It's The Ashes (again)

[Borin' Baggie]

This is day 2

[SuperBob2002]

I wouldn't want us chasing more than 250 on this wicket. So we've got another 120 runs to play with before it starts getting into a difficult chase. Or have I overestimated the difficulty of the wicket?

[Shabby Russian]

The batting in this series to date has been sketchy to say the least.

Some big totals, but given the pitches in the first two games, they should have been bigger.

Very little in the way of first class batting, just a lot of cameos where players shine brightly for a while, looked for a big innings and then throw their wicket away.

Even the Australians are doing this, makes me think it's little to do with bazball and everything to do with the modern batter not being able to concentrate sufficiently,  to allow them to bat for three sessions or more.

[Everything Zin]

The approach by England is all about trying to score runs rather than scratch around waiting for the inevitable good ball that will get anyone out, particularly on a pitch like this that offers something for the bowlers. In the past how many times have we seen England bat 'properly' for 80 overs and be bowled out for less than 200? It won't work all the time, though so far in this match the batsmen that have taken the most aggressive approach have scored most of the runs. Look at the 4th innings run chases that England have made in the last couple of years, all down to a positive approach and taking the game to the opposition. If Australia start the game with 4 fielders in the deep, that's 4 less close catchers to grab the inevitable edges.

[Shabby Russian]

The approach by England is all about trying to score runs rather than scratch around waiting for the inevitable good ball that will get anyone out, particularly on a pitch like this that offers something for the bowlers. In the past how many times have we seen England bat 'properly' for 80 overs and be bowled out for less than 200? It won't work all the time, though so far in this match the batsmen that have taken the most aggressive approach have scored most of the runs. Look at the 4th innings run chases that England have made in the last couple of years, all down to a positive approach and taking the game to the opposition. If Australia start the game with 4 fielders in the deep, that's 4 less close catchers to grab the inevitable edges.

If you bat properly, you won't get below 200, unless the pitch is a real beast.

[SuperBob2002]

Bears and Pears are shit, too.

[Everything Zin]

The approach by England is all about trying to score runs rather than scratch around waiting for the inevitable good ball that will get anyone out, particularly on a pitch like this that offers something for the bowlers. In the past how many times have we seen England bat 'properly' for 80 overs and be bowled out for less than 200? It won't work all the time, though so far in this match the batsmen that have taken the most aggressive approach have scored most of the runs. Look at the 4th innings run chases that England have made in the last couple of years, all down to a positive approach and taking the game to the opposition. If Australia start the game with 4 fielders in the deep, that's 4 less close catchers to grab the inevitable edges.

If you bat properly, you won't get below 200, unless the pitch is a real beast.

Nonsense. It's happened many times. How many times in the past have teams been set scores of 250 to win a test and never got close because of the fear of getting out, just defending until they get the inevitable edge to the massed slip cordon? Now nobody would be confident of defending a final innings total of 300 against England.
England play to their strengths and it provides fantastic entertainment. As someone who grew up in the time of Boycott, of watching tedious 200 runs a day test matches with half the crowd gently snoring, I know which style I prefer.

[Malcolm Tucker]

You could easily flip the narrative of the series and say that this style of play has made us competitive with the best side in the world, whilst dropping about 300 runs worth of catches. If you put a combined 11 together you’d struggle to get more than 2/3 English players in there.

Obviously it’s impossible to prove that “playing sensibly” wouldn’t have seen us 2-0 up at this stage but the very opportunities that have been squandered have been brought about by this style of play. If you swap the catching statistics around then I’m pretty confident you could swap the score around too.

[Tom Joad]

Truth is, Marsh and Stokes excepted, no one has won with bat over ball in this game, yet. In a way for all the praise Australia are getting, the margin in truth, is paper thin.  The dropped catches are the crucial difference. On that note, Bairstow should not shoulder all of the blame. I'm sure he knows we have better but still goes out every game and gives his best. Root and Jimmy Anderson have dropped some plums.

[AnelkasBeard]

You could easily flip the narrative of the series and say that this style of play has made us competitive with the best side in the world, whilst dropping about 300 runs worth of catches. If you put a combined 11 together you’d struggle to get more than 2/3 English players in there.

Obviously it’s impossible to prove that “playing sensibly” wouldn’t have seen us 2-0 up at this stage but the very opportunities that have been squandered have been brought about by this style of play. If you swap the catching statistics around then I’m pretty confident you could swap the score around too.

Completely agree with this.