The Convicts Return

[Roaming Rover]

Don't worry Bryan, just enjoying the moment whilst we can. We need to get a good score as Australia will be fired up for the 2nd innings

But for now

[bellamy11]

McGrath is on fire. Both openers removed for single figures. Leaves the England captain needing a big innings when he's well out of form.

The cricket is playing more like a one-day game than a test match. We could be seeing the Aussies batting again tomorrow morning!

Edited July 21, 2005 by bellamy11

[brfcshabba]

And another one goes...

18-3

47 all out Bryan?

[Roaming Rover]

[broadsword]

I flipping well told you lot!

Did anyone listen? Non.

If we lose 3 more wickets or more today we're up the Khyber.

[bellamy11]

When I said the Aussies could be batting again tomorrow morning, of course I meant later on tonight...

[brfcshabba]

McGrath now with all four wickets. Bell topscorer so far with SIX.

Who said McGrath was finished

[grizfoot]

Pietersen and Freddie Flintoff in now i don't suspect they'll be defending to many

[brfcshabba]

Freddie Flintoff certainly won't be defending anymore

[sumps]

It's looking pretty embarrassing for England. Just have to hope Pietersen starts getting a few runs and quick!

Edited July 21, 2005 by sumps

[Roaming Rover]

Only 170 to go and we're in the lead

[broadsword]

We can kiss goodbye to winning the Ashes back for another year then.

All that pre-Match bluster for Pieterson and co is starting to look a bit damn silly.

And when is that bu99er McGrath going to retire?

Edited July 21, 2005 by Bryan

[Roaming Rover]

I agree, it's not fair McGrath coming over here and eating all our weetabix

[Flopsy]

wheres thorpe where we need him

I half joked at tea that we'd be all out for 150 - lloks like I was being optimistic.

However, when McGrath retires - I get the feeling that Austrailia will become just a very good side instead of teh imperious one it is at the moment

[blue phil]

Early days yet . If we get to 150 then basically it's a second innings game . Great start to the series entertainment wise ...a bit of aussie blood flowing

[Timmy]

I would be worried if you got tickets for sundays play...

[Manchester Blue]

Early days yet .  If we get to 150 then basically it's a second innings game . Great start to the series entertainment wise ...a bit of aussie blood flowing 

334080[/snapback]

Spot on, i'm amazed to see people chucking the towel in already. I think it's fairly poised and certainly close. If we can get near the Aussie total then game on, if we get skittled quickly then it will probably be over. It's a bit of a worry the form of our top order but i'm sure some of the Aussie's are having similar worries.

Could have screamed at Giles for getting out final ball though.

Edited July 21, 2005 by Manchester Blue

[bellamy11]

I was livid at Giles for a few minutes but ultimately he has outscored the top order. He should never have been in the position to get out at that stage.

Pieterson is now crucial. Australia didn't lose it when Gilchrist went, they lost it when Katich went. He was building an innings and was the last of the specialist batsmen. Kevin is in an identical situation. If he s tays in then he will eventually run out of partners, but if the tail-enders stick around then England can still post 150. We have to rely on the top order getting their act together in the second innings. They should be going to bed tonight feeling humiliated and waking up tomorrow ready for the fight.

[Ozz]

My moneys still on England. On current form the two attacks seem about equal, but, despite our first innings top order crumble, I reckon we`ve got the better batting right now. I really like Lee bowling and the way he runs up looks like hes gonna keep running down the track and just batter the stumps down!

England to win by 4 wickets on Saturday night...

[grizfoot]

Very intersting game of cricket today.

You had Hamrison getting the ball to bounce up around and everywhere then you had McGrath bouncing the ball no higher than knee height.

Game still looks fairly balanced

[Flopsy]

bloody enjoyable day though - I made T4E eat his Tramps hat with anger when he found out I could listen to it on the radio and he couldnt

[Eddie]

This test will be decided by the first session of play tomorrow. If England can muster up another 50-60 runs (minimum) and put them around the Austrlalian score then it is very much game on, all to play for and no one with any real advantage. Even if Australia skittle England out in the morning how they then start off their second innings will decide the match. If it is another short innings of around 200 and England are left chasing 250 with 2-3 days of play left then you'd have to make them favourites, despite what has gone on in the first innings.

If Australia come out and bat for a two days and England are left clinging on for dear life in a backs to the wall job that has to last 4-5 sessions then I will be very nervous. The lack of figures like Butcher and Thorpe mean that I fear that too many in this team are likely to make mistakes and not get stuck in. As great as it is having a fresh team not scared of the Aussies it would be nice if there were one or two more in there who had been there and done that, made the mistakes in the past and maybe had a bit more sense about them. We missed them today, let's hope in the second innings the England team are asked to do what they are made for, chase down runs, rather than do what those who weren't picked would be perfect for.

[emerton]

I love it when people gloat too early.

[Eddie]

Well then you should probably save your own comments until this test is over...

[bellamy11]

I think the majority of people posted fair comments, with the obvious bias of being happy/unhappy when wickets went down.