Fifth Test In The Ashes.

[Mike Peeler]

Cricket is back on the box again - I've snaffled the two days off for this one and booked them during the Manchester test in the hope of seeing us win this ashes after that scintillating display before the weather won the day. Still expecting a belter and a England win, the Aussies are on the ropes but use the excuse the Ashes are already in the bag should they lose this test.


It's still game on for me and we need to beat these smug bastards. Will Stokes win another toss and 5 in a row if he does. Anderson says he I staying or wants to stay on with England, I think he needs a big wicket or match-winning haul in this test to make that happen.

Root, Brook and Woods to win us this one.


CMON ENGLAND!

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

THE AUSSIES HAVE ALREADY RETAINED THE ASHES 🙄

WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED 2 HOURS BEFORE BAIRSTOW WAS LAST MAN STANDING.... THAT 2 HOURS COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE GETTING A FEW WICKETS.... ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE WEATHER FOR THE SAT AND SUN WAS GONNA BE BAD 😔

[Mike Peeler]

THE AUSSIES HAVE ALREADY RETAINED THE ASHES 🙄

WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED 2 HOURS BEFORE BAIRSTOW WAS LAST MAN STANDING.... THAT 2 HOURS COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE GETTING A FEW WICKETS.... ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE WEATHER FOR THE SAT AND SUN WAS GONNA BE BAD 😔

They haven't won them though - the is a difference between winning them and retaining them. The weather done us in the last test or it would be 2-2 and all to play for. The Aussies won the first two that's a
 given.

[Northallerton_Boro]

THE AUSSIES HAVE ALREADY RETAINED THE ASHES 🙄

WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED 2 HOURS BEFORE BAIRSTOW WAS LAST MAN STANDING.... THAT 2 HOURS COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE GETTING A FEW WICKETS.... ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE WEATHER FOR THE SAT AND SUN WAS GONNA BE BAD 😔

I disagree, if we declared earlier there is every chance they would have surpassed our score meaning we needed to bat again, there was no chance of bowling them out and getting back into bat with the weather forecast. I think the tactic was right, bat once and set a high score, we did that. The Saturday let us down when we could not get them out - we had plenty of time.

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

THE AUSSIES HAVE ALREADY RETAINED THE ASHES 🙄

WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED 2 HOURS BEFORE BAIRSTOW WAS LAST MAN STANDING.... THAT 2 HOURS COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE GETTING A FEW WICKETS.... ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE WEATHER FOR THE SAT AND SUN WAS GONNA BE BAD 😔

I disagree, if we declared earlier there is every chance they would have surpassed our score meaning we needed to bat again, there was no chance of bowling them out and getting back into bat with the weather forecast. I think the tactic was right, bat once and set a high score, we did that. The Saturday let us down when we could not get them out - we had plenty of time.

BUT THAT COULD HAVE WORKED THE OTHER WAY AS WELL... WE COULD HAVE TOOK MAYBE 4 WICKETS ON THE FRIDAY AND NO WAY WOULD THEY HAVE SURPASSED OUR SCORE WITH 2 DAYS OF RAIN FORECASTED 🙄

[Northallerton_Boro]

THE AUSSIES HAVE ALREADY RETAINED THE ASHES 🙄

WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED 2 HOURS BEFORE BAIRSTOW WAS LAST MAN STANDING.... THAT 2 HOURS COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE GETTING A FEW WICKETS.... ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE WEATHER FOR THE SAT AND SUN WAS GONNA BE BAD 😔

Aye, all if's and buts now. Still we only have ourselves to blame, we gifted the first two tests to them as well.
I disagree, if we declared earlier there is every chance they would have surpassed our score meaning we needed to bat again, there was no chance of bowling them out and getting back into bat with the weather forecast. I think the tactic was right, bat once and set a high score, we did that. The Saturday let us down when we could not get them out - we had plenty of time.

BUT THAT COULD HAVE WORKED THE OTHER WAY AS WELL... WE COULD HAVE TOOK MAYBE 4 WICKETS ON THE FRIDAY AND NO WAY WOULD THEY HAVE SURPASSED OUR SCORE WITH 2 DAYS OF RAIN FORECASTED 🙄

[Redsteel (Moderator)]

The Aussies know in their minds that if they lose this test, they would have lost the series. They will sugar coat it if we win this test, they have no choice but winning a series is the golden egg for them. Over 20yrs since they had a series win over here and it is killing them. We keep doing what we're doing and we will draw this series and have earned the right to say "The weather saved you from defeat" to the Aussies.

[BoroBob]

Rain forecast as usual

[Mike Peeler]

The Aussies have won the toss and put us in - I prefer to see us chasing under 'bazball'

Conditions at the moment do favour the bowlers but can we bat in them.

[Redsteel (Moderator)]

We can't grumble at losing 1 of 5 tosses. I see the sun is breaking through a bit also 

[Redsteel (Moderator)]

fs two quick wkts for them, we were going well there.

[Mike Peeler]

Yep blew a fairly decent start - need a bit of re-build, and with Ali at the wicket its touch and go how long he will stay at the crease

[Mike Peeler]

FFS, Rooty is gone now, crumbling here.

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

HERE WE GO AGAIN 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

NO CHANCE US WINNING THIS TEST WITH BATTING LIKE THAT 

[Redsteel (Moderator)]

Fucking shite, absolutely no need for half the shots we've played. We'll be bowling by 4pm ffs

[Mike Peeler]

It's never over in the first innings - it looks like the Aussies will be batting today which is not a good luck, can we do to them what they've done to us when they bat. If they get a big first innings lead, that's ker-put for us in this series.

We somehow need 300 minium here. Swingers in

[tunstall]

Fucking shite, absolutely no need for half the shots we've played. We'll be bowling by 4pm ffs

Maybe half past 

[tunstall]

283 all out

Time for Jimmy to do something in his final Ashes game....

[Mike Peeler]

Unless it's a bowler's paradise, and I don't think it is then that's not enough on the board. Time will tell when our lot gets hold of the ball.

I'm not confident enough we can hurt them with that score on the board. Need them ideally out for 300 or less or 350 is as much as we can give them, anything more I would say could be  game over after one innings

[Mike Peeler]

Back to the oval for day 2 with what I would say could see Australia taking charge here.

Quick wickets can always change things at the drop of a hat. For now, we need a good morning session and take it session by session here. The Aussies won't go gung ho, they don't have to but they need to keep the scorecard ticking over so that gives us a chance. If they are still batting tonight we could be in trouble one way or another.

Ali crocked again which puts more bowling pressure on the others from a 'overs' point of view and we need Jimmy to start earning his corn. If the sun is shining down there today we could be fucked here.

[TommyDickfingers]

Looks like it will be overcast for most of the day.

It's been a bonkers series of cricket so hopefully we see that continue today and there are a load of early wickets.

I'm guessing Root will have to bowl a few overs of spin today as well.

Anderson needs to give us one last hurrah ............. Come on Jimmy !!

[tunstall]

They'll bat us out of this game today

Bowling attack not strong enough, Ali crocked, Stokes crocked, the rest are too old now

Worrying for when we go down under too....

[Mike Peeler]

You're not far from the truth tunstall - hopefully, Archer is back to grace us with his talents, Anderson for me is more or less finished so that's one place up for grabs. I would keep well away from Ali he seems to be breaking down in one way of another.

I think the batting looks okay, it's the bowling where they all appear Crocs, or age is catching up with them. The Aussies look like they are going to drill us into the ground here old school batting style.    

[tunstall]

If we're relying on Archer then we are doomed