I've been away for the weekend so I've just caught up on the past few days' happenings.

The Broad decision is a disgrace from most parties. Firstly, Dar should have paid it out. I struggle to think of what he must have thought happened - off Haddin's gloves? I don't get it. Second, Clarke will hopefully have learnt his lesson - stop reviewing marginal LBW decisions and retain the reviews for the howlers. The referral of the LBW call going down leg was pathetic. Finally, Broad. It happens all the time, batsmen choosing not to walk when they're clearly out and waiting for the umpire. But I've never seen someone edge the ball to slip and pretend it didn't happen. When it's to the keeper and it's a straight line and/or a faint edge, I can understand a player using the doubt to hide. But there was no doubt with that.

We've been pretty good in this Test, except for all four evening sessions. After tea on Day 1 we lost 4 wickets. After tea on Day 2 we let Cook and Pietersen cruise. After tea on Day 3 we let Bell and Broad cruise. After tea on Day 4 we lost 4 wickets. It's killing us. This Test is still winnable, but we need Haddin to be mature and play the guiding knock that Hughes played in the first innings. All of Agar, Siddle, Pattinson and Starc can bat. A useful 10-30 runs from each, maybe with one pushing closer to 50, and with Haddin batting through at the other end, and we're not out of it.

Still plenty of problems, though. Cowan's not good enough, neither Smith nor Hughes have the techniques to be consistently good players, Watson's horrendously over-rated (he averages 35, two centuries ever and hasn't hit one for 3 years), and Clarke's out of form and injured. It's not a great batting line-up.

37 to win. Can we dream?

I've been away for the weekend so I've just caught up on the past few days' happenings.

The Broad decision is a disgrace from most parties. Firstly, Dar should have paid it out. I struggle to think of what he must have thought happened - off Haddin's gloves? I don't get it. Second, Clarke will hopefully have learnt his lesson - stop reviewing marginal LBW decisions and retain the reviews for the howlers. The referral of the LBW call going down leg was pathetic. Finally, Broad. It happens all the time, batsmen choosing not to walk when they're clearly out and waiting for the umpire. But I've never seen someone edge the ball to slip and pretend it didn't happen. When it's to the keeper and it's a straight line and/or a faint edge, I can understand a player using the doubt to hide. But there was no doubt with that.

We've been pretty good in this Test, except for all four evening sessions. After tea on Day 1 we lost 4 wickets. After tea on Day 2 we let Cook and Pietersen cruise. After tea on Day 3 we let Bell and Broad cruise. After tea on Day 4 we lost 4 wickets. It's killing us. This Test is still winnable, but we need Haddin to be mature and play the guiding knock that Hughes played in the first innings. All of Agar, Siddle, Pattinson and Starc can bat. A useful 10-30 runs from each, maybe with one pushing closer to 50, and with Haddin batting through at the other end, and we're not out of it.

Still plenty of problems, though. Cowan's not good enough, neither Smith nor Hughes have the techniques to be consistently good players, Watson's horrendously over-rated (he averages 35, two centuries ever and hasn't hit one for 3 years), and Clarke's out of form and injured. It's not a great batting line-up.

Agree on all counts with that post TU.

As you said, even though both Hughes and Smith both had a good innings each in this test, you do wonder whether they have the ability at the highest level, they're worth persisting with for now until the likes of Burns, Khawaja, Maddinson and co tart demanding a spot.

I agree re: Cowan, after having been given a good run it looks as though he's just not up to it. I'd be happy enough for him to play the Lords test, but if he fails there again as I suspect he will, you'd have to bring one of Khawaja or Warner in for him.

And this test looks like it's going down to the wire again with another brave last wicket stand, this time with Haddin & Pattinson. Although I'm starting to have flashbacks of Lee & Kasporwicz at Edgebaston 2005!

Can already say, no matter the result from here, well done Australia for the highest ever 4th Innings score at Trent Bridge. Love the fight we've shown!

Edited July 14, 201311 yr by Tall Defence

Surely Stuart Broad should be fined after this test for not playing in the spirit of the game, if that's even an option of the match referee?

First the not walking incident, then the blatant slow over approaching lunch to try and get the team off the field so they can re-group. This guy is a dead set [censored]!

Australian Cricket - no batsmen, no worries! The tail enders might get it done.

Surely Stuart Broad should be fined after this test for not playing in the spirit of the game, if that's even an option of the match referee?

First the not walking incident, then the blatant slow over approaching lunch to try and get the team off the field so they can re-group. This guy is a dead set [censored]!

Absolute [censored]

Lunch on Day 5

England 1st Innings 215

J. Trott 48

P. Siddle 5/50 (14)

Australia 1st Innings 280

A. Agar 98

J. Anderson 5/85 (24)

England 2nd Innings 375

I. Bell 109

M. Starc 3/81 (32)

Australia 2nd Innings 9/291 (Target 311)

B. Haddin 69*

J. Anderson 4/73 (30)

This is just an amazing game. Who knows which way it will go? But well done Haddin & Pattinson for this amazing fight back. Just think if Broad was given out we'd of won by now!

Australian Cricket - no batsmen, no worries! The tail enders might get it done.

Drop the top order for more All-rounders!

Flashbacks of 2005!

I enjoyed the below tweet from Damien Fleming.

Damien Fleming ‏@bowlologist33m

Stuart Broad campaigning for the individual Spirit of cricket award for this Test #ashes

Expand

And that's why you save your reviews.

That is absolutely devastating. I feel completely crushed.

Could you say, conclusively, that he hit it? It's a bad way to end a great match.

That's it.

England 1st Innings 215

J. Trott 48

P. Siddle 5/50 (14)

Australia 1st Innings 280

A. Agar 98

J. Anderson 5/85 (24)

England 2nd Innings 375

I. Bell 109

M. Starc 3/81 (32)

Australia 2nd Innings 296 (Target 311)

B. Haddin 71

J. Anderson 5/73 (31.4)

What can you say, but it had to end with DRS didn't it! Wouldn't be suprised if Australia opt out of DRS after this match.

Great effort Australia and you've shown more fight then England ever did from 1989 - 2004.

Lords starts on Thursday night nowm and if there's one change I'd make funily enough it wouldn't be any of the batsmen, but Jackson Bird must play at Lords! Bowl him from Glenn McGrath end where he bowled down that slop bowling line and length and wrecked havoc. Bird's our modern day McGrath so I'd take a horses for course approach (not rotation) and bring Bird in for one of Pattinson or Starc.

Edited July 14, 201311 yr by Tall Defence

Could you say, conclusively, that he hit it? It's a bad way to end a great match.

It's shocking.

In my opinion, the downsides and drawbacks of the DRS system far outweigh the benefits it brings.

Could you say, conclusively, that he hit it? It's a bad way to end a great match.

I thought he hit it. I was definitely in denial for the first few minutes, but he hit it. Still, feels like it's ended on a technicality rather than drawing to its natural conclusion.

Jackson Bird should play purely because we're clearly lacking a genuine number 11

He probably hit it, but could you overturn the umpire's decision based on the evidence? It's not about the balance of probability, hence why Hawk-eye has an 'umpire's call' option.

However, I've seen worse. It's a shame that such a great game ends like that, because it takes away from the match itself.

Worst Aussie inventions ever. Snicko and Hot-spot.

I think he hit it, but the evidence was inconclusive. The hot spot potentially only showed up after the ball passed the bat (it was inconclusive FFS!). The sound was there, sure, and probably was bat hitting ball, but with no deflection, it only gets to the likelihood, not the conclusiveness, of Dar making an error.

In the end, Erasmus should have told Dar that the evidence was inconclusive, and Dar should have stuck to his original not-out call. The end result may have been the right one, but it wasn't produced for the right reasons.

All in all, a sad way to end a great Test which unfortunately has been marred by poor umpiring and the DRS.

As for changes, Cowan was ill apparently, so give him another Test before making the switch. Harris/Bird would be handy, but who gets dropped? Starc to me was the worst of the three bowlers. I'd leave them be, though.

And, Clarke needs to learn to stop using referrals on 50-50 LBW decisions.

Titan-as flawed as the DRS is,especially as something like the Broad decision occurred , just shows that England used theirs much more wisely.

The Captaincy basically cost us the test because we fluffed our appeals.

Bird should be in the next test-very hard to score against and will get LBWs.

I think Haddin was probably out. Game effort by the Aussies but our top 6 need to churn out a lot more runs. Only 3 half centuries out of 12 at bats from the top 6 (and no centuries) That's not going to win you many Test matches.

Hughes, Haddin and Agar made valuable contributions with the bat but we needed a lot more from the others. The bowlers all did reasonably well. We didn't play that well but we nearly pinched the match. We'll need to play a lot better at Lords if we're going to win.

Cowan out for Khawaja is a possibility but I think it might be an unchanged side (unless one of the quicks doesn't come up)

Lords starts on Thursday night nowm and if there's one change I'd make funily enough it wouldn't be any of the batsmen, but Jackson Bird must play at Lords! Bowl him from Glenn McGrath end where he bowled down that slop bowling line and length and wrecked havoc. Bird's our modern day McGrath so I'd take a horses for course approach (not rotation) and bring Bird in for one of Pattinson or Starc.

Looks like Malcolm Conn and I think alike.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/jackson-bird-could-replace-mitchell-starc-for-australia-in-second-ashes-test-at-lords/story-e6frf3gl-1226679366919

Don't know if the two of us thinking alike is a good thing or a bad thing? I guess as long as I avoid David Warner I'll say good thing.

Edit: Spelling

Edited July 14, 201311 yr by Tall Defence

Titan-as flawed as the DRS is,especially as something like the Broad decision occurred , just shows that England used theirs much more wisely.

The Captaincy basically cost us the test because we fluffed our appeals.

Bird should be in the next test-very hard to score against and will get LBWs.

you must keep in mind that our skipper is considered by many to be a TWIT

also DRS is 100% rubbish and all experts agree on this

worst part of the game was the ineptitude of the umpire to say anything to the English captain about over rates,i was very shocked to see a conversation between skipper and bowler mid over and it continually happened with no interruption from either the umpire or the senior australian batsmen BH, he should of approached the umpire and requested intervention, also it seems drinks breaks are not needed any more.