TOPIC:

Good news coming out of England.

A yellow rain warning has been issued for Sunday across most of northern England and Wales, with travel disruption possible and major outdoor events affected, including the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester.

Let it rain, let it pour!

Feels a bit hollow though retaining the ashes in this way if it ends up a wash out.  Having said that the two Australian batsmen showed a lot of fight in the two hours that were possible in tough conditions. The English bowlers also seemed a bit flat. Maybe they didnt expect to play. 

Just a shame that Marnus couldnt hang on for another 15 minutes. I have been really impressed with the way that Mitch has batted in this series. He assessed the game situation well yesterday and played the second fiddle to Marnus when it was against his usual instinct. I thought it showed a lot of maturity on his part.

Whatever happens later today, the Australian team needs to do some serious rethinking before the Oval to avoid a repeat of what has occured in Manchester, particularly their tactics when fielding

mikeh wrote:

Feels a bit hollow though retaining the ashes in this way if it ends up a wash out.  Having said that the two Australian batsmen showed a lot of fight in the two hours that were possible in tough conditions. The English bowlers also seemed a bit flat. Maybe they didnt expect to play. 

Just a shame that Marnus couldnt hang on for another 15 minutes. I have been really impressed with the way that Mitch has batted in this series. He assessed the game situation well yesterday and played the second fiddle to Marnus when it was against his usual instinct. I thought it showed a lot of maturity on his part.

Whatever happens later today, the Australian team needs to do some serious rethinking before the Oval to avoid a repeat of what has occured in Manchester, particularly their tactics when fielding

Looking as though a good chance of a few hours of play today. This would certainly give England a chance to level the series if light is good enough for them to employ their quicks.

As many have already said Murphy should have played this test. Neser may have been worth a shot too. So 6 specialist batsmen (which would have included Marsh). Carey the wicket keeper. Cummins had to play because he is captain. But Neser could have come in and Starc/Hazlewood/Boland as the other quick. Murphy the 11th spot. 

Not sure Murphy would of stymied the runs on day 2/3....folk seem to think he would slot in and do a containing job like Lyon....ones played 6 tests, the other 121 tests....Bazball  destroyed the spinners from Pakistan when Eng thrashed them. But understand the need for spin.....Murphy will certainly play at the Oval..

 

Well if we retain the Ashes due to rain they better not do the customary celebration with the whole team out on the ground. Cummins should just humbly accept the Urn and acknowledge England have completely outplayed them in the last two tests and say we will celebrate quietly and and acknowledge our victories in the first two tests and focus on regrouping for the last test.

DD, Aust were alive and kicking late into the Leeds test.....3 wickets away from victory. Eng certainly have dominated this test. Rain cruelly intervened and sadly will definitely put a dampener on any Aust Ashes celebrations.....even more so if Eng win at the Oval.

On to the Oval, probably Cummins last test as skipper, be a sensible decision if true. Not only for Cummins own mental  wellbeing, but for the mental wellbeing for the majority of Aust cricket fans. Can't go in with the same 11, especially the same 3 fast boys....but we are talking about the Baggy Blue bowling cartel here. 

Murphy  for Green is a given, Cummins is skipper, Hazlewood picked up a battered 5 for, thus leaving Starc in the gun. Boland can't be revisited surely, great guy, just not doing it as most thought he would bowling in UK conditions. Neser deserves a crack, so Neser for Starc, brings in very fresh legs and something Eng haven't bazballed, as yet in this series.

If the BBB cartel all play, then i will gladly bow to all the conspiracy theorists on here, that the R&P show is definitely one that needs to be culled.

Lucky to get away with that although the way some of the Poms are reacting you would think that there had never ever been any cricket washouts in England. 
Even though I think that Neser deserves a chance to show his wares at the Oval, my feeling is that Murphy for Green (or Marsh if he isnt fit) will end up being the only change.

another layer of paper over a large crack sort of thing
it really is emerging talent time
now
otherwise you could easily see another 4 or 5 other countries that are capable of being all over Australia in this cycle
got away with trespass , grand larceny and evading lawful pursuit
 

Interesting to project forward and see which players from this series may be involved in the 2027 ashes series (form permitting)
For Australia Marnus, Head, Green, Carey  Murphy and Cummins (possibly) would be the only ones I could see still playing by then.
For England Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook ,Stokes( depending on how his body holds up) Robinson Tongue
The Aussies certainly have a few more gaps to fill in this time including an entire bowling attack. The current reserves in England ( Neser and Boland) are also on the wrong side of 30 therefore unlikely to be involved. Certainly time for regeneration and a succession plan. Hopefully Jhye Richardson can get over all the injuries that have crippled him in the last few years because he is capable of taking over one of the fast bowling spots

Hello good game to watch - even if it meant watching swimming and golf during the rain breaks.

The following is part of an article on Fox sports that I felt i would share - its really relevant and we probably all need to stop and take stock regardless of our feelings over the past few days.

Winning and losing is only concerned with the facts, which speaks to Australian supremacy this series, regardless of England’s late push.

Test cricket is played with the elements, and tactics are shaped accordingly. When the first ball is delivered, there are no guarantees the last comes with the sun setting five days later, or with a 20th wicket for one team.

Blind ignorance to the fact weather can play a leading role is to fail to play Test cricket as the game exists.

On Monday, much of England will feel beaten by the weather, and not Australia. But that is to criminally undervalue experienced operators like Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Mitch Marsh.

Their influence is worth far more than just dumb luck. It’s more accurate to say that England was stifled at Old Trafford by, yes, the weather — but also by Australia’s opportunism to use it against their enemy.

England blasting 592 in its first innings was jarring for its explosiveness, but its influence on the entire series has been overstated.

Australia lost the toss in Manchester and was sent in to bat knowing what the grim forecast was, and that a draw was enough to retain the urn.The visitors then batted the entire opening day and eventually posted 317. That’s nothing to scoff at, and it was enough to put England up against it early — a point that has seemingly been lost.

England admittedly then blitzed Australia’s bowlers, seeking to only bat once, while it swiftly made inroads into the middle-order in the second innings.At 4-108, Australia was ripe for the picking — if only England’s bowlers could continue the dominance in the overs available on day four.

That’s when Labuschagne, who had been battling his own demons this series, dug deep to make a crucial century and frustrate England further.So, too, did Mitch Marsh.

Only 30 overs were possible on day four, and Australia had played them expertly. When combined with Australia’s first innings display, more than enough was done to earn a draw. They’ve certainly been earnt for far less.

The fact is Australia has dominated England for longer than it has been dominated, outplaying the hosts in the first two Tests, while playing the circumstances just well enough to avoid defeat in the fourth.

“The Ashes are ours on merit and we shouldn’t spend the day apologising for it,”

Bring on the last test Thursday - I think one side will turn up and one wont. I hope its the Aussies playing the series right out on Thursday.