Not disagreeing with you, but I'm convinced he'll play.

Taylor weakens the batting. He's a very defensive player. I reckon Tremlett is earmarked for this test as I said earlier. If he is, then that weakens the batting still further as he's rubbish. That is the reason why I think KP will play.

Naturally tomorrow will see Bresnan retain his place and Taylir play 😂 which works. I'm talking if Tremlett plays. There's no way Taylor will in this scenario

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OK, let's assume Taylor plays instead of KP.

Would you agree that, in this scenario, there'd be a case for moving Bell to 4, Bairstow to 5 and put Taylor at 6 with Prior staying at 7.

That would look a much more balanced batting line-up.

 

 

PS - I think this Test is crucial for Root and the opner position. All speculation about his ability to open the batting has gone following his sterling innings in the last Test. However, everyone has always known he has mountains of ability and that he could put together such an innings. The issue was - and still is - can he do this on a consistent basis as an opener? Facing the new ball and totally fresh bowlers is a different proposition to coming in later in the order (and, IIRC, his least effective innings at 6 were when he came in after the opposition had just taken the new ball)

He needs to back-up his Lords performance to convince the doubters (me included) that he's a long-term bet as an opener. What we really don't need is someone who gets out cheaply 3 innings out of 4, but once in can go onto a big score. We need consistency. I'd rather have an opener who almost always scores 30-50 and takes the sting out the bowling attack, than someone who usually fails, but scores a ton every 5/6 innings.

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In response to your initial point, yes. The point I'm trying to make is that if Taylor plays instead of KP there's no way Tremlett will. I don't know why, but I've just got this feeling Tremlett is being preferred over Bresnan here. Why else bring Tremlett in? He's currently involved in an intense fitness v playing regime at his county. I'm sure there would have been pressure on the selectors to select him only if to play, as its taken him out of his pattern for no good reason than to bring drinks out. If KP doesn't play then neither will Tremlett.

Just the way I'm seeing it. Could well be hopelessly wrong 😁

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What more motivation will Root need than smahing runs all over at the home of Lancashire on Yorkshire Day  If England bat first of course.

 

As for KP, if he does play then a big step up from him is needed now, his lack of form / fitness is well known but he has two tests under his belt and time for him to contribute in the way we know he can.

Looks like KP has declared himself fit to play. Another couple of innings where he throws his wicket away in the teens coming up then...

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Indeed, hopefully he can get his form back.

More importantly no Blowers on the TMS team for this test I believe ! Who is going to say ' and there was no run'.  Won't be the same without him.

  Much as I love Blowers he can be annoying at times. He does have a habit of getting the wickets down wrong - for an hour in 2009 I thought the Aussies were 1 down on the first morning and they weren't. He also claims part of the skill of the commentator is to let the co-commentator get his thoughts in, yet nowadays he tends to ramble on and on. I miss CMJ much more.

Aussies 132 for 3 Swann bowling well. You feel that the Aussie batting line up could completely collapse any minute but they're hanging in there. Rogers played well though.

 

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An annoying and very disappointing day for England so far. I was expecting us to be batting by now

 

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FFS, England - we're supposed to be embarrassing this bunch of convicts, not letting them have some fun and build confidence.

Nothing short of 5-0 is acceptable.

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Yet again the umpiring has been called into question. These umpires should never be allowed near a cricket pitch again., they have been a bunch of numbskulls. They are suppose to be the elite, they are bunch of tossers.

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Aussies on top, good century from Clarke

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So much simpering over the vile looking new media centre, that no one remembered to prepare a decent test wicket.

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Indeed take a bit of a miracle to win it from here.

 

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Don't worry, it will get much worse. Rumour has it that Billy Bowden will be called up in this series.

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Bang goes the 5-0 whitewash some were hoping for , this has DRAW written all over it

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Annoyingly, I nearly put a bet on it being a draw (before the start) but wasn't convinced on the amount of rain so didn't do so.  Too late now .....   Ony decent odds are on an England win

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Agreed. My wife and 1 year old kid give me a miffed look every time I try to impersonate him. Love his voice and the general shite he speaks.

Where are he posts of outrage about the Khawaja decision? :)

I've not seen it yet but from what I hear it was embarassing (from an umpiring perspective) - sad that this series might end up best remembered for the poor umpiring which has plagued every match

Edit: not that I think it'll make any difference to the overall result

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ROFL Bob Willis saying not only the umpires need a guide dog they also need a hearing aid.

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Too early to call what the result will be. Australia could easily get say 550 and England could be bowled for 230sih yet and have a real fight to save the game. All depends on how quickly England can pick up some wickets in the first hour and then when England do bat we really need a good knock from Cook, we need a 100+ score from at least one of the openers.

Australia deff on top though and really shouln't get beaten from this kind of start, but Australia have found some unusual and interesting ways of grasping defeat from the jaws of victory over the last few years so we shall see.

Wouldn't be surprised to see them rolled over for 380. Not expecting it, but wouldn't be surprised.

Bob Willis is the TV Boycott. Says what everyone else is thinking, but is too washed clean with media training to actually say it. 😁

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I wouldn't rule out Australia winning this test, then carrying on the momentum to take the series 3-2.

 

The only time that this has been achived in the past was when Don Bradman was around in the 30's! That was also in Australia where the weather is much more reliable so after being 2 down there was every chance that the following 3 tests would be results. I think this place would go in to melt down if it happened, there would be a national holiday and a tiker tape parade down Geroge Street Sydney!

All Australia really need now is probably one more good morning session and they will avoid defeat in this test. The first hour is critical to England chances of winning, 3 or 4 quick wickets would throw it wide open again. I will watch the first hour tonight and if it looks like more of the same from Australia then I will switch off until Saturday night Aussie time when England will be closer to batting.