Test The Ashes Fourth Test December 26-30 1000hrs @ The MCG

[rdhopkins2]

Going tomorrow. Bit nervous we will only see a morning session

 

[Joffaboy]

The TV commentators were talking it up as a great ball, it was easily defendable. Absolutely no need to go hard at it as Smith did. And he paid the price.

Will mozz him but look at Uzzie, low backlift no booming shots, reapecting the conditions

 

[MarcMaverick]

Gilly reckons it was a beauty, but should be defending that. Head not in the game and England are up for it.

In more ways than one.

 

[010203]

Isa "a Tongue teaser"

 

[Zach Package]

Suspected Tongue would be the one to give us issues.

His action is absolutely ****ed and you wouldn’t really get anywhere near shield cricket bowling like that and it goes everywhere but he creates weird angles and that’s probably enough for us at this point.

 

[Joffaboy]

3 day Test coming up. boo hoo for your coffers, Cricket Australia.

Well they prepared an absolute greentop.

 

[Plugger35]

At least Smith might be able to get some sleep now, it might only be for a couple of hours though before he has to field.

 

[sherb]

Poms will be leading by 100 and 2 down at stumps

Australia all out 98, England 0-157 again?

(Boxing Day Test, 2010).

 

[KennyHuntersBlues]

The way this pitch is, Boland is going to have a 5-fer before stumps.

It’s not the pitch
Lazy batting

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Good ball from Tongue, but boy did Smith misread it.

 

[cats_09]

that's not ideal... not sure what Smith was doing with that one... did it move a long way?

Similar to earlier teammates not named Head, he didn't seem to really be looking to score

I get the whole idea of consolidation after a wicket, trying to build a partnership etc, but Smith had 3 scoring shots from 31 balls

Tongue was able to get into a groove against him and sooner or later there was unfortunately bound to be a wicket

We've allowed England to control the mornings session, get into their groove and go about their business - and likely why Stokes isn't too worried about Carse going for a few runs as the other 2 are extremely tight and on the spot

 

[Some Idiot]

A lot to like about Tongue in these conditions, good pace and attacks the stumps more than other bowlers

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Good ball from Tongue, but boy did Smith misread it.

Day three flat track shot?

 

[Membling]

Poms will be leading by 100 and 2 down at stumps

I have no faith in their batting line up either so maybe 2 or three runs up with 2 wickets to go at stumps.

Perth Mk2

 

[SportsCentre]

Of the 44 Boxing Day tests, only 8 have been won by the visitors.
England have 4 of those 8 wins.

First milestone for Australia, get past that horrid 98 from Boxing Day 2010

As bad as they are / have been, England aren't at their worst on the MCG

 

[Joffaboy]

Poms will be leading by 100 and 2 down at stumps

Hope so, I might get to see some cricket on day 3.

 

[dumb]

Well, you know what they say about scores and pitches. You have to wait for both teams bat to know how much England will trail by.

 

[chickenonachain]

Well they prepared an absolute greentop.

Really all I’ve seen is some ordinary batting to be honest

 

[Linda Lovelace]

If we get bowled out for 100, England will get bowled out for 60

We won't get bowled for 100 though.

Classic English sh*tc*ntery calls for rolling our batting order then letting our bowlers look like Tendulkar.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Probably trying to keep the pitch a contest before it dries out days 3-5. The problem is this looks like wishful thinking with this English team (and the Aussies this morning).

 

[Membling]

Australia all out 98, England 0-157 again?

(Boxing Day Test, 2010).

The amount of walking wickets both sides have, I doubt it

 

[Scholz Supremacy]

 

[eddiesmith]

AFL members didn’t turn up and looks like half the MCC have gone home already

 

[sherb]

It’s not the pitch
Lazy batting

Yeah, I don't see anything wrong with the pitch.

Whilst the bowling has been good, the batting (at the very least the dismissals) has been very ordinary.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The pitch looks like it favours the seamers on day 1, but it will flatten out and be good for batting by day 3. It shouldn't get hot in Melbourne until Sunday, so it won't dry out too quickly.