So, here we are, just over 12 hours before the third test and Australia are still umming and ahing over their selection by most accounts, whilst England have named Tremlett as the replacement for Broad. I think I broadly agree with this - if you’re about to play on what is still one of the fastest, bounciest wickets in world cricket (despite it having slowed a bit in recent years), you’re a bowler down and you don’t pick the guy who is 6ft 7in, you have to question why he is on tour. Just hope he can provide Broad’s econ rate at least, so the other roles in the attack don’t have to change to compensate.
I should probably bugger off to France about now, thus avoiding the game altogether. I saw basically no highlights of the 2nd Test and we won by a mile - if going to France would guarantee success, show me to the airport.
I’m surprised Ponting is even considering Michael Beer, whose first-class average is over 40. It’s not as if the English side doesn’t feast on mediocre slow left armers at home, and it’s also not as if the pitch is going to be particularly helpful for him.
Tremlett seems like the right replacement for Broad to me too. It’s a cliche but he hits the deck hard and he’ll complement Jimmy Anderson well. Honestly if Anderson fires at the WACA it might be game over for the series.
Well just to echo your trip Cumbrian, We’re driving off to Brussels for the weekend to see some friends. Let’s hope that “out of country fandom” is the magic potion.
All the best in Brussels NB - I’m sure it will be a good weekend away - damn cold I would have thought too.
On a separate note, this is probably the best Test to be in England, as the “stay up late/get up early” choice is much simpler due to the time difference. I think it’s an early night for me tonight and then up in time for the second half of the afternoon session at about 6am before heading off to work.
Yes it is shaping up to be fairly brisk but vin chaud and waffles will sort us out.
And I’d totally forgotten that it was Perth! And with us on EU time that means that if I can get my trusty LW radio working we can listen over breakfast. Then men nodding, ooo-ing and ahhhh-ing and the women rolling their eyes.
Australia deep in debt to Hussey and Haddin again, but they’re not out of trouble yet. As to feeling sorry, there’s been too many years of swaggering to forgive on the strength of a couple of Tests, and the Ashes aren’t won yet, so I’m willing to indulge in a little more *schadenfreude *if it comes to that.
All in all England should be happy. But they could have ended the match and with it the Ashes today, but 265 is still a fighting score. They may rue Siddle and Haddin.
Australia will still have to pull out a performance like no other to win this. They will have make England’s batting grovel. Something they have never threatened to do so this series.
I think the fact that our tail made things look so easy isn’t very encouraging. England probably plan on batting once, getting a pile of runs and have Swann win them another Test.
He’s doing commentary for Test Match Special apparently. Done for the Tour though - abdominal strain.
The way Tremlett bowled in the 1st innings here, I’d imagine that he will be playing in Melbourne and Sydney, even if the conditions are less favourable to him than in Perth.
Been plenty of better performances needed to win Tests and swing the Ashes(Headingley 1981, Old Trafford 1961, Leeds, July 1948, Sydney 1894) would be the absolute pick of them
The money would be on Poms scoring 400+, Aussies scoring 300 in the second innings and the Poms chasing down 150 on day 5 to win the Ashes.
That Haddin, Johnson and Siddle could prosper in the afternoon session shows that if the top order had knuckled down and batted as a Test line-up we’d still be batting and debating whether 350 at lunch was enough.
I keep expecting the run of waking up to good news to come to an end, but another great day for England. Pleased to see Tremlett come into the team and perform. Great catching again. Here is Collingwood’s effort to dismiss Ponting.
According to the commentators the pitch played very well from the afternoon onwards.
