The Cricket thread

29-3.

Bell and Ballance both bowled.

bugger

Root out for 1.

30-4.

Sir Geoffrey is not impressed.

Roots gone now

sir geoff is about to explode

How often does this happen? One team score 500+ on a benign wicket and the next lot collapse - is scoreboard pressure really that much of a factor?

Mentally shagged after 2 days out in the field.

Plus England bowled wank yesterday and blamed the pitch - they were better today (they had Australia 220-7).

Needing 507 over 5 and a bit sessions England are 52-5.

Top 4 all fail and Stokes just run out not running his bat in.

Only another 455 needed. Buttler and Root batting.

TBH I'm struggling to keep Lyth, Bell or Ballance in the XI.

Aussies just won

Bleddy hell, turned over from watching the golf and it was all over. That was a hiding, similar to the last tour of Australia. All of a sudden England have all the problems-or is it all of a sudden? There was a piece in the paper the other day showing that England's top 4 have been the least productive of just about all the test playing nations in the past 15 months-remembering back to Cardiff, what would have happened if Haddin had caught Root in the first innings? As SFD said, Ballance, Lyth and Bell look all at sea against top class bowling and the problem is that Root is being exposed in just about every innings. I don't think major changes will take place, that hasn't been the style for some years now and English cricket doesn't seem to have much strength in depth-who would actually come in and do better? People like Compton, Robson and Bairstow have been tried and found wanting, not sure if there are many candidates in county cricket, knotty problems indeed.

Oh dear Lord, that was awful.

I really did think that Ballance was the long-term replacement for Trott at 3. Doesn't look likely now does it?

To be bowled out for 100 on that pitch is disgraceful. I know they're trying to bat positively now, and that's good, but there were some ridiculous shots today. Particularly the dismissals of Cook and Ali.

I'm just grateful they've got Nathan Lyon rather than Warne.

What a start! 18-2 with Warner and Smith back in the hutch.

Fortress Edgbaston striking again?

Aussies 18 -2 Finn just got Steve Smith out

34-3 Clark out

great start from England shame the rain has stopped play might give the convicts time to regroup.

102-7! Holy macaroni.

Rogers gone! 110-8

Well this is easy. 119-9.

Heard on TMS

Bell isn't coming in at 3, he's coming in at 5

128 -9 at the moment

136 all out

78-2,Cook just out to a wonder/jammy barsteward type catch.

Bell gets his 50, England 129/2

Greenskin wrote:

78-2,Cook just out to a wonder/jammy barsteward type catch.

It was jammy. Voges was just making himself as small a target as possible and the ball went into exactly the right place to be clasped between forearms and body as he did. There's no way he knew anything about it until after he'd snaffled the ball. One of the most unlikely dismissals I have ever seen.