Cricket

Ah

He deserved that (retrospectively) for that awful shot.

Only Malan has got out to one he had to play at.

Yes, that was pretty much the highlight of the morning. I also quite enjoyed the fishing banter.

The cupboard is pretty bare but England can’t pick Pope for the next test.

Woakes has offered nothing with his bowling but you have the make the case for him staying in to get some runs. Shocking situation to be in. I’d move him to 7 and pick another bowler. For me, that would be Parkinson. They hammered Leach all over the place and Bess has shown he isn’t ready.

Is Parkinson on the tour?

He’s with the Lions squad in Australia. They’ve said all along that would act as an extended tour party.

Didn't know that, thanks. Suggest swapping out all 10 except Malan

We're gonna lose, but this is funny as it goes on

Surely it's all part of the Silverwood plan:
Buttler sees the polish off the new ball, then reverts to type and scores at 9 runs an over to a triumphant triple hundred to square the series.

If you can summon up any mirth from that you're a better man than I.

Oh. That's a shame.

Root on TMS stating the English bowlers were too short in the first Aussie innings and needed to pitch it up.
If only there was someone on the pitch with the authority to tell them this during the hours of play?

What was his excuse for the batting?

What are the realistic changes we could make at this point? Parkinson seems a no-brainer as Leach looks shot. Which is transparently not his fault, he wasn't played in so many matches in which he should have been over the 12 months, then dropped into the ashes and expected to do a job against a batting attack that was always going to target him...

Surely we need to do something about the openers, I just don't know that Crawley is the answer. I guess he's next cab, but is there anyone in the lions with a reasonable claim?

Lawrence for Pope? He's looked shot for confidence. Woakes' bowling needs a rest but his betting has been valuable. Could feasibly go to 7. Bringing back Wood seems a no-brainer. Mahmood for Broad might have some x-factor.

And yes, straws, we be clutching.

Malan to open (he has been anyway, effectively) with Crawley, Stokes to 3, Root 4, Lawrence 5, Buttler 6, Woakes 7, Robinson 8, Parkinson 9, Mahmood 10, Wood 11?

Never going to happen, but it feels like we need to see something different rather than the same 11 players failing in the same predictable ways.

Was interesting listening to Paul Farbrace the other day, suggesting not changing the batters because after 2 matches the current line-up will have got used to the conditions/bowling attack so should be starting to figure out how to play them, whereas anyone new will be having to start from scratch. Not sure that entirely works, but it's a view.

I have the same concentration span as an English batsman, so didn't hear that excuse.

It sounds like Root is trying to get the message across, but the bowlers aren't getting it, which with Broad and Anderson's stubborn nature doesn't particularly surprise me. We can't be playing Woakes either just for the 'he can bat a bit' narrative either. Something has to change...

Need to (sadly) drop Pope for someone, and then get both Leach and Wood back in.

after 2 matches the current line-up will have got used to the conditions/bowling attack

Most of them have been in the middle for about 10 minutes total in the series so far, so they've not really got used to much.

Here's Jonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnny

Woods makes sense. Not sure about Leach for Woakes.

Woakes has done fuck all with the ball. MCG is a bit bigger so whilst they will take Leach on he might have an easier time of it

True. But most of the team have done fuck all with the bat and Woakes has earned something on that.

Ah shit, here we go again

FFS. Going to bed.