far this test .

It's not uncool to graft at times , and they need to learn when to wind their neck in .

Mikeyboy

[Olderhand]

I'm watching the first session tonight. I hope they survive the first hour will make a proper go of it.

[davidge]

0-2 and deservedly so, despite Stokes’ magnificent innings.

As for the ‘controversial’ incident,  I thought Bairstow was lazy and stupid.

[iLoveit]

7 minutes ago, davidge said:

0-2 and deservedly so, despite Stokes’ magnificent innings.

As for the ‘controversial’ incident,  I thought Bairstow was lazy and stupid.

I would be pissed off at a team mate if they did what Johnny bairstow did and I play fourth grade.

   I would also be annoyed if a kid I coach went out that way.

    Spot on Davidge , lazy and stupid.

It is a basic thing that you learn as a junior is to stay in your ground .

[vimto66]

Legit and Within the laws of the game, but not in the spirit of the game.