Plenty of good proper cricket coming up with back to back Ashes series. Lets have your thoughts folks! That was a fun old first day to kick things off. Weather supposed to be cloudy for the first part of the 2nd day at least, so expecting more wickets as this crumbly old pitch continues to muck about. Any first innings lead is vital, so looking forward to see what we can do with a full bowling attack.
The weak link to the Aussies is their batting - proven again in this innings to date. I hope Smith can continue his good form and we can build a decent total around him. I doubt England will fold again so easily in the second innings.
Yep, thats our issue too. I hope the early nerves fade for both teams, and we get some good hard-nosed test cricket. Dig In fellas! you have time to bat properly. Joe Root will be good when he grows up.
Morning All! Day 3, and we have had a bit of everything so far... including the Amazing Agar, (another who might be quite useful when he grows up). Time for some of the old-fashioned test cricket today. Bat all day. Nice!
I vote Bairstow. But I am a bit old-fashioned. I thought the Aussies took such an obvious wrong-un really well. Well done England this innings... perhaps not the most exciting batting in the world, but they did exactly what was needed.
Where is the culture of the game now? Would an Australian have walked? Would anyone? Is that sort of gentlemanly behavior a thing of the past, especially with the electronic enhancements to officiating?
WC Grace was one of the best exponents of "gamesmanship". The game has, like every other, passed through the period of good manners and sportsmanship; the professional era has seen to that. It's no longer just a case of statistics on the clubhouse wall, there's a lot more at stake. I'm just glad that it attracts players like young Agar who put the inarticulate footballing chavs to shame. IMO Broad was correct to stand. In years gone by, players who walked before the umpire raised a finger would sometimes be called back to the crease because the decision is solely that of the umpire. I don't blame the Aussies for being grumpy, it was a bad decision by the umpire, not the first in this Test (Trott wasn't out). Michael Clarke's response was understandable but worse for the spirit of the game than Broad standing his ground.
One of the best and interesting series between England and Australia live an ESPN and many other sports channels,i have saw the last year Ashes series which is held in Australia . Many tourists likes that series.
Broad should have walked in the same way Trott should have stayed. Rugby's got it right; you play to the whistle. If the referee/umpire gives you out then accept it with good grace as he/she is the sole arbiter of the rules of the game on the field of play. If they don't give you out then play on.
See if you can find footage of the 1981 Test series (especially the game at Headingly). Now that was a good Test. This is worth and hour or two of your life: <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uCNoKQABZEs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Yikes. 137 to go and 5 wickets in hand, all tail enders. Looks like an England win, no? Presumably Agar won't get another 98.
+1 The Aussies don't exactly occupy the moral high ground here. Waiting to see if the Umpire gives you out is small beer compared to claiming a catch that bounced or bowling underarm....
