MadAsHell

First come first serve kind of basis. If the sessions already been extended for one reason, it can't then be further extended for the same reason even though it's the other side.

It is a difficult one deciding what our best line up is going forward for the next 9 tests, especially with our batting line up. Our bowlers are pretty set, especially with the quicks. Pattinson & Siddle are probably the first two picked at this point in time with the likes of Starc, Harris, Bird and hopefully by the time the Ashes heads down under, Cummins to be puching for the 3rd seamers spot. Agar will be given every opportunity, as well as he should to cement himself in the team. A lot to work with young Ashton, apart from his great lower order batting the kid has very good control with his bowling and he seems a pretty reasonable fielder also. That leaves Nathan Lyon and Fawad Ahmed waiting in the wings in case of injury or poor form, which could happen with a player so young. Haddin's will play all of the 10 Ashes test due to his experience. He may well move on after the Sydney test for one of Wade or Paine, but he showed his value last night. Rogers & Watson looked pretty solid at the top of the order so I reckon you can pencil those two in for now, and we know one of the 4 middle order spots goes to Clarke. Don't expect any changes in the batting department for the 2nd test however as the selectors wont want to bring Khawaja in for one test with the risk of then having to then drop him after one for Warner if Warner makes runs in the interim in Africa with Australia A. For those reasons I'd expect the batting line up to stay the same. The biggest move you may see is Clarke back to 5 with one of Hughes/Smith to bat at 4 and the other at 6. So for the batsmen going forward you'll have Rogers/Watson at the top. Clarke and Warner will be two of the middle order batsmen with Hughes/Smith/Khawaja to fight out for the other two spots for the last 3 tests (Cowan will get dropped after Lords IMO). One of Hughs or Khawaja will bat at 3 and Smith at 4. I know you listed him at 3 dee-luded, but I've never seen him bat any higher then 4 outsie of T20 while both Hughes & Khawaja bat at the top of the order for their states. By the time the series gets to Australia though, hopefully the likes of Burns and Maddinson may start to put the pressure on with big runs in Shield cricket, but they're both long term projects at this stage I reckon, where as the likes of Alex Doolan, I reckon would just be another Cowan at the top level. The only player from our squad that I haven't mentioned is Faulkner, who i reckon is there as the emergency all rounder in case Watson misses a test through injury. If that were to happen, expect to see Hughes or Warner open with Rogers, Haddin up to 6 and Faulkner in at 7. First class batting average of 29 and bowling average of 23. He's got a lot of potential Faulkner. If only he could boost his batting average by 5-10 runs, he'd go close to overtaking Watson IMO. So dee-luded, for mine, my 2nd Test XI would be Rogers Watson Cowan (last chance) Smith Clarke* Hughes +Haddin Agar Siddle Pattinson Bird Starc 12th man (unluckily) Warners couple of games in Africa with Australia A and Khawaja's tour game with Australia before the 3rd test will determine who comes in for Cowan. You'd have to expect Warner will be given first crack, meaning for the 3rd test Hughes bats at 3, Smith at 4, Clarke 5 and Warner 6. They actually had already gone 30 min over for the session jazza seeing as Australia were 9 down and the umpires though the math could finish in that time. Can't remeber what the exact rule is, but to my understanding an umpire can't extend a session by anymore then 30min. It was a shame though that they had to go to lunch when they did, as it certainly robbed us of some of our momentum.

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

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.

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

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!

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]!

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!

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!

Stumps on Day 4 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 6/174 (Target 311) C. Rogers 52 S. Broad 2/34 (16) Well after being 3/161, finishing at 6/174 is disapointing but at least we're still in the match. Haddin & Agar need to make a large portion of the remaining 137 and with only 9 overs till the new ball they need to make sure they bat for probably at least the first 1.5 hours tomorrow so none of the new tail come in against a new ball. Smart money's on England but I reckon Macca's prediction of us winning by 2 wickets could be close. We should know by around 1am tomorrow what the outcome is.

We haven't been able to buy the slightest bit of luck since Day 2. Haddin needs to stand up and he & Agar need to bat out these last 9 overs until stumps. I'm also going to loose it with DRS. I thought if only half the ball pitched in line then it was umpires call. So how was the not out LBW decision on Hughes over turned?

Rogers out for 52 hurts. The ball seemed to hold up a bit off the pitch. Captain Clarke needs to stand up now and get good support from the likes of Smith, Hughes and Haddin. Captains century will hopefully get us over the line.

Tea on Day 4 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 2/111 (Target 311) C. Rogers 50* J. Root 1/5 (1.4) Well done Chris Rogers, maiden test 50 and he looks solid as. Think we've got Watson's opening partner for the next 9 tests. And Ed Cowan, last over before tea getting sucked in by the part time off spinner Root and playing a loose drive and out for 14. He'll need some runs at Lords or I have no doubt he'll make way for whichever of Warner or Khawaja plays the best in their matches before the 3rd test (Warner Aust A in RSA and Khawaja tour match after 2nd test). 200 to win, 8 wickets in hand. Line ball for mine. Crucial final session coming up,

I agree with that Macca. I get the impression with the fact Watson reviewed straight away and the way he held his bat up while walking off that he reckons he hit it. When you consider the Trott incident also it makes you wonder how reliable hot spot is?

Cowan looks about as steady as a rope and log riggidy bridge! Good idea going down the wicket and talking with him Rogers...

And it strikes again! That would have clipped leg stump by the faintest of margins and Watto's out! We've had no luck these last two days.

50 run opening partnership, that's what we like to see! Lets get it to a 100 run partnership, get the chase down to under 200 required and see if we can start to put the pressure back on the Poms!

I'd take that any day of the week Macca. Agar to hit the winning runs maybe???

You might be right Macca about the Agar stumping contributing to Broad standing his ground, add in the Trott LBW also. The only difference is that both the Agar and Trott incidents were looked at by the 3rd umpire when what had taken place wasn't 100% clear to the on field umpires or players, where as in the Broad incident I think Aleem was the only person in the stadium that didn't think Broad hit it. I reckon that if Gilchrist can walk in a World Cup semi final, then Broad should walk in the first test of a 5 test series. But you're right to teams should come together and come to an agreement, otherwise things could get ugly with another 9 tests to come between these teams.

Lunch on Day 4 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 0/28 (Target 311) S. Watson 18* S. Braod 0/10 (3) First of all, well done Ian Bell on a great innings and for putting England in a winning position. For Australia I guess it's a case of opportunities lost, partially of their own doing as much as out of their control. When you consider the Broad incident when he was on 37 (went on to make 65) and Bell dropped by Haddin on 77 (went on to make 109). That's 60 extra runs they made. Take Englands total down to 315, we only have to chase 251 and it's probably even money compared to England now being in the better position. First goal was achieved, Rogers & Watson getting through that 35 min session till lunch. With any luck we'll be about 200 at stumps with hopefully no more then 4 wickets lost tops. Would set the final day up for an interesting finale.

Probably looking at it with green and gold goggles on but the wicket seems to be getting better for batting, and while there is swing there, I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as it has been in other tests as back in 2005 & 2009. It is a dry wicket so I reckon Swann will be more of a danger then the other quicks. Records are there to be broken, and although the record chase at Trent Bridge is only 284, the record chase of all time is 418, so much bigger scores have been chased down elsewhere. Get a few batsmen to stand up and anything can happen. Bang on there 45HG, in his first test back for the reasons of the leadership he brings I've been far from impressed with Haddin. His keeping's been par, got out in the same manner as always, playing far to hard to early. Who tries to cut a spinner off the stumps 2nd ball in when you're 5 down for just ove 100??? And then as you said, Haddin of all people should have known that ball was missing the stumps. Has cost us big time, Wade could have made 1 and given poor feeback as to whether that ball would have hit the stumps or not...

Stumps on Day 3 England 1st Innings 215 J. Trott 48 J. Bairstow 37 P. Siddle 5/50 (14) J. Pattinson 3/69 (17) Australia 1st Innings 280 A. Agar 98 P. Hughes 81* J. Anderson 5/85 (24) G. Swann 2/60 (19) England 2nd Innings 6/326 I. Bell 95* K. Pietersen 64 M. Starc 2/66 (27) A. Agar 2/82 (35) England now 261 ahead with 4 wickets and 2 days in hand. As I mentioned earlier the highest ever run chase at Trent Bridge is 284 so hopefully Australia can pick these last 4 wickets up very early tomorrow to give themselves the best chance. We're still well and truly in it. Really stiff with Broad given not out caught at slip off Agar when he hit the cover off the ball, Bell given out lbw but then over turned on review. How hawke eye reckons that was missing but Rogers on Day 1 was hitting is a joke! and then Haddin also dropping Bell (although difficult) all didn't help. Even if the Aussies are set 300+ to win they should back themselves in, Even if we're set 420 we should back ourselves in. We bat all the way down to 11 and it's time a lot of these players produced what they do in Shield cricket across into Test cricket. England have two bowler (Anderson & Swann) and then Finn and Broad in support bowling pies so this game is far from over IMO.

That was the worst decision I have ever seen by an umpire. Broad hit the cover off that ball and how Aleem Dar gave that not out is beyond me??? Cost Agar his 3rd. Come on Aussies, wrap these last 4 wickets up for about 40 and we're still right in this!

Alas he's a Saints fan.

I'd be inclined to leave him where he is for the 2nd innings. Just so he doesn't feel any added pressure straight away in the same match. Plus I think it adds a bit of a psychologically blow to England knowing even at number 11 we have this bloke coming out. Hopefully in our 2nd innings we won't need any of the tail though. Would be happy to move him up to number 8 as of the next Test though. Lets get one thing straight, this wasn't just a tail ender who got lucky (Tino Best). This guy was playing proper cricket shots, hitting it out of the middle, timing it perfectly and picked the balls he played well.