2nd Test: Australia v England at Adelaide

[Billy the Fish]

Right, so we are all agreed that we are rubbish and getting worse. It could be a long winter.

It looks like it doesn't it

Seriously though, that's the simplistic answer to a complex problem. This side has always been brittle, it doesn't take much for the pendulum to swing between good and bad. Our good performances have been built on good starts from Cook, Strauss and Trott. When they do well the middle order do well because they're not under pressure and on it goes. At the moment Cook is hopeless, Strauss has gone and Trott may never return. If they go ealry KP and Bell are suspect against the new ball and it all falls apart like a pack of cards! If nobody else steps up like Haddin and Clarke have for them we'll lose 5-0.

It's not just us, almost every team in world cricket is like it, if you remove two of their best performers the rest of the team struggles.

 

[Bold Seagull]

It looks like it doesn't it

Seriously though, that's the simplistic answer to a complex problem. This side has always been brittle, it doesn't take much for the pendulum to swing between good and bad. Our good performances have been built on good starts from Cook, Strauss and Trott. When they do well the middle order do well because they're not under pressure and on it goes. At the moment Cook is hopeless, Strauss has gone and Trott may never return. If they go ealry KP and Bell are suspect against the new ball and it all falls apart like a pack of cards! If nobody else steps up like Haddin and Clarke have for them we'll lose 5-0.

It's not just us, almost every team in world cricket is like it, if you remove two of their best performers the rest of the team struggles.

So actually all that's different between yourself and those you say are negative is that you accept England being average and beaten as that is par for the course.

I'm actually thinking it's you that's negative as me and Vegster and the like are actually positive enough to believe our team COULD be better, we believe they are capable of better things, that we should be giving it a much better go than we are currently. You seem much more accepting of our current plight as if it's just to be expected as a run of the mill international cricket team.

You need to show a bit more belief!!!

 

[Billy the Fish]

So actually all that's different between yourself and those you say are negative is that you accept England being average and beaten as that is par for the course.

I'm actually thinking it's you that's negative as me and Vegster and the like are actually positive enough to believe our team COULD be better, we believe they are capable of better things, that we should be giving it a much better go than we are currently. You seem much more accepting of our current plight as if it's just to be expected as a run of the mill international cricket team.

You need to show a bit more belief!!!

It's a crazy crazy world!

 

[Bold Seagull]

It's a crazy crazy world!

I might tune in afterall tonight now, this debate has been carthartic for me!

 

[vegster]

What gets me depressed is that underneath all the psychometric testing, the training drills and the extensive pre-booked food menu we have overlooked the fact we have to play cricket at some time.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Actually looking forward to tonight now. Love day 3 of a test, it's always pivotal one way or the other.

Tonight is actually pivotal to the whole series, if we're bowled out by the end of the day then I'm afraid there's no way back. If we put up a decent total then it might just galvanise them for the rest of the series. Lets hope they do the right thing

 

[Bold Seagull]

Actually looking forward to tonight now. Love day 3 of a test, it's always pivotal one way or the other.

Tonight is actually pivotal to the whole series, if we're bowled out by the end of the day then I'm afraid there's no way back. If we put up a decent total then it might just galvanise them for the rest of the series. Lets hope they do the right thing

Carberry is no different to Rogers really, an experienced county player breaking into the international scene late on. Root is a tough competitor. Bell is as talented as anyone out there. I don't need to talk about anyone else as hopefully tonight no one else will need to bat! COME ON BOYS!!!

 

[Hiney]

Actually looking forward to tonight now. Love day 3 of a test, it's always pivotal one way or the other.

Tonight is actually pivotal to the whole series, if we're bowled out by the end of the day then I'm afraid there's no way back. If we put up a decent total then it might just galvanise them for the rest of the series. Lets hope they do the right thing

This

We are a better side than Australia, man for man, I'm convinced of that.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Not at the moment we're not. Batting has been dodgy all year , and recent bowling figures speak for themselves.

loose by innings and 104 sometime tommorrow.

 

[knocky1]

There is a way back. 2-2 or 3-2 series win.

 

[BensGrandad]

I thiink that the instructions will be to bat sensibly and avoid the follow on and thus save the game possibly. A win in this test is now out of the question so the best that we can hope for is a draw to keep the series alive.

My prediction is the series to finish up 1-1 with 3 draws

 

[Buffalo Seagull]

I thiink that the instructions will be to bat sensibly and avoid the follow on and thus save the game possibly. A win in this test is now out of the question so the best that we can hope for is a draw to keep the series alive.

My prediction is the series to finish up 1-1 with 3 draws

Can't see there being 3 draws...the bowlers have been too dominant for 3 matches to go the full 5 days

 

[BensGrandad]

The way the Aussies are batting if we could match them not many games will see 4 innings. What is the follow on target is it 370?

 

[vegster]

Against my better judgement I'm going to stay up for an over or two. I really hope we put up a fight, but is hope enough ?

 

[brightonmark1234]

england to be all out for 200+

 

[Djmiles]

We are loose by 301 runs

 

[Paddy B]

This

We are a better side than Australia, man for man, I'm convinced of that.

I was talking about this earlier and I am not so sure thats true anymore, so lets go like for like

Cook v Rogers ENG
Carberry v Warner AUS
Watson v Root AUS
KP v Clarke Tough one but has to be AUS at the moment
Bell v Smith ENG
Stokes v Bailey DRAW (not enough evidence wither way)
Prior v Haddin AUS
Swann v Lyon ENG
Broad v Johnson AUS
Anderson v Siddle ENG

Cant really compare Harris with Panesar so out of 10 the Aussies shade it

 

[The Wizard]

Just seem on Will Hill KP is 7/4 to score a fifty, looks like extremely good odds to me

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

england to be all out for 200+

were devotedly loose?

 

[The Wizard]

Watching England bat at the moment I've just realised before every ball I'm just think 'don't get out' seems like the players are in that mindset too rather than thinking of scoring runs, ticking along at 1.5 per over.