Idle cricket musing

[Otta]

Nice little stand from Broad & Swann. Apparently Broad is getting a load of verbal from the Aussie close fielders. Fair enough really.

[JohnL]

Australia. Please write 100 times

I will not waste my review.

I will not waste my review.

I will not waste my review.

[JohnL]

Rogers would have reviewed his if Watson hadn't wasted one

Oh dear.

[maxxi]

Wasted both now. Hughes' was real knee-jerk territory

[El Pibe]

This is all a bit through the looking glass isnt it.

In this world West Ham would win at Goodison Park.....long may it continue.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

@ *Bob*

According to the lovely chap in my local newsagent, there are two types of magical trickery. Can't vouch for the legality of them though.

www.crictime.com

www.cricvid.com

Not enjoying this test as much as Trent Bridge, perhaps I thrive on seat of pants cricket after all.

[Ladygooner]

England retain the Ashes

[JohnL]

the rain that retained the Ashes has arrived here.

Horrible weather.

[Mick Mac]

Well done England.

[maxxi]

Interesting listening to Simon Hughes explaining why hot-spot doesn't always work - and that some batsmen may be coating their edges with substances designed to prevent it registering.

Before this series I was pro the DRS and agreed with criticism of the Indians for not using it - not so sure now; if it aint 100% accurate then what's the point? The DRS has become just like the umpires-only decisions of old - bad decisions and mistakes which even themselves out (one hopes) over the course of a test.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I've never been in favour of the review system: I think despite the inevitable fallibility of the umpires, a little bit of the spirit of the game has been taken away.

But then I'm just a soppy romantic.

[Mick Mac]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've never been in favour of the review system: I

> think despite the inevitable fallibility of the

> umpires, a little bit of the spirit of the game

> has been taken away.

>

> But then I'm just a soppy romantic.

Technology has worked well in tennis. But there seem to be too many moving uncertainties in cricket. Having said that, the hawkeye lbw decision making process shows how many decisions there are within one lbw decision and its surely very difficult for an umpire to get that right regularly - so hawkeye for lbw i would keep. Hotspot on the other hand seems to be under scrutiny with players allegedly applying something to the bat so it doesn't show - its days look numbered.

[Alan Medic]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-23600037

When I saw this headline I really though it had something to do with cricket.

[Otta]

Talk of a 10-0 whitewash over the 2 series only a couple of weeks ago now looks a total joke. I know the last test was drawn (thanks to rain), but this one looks like going Australia's way unless England's bowlers sort it out very soon. Never count Australia out in an ashes series. Surely these pundits should know that better than me?

[maxxi]

was feeling the same but now Warner and Clarke gone... the beauty of a test match, looks like going one way for ages, then out of the blue (and not long after England had wasted their last DRS challenge) it's on again.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

A couple of hours ago I thought Aus. had done enough, but now I think we'll win. Shame they haven't got Agar in reserve.

[maxxi]

Batting collapse - so good to hear those words without wincing.

[maxxi]

great stuff - wonderful test. looking forward to the Oval especially as England, according to TMS, have never won 4 tests in an ashes series.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Huzzah! Going to be a good day, sun shining, wickets falling and BLOWERS IS BACK.

[David A]

Bugger Blowers, his bus obsession is getting a bit much this series.

But Boycott on Botham in his prime, on TMS a couple of minutes ago: 'Broad shoulders, narrow waist, big backside'.

He's getting more like Alan Bennett every day.

And there's still tickets for Sunday for ?45.

[maxxi]

good to see 2 players being given their first caps in an Ashes test - rubs it in a little.

Blowers to Damien Martyn: "Aggers on one side of you.. Blowers talking gibberish on the other" - buses, pigeons, bring it all on I say.

[maxxi]

Not working out particularly well for either Woakes or Kerrigan so far but I think Vaughan is trying too hard to be the bluff Yorkshire successor to Boycs in his assessment.

The next Ashes series is a lot closer than usual so they need to look at possible spin back up (if Monty is still at odds with himself) and replacements for Bresnan (what don't they know about Onions and Tremlett that they would find out now?) and Bairstow surely had enough time to prove himself.

[maxxi]

David A Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Bugger Blowers, his bus obsession is getting a bit

> much this series.

>

A perfect encapsulation of Blowers this afternoon when there was a hold up for drinks and changing of the ball - in the space of a couple of minutes he started by (quite rightly) bemoaning and deploring the time wasted in changing the ball and the dithering that held up play, then misread the score as 243 when it was 293 and, on correcting himself, blamed being slightly over excited by seeing a white bus then, after one more delivery, he observed the fly-past of what he described as two of Tuffers' pigeons.

[Otta]

Wonder whether they'll get much, if any, play today... Draw looking likely the longer it rains.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Sunday tickets looking a good bet now.