[Cricket] Second Ashes Test Australia vs England Adelaide 2nd-6th December 2017

Bozza · Dec 5, 2017

Brighton Lines said:
The Australians started the trend of not making teams follow on after the famous Test in India (2001 ?). But I agree that teams may need to look at this again as things change.

Indeed. There's been plenty of talk over the past couple of days about how it's not the modern way to enforce the follow on, and there was little surprise that they didn't.

As much as it would be great to see Smith come unstuck if it backfires, anything that comes his way is done with a massive helping of hindsight.

Springal · Dec 5, 2017

Unfortunately there is the inevitable quick wicket to fall tomorrow morning... Will be interesting to see if Root adjusts anything with the batting line up for this too with Woakes coming in as nights watchman

BensGrandad · Dec 5, 2017

Hopefully Woakes can stick around with Root for an hour and then it will be interesting to see who comes in next Ali or Bairstow the big point is Root still being there. If he is I think that I would plump for Ali if he is out I dont think it will matter a lot who it is.

S'hampton Seagull · Dec 5, 2017

scousefan said:
My approach is to put the phone by the bed wit wicket updates on. If it bleeps I know it’s bad news and to go straight back to sleep. If It doesn’t bleep I’ll wake up early abs be very excited to see the score!

That's a great idea

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Papa Lazarou · Dec 5, 2017

BensGrandad said:
Hopefully Woakes can stick around with Root for an hour and then it will be interesting to see who comes in next Ali or Bairstow the big point is Root still being there. If he is I think that I would plump for Ali if he is out I dont think it will matter a lot who it is.

The key has to be to keep the left handers away from Lyon until it's unavoidable. Bring Bairstow in next to keep to RHB players until the new ball, when they're less likely to bowl the spinner.

BensGrandad · Dec 5, 2017

Papa Lazarou said:
The key has to be to keep the left handers away from Lyon until it's unavoidable. Bring Bairstow in next to keep to RHB players until the new ball, when they're less likely to bowl the spinner.

Which begs the question that you know that so why did the selectors pick so many left hand batsmen as assumingly they would know that.

Marshy · Dec 5, 2017

BensGrandad said:
Which begs the question that you know that so why did the selectors pick so many left hand batsmen as assumingly they would know that.

So if all of our best batsmen and left handed are you suggesting we don't pick them ?

Might as well leave Stokes at home then even if cleared to play..

Pavilionaire · Dec 5, 2017

England are 3/1 to win, which is remarkable turnaround from being 200+ runs behind after 1st innings.

I don't think we'll do it. The chances of losing an early wicket or two are high, and even if we survive the first hour or so the new ball will become available 45 mins before the interval, so the Aussies will get two bites of that cherry.

That said, if Joe Root can guide England to victory - for surely no one else will be capable of doing it? - then this will be one of those great innings right up there with Gooch's 333 or Ather's 185 vs the Boks.

Papa Lazarou · Dec 5, 2017

BensGrandad said:
Which begs the question that you know that so why did the selectors pick so many left hand batsmen as assumingly they would know that.

Because they're probably the best available. Stokes is also a LHB, so adding another!

I guess the selectors are loathed to tinker with the batting line up, as they want stability, but I think there IS scope for adjustments in reaction to the state of the game. 4th innings on a wicket taking spin with some bounce is a scenario where we want to minimise the impact of their spinner, and his record against left handers is very good.

This article

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/21624497/why-nathan-lyon-special

Shows he has

89 wickets at 25.29 v left handers &
185 wickets at 34.89 v right handers

spring hall convert · Dec 5, 2017

All the time Root is there we're in this one.

BensGrandad · Dec 5, 2017

Marshy said:
So if all of our best batsmen and left handed are you suggesting we don't pick them ?

Might as well leave Stokes at home then even if cleared to play..

I am not saying that but being an off break bowler to RHB he becomes a leg break to LHB who all seem to have trouble playing him. Which to me is bad preperation for the series if the selectors know that.

Publius Ovidius · Dec 5, 2017

Papa Lazarou said:
Which makes Smith's decision to NOT enforce the follow on seem even more flawed.. He had England on the ropes, and would have been able to unleash his quicks with a new ball under lights. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing and all that, but I assume his plan was to bat until 'dinner' today and THEN get England batting under lights with a new ball - but he screwed that up as well.

Australia are still I'd say 70/30 favourites but if England can bat through to the new ball with Woakes / Root still in, mid afternoon on a sunny dry day, then who knows? As [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] said earlier, we are unlikely to be batting during tomorrow's night session, so that's no longer in play.

Very interesting - and shows just how incredible Test cricket can be.

Hogg on twitter thought the decision was right as, I didn't realise, two of the quicks are carrying injuries and he would have been concerned with them breaking down having bowled the whole of the day. He thought that may have put them out of the series...

Can't really argue with someone actually there and who has contact with the selectors and management.

Papa Lazarou · Dec 5, 2017

Publius Ovidius said:
Hogg on twitter thought the decision was right as, I didn't realise, two of the quicks are carrying injuries and he would have been concerned with them breaking down having bowled the whole of the day. He thought that may have put them out of the series...

Can't really argue with someone actually there and who has contact with the selectors and management.

Which Hogg? Is he part of their coaching setup?

Publius Ovidius · Dec 5, 2017

Papa Lazarou said:
Which Hogg? Is he part of their coaching setup?

No the ex player.

Papa Lazarou · Dec 5, 2017

Publius Ovidius said:
No the ex player.

Ok.

I've not heard the injury line before, he must have contacts in the team to know that.

spring hall convert · Dec 5, 2017

BG, you're getting a bit carried away here. Nathan Lyon isn't that good. We've played him pretty badly and the tracks have been a bit more spinner friendly than we thought they were going to be.

You're not going to drop Cook or Ali. Cook's a great player of spin who has scored more runs than any other Englishman in the history of test cricket. Ali is our frontline spinner. As for Malan and Stoneman, Malan has looked like a Test cricketer to me so far so it would be harsh to drop him. Personally, I'd rather we had a right/left combo opening the innings at all times but it isn't as if we haven't given other people a go up there.

Publius Ovidius · Dec 5, 2017

Papa Lazarou said:
Ok.

I've not heard the injury line before, he must have contacts in the team to know that.

Presumably. There was a rumour that starc had a back problem coming into the series and maybe it was around that.

Papa Lazarou · Dec 5, 2017

Publius Ovidius said:
Presumably. There was a rumour that starc had a back problem coming into the series and maybe it was around that.

Maybe - he's looked fine bowling today.

Perhaps it's simply a bit of spin to support Smith's decision to bat again?

Either way, his plan would have been fine had the Aussies been able to bat longer and put England back in in the evening. Their poor batting and some very good swing bowling saw to that!

hans kraay fan club · Dec 5, 2017

spring hall convert said:
BG, you're getting a bit carried away here.

You're not going to drop Cook or Ali.

Oh but he definitely would.

BG thinks Moeen is rubbish. Bearing in mind he's also written off Stoneman, Malan, Westley, Woakes, Bairstow, Ball, etc over the last few months, I'm not sure exactly who he would pick.

banjo · Dec 5, 2017

If we can win this, and I know it’s s big if. Will set it up to be a cracking series. Aussies will either be very deflated, or more fired up, and England will be high in confidence. Please please let This happen. Who said test cricket is dead.

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[Cricket] Second Ashes Test Australia vs England Adelaide 2nd-6th December 2017

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