It's The Ashes (again)

[SuperBob2002]

No one has ever won a Test match bowling first here at Old Trafford - just seen this fact in the BBC. That can't be right, shirley?

[strawman]

No one has ever won a Test match bowling first here at Old Trafford - just seen this fact in the BBC. That can't be right, shirley?

'Teams batting first have won 32 Tests at the Emirates Old Trafford, chasing teams have won 16 games and 35 Test matches have been drawn.'



That's all tests though - maybe it's ashes tests they are referring to ?

[SuperBob2002]

No one has ever won a Test match bowling first here at Old Trafford - just seen this fact in the BBC. That can't be right, shirley?

'Teams batting first have won 32 Tests at the Emirates Old Trafford, chasing teams have won 16 games and 35 Test matches have been drawn.'



That's all tests though - maybe it's ashes tests they are referring to ?

Yet another example of poor reporting from the BBC.

[Ted Maul]

A criticism of our approach this morning if I may.

Always seemed like one of those good tosses to lose for the Australians. The pitch looks really good and once the ball gets old and the cloud burns off which it looks like it will today they could well bat us out of the Ashes. England in the first two test matches of this series were careless with bat and ball, at Headingley we were much better with bat in hand and looked to absorb pressure when it was applied. I wish we would take this attitude to our bowling. The leg slip theory to Smith and Labuschagne has gifted them four or five boundaries as we've stationed our fine leg too wide, and lost a fourth slip to leg slip. It's all well and good being 100% attack all of the time, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with drying runs up when you aren't taking wickets. As it happens we've allowed Smith and Labuschagne to get starts and it's up to them whether they throw them away. Poor tactics for the last hour this morning I thought.

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A criticism of our approach this morning if I may.

Always seemed like one of those good tosses to lose for the Australians. The pitch looks really good and once the ball gets old and the cloud burns off which it looks like it will today they could well bat us out of the Ashes. England in the first two test matches of this series were careless with bat and ball, at Headingley we were much better with bat in hand and looked to absorb pressure when it was applied. I wish we would take this attitude to our bowling. The leg slip theory to Smith and Labuschagne has gifted them four or five boundaries as we've stationed our fine leg too wide, and lost a fourth slip to leg slip. It's all well and good being 100% attack all of the time, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with drying runs up when you aren't taking wickets. As it happens we've allowed Smith and Labuschagne to get starts and it's up to them whether they throw them away. Poor tactics for the last hour this morning I thought.

Since lunch... tight lines, frustrating Smith and Labuschagne and a wicket. Brilliant review. It's a simple fucking game.

[SausEggBaton]

Bye Smith

[SuperBob2002]

How's Anderson bowled? I noticed he's not taken a wicket but bowling at an economy of 2.

[DemonicBaggie]

Broad's doing okay. Some landmark, that.

[Ted Maul]

Let's be fair now. What an absolutely sensational catch that is from Jonny Bairstow.

255-7, come on then England.

[Cuzer]

Englands day so far but still some runs left in this Aussie tail

Woakes pick of the bowlers Bob but Anderson has bowled fine, beat the bat plenty earlier but no wickets

Try to contain your excitement......... :-)

Cuzer

[rsbaggy2]

Superb catch. A flash of brilliance amongst a sea of below average keeping.

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England's day for sure so far. To bat today would help if the match is truncated by the weather.