2nd Investec Ashes Test- Lord's - Day 2

[speedytiger]

The majority of Lyon's First Class matches (43 of 79) have also come against tougher Test competition that Maxwell, too. Bizarrely though, Lyon's non-Test FC record is actually poorer than his Test record - 44.59 average, 3.13 economy rate, 85.5 strike rate. Better captaincy (fields being set, etc.) and teammates (building pressure) at Test level, making for more frequent wickets?

Still, Maxwell also avarages barely 11 overs per innings when he bowls (which isn't every time out, either). I wouldn't really trust him to bowl 20+ overs in an innings at Test level, and not get belted. To improve and really show his value as a bowler, he'll need to put up a lot more overs a lot more consistently at FC level, but I don't really think he'll get the opportunity to do that in the Victorian side while guys like Fawad Ahmed and Jon Holland are around. Not often really that much call for a 2nd or 3rd spinner to consistently bowl a good amount of overs in Sheffield Shield play.

One wonders whether Maxwell would be better served forgetting about the spin bowling lark and just focussing on his batting, a la Steve Smith.

The best off spinners (Murali, harbhajan etc) all average high numbers in Australia. It's more to do with the pitches i think. It's hard to judge an Australian offie in shield cricket on numbers alone as they'll often look bad. Lyon a classic example of that

 

[Bucking Beads]

Stokes is the key, great day for australia

I agree. Stoke did very well to survive the initial Johnson blast when he did. He could have been out several times.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

3 wickets in the morning Session and we are cooking.

 

[Cupid Stunt]

3 wickets in the morning Session and we are cooking.

Yup, early wickets will be the key.

I'm worried about potential rain on days 4 and 5 and the effect that might have on the match result :/

 

[HBF]

Another huge day for us. Could not be in a more dominant position. If we can get Cook and Stokes by lunch the rest could follow pretty quickly.

 

[damochandler]

Gotta knock these 2 over early

 

[Topkent]

So is the pitch still a disgraceful flat track that's impossible to take wickets on? Or is it possible that Smith and Rogers just batted outstandingly well?

The pitch is still flat, the ball did a s**t load more in the first 10 overs than the second

We bowled full and got swing, nothing to do with the pitch
The 2 edges were horrible shots chasing wide ones

Wait till we bowl with the ball 30 overs old and see how easily they can noodle it around

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Yup, early wickets will be the key.

I'm worried about potential rain on days 4 and 5 and the effect that might have on the match result :/

Yeah just checked the forecast we should be all good for Day 3, days 4 and 5 not great but its meant to be on and off rain at least.

 

[peternorth]

So is the pitch still a disgraceful flat track that's impossible to take wickets on? Or is it possible that Smith and Rogers just batted outstandingly well?

ZOMG THE PITCH IS DOCTORED!!!!!!1111!!!!

 

[peternorth]

i woke up groggy and opened the cricket aust app. saw the score - apparently we were still batting with mj just out. no mention of declaration.

come on here now to find we're bowling.

serves me right for going to the ca site.

 

[peternorth]

stokes is the key. get him out quickly. cook and also buttler important wickets to take.

 

[peternorth]

i felt it was important that we stay level headed after the first test and not declare the team as disgraceful and swing the axe. hope im right

 

[peternorth]

foxsports headline - smith best since bradman.

PLEASE STOP. keep a lid on it. he's got YEARS left on his career. let him develop at his own pace. last thing we need is for smith to read and start believing in the hype. what we dont wanna see are pics of him doing the golf ball and stump against the wall

 

[Bradesmaen]

So is the pitch still a disgraceful flat track that's impossible to take wickets on? Or is it possible that Smith and Rogers just batted outstandingly well?

Or is it possible that besides two wickets, two of them threw their wickets away like Warner.

 

[the_interloper]

foxsports headline - smith best since bradman.

PLEASE STOP. keep a lid on it. he's got YEARS left on his career. let him develop at his own pace. last thing we need is for smith to read and start believing in the hype. what we dont wanna see are pics of him doing the golf ball and stump against the wall

 

[RookiePick]

Alastair Boycott settling in for a big one?

Good thing I went to bed at tea. 2 balls and I would have been glued to the telly until stumps.

Hopefully we come out firing in the morning and capitalise on the hard work.

 

[Bradesmaen]

The sign of an average bowler - he relies on the pitch to take wickets rather than his own craft and guile.

 

[danielnajdek]

Will probably rain and save the Poms once again knowing our luck

 

[peternorth]

Will probably rain and save the Poms once again knowing our luck

cue 12th man bringing out gloves

 

[HBF]

Will probably rain and save the Poms once again knowing our luck

Only scattered showers and drizzle forecast at the moment. Nothing to worry about just yet.

 

[outabounds]

Just caught up with the end of the action last night. So help me, I will go ballistic if the selectors let Haddin back in for the next test. We have to move forward.

 

[Plugger35]

We just bowled superbly with the new ball. It'll be a better indication of the pitch when we see how we go with an older ball.

Yeah it was more good bowling with the new ball and bad batting that led to the Poms top order collapse rather than the pitch.

Lyth fished at a ball well outside off that he should have left alone, terrible shot from an opening batsman.

Ballance was just beaten by a fast full ball and he's technically s**t, better batsmen would've kept that out.

Bell was beaten by a jaffa from Hazlewood that swung late, would've got most batsmen out.

Root like Lyth just fished early at a ball outside off that he should've left alone.

None of the dismissals were really due to the pitch and only Bell got out to great bowling, the others should be kicking themselves for playing poorly.

Once the new ball shine and swing wore off Cook and Stokes looked pretty comfortable, the bowlers will find it a lot tougher with the old ball like the English bowlers did.

 

[Showbags]

Apparantly the nickname for Nevill is Nifty.

Thoughts or suggestions? At least it is better than Nev.

 

[BarneyBent]

Apparantly the nickname for Nevill is Nifty.

Thoughts or suggestions? At least it is better than Nev.

Would suggest "Gary" but Lyon already has that.

How about Molly? Cos he dropped the "e".

 

[Power Raid]

what a scoreboard to wake up to!