As it stands Lyon currently has a bowling average of 31.88 per wicket.

Given he has taken 353 of them, I thought it would have been  a lower average at this stage  of his career.  He has taken a lot of recent wickets.

Lyon already has about 10 in this series.

Two really bad reviews 

this partnership is really getting england back into the game

Ireland nearly beat them at lords, tbf. Afghanistan would roll them at home.

Hazelwood already in his 19th over. Fair spell from him. Tip my hat stuff. 64th over. Quite impressive.

253. It brings a win into the equation if we can bat for 2 days. Big if of course!

1 thing in warners favour is both of his dismissals were forgivable in the first test

3 failures from 3 for warner. Still time to turn it around but he is looking a bit out of touch here...

Well done Straya. Haze bowled beautifully early. Cummins short attack was on target. Lyon gifted some soft wickets.

Well done Straya.

Thanks, Paddles. 

High praise from a Kiwi!

I suppose NZ are my second team, although I’m keen on  Ireland ATM. 

A bit of a worry. 

How was he out? 

Gday all,
jaszyjim - what I don't understand is why is Starc 12th man?
Not because he should be bowling, but this is where we keep falling down in our selection.
Whoever is in the squad & not in the 11 & is the best fielder should be 12th man.
Windies did it all the time & rested players.

Gday Dc,
jaszyjim - what is going on, no comment from you Dc could you please elucidate on this

bowled, good ball. From broad again


needs to find a way to counter him

I think it is up to Baggers to elucidate how much he wants to disclose.

I  am not sure how much he wants aired publicly.

You could message him.

His cricket contribution will be missed, but hopefully Baggers returns again in the future.

Saw that dismissal a few mins ago.

Apparently he tickled one from Archer that was caught behind, but it wasn't appealed by England.

England have often had a gun fielder  as 12th man.

control is at 75% for both in batsmen. If we survive the 1st hour or so there could be a lot more joy. Broad has miles in his legs and archer should get a bit wonky after lunch

If we make 350+ there is really only one team that can win and that is not that many runs

Gday Dc,
jaszyjim - Thanks, will just leave it  at that.

its a shame, baggygreen if you read this your contributions will be missed and we hope you return soon!

Take what ever time you need!

Agree.

We will miss your contributions, Baggers.

Hope to catch up with you again in the future,  mate.

Broad will be a nuisance for the whole match.

I expect Archer to fade out, the longer he bowls.

Archer is accustomed to playing first class cricket, I'm sure he'll be ok unless his injury flares again. 

For me the key will be Woakes and Leach - England desperately need a 3rd seamer to fire, and they need leach to be tidy so they can rorate the quicks through. 

I want to clarify something.

Yes England does have gun fielding reserves. They started it famously in 2005 (Ponting runout). But he was not in the ECB squad. And was not 12th man. He was just the best fielder in county cricket, useless bat, useless bowler, but gun fielder.

And so does NZ when playing in NZ. NZ has a specialist reserve fielder! He plays wicket keeper for his FC team when he plays. He is a gun fielder. BUT - he will never be 12th man. His name is Peter Bocock. And he is nowhere near the team squad. But boy can he field! He even wicket kept when Watling was injured! (He can actually bat well and is a gun keeper).

All teams can use whoever they want as a reserve fielder. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE 12th man. 

Teams announce a squad, then a 12, then the playing XI just before the toss. The reserve fielder can come from anywhere. And often does. 

IN 1988 - NZ literally, LITERALLY - had to call in Jeremy Coney (retired from intl cricket 2 years earlier) from the radio commentary team to take the field in India due to so much Delhi Belly. Anyone can field. Even from a different country I believe. Domestically ina  game I played,  I remember one game we were short, we used an opposing team player to field for us. And he took a catch! But people stick to their countrymen at intls..

The commentators are spot on about Bancrofts technique. He plants his front foot and then has to play around it, which means that his bat doesn't come through straight but rather across from the off side to the leg side. This is why he doesn't drive well and gets so many outside edges, and why he's such an LBW chance.

And the moment I typed out he's been given out LBW. 

And now Khawaja's out!

That was a hard session. 

A mate of mine has just texted me to say the forecast is for rain for the rest of the day. 

This Test looks like being a draw. 

A shame, he was one of the few who played a few shots. 

This was identified before Sandpapergate. 

It is  a problem. 

Surely Warner and Bancroft have to be dropped?