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Ashes 2019

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
We should win tonight. It's of course nowhere near a sure thing but if you can't bowl a side out on a 5th day pitch with enough runs behind you that you can really attack, you're not going to win a lot of tests.

We could easily end up winning this test by 200+ runs which will paper over how close we came to disaster. If not for Smith or even just Siddle for sticking with him in the first innings we could have easily been smashed inside 3 days.

Even at the start of day 4 England were strong favourites. If we'd lost a few wickets in the first session we could have struggled to lead by much over 100 and England could have cantered home.

It's quite amazing how dramatically test matches can be turned within the space of a session.

That's the real beauty of test cricket.

Smith is simply the best. Congratulations to Wade - I didn't think he had it in him, but he didn't have to face Anderson and there are queries about the fitness of Ali and Woakes. Either way, I still think our chances would be enhanced had Labuschagne been included to bowl his leggies into the rough outside the RH's leg stump.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
It's quite amazing how dramatically test matches can be turned within the space of a session.


It's been a great test, and shapes as a great series. Regardless of the result tonight, both teams will walk off thinking they should have won.

I wonder if the World Cup has given us more of an edge than first thought. Maybe the fire isn't quite burning for the Poms as it normally would. If we win this game, we go to to Lords in a powerful position given our record there.

The Poms will bring in Archer for Anderson, which will make them much more competitive though.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
Smith is simply the best. Congratulations to Wade - I didn't think he had it in him, but he didn't have to face Anderson and there are queries about the fitness of Ali and Woakes. Either way, I still think our chances would be enhanced had Labuschagne been included to bowl his leggies into the rough outside the RH's leg stump.


Come on BR, it's OK to say you were wrong. You can put all the asterisks you want next to Wade's innings, but he came out when the game was in the balance and scored a century. In England. I didn't expect him to do that, but I'm bloody glad he did.

Marnus's bowling is far from test standard, realistically it's a little better than what Smith offers but not much.
 

Finsbury Girl

Trevor Allan (34)
I'll happily eat my words on Wade, however as BR said context is everything. We had Denly, Ali and Root bowling pies.

Still you have to play what's in front of you and he supported Smudge and took the lead admirably when Smudge got out.

It certainly didn't look like a hard pitch to bat on though I'm looking forward to seeing how Lyon gets on. I expect Patto & Paddy to soften up the poms first thing though.

A draw isn't out the question, Burns faced a mountain of balls in the first dig so he has it in him to stick around & you can never write off Root.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
It's amazing how quick people are to dismiss Wade's century but seemingly the same doesn't apply to any of Smith's heroics or the fact that plenty of the other batters have failed once or twice.

Smith scored a ton in the first innings when there was a lot more assistance in the pitch. His innings, both of them were top class. Wade did all he had to do in the second dig. He was certainly by no means a failure which is a label that could be applied to both Warner and Bancroft in this game. Wade will have consolidated a spot in the side, but the same cannot be said for Bancroft. I'd still prefer Khawaja to open and to bring Labuschagne in for his batting and bowling. Ideally, Patterson should also be there, but there just aren't enough spots to go round. Next cab off the rank when someone else doesn't step up.
 

Finsbury Girl

Trevor Allan (34)
I've made it very clear I advocate Burns and Patterson in the team & I was against the selection of Wade and Bancroft in particular.

I'll reserve judgement on Wade after another test match. Against hostile, accurate bowling & high pressure in the first innings he failed miserably. He managed to make hay in the 2nd which I noted above was admirable, however as noted the bowling was somewhat lacklustre & Smudge had already taken the a large amount of pressure off. This needs to be taken into account.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
This test match was hanging well and truly in the balance at the beginning of day 4 and Smith, Head and Wade took it away from the Poms emphatically. Hats off to them.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
He managed to make hay in the 2nd which I noted above was admirable, however as noted the bowling was somewhat lacklustre & Smudge had already taken the a large amount of pressure off. This needs to be taken into account.


God we can be negative sometimes. Wade made a hundred. Despite what you say, there was plenty of pressure - our lead when he entered was around 120, and you could mount an argument that England was still on top at that point. It's also a venue where we haven't won in any format since 2001.

But no, it's too early to judge Wade apparently. England were missing a bowler!
.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Wade's averaged over 60 in Shield cricket since he was last dropped from the test team. He dominated all forms of domestic cricket last season and continued his run on the Australia A tour. He's clearly in the best form of his life and the is in the best form of any other candidates for the 6 position. He's just scored a test match hundred on his return, on what grounds are we criticising the guy?
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
Masochists who have lasted till stumps, what time can I expect to be awake to if I set myself the challenge of watching all 10 wickets tonight?
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Masochists who have lasted till stumps, what time can I expect to be awake to if I set myself the challenge of watching all 10 wickets tonight?


I've watched until tea a couple of times (12:40am). I'm certainly hoping it is done by then tonight!

Stumps is 3:30am including the extra half hour (that is pretty much guaranteed these days).
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
Cheers BH. Tea is feasible; stumps is condemning myself to hell way too early in the week.

Here's hoping we rip through the top order early!
 

John S

Desmond Connor (43)
God we can be negative sometimes. Wade made a hundred. Despite what you say, there was plenty of pressure - our lead when he entered was around 120, and you could mount an argument that England was still on top at that point. It's also a venue where we haven't won in any format since 2001.

But no, it's too early to judge Wade apparently. England were missing a bowler!
.
I'm with you on that. Even missing Anderson it's still been tough batting out there.
 
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