Cricket fred

[Banquo]

Lack of intensity and pressure, we've messed up the first hour.

[Banquo]

Denly embarrassing Ali, and getting Lyons very excited.

YJB at sea keeping to the spinners btw

[WaspInWales]

Letting this one slip away a bit.

[Digby]

That Ali doesn't even want to bowl at the new left handed batsman is a problem

[Banquo]

Can only assume Woakes is injured. Ali being knocked out of the attack is a biggish problem.

[Banquo]

Not injured, mystified then. As I am generally by the bowling today, bar Broad's first couple of overs. Neither attacking nor strangling. No plans tbh.

[Galfon]

2 ton Smiff..great show.
Only 3rd Ashes double in modern era ( Hayden & Waugh* others..*he's here as a mentor !..)
Eng desparately need inspiration or silly collapse by Aus.

[Banquo]

Sangakkara is a terrific pundit, analysing why Bairstow is struggling to keep to spinners. Made me laugh when Botham was trying to get some sympathy out of Kumar for YJB, 'because the wicket was a bit tricky with some turn'---- I assume Both had forgotten what Sri Lankan wickets are like, and that Kumar kept to Murali.

[Banquo]

Ali and Denly aren't currently scaring anyone - could be the end of Moeen's test career. Think the game has all but gone, unless Broad can conjure summat up with new ball.

[Banquo]

This is ridiculous- Root looks infinitely more threatening than Ali. Lyons is going to be very hard to play.

[WaspInWales]

Need a miracle now. Any rain due?

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[Banquo]

That's really poor from Root- Smith was gone.

[Digby]

Need a miracle now. Any rain due?

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Yes this afternoon, tomorrow's rain in the Midlands might miss Edgbaston, then again it might not, should get the morning

[Banquo]

Ton up from Moeen. Not happy with Root here.

[Banquo]

This is turning into a battering, bowlers looking very ordinary, and missing half chances on run outs as well.

[Galfon]

2 great run out chances - Burns late yesterday, Roy today.
Teams on their game take these.
JR bowling himself with ball 5 overs old ?..
Aus going for it now.
Shouldn't forget he's a main strike bowler down, but a declaration will sum it up. ( a lead of 400 maybe ?..)

[Banquo]

Great by Australia, aided and abetted by us; Anderson's selection has screwed us (though only after we gave away 122-8), Ali being embarrassed has compounded that. Aussie attitude to today (possibly minus latish declaration) has been top notch, but we utterly failed to apply any pressure, starting with opening up with Ali.

353 runs scored in 80 overs is not a good look.

[Galfon]

398 to win..or rather a day to survive / get saved by the weather.
Lyon could bag a sack-full.

[Banquo]

Lyon turning it square already.

[fivepointer]

Been out today so missed the carnage.
Very difficult to see how we survive tomorrow unless the weather intervenes.
Time for Moeen to play a match saving innings perhaps? He could do with making some kind of contribution, as his place in the side must be in jeopardy.
1 for 130 in 29 overs isnt what you want from a front line spinner on a pitch offering some help.

[WaspInWales]

Avoiding defeat, as unlikely as it sounds at this point may well be a defining moment in the series.

If we do manage to dodge an almost Thanos like inevitability, then changes must be considered for the second test. Not sure Jimmy is worth the risk. We need to drop Ali* and bring in a second spinner. Fuck sake, we're playing this series on home grounds, surely we can use that advantage?

We just look a little clueless with the ball when we're up against it at the moment, and that gives the Aussies such an edge. Factor in Smith and if things stay the same, it's hard to see beyond an Aussie win.

Get through tomorrow without being bowled out and I'll start believing.

* - If Ali scores a ton, would be hard to drop him, but he'll have to at least play the ball from time to time!

[WaspInWales]

How do you solve a problem like Smith?

[Stom]

I'd make as many as 4 changes...

Out with Denly, Bairstow, Ali and an unfit Anderson.

In with Foakes, Curran, Leach and Archer.

Buttler at 4, Stokes 5, Foakes 6, Woakes 7, Curran 8.

[Banquo]

I'd make as many as 4 changes...

Out with Denly, Bairstow, Ali and an unfit Anderson.

In with Foakes, Curran, Leach and Archer.

Buttler at 4, Stokes 5, Foakes 6, Woakes 7, Curran 8.

I'm not quite sure why Foakes was binned off in the first place. However we have a big problem, as your proposed selection shows. Bar Root, our best batsmen are all test 6 or 7's (Buttler imo cannot be as high as 4, he's great at 7 ). Root's best position is 5 statistically and that stacks up with his strengths, and having him at 3 (and as skipper) is costing us a lot of runs imo. YJB has suffered through being moved up and down the order, and his insistence in being the red ball keeper.
Unfortunately, I can't see a way forward on batting that sorts out 1-4 satisfactorily.

[Big D]

Avoiding defeat, as unlikely as it sounds at this point may well be a defining moment in the series.

This is a bigger test for Burns than whether he got a score in the 1st innings or not. If he bats to mid afternoon or later it could be the making of him.

Can Roy keep patient? Should be enthralling.

How do you solve a problem like Smith?

Left arm off spin apparently. Averages 38 against it.

I'd make as many as 4 changes...

Out with Denly, Bairstow, Ali and an unfit Anderson.

In with Foakes, Curran, Leach and Archer.

Buttler at 4, Stokes 5, Foakes 6, Woakes 7, Curran 8.

I would drop the same players but bring in Sibley in place of Curran in your line up. Put him at 3.