The Fifth Test

[Guest]

This is looking a bit ominous. We need to get a half decent score - if the Australians get their batting in order then they're capable of setting a silly score, especially on this sort of wicket

 

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (Whatever @ Sep. 08 2005,13:44)]This is looking a bit ominous. We need to get a half decent score - if the Australians get their batting in order then they're capable of setting a silly score, especially on this sort of wicket

As well as thinking that Warne will get all 10 here, I also think that two of the out-of-form Hayden, Martyn and Gilchrist will get centuries here.

This is a flat track, batters paradise, with a fast outfield. Anything less than 400 is disastrous and that is a hell of a way off.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

201/4 now... at least we've got the 200 up.

First innings par total on this deck would, you'd think, be a minimum of 450. That looks an extraordinarily long way off, despite how well Strauss & Freddy are playing.

Oddly enough, the decision to pick Collingwood looks thoroughly spot on, now...

Matt

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Sep. 08 2005,15:00)]Oddly enough, the decision to pick Collingwood looks thoroughly spot on, now...

Matt

It won't do when we are a bowler light, bowling on a pitch which doesn't appear to be offering too much to the bowlers.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,15:13)]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Sep. 08 2005,15:00)]Oddly enough, the decision to pick Collingwood looks thoroughly spot on, now...

Matt

It won't do when we are a bowler light, bowling on a pitch which doesn't appear to be offering too much to the bowlers.

Yes, but their seamers are not a patch on ours. McGrath is now over the hill, Lee is quick but expensive, ditto Tait. I would fancy our 3 seamers over theirs any day

 

[C C Csiders]

213-4 at tea. That is a good session in the circumstances for England, close on 100 runs for just the one wicket. We must still be in bat at close today, and hopefully until at least lunch tomorrow, for both the runs scored and the time occupied at the crease. We cannot afford to lose more than 2 wickets in this final session which will be 35 overs. A score of 325-6 will be acceptable at stumps.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (BILLERICAY BLUE @ Sep. 08 2005,15:16)]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,15:13)]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Sep. 08 2005,15:00)]Oddly enough, the decision to pick Collingwood looks thoroughly spot on, now...

Matt

It won't do when we are a bowler light, bowling on a pitch which doesn't appear to be offering too much to the bowlers.

Yes, but their seamers are not a patch on ours. McGrath is now over the hill, Lee is quick but expensive, ditto Tait. I would fancy our 3 seamers over theirs any day

Maybe so, but I'd fancy their spinner over ours, and given that a spinner can bowl all day from one end, that can be quite handy.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,15:26)]given that a spinner can bowl all day from one end

Or not, as it happens... even Shaaaaane can't deny the passage of time and the toll of injuries and operations on his body.

Matt - the decision to pick Collingwood will look right when we're batting, but wrong when we're bowling... probably!

That said, I had no idea what Anderson's country form is like. To paraphrase Michael Holding, who knows much more about that sort of thing than I ever will, Anderson's county form is mediocre at best...

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Superb effort from both Strauss - his second ton of the summer - and Freddy, already past his half-century, and smacked Shaaaaaane for three successive boundaries.

That's more like it. 242/4.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Sep. 08 2005,15:32)]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,15:26)]given that a spinner can bowl all day from one end

Or not, as it happens... even Shaaaaane can't deny the passage of time and the toll of injuries and operations on his body.

Matt - the decision to pick Collingwood will look right when we're batting, but wrong when we're bowling... probably!

 

 

That said, I had no idea what Anderson's country form is like.  To paraphrase Michael Holding, who knows much more about that sort of thing than I ever will, Anderson's county form is mediocre at best...

I'm sure I had read somewhere that Anderson had picked up 20 wickets in his last four CC games, but I think the decision to leave him out was correct as soon as we won the toss.....

256-4

 

[C C Csiders]

269/4 now. Can we have a ban on anyone tempting fate, please?

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Critical stage coming up. Australia have appeared to apply the brakes (possibly as the batsman are waiting for the new ball) to the scoring.

I sense a wicket coming up.

 

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,16:31)]Critical stage coming up. Australia have appeared to apply the brakes (possibly as the batsman are waiting for the new ball) to the scoring.

I sense a wicket coming up.

What did I say about tempting fate. Flintoff gone for 72.

Just play for stumps I think.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

You can't play for stumps - there are 18 overs left!

They should play their natural game.

I'll shut up now, as I've caused enough damage

 

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,16:58)]You can't play for stumps - there are 18 overs left!

They should play their natural game.

I'll shut up now, as I've caused enough damage

Bugger I misjudged by 10 and thought we had 8 left. Anyway ther are 15 left now and we are 289/5. Not a word!

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Any revisions on the wisdom of playing Collingwood. He's out for 7.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I blame this on HKB's negative vibes. Go away nasty negative man!

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

My negativity worked for the previous test!

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,17:11)]Any revisions on the wisdom of playing Collingwood. He's out for 7.

Well, we agreed that they should have picked Anderson...

By all accounts, Colly was out to a poor decision...

 

[BlueJ]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 08 2005,17:11)]Any revisions on the wisdom of playing Collingwood. He's out for 7.

Lets hope his bowling skills are better than his batting then!