It's The Ashes (again)

[Tambag]

Warner nearly edges. But it quite clearly flicked his trousers pocket and not the bat. A valid appeal ... like many the Aussies made ...

This is not going to be easy to chase, weather withstanding.

Fair play to the umpire, commentators never give the umpires any credit when they get these decisions correct.

[CA Baggie]

281 to win. Again, nicely poised. I make Australia favourites from here on in - weather dependent.

Surprise surprise. Honestly, you're so negative, I'm surprised you don't develop overnight in the dark.

Fantastically poised test match. This would be the 3rd highest chase ever at Edgbaston, and one of those was a Bazball YJB/Root special last year. If the Aussies do this, then fair play.

How is that negative? I think most reasonable folks would make Aussies favourites. Weather dependent, there's plenty of time in which to get the runs, and we've not got a front line spinner to go to, unless Ali has sorted his sore finger out (I doubt as it looks painful and is causing him issues). 

Of course we can win, especially if we can cause a mini-collapse in potentially tough conditions tomorrow.

---

I really wish the phrase bazball would be retired for good. It wore thin long ago.

Mccullum calls it silly. Stokes said earlier this year he dislikes it. It can’t just be me who finds it cringe?

You're not alone.

Your entries on this whole thread are so incessantly negative. Jesus christ man, you don't even see it.

Why are Australia favourites? This would be the third highest chase at Edgbaston ever.... bloody good effort if they get there, and they'd be deserving.

We'll see who is right. I am by no means ruling us out, as per my previous posts, where I also say it's nicely poised. But you'll only read what you want to read, I guess.

---

There's plenty of overs remaining. (Australia will need 0.5, give or take, runs an over, if we get all overs in (Up to 140, I believe). As unlikely as that is). It's still a very good wicket for batting. They've for the 3 best Test batsmen in the world. Spin looks the likeliest way to take wickets on this surface, and right now we don't know how Ali will cope with his injury and the demands on his body given he hasn't bowled in a Test for 2/3 years.

I think there's enough there to justify saying Australia are now favourites.

But we have reasons to be optimistic, too. Broad, Anderson and Robinson aren't bad bowlers, and we'll hopefully get bowler friendly conditions tomorrow. We just need to keep the run rate down over this session.

0.5 x 140 overs would be 70 runs?

---

Warner nearly edges. But it quite clearly flicked his trousers pocket and not the bat. A valid appeal ... like many the Aussies made ...

This is not going to be easy to chase, weather withstanding.

Fair play to the umpire, commentators never give the umpires any credit when they get these decisions correct.

Don't bite.  He's trying to make something out of the Aussies appealing for everything and England being as bad. for appealing when hearing a noise.  Choosing to ignore the Aussies appealing for the ball going straight through without hitting anything.

Kohli would never do that.

Earlier in the fred he was implying that the umpires were favouring England.

[SuperBob2002]

Surprise surprise. Honestly, you're so negative, I'm surprised you don't develop overnight in the dark.

Fantastically poised test match. This would be the 3rd highest chase ever at Edgbaston, and one of those was a Bazball YJB/Root special last year. If the Aussies do this, then fair play.

How is that negative? I think most reasonable folks would make Aussies favourites. Weather dependent, there's plenty of time in which to get the runs, and we've not got a front line spinner to go to, unless Ali has sorted his sore finger out (I doubt as it looks painful and is causing him issues). 

Of course we can win, especially if we can cause a mini-collapse in potentially tough conditions tomorrow.

---

I really wish the phrase bazball would be retired for good. It wore thin long ago.

Mccullum calls it silly. Stokes said earlier this year he dislikes it. It can’t just be me who finds it cringe?

You're not alone.

Your entries on this whole thread are so incessantly negative. Jesus christ man, you don't even see it.

Why are Australia favourites? This would be the third highest chase at Edgbaston ever.... bloody good effort if they get there, and they'd be deserving.

We'll see who is right. I am by no means ruling us out, as per my previous posts, where I also say it's nicely poised. But you'll only read what you want to read, I guess.

---

There's plenty of overs remaining. (Australia will need 0.5, give or take, runs an over, if we get all overs in (Up to 140, I believe). As unlikely as that is). It's still a very good wicket for batting. They've for the 3 best Test batsmen in the world. Spin looks the likeliest way to take wickets on this surface, and right now we don't know how Ali will cope with his injury and the demands on his body given he hasn't bowled in a Test for 2/3 years.

I think there's enough there to justify saying Australia are now favourites.

But we have reasons to be optimistic, too. Broad, Anderson and Robinson aren't bad bowlers, and we'll hopefully get bowler friendly conditions tomorrow. We just need to keep the run rate down over this session.

0.5 x 140 overs would be 70 runs?

Quite right. 2 runs an over needed. But it'll be more as we won't get all them bowled. 

Aussies have made a good start. We really could have done with Bairstow taking that chance!

[rsbaggy2]

Surprise surprise. Honestly, you're so negative, I'm surprised you don't develop overnight in the dark.

Fantastically poised test match. This would be the 3rd highest chase ever at Edgbaston, and one of those was a Bazball YJB/Root special last year. If the Aussies do this, then fair play.

How is that negative? I think most reasonable folks would make Aussies favourites. Weather dependent, there's plenty of time in which to get the runs, and we've not got a front line spinner to go to, unless Ali has sorted his sore finger out (I doubt as it looks painful and is causing him issues). 

Of course we can win, especially if we can cause a mini-collapse in potentially tough conditions tomorrow.

---

I really wish the phrase bazball would be retired for good. It wore thin long ago.

Mccullum calls it silly. Stokes said earlier this year he dislikes it. It can’t just be me who finds it cringe?

You're not alone.

Your entries on this whole thread are so incessantly negative. Jesus christ man, you don't even see it.

Why are Australia favourites? This would be the third highest chase at Edgbaston ever.... bloody good effort if they get there, and they'd be deserving.

We'll see who is right. I am by no means ruling us out, as per my previous posts, where I also say it's nicely poised. But you'll only read what you want to read, I guess.

---

There's plenty of overs remaining. (Australia will need 0.5, give or take, runs an over, if we get all overs in (Up to 140, I believe). As unlikely as that is). It's still a very good wicket for batting. They've for the 3 best Test batsmen in the world. Spin looks the likeliest way to take wickets on this surface, and right now we don't know how Ali will cope with his injury and the demands on his body given he hasn't bowled in a Test for 2/3 years.

I think there's enough there to justify saying Australia are now favourites.

But we have reasons to be optimistic, too. Broad, Anderson and Robinson aren't bad bowlers, and we'll hopefully get bowler friendly conditions tomorrow. We just need to keep the run rate down over this session.

0.5 x 140 overs would be 70 runs?

---

Warner nearly edges. But it quite clearly flicked his trousers pocket and not the bat. A valid appeal ... like many the Aussies made ...

This is not going to be easy to chase, weather withstanding.

Fair play to the umpire, commentators never give the umpires any credit when they get these decisions correct.

Don't bite.  He's trying to make something out of the Aussies appealing for everything and England being as bad. for appealing when hearing a noise.  Choosing to ignore the Aussies appealing for the ball going straight through without hitting anything.

Kohli would never do that.

Earlier in the fred he was implying that the umpires were favouring England.

Have I? The 2 decisions early in the Aussies first innings were poor. Its right to call it when it's good or bad. Or am I not allowed?
The hate for Kohli engendered by a certain poster seems to afflict others too ... Kohli is not above reproach however.  

As for calling out the Aussies on their appealing, it applies equally to all teams .. cricket has gone that way.

[SuperBob2002]

Wicket! Couple more, please!

[rsbaggy2]

Warner walks ... much to English jubilation ... no more so than from Stuart.

---

Labuschagne gone.. advantage England.

And the expected welcome for Steve Smith.

[SuperBob2002]

3 down. England right back into this now.

---

I'd even go as far as to say we're slight favourites now, given how difficult I expect batting to be tomorrow. Nicely poised, as it has been throughout. Momentum has swing back and forth far too much for my liking, but this must be great for a neutral.

[Borin' Baggie]

How quickly things change in test cricket, now I want to rain to stay away tomorrow!

[hudds]

How quickly things change in test cricket, now I want to rain to stay away tomorrow!

Cloudy cloudy cloudy please

[Borin' Baggie]

Contemplating whether I want to pull a sickie for tomorrow right now