*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[grecian]

No coincidence Grecian's best contribution to the tour thread comes on a day when there's no play at all

I try to never have a good contribution to anything, it makes me feel all Australian

Only reason that Brisbane has been a dull pitch of late is that there have been early summer flooding in Queensland plus it was relatively cold IIRC

As a result, the grass didn't grow and the pitch was slower than usual

This year, winter has been very warm so signs are a lot better

Yep good point, and BTW we've had some incredibly weird weather in England, which has made the Oval pitch depressingly dull, bit like you.

 

[social]

I try to never have a good contribution to anything, it makes me feel all Australian



Yep good point, and BTW we've had some incredibly weird weather in England, which has made the Oval pitch depressingly dull, bit like you.

tbf, my dullness is not dependent upon weather conditions

 

[Son Of Coco]

I trust Cook's record in the Southern Hemisphere. I can see him getting 450-550 runs and two centuries as his record would suggest. I look forward to being proven wrong, will be a cracking series with a neutered Cook.


My point is that aside from Ryan Harris, who is probably 33% likely to play four consecutive tests again, Australia don't have a brilliant pace attack. Consistency has been key and on pitches with a bit more zip and bounce it is much harder to be consistent than on the lifeless roads they have been asked to bowl on in this series. However, credit to the Australian bowlers for being tighter than England.

It's really not any harder at all.

Edit: Just read other posts related to Cook and playing square of the wicket. Last time he was out here he got a lot of short stuff on leg, and a lot of short stuff outside off. Whether that was due to the pressure he put on the bowlers by batting so well, or whether it was due to our bowlers being seemingly clueless as to where a bowler should normally bowl to any batsman is debatable.

Am reasonably confident that if our bowlers manage to keep a good line just outside off then we'll be ok.

I reckon it's much harder to keep batsmen quiet all day on a pitch like we saw on the 2nd day of the 3rd Test than it is to stir things up on a deck with more bounce and movement.

 

[Son Of Coco]

What I'd like to see tonight:

1) England declare once they pass the follow on.
2) Australia set a competitive total that is gettable if England have a crack (declaring immediately if that's necessary).
3) Us getting to see an entertaining day's play that salvages the borefest this test has been.

Of course it won't happen as it would be insanity from England's point of view - there's not really anything it it for them apart from a chance to lose a test, and they've already shown they're not willing to take a chance on losing a test to win one.

There'd also be massive question marks over the ability of Australia's bowlers to go all out for another 60 overs or so at the tail-end of a long series for some of them. Wouldn't be worth risking Harris in the chase for a meaningless victory here only to see him get injured for the home series in Oz.

I'd also take:

4) Clarke agreeing to a sporting declaration and then us coming in and blocking the **** out of it for the rest of the day.

What I expect to see:

1) England pass the follow on
2) England keep batting all day.
3) Clarke all but puts Harris in storage once 1) is achieved.
4) Warner to get a bowl.
5) Faulkner to get a lot more overs.
6) Does Rogers bowl?

 

[Adders]

What I expect to see:

1) England pass the follow on
2) England keep batting all day.
3) Clarke all but puts Harris in storage once 1) is achieved.
4) Warner to get a bowl.
5) Faulkner to get a lot more overs.
6) Does Rogers bowl?

Is there a 100 for Ian Bell in your predictions??

Only reason to watch any of it tonight tbf.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Is there a 100 for Ian Bell in your predictions??

Only reason to watch any of it tonight tbf.

Yeah I'd add that in there too, but only if he gets to face at least 200 more deliveries today

Actually, I'd expect England to have a bit more of a crack today given there's no way they'll lose the test now if they keep on batting. Maybe once they pass the follow on.

 

[Maximas]

I honestly wouldn't mind Bell getting a hundred, what a champ, can't help but admire him

 

[Riggins]

It's the kind of situation he usually makes runs in for sure.

 

[Adders]

I honestly wouldn't mind Bell getting a hundred, what a champ, can't help but admire him

You know you're way too decent and fair minded to be a convict Max........Both European born parents????

See that post of Riggins.....that's the Aussie way mate

 

[Daemon]

Think he just fell out of favour with the wrong people. Hasn't played a test since Edgbaston 2011.

At least, I hope he fell out of favour with the wrong people. It would be horrible if they removed him from their plans because the fans wanted more pace.

He got injured (wrist iirc) following which he didn't produce the numbers needed to show he was back to normal. Had a few disciplinary issues as well, was banned for a few matches in the corporate trophy for a physical altercation.

 

[dermo]

i just want to see steve benaud take a bag

EDIT: or polish off a bag?

 

[Dan]

What I expect to see:

1) England pass the follow on
2) England keep batting all day.
3) Clarke all but puts Harris in storage once 1) is achieved.
4) Warner to get a bowl.
5) Faulkner to get a lot more overs.
6) Does Rogers bowl?

Yeah, I reckon this is a chance for Faulkner to show us what he can do. Him, Starc, Smith and Lyon to bowl the bulk of the overs, IMO. Siddle and Harris have had long, tiring series; no point risking them in a meaningless day of Test cricket.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Word on the street is he's had endless lifestyle and work ethic problems. Which is a shame, he was a useful bowler.

I think it's a possibility anno domini has just caught up with him too.

I know he's supposedly 26 and all, but he either had an absolute mother of a paper round or we probably can add at least a decade onto that.

 

[Maximas]

You know you're way too decent and fair minded to be a convict Max........Both European born parents????

See that post of Riggins.....that's the Aussie way mate

Nup, pure white Australian I am, however I can recognize a good news story when I see one and he may as well have his way when it hardly matters anymore. Would of course prefer Smitteh to get him with ball of the series though

 

[Maximas]

btw, how are we looking weatherwise?

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

btw, how are we looking weatherwise?

Looking good today.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Admittedly I'm about seventy miles north of The Oval, but it's caning down here.

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

Admittedly I'm about seventy miles north of The Oval, but it's caning down here.

I'm 15 miles north, it's stopped with no more forecast.

 

[Maximas]

ah good, at least we can all enjoy a final day of test cricket

 

[dermo]

admittedly i'm about 17 000km from the oval but its fine here