*Official* Second Test at Lord's

[Woodster]

Been playing today but saw highlights on 5. Only thing to stop 5-0 is weather as Aussies r woeful.

Yes the top order batting has been poor in this Test and at TB. There are the odd flickers of decent performances for them, Watson has done his usual cameos, Rogers hit 50 at TB, as did Hughes, Smith and Haddin (from the top 7) and Clarke and Khawaja just crossed the 50 mark today, but it is nowhere near enough.

Some of the dismissals would give batting coaches around the world sleepless nights if there men were making such horrendous errors of judgement.

 

[Cooky Monster]

Thought the 5-0 predictions were well over the top leading up to the series but thats the likely result now, just cannot see Oz winning a test, only the weather can halt it.

Cook, Trott and KP have scored next to nothing aswell, crazy really, Aussies would of thought keep them 3 quiet and its game on.

 

[Cooky Monster]

Oh yeah forgot about Prior aswell, England are in cruise control, not even out of 3rd gear.

 

[Bahnz]

Huh, in the end this game had a hell of a lot in common with 2nd Test: England v New Zealand at Leeds, May 24-28, 2013 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Aussies batsmen falling back to my expectations of them, and it seems like the pressure of having to carry an entire batting lineup, along with his ongoing injuries, is really getting to Clark. Given the weather, I'm starting to think my 3-0 scoreline prediction was very optimistic.

 

[91Jmay]

Aussies won't be this bad for the whole series. Clarke will fire at some point, Haddin probably will as well and I'm sure by the end of the series one of the youngsters will have tonned up at some stage (Khawaja most probably). 3-1 was my prediction but I can't see a draw anymore because think the weather will be ok. 4-1 now likely.

 

[Woodster]

If there is a possibility of a rain-affected draw then you would generally expect it to come in one of the next two Tests at OT or the Riverside, would be typical of the rain to turn up when the Ashes reaches Manchester!

 

[grecian]

Catching/the missed stumping is a hangover from the New Zealand series, something that needs to be sharpend fast or it will start to cost us. We could have finished the game much quicker today if we get rid of Clarke on 2 and Root takes a regulation edge off Siddle.

Well before that I'm afraid. We were outplayed by Saffies, but it could have been a bit closer if we hadn't made some very silly drops, particularly off the Beard.

 

[hendrix]

The Australian team I would be picking:

Cowan
Warner
Khawaja
Hughes
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Pattinson
Siddle
Lyon
Harris

The problem with dropping Cowan after the first test of the series is that it makes it very hard for the selectors to bring him back in without admitting that they made a mistake. The exact same could be said about Lyon.

 

[Red]

Here's my Aust team for the third test....

Rogers
Katich/ Hughes
Khawaja
Cosgrove
Clarke
McDonald/ Henriques
Smith
Paine/ Hartley
Harris
Siddle
Bird

Pick Andrew McDonald/Henriques and Steve Smith as all rounders. Smith might as well be our spinner, he'll take as many wickets as Agar or Lyon. #stevesmithisthenewbenaud

Pick Katich, or if Clarke doens't want him, let Hughes open.

Khawaja to be given all the tests against England to establish at #3.

Haddin is still the same Haddin he always was. Get a better keeper and more reliable bat in.

Finally, get the fat man in there to stop the middle order rot now.

 

[hendrix]

dropping Patto after one poor test?

 

[Woodster]

The Australian team I would be picking:

Cowan
Warner
Khawaja
Hughes
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Pattinson
Siddle
Lyon
Harris

The problem with dropping Cowan after the first test of the series is that it makes it very hard for the selectors to bring him back in without admitting that they made a mistake. The exact same could be said about Lyon.

Personally I wouldn't think about dropping Rogers despite him not having the best start to the series. He has at least shown the right attitude and technique in attempting to build a Test innings, save for his horrendous shot in the first innings!He is looking to apply himself and has played the swinging ball pretty well in comparison to some of his teammates and has kept his reckless shots to a minimum. I do think he will get a big one, and is prepared to spend a lot of time in the middle in order to do so.

 

[Furball]

Aussies won't be this bad for the whole series. Clarke will fire at some point, Haddin probably will as well and I'm sure by the end of the series one of the youngsters will have tonned up at some stage (Khawaja most probably). 3-1 was my prediction but I can't see a draw anymore because think the weather will be ok. 4-1 now likely.

Yes they will, their batting is utterly horrendous.

 

[burr]

Well, that was thoroughly unsurprising and depressing. Even more so when let's face it, Clarke's best years are surely behind him at 32. At this point you just can't even see how an Australian is going to score a hundred. I think they should basically stick with the same team however as there's nothing better out there and I don't like Cowan - incredibly limited player. I'd be all for dropping Watson but you can't really escape* goat like that.


* thank you David Warner's brother

 

[Red]

dropping Patto after one poor test?

I'm a big fan but he's looked really pedestrian. Lacking penetration (which we've all been guilty of at times).

Liked what Harris did in this test, Siddle just keeps producing, and Bird would be dangerous in England imo.

 

[outbreak]

Here's my Aust team for the third test....

Rogers
Katich/ Hughes
Khawaja
Cosgrove
Clarke
McDonald/ Henriques
Smith
Paine/ Hartley
Harris
Siddle
Bird

.

I'd go

rogers
cowan
khawaja
bailey
clarke
voges
haddin
agar\o'keefe
siddle
pattinson
harris

 

[morgieb]

Who's Australia gonna make an escape goat?

 

[Burgey]

Whoever they let escape I suppose...

Terrible performance from our blokes, but well played England.

Anyone suggesting dropping Haddin is kidding themselves. Played the best knock of his career one test ago ffs.

 

[91Jmay]

No way that the Aussies are calling up another 4 batsmen and putting 3 of them in the side in 11 days time. Not a chance. You might get Wade in as a specialist bat (although i've never been impressed in an ODIs especially technically so not sure I would do that tbh) but that will be it IMO.

 

[Cabinet96]

Here's my Aust team for the third test....

Rogers
Katich/ Hughes
Khawaja
Cosgrove
Clarke
McDonald/ Henriques
Smith
Paine/ Hartley
Harris
Siddle
Bird

Pick Andrew McDonald/Henriques and Steve Smith as all rounders. Smith might as well be our spinner, he'll take as many wickets as Agar or Lyon. #stevesmithisthenewbenaud

Pick Katich, or if Clarke doens't want him, let Hughes open.

Khawaja to be given all the tests against England to establish at #3.

Haddin is still the same Haddin he always was. Get a better keeper and more reliable bat in.

Finally, get the fat man in there to stop the middle order rot now.

Since four of them aren't in the squad, are you going in with seven?

 

[Expressway76]

The problem with Smith is that whilst he is dangerous when he lands one, he could never nail down an end by just bowling a steady line and length. I'm guessing the other two can do this at least when they're bowling well.