The Convicts Return

[Flopsy]

Wheelybin strikes again (first wicket this series)

and gets out a very dangerous looking Ponting - whos bloody furious with himself

[Flopsy]

Im following the match on TMS on Sports Extra - and also following it Here

[Ste B]

Super fielding by vaughan.

Shame about the missed chance on Ponting.

[Flopsy]

MArtyn run out with a fantastic throw by Vaughan

but hey, Langer's in and Gilchrist is still to come. Also you dont have poor batsmen in an austrailia test team

[SouthAussieRover]

Clarke goes but Langer looks set for a BIG score.

[brfcshabba]

Clarke gone edged after Giles' bowling. Katich in now.

But as Flopsy said Gilchrist could easily take the score up in no time at all

[SouthAussieRover]

Bad news for England.

Giles is beginning to spin it.

Warne will wreak havoc in Englands second innings if Giles is already using the rough patches to effect on day 2.

[SouthAussieRover]

Katich goes.

Its Freddy vs Gilly.

[Flopsy]

quite likely but dont discount the genius of the "king of spain"

[Flopsy]

Langer's gone - great awkward test match innings. Brilliant LBW thought

[brfcshabba]

GONE! Langers gone. A good score but not BIG

[Lee]

Ooops Warney

[Scotty]

Freddie, Freddie!!

[philipl]

Ok, we've had the knock about stuff, let's see England build a second innings worthy of squaring the series.

The nightmare scenario would be 20-4 at stumps!

Edited August 5, 2005 by philipl

[brfcshabba]

Thank god we have over 20.

8 minutes to survive

Well played Strauss

Edited August 5, 2005 by Cookiemonster

[philipl]

124 advantage, 9 wickets in hand and Warne turning it at right angles!

Exciting day tomorrow in prospect.

Here's hoping Trescothick builds a big score and there is more resolution to the batting to so that another Petersen/Flintoff thrash seals an invincible position rather than rescues the innings.

Over 250 in the second innings should see England OK, under 200 and 0-2 is on the cards.

Edited August 5, 2005 by philipl

[Macky]

Shane Warne The Spin Machine Strikes Again! That bowl he got strauss with turned a mile! He ridiculed Strauss again!

England have done prtty well so far. Should be able to get some more runs on the board tomorrow. Think we have a 120 lead or so now.

Come on England!

[Timmy]

I reakon the ball the did strauss turned further than the gatting ball in 1993. Strauss didn't do a lot wrong..just trying to pad it away.

if england score 300 I think we will win...

[Timmy]

is Ricky Ponting the missing link in evolution?

have you seen how much arm hair he's got?

[1864roverite]

jimbo ! you watching mate or have the old fogies gone off to bed ??

[bellamy11]

I don't want to be overly negative but the amount of turn Warne got was scary. Somebody needs to stand up to him and make sure he doesn't get on top of us because the way he made Andrew Strauss look stupid suggested he could restrict us to 200/250 on his own.

Vaughan and Bell due a big innings. A couple of 50s would be superb. Have to expect Hoggy to go fairly early on tomorrow morning which means the skipper will be straight in. I'd like him to at least make it to the evening session - even better if Tresco hangs around with him. Tresco has looked excellent against the seamers now that McGrath is gone and fingers crossed can find his first test centuary against the Aussies.

Big day for both teams tomorrow. England have the opportunity to put the second innings beyond Australia but that turn was very very worrying. We'll see how well our best players handle Warne very soon. Fingers crossed.

[philipl]

The Aussies will be worried about the size of the England lead and short of the pacemen finding line and menace, Warne is the big threat.

I remember Derek Randall scoring a brilliant 134 against Pakistan when Abdul Qadir was at his peak. Simply used his feet and eye and slogged him- didn't bother watching the hand/wrist as it was unreadable even when analysed by freeze frame video.

Giving Warne that treatment tomorrow is probably England's best hope. Rattling up a few high scoring overs against him might cost a wicket or two but with the game poised as it is, hitting Warne out of the attack has got to be the best option.

Playing responsibly is suicide- the Strauss ball was there to be slogged but Strauss did everything the manual says you should- and got bowled!

[Ozz]

Yea give the salad dodging drug taking serial sh@gging beach bum a tonking!

It wont turn if it doesn`t pitch-hit it on the full and hit it hard.

Copyright Mike Brearly coaching manuals.

[Scotty]

Paul Allott's just summed it up nicely for me on the Sky Sports highlights. England have won 6 sessions to none so far in this test match - when was the last time we did that in a meaningful test against the Aussies?

All we need tomorrow is one batsman to get a big score, say over 80, and we'll end up with a lead of 300+. That should, should, be enough.

It would be lovely though if Tresco and Vaughan could put together a 100 partnership - thus allowing Flintoff and Pietersen to come in and take the pi55 for a while.

As for Warne, he's brilliant, but Strauss can't play him. Some of our other batters are more capable but it'll be difficult. He can only bowl at one end though and, let's face it, none of the other bowlers are remotely threatening are they? Attack Warne, try and put him off his stride, and milk the rest of them.

We'll never have a better chance to beat them. Come on England!

[broadsword]

Bit of humble pie for me - hadn't seen this coming at all. But then, I hadn't foreseen McGrath narking his ankle up (possibly out for the series?)

That guy is a real thorn in our side, as bad as that git Alderman was in the late eighties.

I sadly haven't managed to see any of the test, but I can't help wondering whether Australia might have had a light lead if McGrath had been playing. Could one 35 year old in the twilight of his cricket career really be so influential for them? I'd guess so, and with no obvious pretenders to the crown, perhaps Australia are due for a slump.

But after almost 20 years of pain I wouldn't guarantee that. It's hurt like hell to have been so pitiful against them for so long, and to be honest, my expectations are so low, I'm just made up that we're giving them a proper scare.

Whatever teh result, they'll know they've been in a contest! But shame on teh ECB for the scheduling this Summer.