Where are all the Mitch Marsh haters now? 

haha!

Everyone loves a redemption story.  It goes to show how harsh we are as judges of those playing at the highest level who fail to execute to a standard commensurate with our expectations and I for one was definitely a critic of M. Marsh - having thought he'd been given so many opportunities and never managed to nail down his spot.  I've always liked his bowling but his batting left me cold as he continually nicked off.  His comments in 2019 about being hated by the Aussie fans showed a very human side to that criticism.  He appears loved by his team mates and at least from the outside looks to have a very deprecating sense of humour.  Very happy for him this morning - what a batting masterclass (and he should be sending Joe Root a very nice bottle of red!).  He's made it interesting for team selection now for the next test as a WACA native he certainly looked the most composed playing the short ball (with ridiculous ease it has to be said). 

It will be a wait and see what comes of Ollie Robinson's back spasm.  They've got five bowlers precisely because Stokes doesn't want to bowl with his knee and I assume that will extend beyond this test as well.  Robinson looks the least threatening of the bowlers (other than Moeen) so it's no real loss for this match and may actually work for them in having their most threatening bowlers always bowling together, but it may mean an increased work load for Wood in the second dig if our top order can knuckle down.  I certainly have no optimism that our tail can wag like it did at Birmingham against the express pace of Wood. 

13 wickets down on the first day and no sign that the pitch is going to slow up - it may be a three day test match!

Edited July 7, 20231 yr by grazman

 

Edited July 7, 20231 yr by grazman

18 hours ago, dl4e said:

Lets just make 300 first. 

Once again you read it better than me dl4e!  I got ahead of myself.  Excitable boy they all said!

Wood was way too good for our tail, all the same.  I'm wondering when was the last time any of our batsmen faced someone so quick

155kph is like 8.5 on the Richter scale compared to 140kph being about 7? 

Fascinating night ahead and let's hope the pitch still provides that same pace and bounce

The green tinge may be disappearing but the wicket did look like it had a good coverage of grass

Our bowlers need to bend their backs and we need to get Joe Root out cheaply (if possible) ... but after dropping 2 catches you'd be reckoning that Root will be doubly determined to get amongst the runs

Still, it's always a matter of working for one (wicket) Every time we do that we set them back a bit

Another session to the Aussies ... England added 74 runs but we picked up 4 big wickets to put them on the ropes.  I'll score it 10-6

Overall Australia 37 England 33 with the Aussies better placed for the knock-out punch!

Where's bazball?  Huh?

Edited July 7, 20231 yr by Macca

2 hours ago, Macca said:

Another session to the Aussies ... England added 74 runs but we picked up 4 big wickets to put them on the ropes.  I'll score it 10-6

Overall Australia 37 England 33 with the Aussies better placed for the knock-out punch!

Where's bazball?  Huh?

Well they evened it right up on middle session. Again Stokes but some of our bowling  to their tail enders was not good. Too many short balls and not enough on the stumps. 

If Warner gets picked for the next test match I will go he. Bring Green in and put Head up to open.

16 minutes ago, dl4e said:

Well they evened it right up on middle session. Again Stokes but some of our bowling  to their tail enders was not good. Too many short balls and not enough on the stumps. 

If Warner gets picked for the next test match I will go he. Bring Green in and put Head up to open.

Yes, a slight edge to England in that session 10-9 ... maybe 10-8 at a stretch (Aust 45/46 Eng 43)

Stokes got England's total up near ours and Warner went cheap again

Australia effectively 1-55 so we're in the box seat.  If we can get through to stumps no more than 3 down, that's a decent result

42 overs remaining for the day so we should be able to add about 120 to our total.   I say 'should be able' but who knows?

Every day of this entire series has seen twists and turns in nearly every session

We've got 2 openers in the squad (Harris & Renshaw) so if they rule a line through Warner, you'd reckon the selectors will go with one of the reserve openers

Not sure on Green/Marsh.  Might depend on whether we win this match or not on who plays.  Both?  It's a possibility but not likely

 

Edited July 7, 20231 yr by Macca

39 minutes ago, dl4e said:

Well they evened it right up on middle session. Again Stokes but some of our bowling  to their tail enders was not good. Too many short balls and not enough on the stumps. 

If Warner gets picked for the next test match I will go he. Bring Green in and put Head up to open.

Very much so.  I would use Boland.

Last session belonged to England as well 10-8 (haven't watched yet but we're 4 down for not that many

So going into day 3 I've scored the overall at 53-53 but if I'm being honest I've got England slightly ahead (Stokes factor)

If Marsh unleashes again (or Head/Carey) we'll be favouries you'd reckon

20 minutes ago, Macca said:

Last session belonged to England as well 10-8 (haven't watched yet but we're 4 down for not that many

So going into day 3 I've scored the overall at 53-53 but if I'm being honest I've got England slightly ahead (Stokes factor)

If Marsh unleashes again (or Head/Carey) we'll be favouries you'd reckon

Agree. I would like to know what was going through Labuschagnes and Smiths head in playing those shots. 

20 minutes ago, dl4e said:

Agree. I would like to know what was going through Labuschagnes and Smiths head in playing those shots. 

Haven't seen it yet but will later, d4 (work)

Interested in how you and others might have scored the sessions ... it's fascinating how the numbers can come together as the game comes to a head

Also, doing that (scoring the sessions) adds a bit of traffic to the thread

Don't want to lose but if England do win this test, the added spice will heighten things even more so

To win this match we're going to need to set them at least 230 (or more)

Right now the lead is 142 which is nowhere near enough

5 hours ago, Macca said:

Haven't seen it yet but will later, d4 (work)

Interested in how you and others might have scored the sessions ... it's fascinating how the numbers can come together as the game comes to a head

Also, doing that (scoring the sessions) adds a bit of traffic to the thread

Don't want to lose but if England do win this test, the added spice will heighten things even more so

To win this match we're going to need to set them at least 230 (or more)

Right now the lead is 142 which is nowhere near enough

Firstly Head and Marsh will have to survive the first  few overs. If you think 230 is getting there I would think again and be looking at 350 minimum which will be hard from here. Hopefully the pitch may deteriorate more than now which may make it hard for them.

1 hour ago, dl4e said:

Firstly Head and Marsh will have to survive the first  few overs. If you think 230 is getting there I would think again and be looking at 350 minimum which will be hard from here. Hopefully the pitch may deteriorate more than now which may make it hard for them.

I won't be at all happy with just a 230 lead but we'll need that as a bare minimum to have any chance of winning

"At least 230 (or more) is needed" is not saying that 230 is enough.  Far from it

But the match is still evenly poised with the Poms holding a slender advantage

But that advantage could disappear in 30 minutes if we put on 30 without losing a wicket in that time frame.  Bat for an hour without losing a wicket and the odds sway in our favour

So 230 might be enough, there again that sort of lead could prove to be well short of what we need

Reality is that it's all just spitballing and speculation.  None of us know what's actually going to happen

I'll have a good laugh if the lead is exactly 230

Edited July 8, 20231 yr by Macca

The covers are on and the rain is on its way (by all reports)

1 hour ago, Macca said:

The covers are on and the rain is on its way (by all reports)

Okay I am tuned out to watch the dees so won't get on until lunchtime.

So they finally took to the field at around 2.00am AEST

Could go through to 4.00am or thereabouts

Australia currently 7/168 holding a lead of 194 with 20 overs left in the day (unless rain intervenes again)

So we've added 52 runs today but have lost 3 wickets in the process

Just need to get as many as we can but Wood is thundering in with his express deliveries

 

Edit (1) Aust 8/170 (196 lead)

Edit (2) Aust 9/211 (237 lead)

Edit (3) Aust 224 all out (250 lead) ... which included a terrific knock to Travis Head (77)

England to bat for 25 minutes tonight (5 overs)

Edited July 8, 20231 yr by Macca

We're going to need a bit of luck and an early wicket or 2

Joe Root & Stokes are the key wickets of course.  Play looks like it will start on time but it's overcast so might help our bowlers

I gave yesterday's session to England 10-8  (overall Eng 63 Aust 61) and they are favoured to win (Bookies have England at $1.30 with Australia at $3.75)

I’ve seen enough of Warner’s two dismissals in the last test to know his demons against Broad mean we’ll effectively be ‘1 for’ in every innings.

The Poms need to take 40 more Australian wickets to retake the Ashes, we just need to make sure they don’t.  
 

I’d drop Warner and Murphy for Harris and Green.  Between Marsh, Green, Head and Manus they can get through 20 -30 overs an innings (the Poms haven’t batted longer ghan three sessions anyway).  I can’t see the value in playing Murphy, they’ll look to take him downtown on something close to T20 decks anyway. 

Yes, England too good and have we seen their best? That question was posed to me by a couple of mates

Murphy to make way for another all-rounder (Green) ... that would mean Carey bats at no.8

Harris or Renshaw to replace Warner

Hazlewood for Boland

 

 

Interesting womens 1 day game tonite. I heard that the 3 one might get rained out so they will need to win tonite to retain ashes. Some one other than Mooney is going to have to carry the bat. McGrath or Gardiner would be the best bet.

@grazman @dl4e

The word around the traps is that Warner will play and that Green may miss out if Murphy stays

Hazlewood to replace Boland

2 hours ago, Macca said:

@grazman @dl4e

The word around the traps is that Warner will play and that Green may miss out if Murphy stays

Hazlewood to replace Boland

Not good. I would drop warner and bring green in with Head to open batting. I still feel you need a spinner and Murphy is not bad.

15 minutes ago, dl4e said:

Not good. I would drop warner and bring green in with Head to open batting. I still feel you need a spinner and Murphy is not bad.

I'm with grazman on Murphy ... if we get another road he'll get tonked

17 hours ago, dl4e said:

Not good. I would drop warner and bring green in with Head to open batting. I still feel you need a spinner and Murphy is not bad.

Looks like they've made the call on Murphy.  Green comes in with Hazlewood.   It will be our longest batting line up for a while and the pitch and forecast* for Manchester seems to favour the seamers anyway.    We just need to bat time and ensure we don't lose 20 wickets to retain the ashes. 

* 40% chance of rain today and overcast all test match by the look of it.    95% chance of rain on Saturday and 86% Sunday.  

Edited July 19, 20231 yr by grazman