TOPIC:

Sorry southerner, Paine is the best keeper in Australia and that's why he is playing. His batting is sound.

Lyon is the leading wicket tacker in the world this year, has played less tests than those around him and he will not lose his spot this summer.

Australia will not play 4 quicks unless one of them is M Marsh as an all rounder, based on wickets in Victoria and NSW they will likely need 2 spinners which will make selections interesting

Oh well 2 Zip, the poms and series is effectively dead from here, Poms no hope at WACA, all over.

It sort of feels like 2 mediocre teams with Australia being the least mediocre. Both teams rely too much on a couple of players and are not able to put several days of consistent cricket together like the better teams. England can still retain the ashes by winning two of the last three tests and drawing the other one, but their record at the WACA is abysmal so they would not be going into this game with any confidence.
Australia have a habit of not changing winning teams so Hanscomb may end up playing in Perth unless they decide to go with Mitch Marsh again as a fifth bowler batting at number 7. I think Maxwell may come in for the Melbourne and Sydney tests.

Credit where credit is due and the Aussie bowlers did the job this morning cleaning up a meek English lower half.
I think Mike hit the nail in the head re the mediocre sides playing but Australia especially the bowlers have been less so.
Handscomb has to go his technique is poor and not up to Test standard as bowlers at this level will sort him out quick smart, who do the selectors go with Maxwell who's bowling Smith does not rate or maybe a chance for MM to join his brother batting at 7 bumping Paine up to 6 & SM to 5...decisions decisions?

mikeh: correct

One should not forget that the orginal sin of the test match was at the toss when Root decided to bowl. It made certain that England had to bat last against a pink ball. Smith has been fortunate, as others have suggestted.

mikeh wrote: It sort of feels like 2 mediocre teams with Australia being the least mediocre. Both teams rely too much on a couple of players and are not able to put several days of consistent cricket together like the better teams. England can still retain the ashes by winning two of the last three tests and drawing the other one, but their record at the WACA is abysmal so they would not be going into this game with any confidence.
Australia have a habit of not changing winning teams so Hanscomb may end up playing in Perth unless they decide to go with Mitch Marsh again as a fifth bowler batting at number 7. I think Maxwell may come in for the Melbourne and Sydney tests.

Yeah agree, its all pretty pedestrian ordinary stuff...wont be much interest after they get flogged at the WACA.

anch: the easiest way to take twenty wickets is to enforce the follow-on; he decided to bat again in good bowlling conditions against one of the weakest batting line ups Engalnd has ever sent to these fine shores. In fact, the number three is the worst performmed palyer I have seen bat in the number three position.

In the end a good toss to lose although Smith would have batted if he won the toss. Radio commentary almost to a man think MM will get the Perth gig given the WACA wicket is a bit of a road these days and will need extra bowling numbers. MM is in good shield form so fingers crossed he can finally grasp this chance with both hands as he wont get another one. Agree that Maxwell is a big chance for Melb & Sydney.

Hazelwood was sensational today, really fierce, got a few pills into the 150k range. For the Pomms, love or hate him, it was an absolute treat watching Anderson bowl the other evening, he made the ball talk and totally bamboozled the Oz batters. but he has little to support him in the rest of the team. Australia are just a decent slightly above average team at the moment but have 3 world class quicks to make up for some of the batting fragility and should clean sweep the soap dodgers.

anchorman wrote:

Southerner wrote: Australia's bacon has been saved by a good opening salvo in the first few overs of the last day - a few more credits for Dave Saker the bowlers coach , no doubt in the world he's got the trundlers aside last night showed a few tapes & tapped them on the shoulders about consistent lines & pressure

Paine has been brought in so 4 quicks can be chosen when required - no other reasoning , PH will drop out for Perth & probably Melbourne if the Ashes are secured

The head coach's son is right in the mix for a debut very soon - wait for it

Saved by a salvo in the opening overs!!!!! WTF does that mean.Bacon saved!!!! WTF. Isn't that the bowlers job to get wickets, regardless of when they get them!!!
As has been stated by PH, Paine is the best keeper in the country So far has made one mistake, but done some brilliant work behind the wicket.

The game was in the balance due to some poor bowling last night & even poorer batting just before that - hence my comment
Paine is the best batsman of all the true keepers we have currently - the thinking is maybe it allows a luxury of perhaps using Jackson Bird as a fourth paceman for Perth , or even a bowling all-rounder