IF England get these out for 250 theres a chance of victory. 370 is imposing but 370 over 3 days isn't.
For a team of Test match standard batsmen, 370 over 3 days is doable. Unfortunately, we don't seem to have any test match standard batsmen...
I thought I was an optimist... I think the urn is staying in Oz. I was really hopeful we might tie the series last night. Even with 3 Oz wickets down I can't see England winning this.
I'm talking outside my comfort zone here as, thanks to Sky denying me access to my national game, I haven't seen a ball of cricket bowled on tv in years. However, it would seem from the outside looking in, that we have sacrificed a team capable of playing the game properly for a bunch of sloggers who can win a World Cup occasionally. Personally speaking I'd far rather beat Australia in a Test Match than see us win a slogfest in pyjama cricket.
I'm just looking at a picture of Stokes' dismissal. Arms fully extended reaching for a ball a yard outside his off stump. In a Test match where digging in is vital. He'd never pull a shirt on again for that. Absolutely pathetic.
Its not really Root s captaincy that's the problem but our poor batting. I was thinking no Smitb should be more even batting wise but no his stand in comes in and scores runs.
We used to have batsmen with class. I modelled my own game on Robin Smith. He was great through point and the covers. He could grind it out too. He'd have had a field day against Cummins and Hazlewood. Pieterson 39 years young. Flare and flamboyance. These Aussies are laughing their tallywhackers off at our samy,samy loose shot to get out of the pressure cooker batsmen.
There is a place for ODI and twenty 20 cricket in my opinion but a wholesale rethink of test match cricket is needed.
I was genuinely optimistic this morning, I haven't looked at the match once today so I could sit and enjoy the highlights tonight positive that we would build a commanding first innings lead. Jesus wept, after a great day yesterday we've managed to balls it up in a monumental way.
After our no show in the West Indies in the winter I piled on Oz, big payout coming my way - we were laughably favourites.
We are being outplayed by Australia and barring a miracle they will win the Ashes (and deservedly so). How many years is it since they won a test match series in this country? We should be ashamed if they do win this series and there needs to be big inquest after the conclusion into the test match team. They've been been serving up sh*t for far too long now. Joe Root's batting has gone significantly downhill, dependent on how he performs in the rest of the series then he needs to consider his position as captain. Ashley Giles, an average cricketer, an appalling coach who was sacked following a disastrous world cup and he ends director of the England cricket team? As someone else has pointed out, we've sacrificed the test match team for the T20 and one day sides. Perhaps the ECB should consider a dedicated test cricket coach and separate that off from the 50 over and T20 coaching role. Someone should be accountable for the mess the test side is in!
