England v NZ & Aust 2015

[waiopehu oldboy]

Aus all out 60, Broad gets 8 which appears to be the cheapest-ever 8-bag for Eng v Aus & 3rd cheapest-ever for Eng v anyone after 2 x 8-fors back in the 1890's.

As the cliche goes: you've got them, they've gotta get them. Good luck with that

EDIT: also 3rd best ever for Eng v Aus after Laker's 10- & 9-fors.

 

[Quick Hands]

Ashes are almost gone in the space of 90 minutes. We need to be batting again by stumps or we'll be out of the match.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yep. Truer words never spoken.

 

[Teh Other Dave]

We're going to need a second innings Laxman... unfortunately the only player who values his wicket as much as VVS is colourblind and had benign paroxysmal positional vertigo last week.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Will be interesting to see how England bat, if England bat for the rest of the day the Ashes are gone. Doesn't look too tricky so far and the sun has come out.

 

[Quick Hands]

Can't believe we've opened the bowling with Hazelwood and Starc.

With the frenetic first sesssion the team selections haven't been discussed. Once we looked at the pitch, surely Siddle should have come in for Hazelwood. Hazelwood either too straight or too wide already.

Not that it would have made a difference in the 1st innings, but I'm not sure that S Marsh and Voges should be both playing and M Marsh dropped.

 

[Pfitzy]

Aussies bowling for swing, not length

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

You know I had some concerns about our batting but I never thought it would be as bad as this. Really apart from a couple of mighty knocks at Lords we've been found hugely wanting in this series.

 

[light]

Can't even f*****^ comprehend this right now.

Somehow amidst the shock and confusion nearly an entire bottle of scotch has been put away.

TV has now been turned off and heading to bed. Can't watch this shite.

 

[Highlander35]

In times like this, we turn to Malcolm Tucker for Inspiration as to what to say and think.

 

[Quick Hands]

You have to wonder if Hazelwood and Starc watched what the England bowlers did. It was seam on the right line and length that took 10 wickets in 18 overs, why are we trying to swing the ball?

I've got a really bad feeling about the rest of the day.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

We are just lucky that the Soap Dodgers didn't enforce the follow on after that performance. If they did, the match could be over by Lunch on Day 2 if not before.

Sheesh. Only proper response is to thrash the buggers in RWC Pool play.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Eng 274/4 (Root 124*, Bairstow 74, Starc 3/73) lead by 210 with six 1st innings wickets in hand. You guys need ~3 days of rain.

 

[Quick Hands]

England looking at a 400 plus total with that score. We're looking at another big defeat here. Even if we bat well in the second innings, England will be looking at chasing a small total on a day 3 pitch.

 

[Sully]

What a disgrace. Those shots are indefensible.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think there could be a few Aussie batsmen looking for new jobs after this series. Warner would be safe for now, Smith too obviously and Rogers retiring. Numbers 4, 5, and 6 would be looking over their shoulders I suspect and that would include the captain.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

After all the drama over proving he had recovered from his dodgy back with what appeared to be an extremely onerous testing regime, one suspects that Cricket Australia is looking for an excuse (any excuse) to discontinue Michael Clark's contract.

Losing the Ashes, along with some poor batting scores, may just be the Godsend that CA are looking for to achieve just that.

 

[Aussie D]

WTF was Clarke thinking with that shot though? Australia 5-not many and he tries to smack the ball out of the ground? To quote (misquote more likely) john C Maxwell - "everything rises and falls on leadership". With the example he set is it any wonder that we were all out for 60 in 18 overs? Hopefully (though I doubt it) if we have a serious post-series examination of what went wrong the team and coaching staff will come to the conclusion that when it comes to test cricket high run rates don't necessarily equate to 'entertainment'. Good hard fought scores do though.

 

[No4918]

If Australia were in this position I would be declaring just before lunch with a lead of 300-320 or so and look to set English cricket on a path to self destruction. Struggling for a good reason as to why they should not do the same to us.

 

[Strewthcobber]

So it's pretty clear that Clarke is done. Rogers is retiring. Voges can't cut it. S Marsh still has the same problems that has seen him dropped consistently through his career. Mitch Marsh isn't a test class number 6 (yet?). Watson (Ha!)

Warner and Smith are good enough, as long as it's not moving - but geeze Smith's technique could lead to problems when he's out of form.

That's a hell of a lot of people to replace with barely any good candidates. And not even any grizzled old veterans ala 1980s AB to bring through the next generation.

Scary spot for an Aussie cricket fan.