Ashes Live Thread

[sunny-dave]

Yes, it will contain spoilers - so look away now if you are waiting for the highlights programme.

[DTCwordfan]

well I guess AB has to have space for the sports philistine, adequately demonstrated by joeluke's warm and wonderful contributions. Makes you proud to be English (or Welsh).

[joeluke]

(still asleep, wake me up when football season starts)

[gness]

Thank God...x

[jim360]

There might still be some play for the weekend at this rate!

[gness]

Hope so, Jim...I've been having to text the scores to the daughter who was working away....back now so she can curl up with some cricket...x

[Cloverjo]

What a great match so far. Agar was Fantastic. Can we still win? Glad to see KP still there.

Why is joeluke contributing to a thread he has no interest in?

[Sqad]

Tell me.....

Yes, the innings of Agar was astonishing and entertaining......BUT.......there must be something sadly wrong with the tactics when a rookie number eleven can knock two short of a century against Test quality bowlers.

[seekeerz]

Why must the be something wrong Sqad. ??

[Sqad]

seekeez.......OK...then there was nothing wrong.

Just a query that was in the back of my mind.........

[jim360]

One could argue equally that there was something wrong with the so-called senior batsmen of the Australia squad for them to capitulate to 117-9 in the first place.

[bibblebub]

One of the commentators said that Agar (at least I think that was about whom he was talking) has a couple of brothers who are also good cricketers and likened them to the Chappell brothers, so it's likely that, while Ashton Agar will be regarded as a rookie because he's new on the scene, he'll be moved up the order sooner rather than later.

[seekeerz]

It seems an odd comment, Sqad, surely you're not suggesting collusion between the two teams ..... Heaven forbid !!

[Sqad]

Jim....maybe......one often gets opening batsmen failing and middle order collapses, but a number eleven making two short of a ton?.....

bibblebub.......right....that does answer my question.....i think.

[bibblebub]

I was trying to say that the Aussies were probably aware that he might be better than the typical number 11 but needed him to prove it. However, one knock doesn't prove anything.

[jim360]

Agar may also have ridden his luck, or just been more positive. For example there was some debate as to whether or not the third umpire was correct to give Agar not out on a stumping decision when he was at 6. After that there was a change of bowling from Anderson to Finn, and Finn maybe is a less consistent bowler and offered less threatening stuff. Or perhaps even the pitch was far easier to bat on than others made out.

Or, of course, Agar is far better than coming out last suggests.

[seekeerz]

Hasn't anything happened yet ??

[seekeerz]

Ooooo yes, it has !!

[bibblebub]

and now something else...

[seekeerz]

Good on ya, Ashton

[sunny-dave]

Aussies just edging ahead at lunch I think.

Old ball hooping around like a banana on steroids and a new one due in 8 overs or so.

England need another 175-200 runs and I can't see where they're coming from ...