The Ashes

Ben Stokes remarkable innings win's us the third test!

Anybody else been watching this?

Brilliant - although he should have been given out LBW near the end but let's not take anything away from him as Australia had wasted their video appeals.

Bad decision by the umpire though.

I wish I had been watching it! Amazing performance by Stokes.

Sluffy wrote:Ben Stokes remarkable innings win's us the third test!

Anybody else been watching this?

Brilliant - although he should have been given out LBW near the end but let's not take anything away from him as Australia had wasted their video appeals.

Bad decision by the umpire though.

I must say Sluffy, the standard of umpiring for this series has been shocking. We might have to think about getting rid of them altogether.

Been absolutely glued to it all day. Never missed a single ball. Was expecting the usual meek England batting surrender and didn't think we'd get anywhere near after losing Root early. Stokes was absolutely IMMENSE. How he controlled proceedings after being left with only Jack Leach with 72 runs still needed was just God like. Even Geoffrey Fucking Moaning Boycott described it as the best ever test match innings by an Englishman. Now that is high praise indeed. Bit of luck at the death but he didn't half deserve it. Great stuff from Jack Leach too. It was hilarious how before every one of the 17 deliveries he faced amid incredible mounting tension at the culmination of this critical test match he held up play while he took off his helmet and cleaned his glasses.

Long live Test Cricket.

Yes, those who were there were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime epic sporting experience
.
Excruciating tension every ball, knowing that each delivery could bring the end to the innings, the match, the series and the Ashes. Then a final explosion of relief and triumph due to one man's heroic skill and nerve, whereas the nerves of the spectators were totally shredded. 

Cricket has a unique ability to draw out the tension over a long period of time. Peerless.

okocha wrote:Yes, those who were there were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime epic sporting experience
.
Excruciating tension every ball, knowing that each delivery could bring the end to the innings, the match, the series and the Ashes. Then a final explosion of relief and triumph due to one man's heroic skill and nerve, whereas the nerves of the spectators were totally shredded. 

Cricket has a unique ability to draw out the tension over a long period of time. Peerless.

Yes. There was that horrible moment when Lyon dropped the ball with Leach way out of his ground.
Tension can do terrible things.

Can't wait to go to the Old Trafford test now! What an innings by Stokes, right up there with Botham in 81.

As if the Wanderers performance wasn't bad enough, I then watched the new Bond film - and Bond gets blown to pieces - so I then made the mistake of putting on England's opening innings.
Burns out first ball, duck for Root and currently 24 for 3.

Make that 29 for 4 as Stokes gives away his wicket.

Definitely going to bed now before it gets worse.

BT coverage is just to hand over to the Aussie channel and take their coverage and commentary.
All Aussie commentators, Warne, Waugh, Hussey, Gilchrist and others. All queuing up to laugh and take the piss. It's 29-4 and like Sluffy I'm also off to bed. Can't take any more of this torture.

I went to bed at 1am when we were 3 down. Terrible start and didn't get any better! Strange to leave both Anderson and Broad out of the team looking at that wicket as well, it was nearly as green as the outfield!

It will be interesting to see how the Aussies go tonight to see if we really were as bad as it seems or if the pitch helped them.

Should never have opted to bat first.

Terrible team-selection and tactics. Away in Oz, it's best to pick a squad and team full of experience and proven international ability under pressure.
 It's significant that the only games we feel we can win are those where a pink ball may be used. 

ECB and Silverwood are seriously culpable. We proritise lucrative one-day cricket over the longer form of the game.

The ECB has been too focused on shorter forms of the game and it's showing now in Test cricket. The rotation policy they brought in hasn't helped either.

Frankly I'm amazed they got to 3 figures.

I imagine Smith will do that on his own.

English cricket is a joke.

Anderson rested? Rested from what, he hasn't bowled a competitive ball in months. When did Buttler last play 4 day cricket? Ditto rest of the squad.

It's like Kane, Sterling & Grealish not being allowed to play for Spurs/City but expected to turn it on in the World Cup. Bonkers.

220 for 2 - still 58 runs behind but decent innings from Root and Malan have given England a very small outside chance of salvaging something from this game.

They need to hang in there for a very long time to get a defendable score - maybe 600 or so? Can't see it happening myself but at least it's not a total massacre yet.

Second test isn't looking any better so far. Watched the highlights this morning and England struggled in the field after taking an early wicket. Bowlers passed the bat a few times without getting any luck and there was some shoddy fielding (esp Hameed)
Buttler dropped a sitter early doors which could have changed the tone of the innings but after day 1 Australia look well in command at 221 - 2.

Going well again i see  

Going to be a 5-0 whitewash this! The batting has been terrible, giving away our wickets far too easily, even Root.

Norpig wrote:Going well again i see  

Going to be a 5-0 whitewash this! The batting has been terrible, giving away our wickets far too easily, even Root.

My son is with us ATM after his ACL op and he stayed up all night to watch it - I managed to watch til 2 am but he's a real sucker for punishment.

I got up this morning and watched the five minute highlights. It was enough.