Have you ever considered spouting shite?

I think you should try it.

IF Agar had correctly been given for 6 on Thursday morning England would have won yesterday by over 150 runs. If is a very big word and not much use. How do you know the Aussies would have chased down a smaller total? The pressure would have been totally different and it's no certainty.

Jonny Bairstow is a massively talented player, and pubs don't really have cricket teams anyway. You're clueless.

Anyway ignoring the t roll, what a game! I think the Aussies have shown they won't roll over in any circumstances and they going to compete all the way through this series. I still think England should have too much for them but they certainly bat all the way down and have some useful bowlers. I think Finn needs to regain his conifence and switch his radar on in county cricket for a bit. He's bowled poorly all summer and you could tell Cook had faith in him today, or yesterday for that matter. He bowled 10 overs in the second innings, you can't hide someone in a four man attack. He seems to have no control over his length it either seems to be half volley or short. Bresnan, Onions, or even Tremlett to play at Lords.

Bairstow has been living off that one innings for a while now- get him dropped, Compton back in and allow root to develop lower down the order

I think massive congratulations should also go to Rubicon for commissioning an advert which has resulted in me vowing never to buy any of their products.

In his last test before this, he scored 64 and 26*

He also batted pretty well in the first innings in the context of a 14 run win don't knock a contribution of 37. Absolutely no chance they will drop any of the batsmen or change the order. Root is a opener and both of them are far better players than Nick Compton.

Why am I even replying to you

I'm confident of sticking to my word.

That 'Rubicon' really has made you cross

By God I enjoyed that Test Match. The ONLY thing missing was a bit of "Chin Music" but bouncers aside, it was compelling viewing.

I disagree MJ, I think it's a bit harsh on him but Finn will be dropped. Bresnan coming in I would think.

From what has been said by the experts this morning I doubt we will see any of that. And is the reason there is no point in playing Finn.

Apparrantly England have asked for all the pitches to be flat dry and slow, all set up for Jimmy Anderson.

Yeah, but I just like the words "Chin Music" !!!!!!!

For those, unbelievably, having digs at Stuart Broad, I take it you all noticed that Brad Hadden didnt walk after he knew he hit the ball at the end there.

Now bearing in mind he was given not out, and if England had had no referrals left he would have been in, and probably won the game, have you changed your mind about Broad now?

Surely you have?

Funny, but the old sage that is my Dad, after a 46-year cricket career at local levels, said Haddens body language said he KNEW he'd hit it.

Theres no way he would have walked, walking went out in the early 80's.

Aye, agreed. But yet some on here are apopleptic with rage that Broad didnt.

I suspect they will have an excuse for the cheating aussie.

The only way I'd be angry at a player for not walking is if there were no umpires being paid to make decisions and the gentlemen's agreements needed to work.

I walked. Once. (ADG may recall this!)

We were playing at Norton and my youngest brother was at Square Leg Umpire (in NYSD lower divisions, you often did Square Leg duties as only one umpire was provided)
This owld duffer was bowling "pies" and I launched a couple and got to about 22-24ish which was a good score for me.

The same bowler then bowled a very tempting wide full-ish ball which I came down the track to and missed by three foot, and was stumped by two foot more...Our Kid shook his head at Square Leg which resulted in the Norton Wickie (and his team-mates) haring towards him screaming....

I walked.

Firstly I don't know how anyone can hit a ball and then say they didn't know they did.. The Aussies don't walk (fact) and as ADG states if we have had used all our reviews like they had they would've got away with it and may of won the test.. About time those whining wankers had a taste of their own medicine.. Broad was right to stand his ground it was the Aussies own fault they wasted their referrals.

Do people reckon Adam Gilchrist would have walked? Not criticising Haddin or Broad, just wondering.

Going back 20+ years the Church League was always rife with umpiring controversy as the batting team provided the umpires and some teams had better reputations than others for their honesty.

The team that I played for when I was about 14 generally prided themselves on being totally honest and we were reminded of that when umpiring and played it straight. We were a bit shit and usually near the bottom of the league but at least we were fair!

One time though I remember playing against Manor Club who were one of the biggest pack of cheating bastads in the league, for example you'd have to run somebody out by half the length of the pitch to have a chance of getting a decision off them and the lbw rule didn't apply to them. I'd played against them once or twice and didn't like them at all and when I was umpiring one of our players edged it to slip (with an edge so clear that it made Stuart Broad look like he might have played and missed) and didn't walk. Not Out said Umpire Ripper. All hell broke loose, I thought that I was gonna get lamped off their players but refused to change my decision, fortunately our batsman who I'd given not out was a big hard bastad and had the advantage of having a bat in his hand so physical violence didn't happen after he indicated he would hit them with it but I remember it still and to be honest it was funny as fook. To make it even funnier we won that game too, they were in a right strop at the end and accusing US of being cheats!

I can't think of many better Test matches in all the time I've been watching England in terms of excitement from the first minute.

Bresnan for Finn I'd like to see. I think how vulnerable our tale have looked will be the clincher for Bresnan. Hopefully Finn will go away and find some form.

The Aussie bowling attack has unimpressed me, we gifted our wickets in the first innings and I thought they looked toothless in the second.

A huge win, wouldn't have fancied being 1-0 if we get bad weather. it means the Aussies will want to attack us as it'd have been a different series with them playing for a draw each Test

If you watched closely after England reviewed it he walked up to Pattinson and said as quietly and discreetly as he could in front of about 40 cameras "I hit it" Also the very tell take look back at the keeper as it passed him was a real giveaway.

The issue with Broads was it wasn't a knick behind he was caught at slip, a bit embarrassing, would I do the same in that position? Not if I'd been caught at slip you just walk off. Do I blame him, no.

It wasn't good from Broad, it was shocking from the umpire.

Talking of tail-end batting failures, Australia's 10-wicket partnerships totalled 228.

England totalled 2.

Yes Anderson has let himself down a bit with the bat- he used to be a half decent night watchman but has deteriorated
Excellent with the ball though , unlike Finn

The Aussie tail is far superior to ours and could be the difference in some games- it almost stole them a win at Trent bridge

Will you just stop embarrassing yourself talking absolute drivel.

Can I be bothered to rip you post to shreds.... go on then.

I know you're looking for a negative angle after you went too early with the 'I told you so.... look at me me me' shite the other day but the Aussies tail isn't far superior to ours at all. They don't have anyone below number 7 who's scored a test hundred, we do (Broad). When Bresnan comes in for Finn (who has a test 50 himself) our 8-11 will have 18 test fifties and hundred between them, the Aussies 5 test fifties. We'll have Bresnan who averages 31 with a test best of 91 at 8, Broad who averages 25 and a best of 169 and has scored 10 test fifties at 9, and Swann who averages 22 and has 5 test fifties at 10. Plus Anderson who can hold a bat at 11. Our tail has just as much potential to wag. You are basing your opinion on one game.

Plus although late order runs are a bonus they don't actually win you many Tests. England's top seven has five proven World class batsmen. The Aussies have one. England's top seven Tests centuries v Australia's says everything about the strength and experience of the two squads; 89 v 32. Of Australia's 32 test tons Clarke has scored 23 of them as well! First innings runs win Test matches, I wouldn't expect England to bat as badly first innings again in the series.

You could be in for a summer of disappointment before we actually find out which dullard t roll you actually are...

PJ - stop biting at the twat!

Stop embarrassing the little shite hawk.

It was a considered 'bite' I asked myself first if I could be bothered before tearing his nonsense to bits it seems I could

Yeah, just like in the last Test Match when England's first innings score was the worst of the four innings!

Bresnan for Finn if if happens will address some of that, you can check the runs accumulated from numbers 8-11 over the last 12 months tho to see the Aussies have the advantage in that dept- hopefully swan can get back to his best with the ball and bamboozle them out to help negate that.

To be fair to pj at least he pulled some facts out- not sure why he was mentioning Clarke and first innings when I was purely mentioning the relative batting if the tail but there you go

Yes, I also said, 'you are basing your opinions on one game' a game in which a number 11 scored the highest score by a number 11 in the 137 history of Test Cricket. Hardly your run of the mill match. It is generally accepted that if you score big in your first innings you don't lose many Tests.

The fact England still won after batting badly on day one shows the Aussies will struggle to beat England in this series, they might not get a better chance than they've just had.

It looks like Finn is going to keep his spot. I guess the fact it's at Lords has swung it for him and the selectors must be happy to leak a few runs if it means we have a genuine wicket taker.

The Aussies are apparently considering Khawaja for Cowan plus Harris for Starc. Harris will improve their attack, Khawaja is just as shit as Cowan so they'll be an improved side.

Mickey Arthur has come out and revealed a few home truths in the Aussie camp that will cause problems for them.

good lad....keep em coming

If Finn plays I just hope we give him a pitch that he can actually bowl on.

Listening to Bob Willis the other day, he was saying that he expected all the pitches to be of similar design to trent bridge, which was set up exclusively for Jimmy Anderson and bowlers like him.

England used the heavy roller during their second innings which partly negated any advantage for Swann.

If it IS another lifeless pitch then we may as well go for Bresnan over Finn.

Link?

Lord's is his home ground.

That doesn't mean the pitch will suit him.

see Swann last weekend and previous Trent Bridge tests

Exactly. Swanns record at Trent Bridge is rubbish.

He has never take 5 wickets in any form of cricket there.

Finns record is far better than Bresnans in the few Tests theyve both played at Lords. I reckon he'll be given this chance to perform, hopefully he does

Yep he has taken more wickets but at higher run rate, however wickets win matches so I would keep Finn in.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricke ... -ever.html

Finn won't play, did you not read the expert pj poolie sayi g so ?

It wouldn't surprise me if they stuck with a winning team I just wouldn't pick Finn like I wouldn't have in the first Test he is totally out of form. Cook clearly had no faith or trust in him in second innings, he bowled 10 of 110 overs and couldn't be risked to bowl when it got tight. You can't have a passenger in a four man bowling attack.

Now fuck off back under your bridge.

Pj. If you only need to explain yourself to one person then you Dont need to explain yourself.
He will starve if Left unfed.

If you are not surprised Finn would start why did you state on the other page bresnan would start and then use his batting averages in a quote about the England tail ?

He didn't actually say he'd replace him in this Test did he, thicket?

He wrote a whole post about bresnans batting average when comparing the two teams tail
So either he expected bresnan to be in or that post was selective shite

My point still stands

Talking about c ricket. Just watched a sky programme showing highlights from the 2002/3 series.

The aussies had a bowler called Andy Bichel.

He bowled to either Trescothick or Vaughen and took what appeared to be a caught and bowled chance, and celebrated with team mates.

The batsmen refused to walk, so the umpire asked for a review.

The ball bounced fully a foot in front of him before he caught it.

Still think Broad should have walked?