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mikeh: at least Australia's bowllers won't have to bowl against a Boycott and Barrington

Thank goodness for that AR but the fact remains that the bowlers are not going to have a lot of runs to play with at any stage, so they will be pushing the proverbial uphill unless Steve Smith has a stellar series.

The Poms are not exactly handling the swinging duke with a lot of aplomb at the minute either....in the one off Test against Ireland at Lords England are currently 7/43 after 80 minutes on Day 1.

Mike, don't be mesmerised by England's one-day batting line-up - their Test side hardly compares in quality.
The likes of Rory Burns, Joe Denly and Moeen Ali batting at No.6 is hardly the greatest-ever batting line-up the Poms have assembled.
As I type, the home side is 7-56 (recovered from 7-43) at Lord's against the might of Ireland - just imagine what Cummins, Hazlewood, Pattison (if selected) and Starc will do to them!
Clearly, this Lord's wicket and that at the Rose Bowl are bowlers' decks, but I have more faith in our batting line-up than I do England's - Dukes ball or no Dukes ball.
We may well have a summer of two-day Tests, unless the England weather intervenes.

Beasley Hutton wrote: The Poms are not exactly handling the swinging duke with a lot of aplomb at the minute either....in the one off Test against Ireland at Lords England are currently 7/43 after 80 minutes on Day 1.

England ended up all out for 85 just before Lunch on Day 1 at Lords vs Ireland.

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote: The Poms are not exactly handling the swinging duke with a lot of aplomb at the minute either....in the one off Test against Ireland at Lords England are currently 7/43 after 80 minutes on Day 1.

England ended up all out for 85 just before Lunch on Day 1 at Lords vs Ireland.

What an amazing morning of cricket. Joe Root looked completely shellshocked sitting on the balcony.

Pre-lunch session England all out 85; post-lunch session Ireland 2-127.
Amazingly, England won the toss and elected to bat!
Cricinfo points out that this was England's shortest completed Test innings at home.
www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27249517...-collapse-home-tests
This is an England World Cup hangover of massive proportions and I'm sure the Kiwis are obtaining some form of perverse delight at what's happening.
Although he's not in the England Test line-up, I wonder how relocated Irishman Eoin Morgan is feeling.
Adding to a plot you just couldn't imagine, the destroyer was London-born Tim Murtagh (9-2-13-5) who qualified for Ireland because he has a grandfather who was born in Dublin.
Of course, Lord's is the home ground for Murtagh - a bloke almost a year older than Jimmy Anderson - who represents Middlesex.
I've noticed that some Pom supporters online are saying that this is their "B" team.
Added to that, this is only a four-day Test - not sure if this was the ICC or MCC's idea.
Either way, it's making a mockery of Test cricket.
Surely the arrogant Poms weren't/aren't treating this match as an Ashes trial game for marginal selections?
If so, I hope Ireland beats them by an innings, though I suspect England will regroup in their second innings and make a game of things.

Things fell away somewhat for Ireland in the last session, they have a reasonable lead but the pitch will be better for batting on day 2 and if England can make 350 in their second innings that would probably be enough for their bowlers to work with given that Ireland appear to only have a couple of genuine test quality batsmen. You never know though, Murtagh might get stuck into them again.
Meanwhile at Southhampton….. there is now less clarity about the ashes squad as a result of this bowler dominated game which will be all over by around lunchtime on day 3.
Winners so far
Neser 4 - 18
Mitch Marsh 5 - 24 and 29
Siddle - match figures of 5 -34
Pattinson - match figures of 4 - 35
Cummins 5 - 24
Bird 3 - 28
Warner with the only half century of the match so far
Pucovski - a solid 37 in 81 balls ( good innings in the context of this match)
Labausagne - 41

Losers
Harris 21 in 2 innings
Head 1 in 2 innings
Burns 18 in 2 innings
Smith 17 in 2 innings
Patterson 2 in 2 innings

Opportunity for Bancroft to make an unbeaten 60 or 70 to guide his team home. I think a right handed opener would be very useful in England and Bancroft may be the man if he can put the runs on the board

As you predicted, Mike, England have come storming back into the Test match at Lord's.
I suspect Fleet Street would've given their "beloveds" a thorough bake in the morning's press.
If Ireland can turn things around with a few quick wickets, the fragile England batting might crumble.
Very good summary also of the Aussies' performances at Southampton after the first two days' play.
The dominating feature of Day 3 is that Cam Bancroft warrants selection.
Won't it be fun hearing the "gracious" English fans now booing three players instead of two!
Now that the match is wrapped up, I'll take a stab at nominating my touring party of 17.
C Bancroft, A Carey, P Cummins, J Hazlewood, T Head (vice-captain), U Khawaja, M Labuschagne, N Lyon, M Marsh, M Neser, T Paine (captain), J Pattinson, P Siddle, S Smith, M Starc, M Wade, D Warner.

Pretty good squad ADGM, I may be wrong but I thought the squad was only 16, if this is the case it will be Wade v Carey for the last spot. Also the pitches in UK in August/September can get a bit dry, especially with the heatwave they are having at the moment. This may mean they go in with another specialist spinner in case they get a dustbowl, so it may be Holland in and Neser out. I know Labuschagne is in the squad but I would rate him as a part timer like Head and Smith. I also think that it is still a close call between Harris and Bancroft and Cam may get the nod because he is a right hander.