*****Official Ashes thread*****

Australia have not done enough today to win this test but to be fair this pitch suits batting, I doubt they would have had a 527 lead if it had been more bowler friendly.
 
Thought I saw a hotspot mark on the back of Pietersen's bat, how is the third umpire missing it when there was also a clear noise on snicko?
 
ringo747 said:
The umpiring in this series has been woeful. Really takes away from all the good cricket we've seen.
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Yep it has, i havent seen umpiring this bad for a very long time.

Ends on 294-7, 36 more needed to avoid the follow on. Not much in the pitch for the bowlers today and yesterday so been pretty hard work for them.

Eng should avoid the follow on by tommorrow i imagine.
 
Glad the Aussies are showing a bit of fight, though with the rain forecast it's probably all going to be for nothing which must be a bit demoralising.

Think regardless of whether we get the follow-on target Australia will bat again and look to put 200+ for a target of 400+ and have us bat last - I think the prospect of them putting us back in, us having a good knock for 400-odd and then them facing a target of 200+ on the 5th day would be too much like risking a loss, weather aside. Probably all moot though in light of the forecast.

Hopefully it'll be a good kick up the rear though and look forward to some more competitive Tests in the second half of the series :)
 
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If England go for around 330-340, which seems pretty likely, we'll absolutely see what Clarke is made of. I suspect he's a ballsy enough captain to send his batsmen out with instructions to smack it around as much as possible, chase a quick 100 and then declare, letting England aim at an achievable target but give them a faint chance of victory.

But I suspect a wash-out whatever happens.
 
I don't fancy our chances of batting well on a 5th day pitch. Even if England doesn't reach the follow-on target we should get straight back in there and clock up some more runs to make them bat last.
 
Evangelion said:
I don't fancy our chances of batting well on a 5th day pitch. Even if England doesn't reach the follow-on target we should get straight back in there and clock up some more runs to make them bat last.
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I don't think this ground has a day 5 wicket, its partially concrete underneath and rock hard. The bigger issue will be the weather.
 
If we avoid the follow on it would have probably been a draw anyway, after they'd batted and built up a safe lead they would have had about a day to take 10 wickets I just can't see it not on this pitch.
 
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