4th Ashes test match thread

[MKFox]

I dont know why they played Bopara.

you're not alone there...

 

[glyn]

Just two wickets today so far, Aussies lead by 256........

 

[Brauny Blue]

Go home, we might as well go home.........

 

[Brauny Blue]

Strauss out.

England 58 for 1

I was about to offer a sweepstake for how long Bopara would last.

Too late, OUT FIRST BALL

58 FOR 2

 

[Brauny Blue]

Surely thats it for Bopara.

Totally rumbled by the Aussies.

 

[Brauny Blue]

Bell in

 

[Brauny Blue]

Bell out.

That should be his career over as well.

67 for 3

 

[Brauny Blue]

What a selection by the England team.

The weakest batting line up ever

Well done chaps, for losing us the Ashes

 

[Brauny Blue]

Collingwood out.

74 for 4

This must be one of Englands worst ever tests. Absolutely shocking from start to finish.

Makes me wonder how we go to the Oval, still level at 1-1.

And all this against a team that i still believe is the worst the Aussies have produced in over 20yrs.

 

[Brauny Blue]

Cook out

78 for 5

Effectively over in 2 days, embarrassing.

 

[glyn]

This must be one of Englands worst ever tests. Absolutely shocking from start to finish.

Makes me wonder how we go to the Oval, still level at 1-1.

Was going to say the same. The Aussies have the batsmen with far most runs and tons (8 tons to 1 I think), the bowlers with far most wickets, and yet we are somehow 1-1

 

[drummindefender]

****ing awful. good job no-one here has a clue about cricket

 

[MKFox]

Poontang gone

:icon_bigg

 

[CM]

The only positive we can take is that its 1-1 with 1 to play and we have a chance of winning the series. This performance has been nothing short of pathetic.

Bell and Harmison are proven to be not good enough for international level. I don't like how we've gone back to them, and they've failed again.

Bopara can't play at #3 in the final test if we want to win it. We also badly need Flintoff back.

 

[Redditch Fox]

The only positive we can take is that its 1-1 with 1 to play and we have a chance of winning the series. This performance has been nothing short of pathetic.

Bell and Harmison are proven to be not good enough for international level. I don't like how we've gone back to them, and they've failed again.

Bopara can't play at #3 in the final test if we want to win it. We also badly need Flintoff back.

Flintoff may not be able to play back to back tests but surely he will play at the Oval - in place of Harmison, although the Oval may suit Harmison.

As to the rest, I would have though Sidebottom should come in for Anderson or Onions.

With regard to the batting - very difficult situation. Not surprising to me there is talk of Ramprakash @ No 3 as a one off at his own ground, but I can's see the selectors reacting that strongly, so my bet would be that the batting will be unchanged unless there is a strong movement for Trott.

 

[glyn]

I give up

But if I was a selector, I would pick Ramps for a one-off. Can't do any worse than that shower, and no guarantee a brand new batsman would do any better than him.

 

[Brauny Blue]

England didnt just lose this one they were destroyed.

It will take a miracle now.

Looking at the averages so far for the series, and it makes abysmal reading from Englands perspective.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

I would try and persuade Marcus Trescothick out of international retirement, he is a class act and IMO would offer much need stability and reliability at the top of the order. That way Cook could drop to fill the troubled No 3 slot with Bopara dropping to 4 or 5. It would then be a straight battle between Bell and Collingwood for the remaining batting slot.

 

[Durham Fox]

I would try and persuade Marcus Trescothick out of international retirement, he is a class act and IMO would offer much need stability and reliability at the top of the order. That way Cook could drop to fill the troubled No 3 slot with Bopara dropping to 4 or 5. It would then be a straight battle between Bell and Collingwood for the remaining batting slot.

You'd select Bopara over Colly?

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

You'd select Bopara over Colly?

I think both are struggling the only reason I would make that call would be down to the fact that Bopara is the more talented batsman and he has potential and is one for the future whereas IMO Collingwood is a busted flush. Bopara has struggled at No 3 but has the talent to succeed and therefore deserves an opportunity to see how he performs a bit further down the order, whereas there is nowhere to go for Collingwood. The truth is without KP and Freddie we are mediocre at best and scratching around for batting options.

Bopara, IMO if he can get some confidence will flourish, but batting him at 3 is heaping too much too pressure on his young inexperienced shoulders and exposing him to the new ball too early in his innings. Bat him down the order and he will do well.