[Cricket] First Ashes Test - England v Australia - Cardiff

[Simster]

Benign pitch, some average bowling by Australia but 3 or 4 wickets just thrown away by England.

Honours even, overall I'd say.

 

[Machiavelli]

I can see him getting 10,000 runs. He's got a great temperament, great personality and plays in a naturally positive way but has excellent technique. The only thing that could affect his form would be the burden of captaincy.

Good point about captaincy, but I can see him outscoring Cook. Which would be some total if he achieved that.

 

[Eeyore]

Very interesting day.

Some positive play from England, but I can't help thinking they got away with it a little. The Aussies could pay for their mistakes early on.

Ballance may have got a fifty, but struggled when Johnson came round the wicket. On a less docile pitch I can't help thinking he could become his bunny. Root, however, just gets better and more confident. Poor old Haddin.

The pitch is similar to that in 2009. And the passage of play. Collingwood and Pieterson put on 100 odd for the fourth wicket and a total of 435 was posted. Australia responded with 600 odd. This pitch is drier and the forecast good. It will break up. The question is how well Ali performs. England cannot concede a first innings deficit.

A good match beckons.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

43-3 could have become 120 all out and an innings defeat in three days. It would have done in the 90s, and maybe even a couple of years ago too.

Brilliant fightback, and Stokes and Root have the talent and charisma that could lift this team, make us a really good side.

Looking forward to seeing how this all turns out.

 

[Eeyore]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cr...one-person-say-Muslims-right-ve-good-job.html

Insight into Moen Ali. He doesn't talk much about a lot of the prejudice he has had from members of his own community. Top bloke.

As usual a few twattish Mail comments are attached.

 

[Easy 10]

As an aside, what an embarrassing TOILET of a ground to play an Ashes test in. An utter junkyard, what the hell are the ECB doing farming out a Test of this magnitude to a hovel like that ? Quite apart from the fact its not even in ENGLAND (yeah I know, E&WCB and all that bollocks).

Its like England hosting the World Cup, and scheduling the opening game at Selhurst.

 

[OzMike]

Copped some stick at the beginning when the wickets were tumbling, but it died off in the fight back, they all drifted off in the end and I was all alone cheering at the TV.
I had obligatory $100 bet with the local load mouth that England would win the Ashes, it's tradition with him now and at the moment we have one Ashes series win each.

 

[Pevenseagull]

As an aside, what an embarrassing TOILET of a ground to play an Ashes test in. An utter junkyard, what the hell are the ECB doing farming out a Test of this magnitude to a hovel like that ? Quite apart from the fact its not even in ENGLAND (yeah I know, E&WCB and all that bollocks).

Its like England hosting the World Cup, and scheduling the opening game at Selhurst.

in fairness, it's a slightly less shit venue that the Rose Bowl (or whatever it's called this week)

 

[OzMike]

No test at Old Trafford, must be due to the fact that it always rains there.

 

[Titanic]

I suspect Stuart Broad will be in for a bit of a pasting this morning from the refreshed quicks and with the fairly new ball!

 

[pasty]

I'd be happy to get to 400......

 

[Titanic]

I suspect Stuart Broad will be in for a bit of a pasting this morning from the refreshed quicks and with the fairly new ball!

Bounced out, flinches and it's good catch at short leg... or is it??

 

[Titanic]

review is doubtful... definitely hit it... but looks like it was grassed...

 

[pasty]

Clearly not out. Cheating Aussies claiming a catch like that.

 

[Titanic]

Cheating Aussies

NOT OUT

More of the same to come I suspect!

362-7

 

[Simster]

Looking forward to Broad edging Johnson through the slips in his next over. Twice, ideally.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Mitchell Johnson closing in on a century now.

 

[Titanic]

Mitchell Johnson 24-3-101-0 (14 fours, 1 six)

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Mitchell Johnson closing in on a century now.

He's done it!!!!

 

[Titanic]

Moeen Ali 52* (69 balls, 7 fours, 1 six)

England 384-7