Jeff Thomson has just had a bit of air-time on Sky's coverage, looking very relaxed in a hospitality box with a bottle of beer in his hand. (They cut to him between deliveries throughout the course of an over so there's no guarantee it was the same bottle each time.)
Even at his age he'd be looking at this England batting line up and fancying himself to bag a fiver-fer.
Realistically, if you insert a team on a day when the weather looks fairly ok, but the forecast is for cloudy, overcast conditions tomorrow, what's the maximum you'd be happy with conceding on day one? 300? 280?
If they can negotiate the opening over or two after tea can see this pair putting on another 70 or 80, briefly raising hopes of some kind of resistance, but as soon as one gets out the remainder of the batting line-up will topple like dominoes for less than 10 runs.
If the usual happens and either Bairstow or Woakes depart immediately after the interval then it'll be over very quickly and we won't even have 230 on the board when Steve Smith starts his reply.
If you said to me at 10.30am that England would be asked to bat 1st and we were goig to be 200 for 6 (wth the way we are batting at the moment) in a rain affected match I would take that. Allowing for the Smith factor if we could sneak another 150 that would give us a fighting chance. I think there is rain from tomorrow afternoon onwards and then some on Sat then anything can happen. Although if we did get to 350 a draw would be the most likely result.
Realistically, if you insert a team on a day when the weather looks fairly ok, but the forecast is for cloudy, overcast conditions tomorrow, what's the maximum you'd be happy with conceding on day one? 300? 280?
If you said to me at 10.30am that England would be asked to bat 1st and we were goig to be 200 for 6 (wth the way we are batting at the moment) in a rain affected match I would take that. Allowing for the Smith factor if we could sneak another 150 that would give us a fighting chance. I think there is rain from tomorrow afternoon onwards and then some on Sat then anything can happen. Although if we did get to 350 a draw would be the most likely result.
I think we will have done really well to reach 300 and will take that right now. Think we will be all out for around 260.
Realistically, if you insert a team on a day when the weather looks fairly ok, but the forecast is for cloudy, overcast conditions tomorrow, what's the maximum you'd be happy with conceding on day one? 300? 280?
Any takers for this?
I'd say 250 _280. What about you.
I really don't think you want to concede any more than 260 if you stick the oppo in and day 2 looks like it's going to do something.
Realistically, if you insert a team on a day when the weather looks fairly ok, but the forecast is for cloudy, overcast conditions tomorrow, what's the maximum you'd be happy with conceding on day one? 300? 280?
Any takers for this?
I'd say 250 _280. What about you.
I really don't think you want to concede any more than 260 if you stick the oppo in and day 2 looks like it's going to do something.
Depends on how many wickets you take. 260 _280 all out would be seen as being ok.
Comments
"Another one bites the dust ..."
Even at his age he'd be looking at this England batting line up and fancying himself to bag a fiver-fer.
201-6 (61 ov) Bairstow 36* Woakes 25*
If the usual happens and either Bairstow or Woakes depart immediately after the interval then it'll be over very quickly and we won't even have 230 on the board when Steve Smith starts his reply.
Anything over 300 will be a bloody miracle.
What about you.
214-7
260 _280 all out would be seen as being ok.
I bet the Aussie selectors don't have the balls to drop him ...
... although England's fielders will no doubt drop him once or twice when he's batting.
Archer 12
When he's reached 104 and then again on 138.