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Some great banter boys....definitely a fair few R&P haters here, probably most are  still butt hurt that JL got the flick....and whilst I can understand that,  I will support Aust regardless who is captain or coach....and regardless whether they are the right men or not for the job. 

Yeah Ronnie doesn't have the cricket CV most traditionalists here want...but neither did John Buchanan from memory, and agree wholeheartedly Paddy is definitely not the most tactical endowned skipper Aust has ever had....but  none the less he is a very good bowler,  who has delivered in the past for Aust and will do again no doubt.

I really hope Aust can dig deep and find a way to retain the Ashes....even if it means the R&P show keeps on rolling....sadly I think the R&P haters don't want Aust to win just to substaniate their narrative.....which to me is so un Australian in regards to sport.....which I find down right mind boggling because everyone here loves their sport, especially cricket......but each to their own I guess.

We do not usually win in England and this is an okay England side, which, on the play, should have won the series already. India won out here, remember, it just never cost the bowlers their places at the time. I thought bowlers were paid a lot to put four or five balls an over at the 'top of 'off-stump'?

McCullum is using one of our own old tactics of targeting the skipper and not relenting
look at Cummins' figures they're bloody expensive overs and they've bounced him whenever he's got the timber in his hands
there are very few who believe this the best set up in fact there's some pretty decent ex-cricketers who are calling it a turd
fact is we could be 2-0 down , and staring at 3-0 , if it weren't for slightly poor home side batting

so tonight we'll see exactly what this regime is all about - it's there for them to fight back against 

Might as well do what tennis players do, don’t waste too much energy trying to save or get back into this set and save your energy for the next test. Unless rain intervenes and gives hopes of drawing this test and in effect, retaining the Ashes by default.

There is no way that any of the bowlers will be cooked in the 5th test. Maybe mentally but certainly not physically.  Their load has been a lot lighter than the English bowlers because their batsmen scored their runs so quickly but its the pommy bowlers who look fresh and aggressive because they have a captain who backs them and shows confidence in them. Starc, Cummins and Co appear not to have a plan B if England go after them same as Pant did in Brisbane a few years ago.

I am not an R and P hater Freezin and I think that JL had run his course with the team. However you can only call it as you see it and it is obvious that Australia have been spooked out of playing their usual game by the England approach with completely bamboozling field placings, bowling lines and lengths that play into the opposition hands and snoozy batting completely lacking any purpose.
For me the real turning point in the series came at lunchtime Day 2 of the 3rd test. After scoring a moderate but competitive 260 odd, we had England 7-142 at lunch in reply with Stokes batting with the tail. For reasons better known to the brains trust the bowlers unleashed a barrage of short pitched bowling at Wood and Broad which resulted in boundaries then Stokes got going and reduced a potential 80 run lead to 26. This was then exacerbated by the loss of 4 top order wickets in good batting conditions to leave the door open for England. They are now on a roll that is going to be very hard to stop
 

What or who are R and P please enlighten me.

Ronnie Mcdonald and Pat Cummins. The coaches real name is Andrew but he has been linked by some to the fast food chains clown.

mikeh wrote:

Ronnie Mcdonald and Pat Cummins. The coaches real name is Andrew but he has been linked by some to the fast food chains clown.

Ronald McDonald and Postman Pat? Time for Patty to deliver.

I can't understand the field places - the holes are that big England don't care about lofting the ball

Mikeh, completely understand folks frustration at the short ball tactics and defensive field places.....but what happened yesterday, Eng had done 11 times out of 12 tests before this Ashes series to great effect.....so it was bound to happen at some point in this series. Cummins has delivered many a time in his 50 + test career, yesterday was his worst for sure. 

Agree that 3rd test comeback all started as you say it did..but don't forget Labuschagne and Smith gifted their wickets to Ali in the 2nd innings, definitely hurt Aust building a 300 + run chase. 

Also agree with Southerner, that today will be a good test of the R&P regime ethos......though even if the regime did step up and deliver......I really think folk will put it down to luck more than  anything else.....or Eng choked.....not the regime standing firm.....

I really can't see McDonald going any where soon.....Cummins might admit captaining from mid off is too much and move on....only can see Head and maybe Marsh as the possible candidates for being the skipper....would love Voges to be coach, seems to tick a lot of those boxes folk are wanting to be ticked.