Ripper of a ball. Always the risk when you go that hard at the ball when it's swinging

Shit

Oh dear :lol:

Omg Cowan, what on earth was that. Definitely nerves, very out of character for Cowan.

Of getting out cheaply?

Watson isn't a test batsman IMO. He's too attacking too early on. Yes, he hit 3 nice boundaries, but he needs to keep his head. He was playing like they needed to take Englands 215 by the end of the day. He's a decent one-day and 20-20 player, but not great at test.

As I type, Ed Cowan goes for a golden duck. Fuck me. Stephan Finn now on a hat-trick.

Ed Cowan. #-o #-o #-o #-o #-o #-o #-o

If Cowan had left that it would have been a wide. #-o

Michael Clarke now going to have to resurrect this innings. Going to have to play a Steve Waugh style innings.

FUCK ME DEAD MICHAEL!!!!!!!!

Great Delivery by Finn, lucky not to get an edge. Bee's dick away from a hat-trick there. Keep your fucking heads lads.

I have to disagree. He has a solid technique and imposes himself on the opposition bowlers, similar to guys like Hayden and Gayle. I think our batting order needs to be shaped around him at no. 1.

Clarke should not be batting 4 in this line up in England. His natural game is to attack, and 4 in this order is as good as opening. We need to build a top order that can bat time and take the shine off the ball so Clarke can take advantage of good conditions like we know he can



Edited by 99 Problems: 11/7/2013 02:15:45 AM

I would agree with you, but neither Hughes or Smith have the temperament to bat at 4. We are really missing a calming influence in our middle order, I.e. Hussey.

Also, Clarke is mature enough now to play that role and work hard to perfect it. There's also too much criticism if he keeps himself sheltered at 5.

Edited by vaughn2111: 11/7/2013 02:19:20 AM

Wow. What an absolute beauty. No blame attached to Clarke.

WHAT A FUCKING DELIVERY BY ANDERSON!!!!!! BOWLED BY ANDERSON. CLARKE GONE FOR 0!

Australia...Eastern Glorys fears have been realized. We're being tormented by this excellent swing bowling.

I know what you mean, I was hoping that Cowan at 3 would help a lot, so even if the runs weren't coming as freely, he could spend some time out there to make things easier for the middle order. I would prefer Hughes at 4, purely because it means he is less likely to run into Swann from the start, and Clarke is our best player of spin

Very brave of Smith to come in ahead of Hughes.

Unplayable ball. Why the fuck did Clarke have to cop that...an inswinger that straightens off the pitch, it's the stuff of nightmares as a batsman

It was a true beauty of a delivery. Initially I thought he was caught behind, thought Clarke got a nick. The look on Clarke's face said it all. He was shocked.

3-22 Australia in trouble. This has turned into a bowlers paradise.

Australia are going to be lucky to avoid the follow on at this rate.

I like Smith coming out, he showed a lot of temperament in India

~half an hour left in the day, I thought Australia might think about a night watchman.

The way we're going we'll be lucky to have any night watchmen.

He is also a good player of spin iirc.

Rogers looks tight! Very happy with his inclusion.

Rogers is up the end just watching the wickets tumble. Good thing about Rogers is he's played a lot of County Cricket for Middlesex. So he knows these conditions well. He knows how to play them, and he's played with the likes of Anderson recently, so he's probably the only player in our lineup whose 100% comfortable in these conditions.

He's playing well, not coming out and trying to do a Watson or a Cowan and come out playing flashy front foot shots. He's watching the ball carefully and playing each ball on their merits. Had Clarke not faced that ripper of a delivery, Those two might have seen it through to stumps.

Score update anyone? Can't be bothered turning TV back on :lol:

There was a noise there, but more of a flat thud. I think it was bat hitting pad.

Australia 3-25. Make that 3-27 with Smith getting 2.
Smith Currently 5* (9) Rogers 9 (27)

Shot smith. That's what we need to keep doing, put the bad one away.

Edited by vaughn2111: 11/7/2013 02:42:01 AM

Australia really are just flirting with stupidity aren't they?

Top order with the exception of Rogers just haven't played to the conditions. You can forgive Michael Clarke, perhaps. He just got a corker of a delivery. The true, unplayable ball.

Rogers getting a thick edge, goes past the outstretched hand of third slip for 4.

Steve Smith. :lol: That's not how you play a forward defense!