The Cricket Thread

[arseofacrow]

Pretty level at the moment.

Some nice tunes by the trumpeter as well

[Leyton Gooner]

Another enthralling day of Test cricket

[MegaGooner]

Close of play: Aus 264 - 5.

I can’t be arsed to write a review of the day’s play, seeing I’m the only bastard reading this thread and I know what happened today.

Watson has 29 and Lyon 6.

I’ll be back tomorrow to play with myself some more.

[officepest]

Hola hermanos,

Sorry for the late start - I know you’ll all be desperate for updates. Well, the overnight batsmen have both been dismissed: Watson out lbw to Broad for 30 and Lyon out (also lbw) to Wood for 6.

Good start from England this morning.

[officepest]

England took the new ball a while ago and threw it to Anderson, who is swinging it all over the place. He has just taken the wicket of Haddin for 22 with an out-swinger which caught the edge of the bat before being well pouched by Buttler.

Aus 304 – 8

Starc the next man in.

[officepest]

Wicket.

Broad bowls to Johnson who scoops a simple catch to Ballance on the leg side.

Johnson out for 14 and Aus in real shit now.

[arseofacrow]

Aus 308 All out.

Good job by England this morning

Let's see how the batting holds up.

[officepest]

Aus all out for 308.

Anderson (who has bowled incredibly well) sends one down to Starc who can do nothing but edge it to Root at slip who takes a nice catch.

Starc goes for 0 and England have a healthy lead of 122.

[officepest]

Game on.

Cook dismissed for 12 after driving a wide delivery from Starc into the grateful Nathan Lyon's hands. It was an excellent catch; I didn't think it was anything other than a stop from the fielder until I saw the replay.

Time for Ballance to make an ugly-arse 50.

Eng 21 - 1.

[officepest]

Balance takes the last over before lunch, facing Mitchell Starc, who has him all over the fucking shop. Balance, whom to me seems to treat his bat as if it were a black mamba and the ball as an unexploded hand genade, is lucky to survive.

Lunch time chaps.

[arseofacrow]

Balance takes the last over before lunch, facing Mitchell Starc, who has him all over the fucking shop. Balance, whom to me seems to treat his bat as if it were a black mamba and the ball as an unexploded hand genade, is lucky to survive.

Lunch time chaps.

Might have to be a tuna sandwich, mate.

[officepest]

1st ball after lunch sees Hazlewood appeal for lbw which is turned down by the umpire but immediately reviewed by Aus, the decision stands and Lyth survives.

[officepest]

It's all going off now.

Hazlewood sends a bouncer down to Ballance and he can do nothing but glove it to Haddin behind the stumps. He looked hapless out there today for his duck. Speaking of hapless.....

Bell is in next and he needs runs like Andre Santos needs a dietician.

Eng 22 - 2.

[officepest]

I normally get my cricket coverage from TMS as I can’t stand Sky’s presentation, but for the Ashes I’ve made an exception. I have to admit to being really impressed by Ponting as a commentator, who, unlike that plastic faced fuckwit Warne, and in contradiction to his pantomime villain persona as a player comes across as extremely likeable and knowledgeable.

As for the game itself; Lyth is on 30 and Bell 17.

Good stuff from England now after the obligatory shit start.

[officepest]

Wicket.

Lyth 37 b Lyon c Clarke.

Lyth edges Lyon to slip where Clarke takes a beautiful catch to his left.

Eng 73 - 3 with Root the next man in.