It's The Ashes (again)

[wba13]

I don’t think the weather will help and don’t know why and hope I’m wrong but I can see the Aussies winning this.

[SuperBob2002]

I don’t think the weather will help and don’t know why and hope I’m wrong but I can see the Aussies winning this.

They've started well and look very comfortable. 

Our bowlers look fatigued, which isn't surprising given how many overs extra they've bowled compared to the Aussies. When you bat time and sensible you also wear down the opponent, which is what the Aussies have done superbly for most of the series. 

We could do with one more Stuart Broad spell.

[Cheshire East Baggie]

On a day when England barely threatened the Australian batsmen, we see Broad and Anderson bowl twice as many overs as Wood and Woakes. Am I alone in thinking that Stokes wants to give the old lags the maximum opportunity to take a raft of wickets? Would he draw or even lose this match rather than see Wood and Woakes polish them off and square the series?

There is so much to question about Stokes' captaincy. At best he's turned a potential series win into a draw, at worst a series defeat. Of course if anyone challenges him, he'll refuse to acknowledge any error.

[Ted Maul]

Barring something special from England it looks as though the Aussies are going to get the runs.

Would be unjust to lose the series 3-1 given the rain interruption from Old Trafford.

[rsbaggy2]

Barring something special from England it looks as though the Aussies are going to get the runs.

Would be unjust to lose the series 3-1 given the rain interruption from Old Trafford.

Should we pray for rain today?

[Ted Maul]

Barring something special from England it looks as though the Aussies are going to get the runs.

Would be unjust to lose the series 3-1 given the rain interruption from Old Trafford.

Should we pray for rain today?

I think we might get some through the afternoon session anyway.

2-1 would feel an apt scoreline for the series with Australia winning the key moments in the early tests. Chasing almost 400 on a fifth day pitch in the fifth test is impressive mind. Without sounding like another whinging Pom, I'd argue with anyone who thinks 3-1 doesn't flatter the Australians a little bit. As all good sides do though, they win the tight moments.

[rsbaggy2]

Massive reprieve for Smith.

[AnelkasBeard]

Massive reprieve for Smith.

Massively unlucky that it flicked his leg on the way down, that would've bene a great catch.

Really not sure why Stokes reviewed that one though. He clearly knows that he's "dropped" it (in the loosest sense, but it is a "drop"). Losing a review for it is very annoying.

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On a day when England barely threatened the Australian batsmen, we see Broad and Anderson bowl twice as many overs as Wood and Woakes. Am I alone in thinking that Stokes wants to give the old lags the maximum opportunity to take a raft of wickets? Would he draw or even lose this match rather than see Wood and Woakes polish them off and square the series?

There is so much to question about Stokes' captaincy. At best he's turned a potential series win into a draw, at worst a series defeat. Of course if anyone challenges him, he'll refuse to acknowledge any error.

If you could send some of what you're smoking to the rest of us on the bored, that would be great. Cheers mate.

[rsbaggy2]

Just watching the lunch interval. Massive discussion about the condition of the changed ball. The pictures are startling. What were the umpires thinking? Certainly boomed around more with the newer ball.

[SuperBob2002]

More sloppy cricket has cost us dearly. Why celebrate a catch before you've taken it? That's the kind of unprofessionalism that we've seen right throughout the series, unfortunately.