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  1. if the first two tests have been anything to go by this should be captivating viewing. As I have mentioned in other threads, I very much hope that the tactic of banging it in half way down the pitch and setting a defensive leg side field does not dominate. In the light of Phil Hughes, the number of pinnings in the Lords Test made me feel a little queasy. It’s also quite boring to watch.

    Australia look the better side though, in my view, England should have won the first test and were in a dominant position in the second until they decided to pursue a strategy built around testing the catching skills of Australia’s boundary riders.

    It will be interesting to see who plays – the physios will be hard at work in both camps I think. For me Wood needs to play if fit, Anderson looks out of sorts or (finally) just a little too old, Broad and Robinson might struggle to make it through another test so soon, Moeen needs to play if fit (remember Jack Leach took 10 on a dusty track at Headingly last year) and Tongue did enough to play again.

    What about the Aussies. will Hazlewood get through another game? Who comes in for Lyon?

    Whatever, England win or the series is over – which would be sad in mid-July.

  2. Todd Murphy in for Lyon is a near certainty. He’s only young but acquitted himself very well in India. He can handle a bat but is not quite the all-rounder class.

    They were saying on the news that Hazlewood is likely to be rested with Scott Boland coming back in.

  4. Yes Todd Murphy will def play. He seems a genuine talent. I love it that he looks such a nerd (ie wears glasses, like I have done all my life). I’d like to see Boland back, and FFS can we not do the short pitched stuff for 98% of the time? What sort of pitch will it be?

  5. Whatever else Bazball achieves, never has cricket been so discussed on here.

    Pope will hopefully be out (the Hick/Ramprakash de nos jours, seriously talented but underperforming though always doing just enough – Ireland doesn’t count) so Stokes at 3
    Wood in for Anderson
    A spinner, though god knows who
    Foakes ideally but definitely not happening
    Best not open the Crawley debate again as there are other problems to be addressed…

    England a mess so Australia strong favourites. Will undoubtedly be entertaining, though being old-fashioned (and not attending) I’d prefer us to win the Ashes.

  8. Pope ruled out for rest of series so presumably Lawrence will come in. Other option is to move everyone up one place, recall Moeen at 7 then maybe add Woakes to the bowling attack which would also further strengthen the batting.

  9. Turns out I have cunningly scheduled my return journey to Oz (a week tomorrow) to fall exactly between the 3rd and 4th tests, yay. The jetlag might come in handy for once.

  14. So it’s Wood, Woakes and Moeen in for Pope, Tongue and Anderson.

    Brook to bat at 3 which, given how he looked against the short ball in the last test, is a worry to me. Bairstow at 6, Moeen at 7 and Woakes at 8 so the middle/late middle order has more depth than Lords but looks less solid than Edgbaston.

    It seems that there might be a greater acceptance of the fact that Stokes isn’t fit to bowl. I would say that the bowling looks more threatening, varied and a little stronger.

  15. Australia – Lyon is injured – tactical change elsewhere.

    England _ Blah, blah, lofkkjnfiifbhbjlekkbfjbjn,slkjbkejnllkkjbekkjnkjlkjbpkjnkjfwkjnnnad _iiuhbjjhbkcvhbbkjj\sbkjjhbkjhblblhbocicHWUHKJVNNLKJ;pppppppp
    yyyyyyyyyhggffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffpppppppppppppppno cup spurs guvnor

    It’s a hunch, it depends on a huge amount going – once again – their way… England having had ALL the luck so far… but, hey, it ‘might’ work.
    I hope it doesn’t.

  16. Australia – Lyon injured, tactical change elsewhere.

    England _ Blah, blah, lofkkjnfiifbhbjlekkbfjbjn,slkjbkejnllkkjbekkjnkjlkjbpkjnkjfwkjnnnad _iiuhbjjhbkcvhbbkjj\sbkjjhbkjhblblhbocicHWUHKJVNNLKJ;ppfpppppppppppppppno cup spurs
    bit motr catainct bit more captainsy bit nore capraincy bit more captaincy

    It’s a hunch, it depends on a huge amount going – once again – their way… but, hey, it might work.

    I hope it doesn’t.

    The future of Test Cricket depends on teams, like this Australian side, who want to play Test Cricket. I hope they win the toss, bat, and declare at the end of Day 3.

  17. Papers saying Aussies likely to face hostile raucous alcohol fuelled crowd at Headingley.
    So like England face every match of an Aussie tour.
    And every team , maybe minus the alcohol , faces in India.

  20. England’s dropped catch total for this series already looking shockingly high. Some basic stuff getting put down – and the wicket keeper isn’t helping matters.

    • First chance to Bairstow was a half one at best, he should have taken the second one though. Apparently Root dropped a sitter soon after lunch too.

  29. Funny thing about Mitch Marsh – he has been the Australian cricketing public’s whipping boy for as long as I can remember. There was a collective groan when he was selected.

    • If the point of impact between the ball and the batsman’s body is outside the off stump line, the batsman can only be given out if they were not offering a shot, or in cricketing terms, didn’t intend to play the ball. If the batsman had made a genuine attempt at a shot but missed the ball, it is not out.

  34. Well Chiz , Warner is truly Broad’s bunny. They always say it is harder to get out of the Aussie team than in-and that is the only thing that will keep him in for the next test.

      • I think Smith is a terrific player, but he does seem a bit of a odd character. Maybe one of our Aussie members can comment..? This was an innocuous send off as they go – I guess he was cross about getting out as he did, but it was like Bairstow had insulted his mother. It was funny though.

        • Last innings he went to review for something patently out. Just desperate to bat. It is his lifeblood. Over 20 bats 50 sets of gloves. On TV commentary they said he was blindfolded and handed various bats. He could chat about each blindfolded.He is clearly odd. And while a good strategist, in hindsight, not Captain material.
          Australia really blew that after having your top order skittled. Seems to be the pattern of things.
          My respect for Stokes grows. Buggered knee, crook back, torn arse muscle. Probably other things and he just stands and delivers.
          Both Captains have been excellent.

            • These teams are more closely matched than the results suggest and all the matches have all been close – if England had taken their chances things might look quite different.

              The ridiculous schedule has not allowed the teams recover properly both physically and mentally, and this is adding to the brain scrambling. Cummins is a terrific player, but Stokes is the better captain and much more flexible in the field. Cummins has also got some egos in that team to manage.

              I think Australia will still win this game (natural pessimism), but I do not understand why they have played the 2nd innings in this way – the only explanation seems to be that there is so much time left in the game they made the deliberate decision to try to bat long, wear down the bowlers and build a big score, but the slow run rate is in danger of biting them on the arse. I expect them to come out much harder this morning.

  36. Watching the highlights. Of course I hope England get over the line but if they don’t I won’t mind as much as I may have previously. This is incredible theatre, entertainment, sport of the highest quality and excitement. 540 little battles played out daily for our pleasure. This series is bigger than the result. Test cricket was dying. I’m looking forward to how other nations react. India are already there with Sharma, Gill, Pandya and Pant if fit. The West Indies may as well go hell for leather and Pakistan and Sri Lanka have already shown signs. Imagine tomorrow if England have 250 – 300 to chase? Tell me you are not entertained

  37. One reaction could be two Test nations – small crowd, a significant number of the players itching to get away to play in the IPL – agreeing to bat for 20 overs each, thwacking the ball all around the ground, and the captains reconvening mid-afternoon on the First Day to discuss the situation.

    I wonder if Stokes will step down as captain were England to lose three out of three Tests against their biggest rivals, with home advantage, winning the toss on all three occasions, and enjoying the best conditions for battling and/or bowling 80% of the time?
    Entertainment in 2023 sure comes at a heavy price.

      • Agreed. I almost don’t care whether we lose this series (almost), as it has been riveting. This way of positive playing will continue – remember, this is the first serious blip, and against the best test side in the world too. The matches have been close – it has been basic skills that have let England down (catching a ball, basically), not the way they play.

    • They’ve had a long rest, which is good, the outfield will be slower, and hopefully some muggy weather and cloudy overhead condions. The downside is that we will probably be batting in it too…!

  39. Well lads, I Woakes up ( see what i did there) saw the one and only over , and now it is back to sleep.
    Not a bad way to watch.
    Reminds me of my Dad. In a sweltering Aussie summer he’d lie on the couch with the cricket on sleeping. But the kerfuffle of a big hit or wicket ,would stir him from his slumber. He’d then watch that action and return to his slumber. He made his own highlights reel.

  41. Got the favourable conditions once again, it’s been a theme throughout the whole series.
    If England don’t win this match there really is no excuse.

    It’ll make for a great Sunday.

  42. The way things work here in NZ is that the footage starts at 10pm and then my usual bedtime of midnight is pushed out if there’s something interesting going on.

    Watching Stokes get his 80 took me to 2:30am and tonight I’m thinking a similar situation might occur.

    On a whim I bought some fiery hot chilli twisties (a bit like Monster Munch) to have with a cold beer while watching. On reflection, that purchase was made in the daytime.

    What is a good choice for post-midnight snacking? I might lose the beer and get sparkling water.

  44. Gideon Haigh writing here and also in The Times presumably , commenting on Smith. During Tests he is ga ga, doesn’t sleep hardly eats so by the end he is shot.
    Here we have had full 5 day Tests scheduled ridiculously close together. No time for any recovery, to recharge the batteries.

  52. With nearly 2 days left, they don’t have to go mad here. Tick along at 3 or 4 an over and …er….don’t get out.

    No one seems to really get in though, do they? So many starts and then the ball does something.

    • I think this is a real issue for the Aussies, and it hasn’t really been addressed on TV I don’t think. Lyon was a really important part of that team, and they have now lost the first game without him, and they hid Murphy away so much that it seems pointless playing him at all. Could be absolutely crucial.

  67. Congratulations England – a good win and this remarkable series rolls on.
    Wood the difference. The way he cleaned up our tail so cheaply, and those 24 runs off 8 balls was critical in us not having enough runs to play with.
    On to Old Trafford !

  68. Amazing, amazing game. These two teams are so well-matched. And I’m delighted this week has been all about the cricket. Fantastic! Wood or Woakes man of the match? Or are you a Marsh person?

    • Marsh kept us in. For me Wood. If you look at the scorecard and who got the top order etc he doesn’t look that dominant. But often the superquick unsettles them and the others get the wickets.
      I tell ya what. Was undecided on Brook but being young, the experience of this Ashes series will really bring him on.

      • From Twitter: Mark Wood scored 40 runs in the match from 16 balls at a strike rate of 250. Nobody has ever scored more runs at a faster rate across a Test match.

  69. Amazing. Imagine if Wood, Woakes and Foakes had played at Lord’s. Hopefully that’s the last we see of Bairstow, and Stokes’ play-your-mates policy.

  73. 3 games of non stop tension and pressure finally closed the gap between the teams. Cannot wait for Manchester. Oh and Mo offering to bat 3 to take the pressure off Brook. The man is just absolute class.

    • Did Moeen do that? Good on him if he did. And Brook batted well – quietened a few doubters, me included.

      The series couldn’t be better poised now could it? I need to work out how to use a vpn from Greece to watch the next two games. Anyone have any experience of them?

      • From Stokes post march interview on BBC cricket website

        On Moeen Ali batting three: “Mo came up to Baz and said, let me have a go at three. Free hit is not the right word, but we thought he could have more influence at three then eight.

        “It didn’t work, but I loved that Mo took that responsibility.”

        • Wouldn’t usually quote Vaughan but…

          Michael Vaughan

          Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

          I love that a player like Moeen Ali has gone to the coach and said, “I’ll do it.”

          Ben Stokes said it didn’t work but it did work, because it got Harry Brook at number five.

          Harry isn’t a number three. Whether Moeen it saw that with Harry not quite being comfortable and being a senior pro, it would help the young kid. It certainly worked.

          • Said Mo wanted to take it up to the Aussies. Didn’t look like that when he was out there.
            Guess it is better than saying Brook not comfortable at 3 so we needed to shuffle. No matter there will be a replacement for Pope next match.

      • I’ve been watching the Oz Channel 9 feed via Express VPN, which I’ve used problem-free for a few years. It, er, just works. It costs, though – I pay about $110 a year.

  75. So…surely some changes for Old Trafford for both teams.

    For England the big question mark is over Bairstow I guess. He hasn’t cut it with the gloves, and I suspect Foakes would have scored more runs (not hard), so I’d make that change. He has cost us.
    Assuming Robinson is unfit, it is presumably a decision between Anderson and Tongue. Woakes and Wood have to play, and Broad has been terrific all series. Tough one, but it may depend on conditions. At the moment, I’d go with Tongue.

    The Aussies have a spin issue. They were obviously nervous of putting Murphy into the attack, whereas Lyon would definitely have been bowled far more. Seems little point in playing a player who isn’t going to bowl. An all seam attack? Starc and Cummins will play, but Boland isn’t up to them. The big question must be between Green and Marsh – I’d play both and not Boland. It would also strengthen the batting which has loooked oddly vulnerable at the top end.

    • Inclined to agree. Boland was thought to be our secret weapon but somehow he either lost his mojo or you guys have worked him out. He did seem to “ nearly” get quite a few wickets . His normally parsimonious run rate blew out too.
      Re Murphy – well, there is playing him and then there is playing him when you are chasing less than a hundred runs. Lyon would have locked down an end and strangled the run rate. He’d have loved it.
      Cummins proving quite conservative. Based on post match comments Warner is in. Thing about Green is due to his past stress fractures he is being underbowled too.

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