2013 Ashes Part 2 - Down Under

[AngrySeahorse]

Johnson strikes! Great catch from Haddin too.

The follow up ball to Bell was bloody close as well.

 

[light]

Jeez light you're pretty harsh on Watson.

If there's so little pressure why didn't Rogers, Clarke and Smith all smash up 100's too?

Warner had already done all the damage.

Harsh on a bloke who had scored 3 centuries in 89 innings prior to this morning?

I have no problem with Watson being in the side, he has shown that he can score big but I am not convinced on his mental capabilities.

IMO he needs to be at 6 to avoid the new ball with a specialist batsman at 3 (i.e Hughes).

 

[No4918]

Chappelli is a muppet.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

I'd be feeling much better if at the end of the day we have Bell or Stokes out - preferably both.

 

[mark_s]

Yeah we are losing our control and patience with the ball. We need another wicket (or a rev up from billy) to get our line and length back.

 

[No4918]

Few more things starting to happen off the pitch. Watson 's line will trouble the right handers. Would like to see the others come around the wicket to see if they can get something going.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Snicko works in our favour. Bell has been rung. Poms are going to struggle now, especially when Bell and Stokes were showing some ticker.

 

[Scotty]

Shane Watson's dismissal has to be one of the strangest I've seen in test match cricket.

I've done that before in a game. I dropped a pretty easy catch and was pretty pissed off so picked it up and threw down the stumps and just happened to get a run out.

Was still pretty annoyed at myself though and apologised to the bowler.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Cracks are miriad and getting bigger, but the reality is that the pitch really is a belter. Only a very few deliveries have acted strangely. Something odd has happened at the WACA in recent years. Teams batting last have been able to run up large and winning totals. Just listen to Chappelli (if you can stomach it) going on all match about the need for extra slips fielders at the WACA. IIRC there hasn't been a single catch at slip by an Aus fielder, and only one in the whole match by an Englishman (Watson in the first innings). Sure, a number of fours have been scored through vacant slips spots, but by and large the Aussies have had a pretty full complement of slips and gullies throughout the match, to no avail. Apparently, the pitch just gets better and better the longer the game goes on. It certainly isn't living up to its reputation.

Expect the Aussies to have a bit of trouble wrapping up the game today, especially as Nathan Lyon is just not presenting any danger at all to the batsmen. His lack of variety is killing him. Every ball turns the same way and by about the same amount - very predictable. If he can't develop a doosra or straight ball able to deceive the batsman, he should at least spend some time bowling over the wicket to vary the direction of the delivery.

 

[Braveheart81]

Haddin has six catches from the 15 English wickets that have fallen so I'm not sure I really agree with your thoughts about slips fielders. Catches in the cordon pretty much derive from the same conditions whether they go to keeper or slip.

I think Australia will wrap up the game in the first session or otherwise shortly after lunch. The second new ball will rip through the English tail.

I think Lyon has bowled pretty well in this game. He's been pretty tight and has taken a key wicket in both innings.

 

[The Red Baron]

Lyon is doing exactly what he should be doing, his 'lack of variety' is most certainly not killing him. He has kept it tight, picked up key wickets, and built pressure on the batsman. What more can you ask of him?

Not all off spinners have to have a doosra or a straight ball. Look at Swann, he deceives players with the way he flights the ball. This is something Lyon is starting to do quite well, and Lyon also gets good bounce too. Worked a treat for him in Adelaide.

 

[barbarian]

Yeah I am a bit worried too BR, but that is probably just the pessimist (and Wallaby/Waratah fan) in me.

Have put $20 on the Poms at $13 as insurance, just in case the unthinkable happens. Surely it can't though.......

 

[Brumby Runner]

Haddin has six catches from the 15 English wickets that have fallen so I'm not sure I really agree with your thoughts about slips fielders. Catches in the cordon pretty much derive from the same conditions whether they go to keeper or slip.

I think Australia will wrap up the game in the first session or otherwise shortly after lunch. The second new ball will rip through the English tail.

I think Lyon has bowled pretty well in this game. He's been pretty tight and has taken a key wicket in both innings.

A wicket keeper is essential and often takes a bag of catches. Haddin would have taken his 6 whether or not there were slips fielders in position. But that's not my point. I contend that the lack of slips catches indicates a change in the way the WACA pitch is playing. As recent last innings totals reflect, there is imo a difference in the pitch.

I think Lyon is our best off spinner, but he is not anywhere as good as he could be with a bit more variety in his deliveries. He should be wrapping up the middle order and/or tail, but simply isn't. And that's on pitches (Gabba and WACA) that he says suit him best because of the extra bounce.

 

[JSRF10]

Have put $20 on the Poms at $13 as insurance, just in case the unthinkable happens. Surely it can't though...

England chasing down a world record with an out of form tail, one of whom may not bat, a bloke who has a pretty average record playing his second test and a keeper in woeful form. That is bringing pessimism to a new level!

 

[Brumby Runner]

Lyon is doing exactly what he should be doing, his 'lack of variety' is most certainly not killing him. He has kept it tight, picked up key wickets, and built pressure on the batsman. What more can you ask of him?

Not all off spinners have to have a doosra or a straight ball. Look at Swann, he deceives players with the way he flights the ball. This is something Lyon is starting to do quite well, and Lyon also gets good bounce too. Worked a treat for him in Adelaide.

I disagree. Swann had a very good straight ball - I believe it took or had a contributory effect on most of his wickets in England. It doesn't seem to have accompanied him down under and that is probaly why he has such a meager haul this tour.

 

[Braveheart81]

A wicket keeper is essential and often takes a bag of catches. Haddin would have taken his 6 whether or not there were slips fielders in position. But that's not my point. I contend that the lack of slips catches indicates a change in the way the WACA pitch is playing. As recent last innings totals reflect, there is imo a difference in the pitch.

My point was that this could very easily have resulted in Haddin having two catches in the match and first and second slip having four between them.

Slips catches and keeper catches are generally the result of similar shots. All it takes is a slightly thicker edge and it goes to slip. I disagree that this WACA pitch is much different to ones we've seen in the past. The pace, bounce and carry are all very much there.

The cracks are doing plenty when hit. There have been several balls that have trampolined off a crack over the keeper's head, jagged at a horrible angle and struck the batsman, or skidded through with barely any bounce (Bell got one yesterday that he just kept out with the toe of his bat).

Look for more balls to skid through today.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think it will be a bit of a slog to wrap it up, but we only need one ball and we're into the tail. The pitch won't be that easy to bat on (fifth day pitches shouldn't be IMHO) and it's starting to open up further.

 

[cyclopath]

I agree it will be a graft today. I was bemused when some pundits on TV and radio were saying 400 lead is enough, 450 plenty too much. If the Poms are 5/350, which is not impossible by any stretch, we'd be sweating mightily.

 

[No4918]

If they get through the new ball it will be game on.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Are our commentators taking lessons from the Rugby fox team? They all seem to be saying "Its only a matter of time" in regards to us taking out this test. Are they actually watching what's going on? England is putting up a fantastic defence with Prior & Stokes (Stokes especially, great knock thus far). Unless we get a wicket soon I'd say the draw is definitely on the cards (I know its a stretch but if they continue such a great defence than anything is possible).