Test The Ashes Second Test December 4-8 1430hrs @ The Gabba

[Bucking Beads]

The fact that Archer did it so easy when he was batting should give our batsmen plenty of confidence in the pitch and how it will play over the next few days.

 

[Westy2487]

One thing to be said. Glad Joe Root got the monkey of his back. He would have slept well last night. As a neutral fan. Kudos to him.

 

[sabso]

They needed to play Webster if not Lyon so we had the option to slow it down with some spin. Head should have been given some overs as well. 16 test wickets at an average of 32 shows when he bowls he takes wickets.

Number 5

https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/worst-career-bowling-average-283308

 

[Westy2487]

Couldn't imagine having everyone focusing on it. Kudos Joe. Hope you got your dingle shiny. That monkey is of your back. It must felt like a gorilla.

 

[Pistol Night]

One thing to be said. Glad Joe Root got the monkey of his back. He would have slept well last night. As a neutral fan. Kudos to him.

**** him. And the Poms

 

[Sonny Hayes]

England certainly missed a trick not having a bowl at Australia last night. Don’t really care about the extra 60 runs they’ve added for mine that is almost irrelevant.

They will now have to bowl at Australia with a new ball during the daylight. If Head gets going or even if Smith and Marnus bat in the first two sessions then it’s so much either for them at the night session with a soft pink ball that won’t do much.

Australia don’t even need to get infront, bat for most of today and we would be around the 260-300 mark anyway and have a bowl again at England with the new ball under lights.

Not picking Lyon was a massive mistake, the pitch had minimum sideways movement. I didn’t mind the Neser inclusion on paper but I haven’t seen him bowl in a while and he’s lost a yard not that he was quick to begin with but unless there is sideways movement he’s not going to take a bag of wickets against England.

Doggett well that was just awful , again they read the pitch and conditions wrong but how do you leave one of two experienced bowlers out and your relying on an attack of Dogget Neser and Boland who hasn’t played a ton of test cricket either and all 3 of those guys seem very same same bowling wise.

People wonder why Abbott was picked in the first place , after what you saw last night you got your answer.

It’s a shame Morris and Richardson are always injured, not sure what’s happening with Meredith but they have surely got to look at guys like Bartlett, Spencer Johnson and anyone else that’s got a bit of speed about them in the future.

60 runs in the context of the game is huge and worth way more than just a chance at a couple wickets last night

 

[darcytiger]

Dogget is pedestrian isn’t he.

 

[lionbear]

They needed to play Webster if not Lyon so we had the option to slow it down with some spin. Head should have been given some overs as well. 16 test wickets at an average of 32 shows when he bowls he takes wickets.

Thats the mistake, but it should have been Green for Webster or not play Inglis and use Green as a specialist Bat.

 

[Pistol Night]

60 runs in the context of the game is huge and worth way more than just a chance at a couple wickets last night

60 runs and counting. If it reaches 80-100 it could be match deciding. Horrible result not cleaning them up for 260 from here

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Time to make history then. I looked at the scorecard from the D/N shield match at the Gabba a week or two ago. Victoria posted 318/9 dec, but Queensland followed up with 430. They then skittled Victoria for 143 and won inside three days. That's the precedent I'm clinging to right now. Can't deny I'm worried though.

On the positive side of that it is playing out eerily similar to that game, with random clumps of wickets falling but batting otherwise being easy. We need to bat well and bat long

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

What we really don’t need is for them to bat for another 10 overs today. We won’t score as quickly as they do (unless Head goes off again which considering he hadn’t made a 100 for 17 test innings before Perth’s, it is unlikely)
We might only be 120 odd by the time the lights come on.

 

[Bucking Beads]

On the positive side of that it is playing out eerily similar to that game, with random clumps of wickets falling but batting otherwise being easy. We need to bat well and bat long

That's the kicker really. We know our batting can be brittle. If we bat well for long enough we should be in front of the game. With our fast bowling looking as weak as it ever has been we're desperate for the batting to do something. Marnus and Smith are due a big partnership.

 

[sr36]

On the positive side of that it is playing out eerily similar to that game, with random clumps of wickets falling but batting otherwise being easy. We need to bat well and bat long

Gabba has been the hgihest scoring shield track this summer - it's why you've had Marnus and Renshaw posting the big runs. It's also why leaving out Lyon was such an odd decision.

 

[Lunchtime]

Joe Root has made Boof Lehmann look very silly with that ton

From November 2024

Joe Root 'a rung below' Smith and Kohli, says Darren Lehmann

England batter Joe Root needs to score a century in Australia to be considered an all-time great, says Darren Lehmann.

www.bbc.com

 

[Jamurp]

Hard to know how this pitch will play from tomorrow, still think England need a few more, I’d say it’s pretty even at the moment.

Root ton was brilliant.

 

[Bucking Beads]

From November 2024

Joe Root 'a rung below' Smith and Kohli, says Darren Lehmann

England batter Joe Root needs to score a century in Australia to be considered an all-time great, says Darren Lehmann.

www.bbc.com

I think most would still probably consider Smith and Kohli in front of Root. All 3 are absolutely fantastic cricketers though. The absolute top tier. No shame at all in being biased towards the guy from your country in rating these 3 guys. Could probably consider Kane Williamson beside those 3 as well.

 

[Gough]

Imagine an English crowd showing the respect we showed Root last night if the shoe was on the other foot.

 

[cricketnut14]

74 overs for a day's cricket, with extra time given is disgraceful. They need to start penalising runs, rather than just fining players match fees. Umpires need to be more on top of it too.

Yeah absolute joke we could only bowl 74 overs.

Do we ever learn - this has cost us a WTC final in the past.

Knowing Lyon (&Webster) weren't playing, this was always going to be an issue.
And if they didn't know that at the selection table, then they should've realised by lunch with only 24 overs bowled.
While it is Australia's fault and no one elses, surely the umpires can get them moving the game along.

It may have also been Australia's arrogance in thinking they would roll England inside 80 overs regardless.
We would want to get the last wicket before the 80th over, otherwise penalty points.

 

[PhatBoy]

I think most would still probably consider Smith and Kohli in front of Root. All 3 are absolutely fantastic cricketers though. The absolute top tier. No shame at all in being biased towards the guy from your country in rating these 3 guys. Could probably consider Kane Williamson beside those 3 as well.

‘Most’ being because India has a huge population that think Kohli is better with absolutely no legitimate reason for it.

 

[crows dude]

Number 5

https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/worst-career-bowling-average-283308

I was talking about test average not first class

 

[Coasters7]

You can't believe this surely.

A test ton for a guy with 40 of them is not with an asterisk.

A lot are saying it’s his best ever?

How can it be when he’s done it against one of our big 4 bowlers. The two quicks that are missing are usually his downfall (averages 31 and 26 against Haze and Cummins respectively) and he’s done it in a pink ball test on an average Gabba wicket.

I get the pressure angle but purely from a sporting point of view he couldn’t really have asked for better circumstances.

Didn’t have to face his two worst matchups in good batting conditions. I’ll wait to see how he does when either of those 2 come back.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Imagine an English crowd showing the respect we showed Root last night if the shoe was on the other foot.

Yeah they're not as classy as they think for sure.

 

[Retzlaff]

Bailey is too matesy with the players and isn't willing to make tough selection decisions

Bailey: Drops Lyon

NO!!!!! NOT THAT TOUGH DECISION!!!!!!

 

[Coasters7]

Imagine an English crowd showing the respect we showed Root last night if the shoe was on the other foot.

The English away fans actually aren’t that bad when it comes to this. They definitely joined in the standing ovation in Perth for Head. Their home fans are a different breed.

 

[kickazz]

Imagine an English crowd showing the respect we showed Root last night if the shoe was on the other foot.

Last century they would have. That all changed slowly but surely - beginning I recon with all that "Jerusalem" crap before the games.

When you look at the crowds - Aussie section is men, women, kids. England - just middle aged men with a sprinkling of 20-30 somethings.