Diamond_Jim

and of course the pessimist in me recalls all those times we have been bowled out for low scores in previous Ashes tours of England. Smith's dominance is marvellous but it does underscore the fragility of the remaining batsmen. Get ready for a green top wicket next test... could be bumpy.. strangely we seem to have been winning the toss lately after such a long run of outs. The India series in India was lost in the main because we repeatedly lost the toss.

Another wicket UK out 3 for 60

Bancroft out. 2 for 60

Ruck dominance worth very little. Coaches should do better

Goodwin channeling Beveridge with Caleb Daniel ?

maybe hard to get tickets. Just searched ticketing at Lords and the site suggested that there were tickets available for day 3 but days 4 and 5 were sold out. Very strange Warner's indifferent recent form continues. Big night tonight.

Imagine how irrelevant next week's game will be. Like many I was looking forward to stress free games post bye as we built towards 2020. Soul destroying. Let's hope the cricket is good tonight

Certainly not looking like a green top wicket. Overcast conditions but not much movement. 3 wickets next session would be nice. On another note it's somewhat amusing how cocky the Australian media have become and how despondent their counterparts are. In that first test we were one batsman away from defeat. He's good but he's not invincible. Damnit ....it seems that MFCSS has crept into my cricket following !!

could it be as simple as over structured game plans and/or playing to your strengths. whatever it is we will need a lot of luck next year to trun this train wreck of a season around (love mixing my metaphors as it reflects the life of a mixed up MFC supporter.) The form of Brayshaw , Petracca and Oliver are essential to our success. Get them all near A grade/elite and we are in clover as all the rest of the support players come on strong and injury free. Nice to dream.

Agree and add to that the reality that we haven't exactly smashed it in our lower order drafting we are facing a task similar to that imposed upon Hercules by King Augeus.

Have watched Lefua on and off for the last few years since he joined Casey as the 23rd man. There has certainly been improvement but I have never seen him take a game apart. He does have an ability to find the goals. My feeling is that he would have been a very useful player in the days when the game was played with a little more space. These days not quite sure

So this is number 3 of the all time biggest games of our amazing 2019 season. Could I possibly miss it.... I ask you With a prediction of showers and about 12 degrees it sounds like a perfect night out and of course there is our exciting brand of football. I think I'll be washing my hair and/or watching the young Smith boy pummel the Poms.

Hopefully not the dreaded pre contract renewal form burst We all know he's not that good... but by comparison to the rest this season

Would love to see some more definition on that stat along the lines of clean clearances. For example Oliver getting the ball on the ground and then handpassing out to a player who is immediately tackled. Is that a clearance. Similarly viney taking the ball and then giving off a fumbled handball which leads to an opposition player tapping the ball to an outside runner. Is that a clearance. Just seems to me that we get very little clean ball

For a team with a dominant ruckman our mid field clearance rate has been seemingly woeful this season.

Sorry to say it but hit outs is an irrelevant stat these days. It's hit outs to advantage and round the grounds possession

Interesting.. Same number of scoring shots

Win to Casey ( by 16 I think)

37-23 demons way

The challenge this year is to nail our second round pick. Hell... it's almost as high as the first rounder we traded out last year. Last Chance Saloon

wow.... what can one say

Is this the same game to which nobody came

Imagine a game to which no one came

This is almost resignation worthy if you know who has any pride

could this be the usual MFC game in reverse when we start favourites.... Let's bring them down to our level skill wise