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Enjoy the experience mikeh, went to the Adelaide test last year mate with my youngest....fantastic ground.....Eng best chance to square the series...well until my mate Ben returns to the fold and destroys Aust by himself..or so I have been told.

BH.......Ben is touched by your overwhelming confidence in him mate...plans to do you proud and can't wait to meet you in Perth, so he can give you a headbutt to show his appreciation....

Cheers Freezin, just a couple of days of work to get through........

Just checked the forecast for Adelaide, not looking too flash at this stage, 90% chance of rain on Saturday and the temperature in the low 20's. May be some interruptions. Looks a bit better on days 3, 4 and 5 so you would think there would still be time for a result.

From the statements made by Root and Anderson over the past few days, it appears that the Australians have definitely got under their skin and into their heads. To be honest, I don't really think this sort of off field stuff has any place in cricket. Just talk about the game FFS and take away the onfield microphones. I think England can square the series if they can only just get their minds off the extraneous stuff.

If the Aussies are considered bullies in the To and Froms' eyes, I'm not sure how they'd classify their man Ben Stokes.
They also seem to be upset about Cam Banfield's press conference - I thought he added some much-needed perspective and humour to the Jonny Bairstow "headbutt" saga.
Joe Root is following in the footsteps of dour England skippers before him - Douglas Jardine and Ray Illingworth being classic examples.
That said, I always had a lot of time for the likes of Mike Brearley and Michael Vaughan (and even Geoff Boycott who was briefly captain).

thenewdaily.com.au/sport/cricket/2017/12...shes-jimmy-anderson/

Ray had a good record against Australia never losing a series. In fact, he would have won the series in 1972, but, for some unknown reason, they played for a sixth day in the fifth test which allowed Australia to pull back to 2-2.

I'm certainly not discrediting Ray Illingworth's performance as a captain, ArkRoyal.
With Illingworth and Bill Lawry as captains (until Bill was sacked), the 1970-71 Ashes series was a war of attrition.

Arch -- I know you were not attacking him: It was a good post. I was just musing allowed. I read something from Boycott the other day where he had picked him in his best XI as captain. Would you pick Illingworth in your best ever England side?

Looking at his Test stats, Ark, I probably wouldn't include Illingworth in England's Best Ever XI.
Then again, England have often adopted the philosophy of choosing their Test captain (e.g. Brearley) and then picking 10 blokes around him.
www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/15385.html

Pity the weather is going to be cool in Adelaide, might help the English, but if the pitch has some zip in it then touch wood Starc et al can rattle some more cages....get a win here there I really think the Poms will self destruct and unravel big time....nothing nicer to see Jimmy in his farewell Aust ashes tour be hammered around like last time....huge opportunity for Smith et al to put his career(fantastic one to say the truth) and Broads on major shakey grounds....be lucky if both even be around for the Eng tour in 2 years.....

Ban the onfield microphones, does the public really need to hear the crap going around?...not to sure how Bairstow et al would get upset over a few head butt barbs.....FMD if it wasn't done with any malicious intent why all the bother.....surprised Smith giggled at the interview, surely keeping a deadpan face like Bancroft would even make the head butt more stupid as it was...now Smith has opened a wee door of motivation for the Poms to step through and get back into the series....not sure besides Root, Jimmy or Broad have they got anyone to use it though.....bar Stokes who will be spending his weekend in Rangiora having a bat n bowl...