The Ashes, Third Test Australia v England @ The MCG 26-30 December

[Gough]

Our chance to put it all to bed before new years. For they is it the captain or coach who loses their job first?
Australia, David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Jimmy Anderson.

 

[PhatBoy]

I think root might keep his job due to a lack of alternatives. They can’t give it to stokes he will burn himself out. And he’s the only realistic option

 

[FredLeDeux]

Our chance to put it all to bed before new years. For they is it the captain or coach who loses their job first?
Australia, David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Jimmy Anderson.

4 changes for them, 2 for us, and on paper we still look clearly the better side.
For them to win, some of them have to perform above their career levels, and some of our blokes have to do the opposite.

 

[PhatBoy]

When the Jason Roy experiment was happening I remember people being incredulous that he was even being considered.

If he were in australia now he would make my England side purely on une off chance that he could do some damage. Because while the other England top order batsmen might have a temperament that he doesn’t, the likelihood of their temperament AND their questionable techniques marrying well enough to put a score on the board is no greater than the likelihood of a slogger like Roy coming good

 

[Forward Press]

Getting in on first page before we reach 1000 posts about Scott Boland.

Who wants to guess the overs and unders for the number of posts about...

Boland's first delivery - 54.5
Boland's first wicket - 78.5
Boland gets dispatched for consecutive boundaries - 105.5
Boland scratches his crotch while fielding - 13.5
Boland gets labelled a pie chucker - 35.5
Boland is labelled 'already better than Starc' - 24.5

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Will Boland or Harris make more runs?

 

[eddiesmith]

Getting in on first page before we reach 1000 posts about Scott Boland.

Who wants to guess the overs and unders for the number of posts about...

Boland's first delivery - 54.5
Boland's first wicket - 78.5
Boland gets dispatched for consecutive boundaries - 105.5
Boland scratches his crotch while fielding - 13.5
Boland gets labelled a pie chucker - 35.5
Boland is labelled 'already better than Starc' - 24.5

Boland misfields 250 just from one poster

 

[Moonwatcher]

Will Boland or Harris make more runs?

Harris to rescue his career.

 

[nickcat0]

The fact is that the moment, England have only one Test class batman, supported by a few decent County players who may occasionally score a few runs at the highest level.

In terms of bowling, the two spearheads are getting old, and we haven't produced a decent spinner since Swann retired.

English cricket is going through a very poor period, hopefully temporary, andthe only thing that can save us is rain.

 

[Broar]

Getting in on first page before we reach 1000 posts about Scott Boland.

Who wants to guess the overs and unders for the number of posts about...

Boland's first delivery - 54.5
Boland's first wicket - 78.5
Boland gets dispatched for consecutive boundaries - 105.5
Boland scratches his crotch while fielding - 13.5
Boland gets labelled a pie chucker - 35.5
Boland is labelled 'already better than Starc' - 24.5

I remember Pieland was quite a popular name a few years back.

 

[frankrizzo]

The fact is that the moment, England have only one Test class batman, supported by a few decent County players who may occasionally score a few runs at the highest level.

malan has been solid again this series, 7 tests against us in australia now for an average of 43 is pretty good

 

[Slysh]

The fact is that the moment, England have only one Test class batman, supported by a few decent County players who may occasionally score a few runs at the highest level.

In terms of bowling, the two spearheads are getting old, and we haven't produced a decent spinner since Swann retired.

English cricket is going through a very poor period, hopefully temporary, andthe only thing that can save us is rain.

Nah I think Australia will win, I predicted 5-0 before the series.

But I don’t have the faith in this Aussie team at full strength, definitely don’t have it when missing an important key bowler.

We are a Smith/Marnus bad test away from being very vulnerable.

 

[11kgm]

10 bucks on Boland to take at least 5 wickets come on

 

[frankrizzo]

Nah I think Australia will win, I predicted 5-0 before the series.

But I don’t have the faith in this Aussie team at full strength, definitely don’t have it when missing an important key bowler.

We are a Smith/Marnus bad test away from being very vulnerable.

Be very interesting if we end up batting first under cloudy skies, marnus has been in amazing form and also pretty lucky with all the drops but at some point the harris early wicket will be followed by marnus as well and it is possible we could be rolled like last boxing day.

Get the feeling both sides will be happy to lose toss, you would want to bat first but wouldn't mind a bowl if they decide to bat.

 

[Voice of the G]

Who ever wins toss will send the other in.No chance of rain and will get a result.

 

[eddiesmith]

Good news is unlike Sydney, there is no rain forecast for the rest of the year, lucky Bigfooty has Boland to complain about without any rain delays.

 

[Mick F]

Be very interesting if we end up batting first under cloudy skies, marnus has been in amazing form and also pretty lucky with all the drops but at some point the harris early wicket will be followed by marnus as well and it is possible we could be rolled like last boxing day.

Get the feeling both sides will be happy to lose toss, you would want to bat first but wouldn't mind a bowl if they decide to bat.

Good captains like winning the toss. Even better ones refrain from commenting on the pitch until after the toss.

 

[Upgrayedd]

The fact is that the moment, England have only one Test class batman, supported by a few decent County players who may occasionally score a few runs at the highest level.

In terms of bowling, the two spearheads are getting old, and we haven't produced a decent spinner since Swann retired.

English cricket is going through a very poor period, hopefully temporary, andthe only thing that can save us is rain.

Root/Malan have done ok, Stokes is injured and Buttler has done ok until that last wicket


Just your openers cant even take some shine off the ******* thing, Hameed hasnt made runs, Burns has been tragic and Pope hasnt fired a shot. Stokes doesnt look like he should be out there at points and it means unless Malan/Root are going to tonne it up every innings, No chance

Also the bowling plan has been shocking. Basically Leach's confidence is shot by the first session he bowled here

 

[Burtonsgottago]

Let me get this straight… Neser has been dropped after one Test in favour of Boland?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Who ever wins toss will send the other in.No chance of rain and will get a result.

It would have to be an extremely unusual MCG pitch for either captain to win the toss and bowl.

 

[nickcat0]

Root/Malan have done ok, Stokes is injured and Buttler has done ok until that last wicket


Just your openers cant even take some shine off the ******* thing, Hameed hasnt made runs, Burns has been tragic and Pope hasnt fired a shot. Stokes doesnt look like he should be out there at points and it means unless Malan/Root are going to tonne it up every innings, No chance

Also the bowling plan has been shocking. Basically Leach's confidence is shot by the first session he bowled here

We have lots of batsmen who will score the odd 60 or 70, and maybe even average 35-40 over a period, but apart from Root, we don't really have any bats who you can imagine scoring a double ton and setting up a Test match win.

Stokes, when fit and on form, is the only other other player worthy of a spot in a Test team for his batting alone.

Buttler is a typical example of the type of bits n pieces cricketers we produce, who aren't quite good enough in any one category to earn a place, but somehow, with a combination of skills persuade selectors to give them a chance. Jack of all trades, but master of none' ideal for Tip N Run game over 50, but no use in a Test.

The Aussies (generally) have a far better selection policy ...... Select the best 6 bats, the best wk, the best 4 bowlers; and if some of them have a second string to their bow then it's a bonus.

 

[frankrizzo]

we don't really have any bats who you can imagine scoring a double ton and setting up a Test match win.

Well you have crawley, granted a third of all his test runs came in that one double ton but he has still at least done it before.

 

[nickcat0]

Well you have crawley, granted a third of all his test runs came in that one double ton but he has still at least done it before.

267 of his 737 Test runs came in one innings ...... And he averages 28 after 15 Tests ...... I'd suggest that double ton was a one-off fluke against a weak attack in ideal conditions, rather than a sign that he is the new Alastair Cook or Geoff Boycott.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Harris generally scores big on the MCG so no better opportunity for him... You'd think Neser would get another shot over Bolland.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Bolland was one of Trevor Hohns worst mistakes.. thought we'd moved on from the dud to be honest.