More Australian Desperation

[ChillDoubt]

Seems Darren Lehmann has made a bit of an arse of himself and been spouting off again, not for the first time in his illustrious career:

http://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/sport/story/231693.html

Bit sad really, inciting the crowd to verbally abuse a player and smacks of desperation for the upcoming tour Down Under.

[humbersloop]

expensive morning

[humbersloop]

That's Rogers! 118/2

[ChillDoubt]

Hmm, not the start I was hoping for but I awake to Anderson taking Clarke cheaply and surpassing one Robert George Dylan Willis in the list of all time England wicket takers, which is no mean feat.
Smith has a wild flash at Jimmy first up and survives.
Need another wicket quickly to swing the momentum.

[ChillDoubt]

Has anyone heard it?, is it serious or light hearted
-------------------
Yes trigger, there is nothing light hearted about it whatsoever.

[humbersloop]

Watson's ton up, well played!

[ChillDoubt]

Certainly not England's day as Cook drops Watson.
That sort of mishap generally means that Anderson will have steam coming out of his ears.

[humbersloop]

Cook's going to have to bring Woakes and Kerrigan back on at some stage and given the Aussie tail can make runs...

[ChillDoubt]

Kerrigan presently offering buffet bowling.....

[Sqad]

I quite understand that Kerrigan is nervous in his first test match, but the bowling that he has produced, is appalling, totally unacceptable.

Watson has been superb.

[ChillDoubt]

Sir Geoffrey on TMS is positively apoplectic at the selection changes and standard of bowling on offer and he's every right......

Oz march to 263-3, their day thus far.

[ChillDoubt]

Back to the OP, Jim Maxwell appears to have summed up the general mood:

ABC commentator Jim Maxwell thinks Lehmann's comments are "incendiary" and believes he should be given a warning by Cricket Australia.

Maxwell told BBC Test Match Special: "It's obviously an issue that's been simmering since the Trent Bridge Test match and for some reason Darren's gone public. It sounds a bit like pub talk but he is the Australia team coach and he should be a little more careful.

"It's incendiary to be saying that before a home Test series against England. We all know what happens when people have a bit of juice at a Test match.

"Cricket Australia needs to tell Darren to zip it. He's out of order. Broad's going to cop a bit of heckling, but don't pour petrol on it."

[doctordb]

absolutely stupid selections at a time when we needed to keep our foot on the snakes head. tremlett for bresnan.

lets hope Kerrigan gets to bowl on a bunsen in the second innings(if we get to bowl again) or his confidence could be shot for good. anyone who watches county cricket knows that woakes isn't test class. I pray we're not witnessing two more young players joining the 'one match wonder club'.

[jno]

can't see that Tremlett would have done better than anyone else on this pitch; he's probably thanking his lucky stars. We'll see how Siddle and Harris do when their turn comes.

[ChillDoubt]

Tremlett must be wondering what he has to do to get back in.
As I said on the other thread, it is the batting that needs serious scrutiny(still wondering how much more form Prior has to lose to be dropped for a dead rubber), the bowling just tweaking as a result of injuries.
If we lose this Test we can be thankful that the Aussies didn't turn up for the first two and the weather saved us in the third.

[Sqad]

Basically I agree with doctorb, although Woakes is basically a batsman, but my main moan is the amateur bowling of Kerrigan. Yes, his debut, nervous, but over the years have seen many bowlers on their test debut, but none, as far as i can remember has ever performed as poorly as Kerrigan.

I hope that I am made to eat my words in the second innings.

[doctordb]

Tremlett would have bowled with more aggression, pace and accuracy than woakes,therefore, complimenting broad and anderson instead of putting pressure on them and leaving them prone to injury by being overworked.

England will not use two spinners in australia. panesar(if sorted) or tredwell will back up swann.

prior's sudden dip in form is temporary and he is proven world class.

This is not a dead rubber. This was england's chance to beat australia 4-0 for the first time in history and then take that momentum into the first test in australia only 14 weeks away.

[ChillDoubt]

For me, the selection of Woakes and Kerrigan prove beyond the media spin by Cook et al that is IS a dead rubber!

[jim360]

Watson goes, just about... 289/4 after an apparently brilliant catch by KP, but a wonderful innings by Watson.

[jim360]

Incidentally, some good news for Bairstow as he's been able to join in the County Cricket match between Yorks. and Notts., he's on 20 no, but may run out of partners as Yorkshire are 317/8.