3RD ASHES TEST EG V AU EDGBASTON 2009

[CoverKing]

Agree bloods. i think it should have happened before this test.

North reaches his 50. Good knock by him. Cmon the aussies keep fighting

[wycbloods]

Well batted to Clarke as well now 50 up for him.

[wycbloods]

No chance for an England Victory now. 41 overs left and they need 6 wickets and still trail by 150. Well batted to Clarke and North didn't give them a sniff when they were still a chance.

[CoverKing]

now we got to keep this momentum and take it into the next test if possible!

[Grahaml]

I actually think if this had been fought out over 5 days without interruption we'd be thinking about whether England can bat out 5 sessions to save the game again. My reasoning is that if you bat first and get to 1/100 after 1 session you're thinking about batting out the whole day, no thinking about starting again the next day. And now at 4/250 I would have thought we'd be at least 250 runs ahead, perhaps more, with 5 sessions left or so and thinking about when to declare with two batsmen well set. Also I would have thought if England weren't in this situation of being in no danger of losing they wouldn't have been so aggressive when Watson and Hussey were on 50s and the field would have been very defensive instead of having 3 or 4 blokes in catching positions the whole time.

It all means nothing if we can't get a win in the last two tests but I think we've had the better bowling attack and better batting line up on balance and should go into the next test thinking we're the better team. I have noticed if you compare aggregates for the series and overall career stats, then aussies have something like 5 of the top 6 spots. Just have to get that win, hopefully two and win the series.

[rod_rooster]

Good post Graham. I agree with that. Lets not forget we were easily the better side in Cardiff. Sure we were outplayed in the second Test but not in the third. We aren't travelling as badly as some people are making out.

[rod_rooster]

Shame for North to fall on 96. Deserved a century. Great catch from Anderson though.

[dedja]

What a shame ... Marcus North falls just short of a great hundred.

Well batted.

[NFC]

Game should be bowled until it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for a result to occur. I don't care if 10 wickets are needed from 10 balls, you bowl them IMO.

Stupid rule, what other sports calls off a game?

[dedja]

19 overs to get 245, after the Poms get 5 wickets ... how is that possible?

[NFC]

19 overs to get 245, after the Poms get 5 wickets ... how is that possible?

Is it impossible? Aussies declare, play till it cannot be done.

[dedja]

LOL ...

[rod_rooster]

LMAO, Clarke caught off a no-ball on 96

Now taking drinks This is a farce. Just play till he's out or gets his hundred and be done with it.

[dedja]

Pup should buy a lotto ticket ... dropped by Strauss, ball hits the stumps but the bails don't move, now he's caught off a no ball.

[NFC]

Clarke.

[rod_rooster]

103* to Clarke. Game Over.

[NFC]

Well done Pup!

[dedja]

And that's all from Edgbaston ... goodnight.

[Gozu]

Credit to Clarke though. Sure he was "out" three times and needed a lot of luck to get to his ton but he hung around today when the pressure was on. Normally he plays a stupid shot or runs himself out but didnt. I've said before I think he's a front runner which is born out in the stats they showed tonight that he averages 52 in our wins and 42 in our losses but he did do the job tonight.

[Gozu]

Performances for the 3rd Test

Australia

Batting

Watson-62 & 53
Katich-46 & 26
Ponting-38 & 5
Hussey-0 & 64
Clarke-29 & 103*
North-12 & 96
Manou-8 & 13*
Johnson-0 & DNB
Hauritz-20* & DNB
Siddle-13 & DNB
Hilfenhaus-20 & DNB

Bowling

Hilfenhaus-4/109
Siddle-3/89
Johnson-2/92
Hauritz-1/57
Watson-0/23

England

Batting

Strauss-69
Cook-0
Bopara-23
Bell-53
Collingwood-13
Prior-41
Flintoff-74
Broad-55
Swann-24
Anderson-1
Onions-2*

Bowling

Anderson-5/80 & 1/47
Flintoff-0/58 & 0/35
Onions-4/58 & 1/74
Broad-0/51 & 2/38
Swann-1/4 & 1/119
Bopara-DNB & 0/44
Collingwood-DNB & 0/8