England v Australia 5th Test - The Oval

[Jim05]

Play starting in 10 minutes

[daysofourlives]

I just saw the Watson dismissal for the 1st time. Does anyone know if they checked for a no ball? I thought it looked bloody close from the view i had

87.1 Broad to Watson, OUT, bouncer, another fierce lifter and hooked powerfully, out towards deep backward square... where Kevin Pietersen dives to take a quite brilliant catch! Broad has winkled out Watto - although only by a few millimetres of rubber after they check on the no-ball - and a superb innings comes to an end. It's not a double but definitely a daddy and Watson can walk off plenty satisfied. He's played the short ball well but just couldn't quite keep the shot down this time


SR Watson c Pietersen b Broad 176 (339m 247b 25x4 1x6) SR: 71.25

Cheers for that, i just saw it on the live coverage and a few millimetres behind the line is stretching it

[Gozu]

Congrats to Smith a well deserved 100, Haddin you dud playing on to Trott.

[Jim05]

Top knock by Smithy

[Phantom Gossiper]

Must confess Smith is beginning to grow on me.. just dont bowl him!

[whufc]

[heater31]

One Swallow does not make a summer.

Steve needs to follow up with consistency and FFS don't let him bowl

[woodublieve12]

One Swallow does not make a summer.

Steve needs to follow up with consistency and FFS don't let him bowl

been probably one of the most consistant players in the team atm

[heater31]

One Swallow does not make a summer.

Steve needs to follow up with consistency and FFS don't let him bowl

been probably one of the most consistant players in the team atm

For 1 series, needs to follow up at home...

[tigerpie]

I may be proven wrong down the track but i see Smith being similar to Steve Waugh at a similar age.
Does all 3 disciplines well (ok not as good a bowler)

Batting is not elegant and has flaws but hard to bowl to. Is brilliant in the field (apart from his shocker in the last test)
His bowling can do a job for us at times. A bit like Border, Clarke have done. It may well improve with time as leggies take a bit longer.

I just hope he can back it up here this season. He could be future captain material if he does.

[Rik E Boy]

THE BLONDE DON

[wristwatcher]

THE BLONDE DON

Did Steve Smith make a few questionable real estate deals

[woodublieve12]

THE BLONDE DON

[whufc]

THE BLONDE DON

YES YES YES

[Ron Burgundy]

Its been a strange series.

England are 3-0 up, but have only the one batsman averaging over 40 (Bell @ 71.4)
Australia on the other hand have 4 batsman averaging over 40 (Clarke, Rogers, Smith and Watto)

England have one bowler averaging under 28 (Root 3wkts @ 34)
Australia have 4 bowlers averaging under 28 (Harris, Lyon, Siddle and the Blonde Don)

As for the keepers...
Haddin - Averaging 25, and 25 catches.
Prior - Averaging 14, and 16 catches.

The numbers don't stack up to a 3-0 flogging. Ian Bell has been the difference, that about all I can conclude. That, and also that England has many underperformers, but chooses to remain stable, and not searching for a drop in answer. We aren't that much shitter than England, but in reality neither team are all that good.

[carey]

Its been a strange series.

England are 3-0 up, but have only the one batsman averaging over 40 (Bell @ 71.4)
Australia on the other hand have 4 batsman averaging over 40 (Clarke, Rogers, Smith and Watto)

England have one bowler averaging under 28 (Root 3wkts @ 34)
Australia have 4 bowlers averaging under 28 (Harris, Lyon, Siddle and the Blonde Don)

The numbers don't stack up to a 3-0 flogging. Ian Bell has been the difference, that about all I can conclude.

Them Numbers do seem a little misleading.

One thing I have noticed in this series from Australia is when they lose 1 wicket they generally lose 3 or 4! The age old saying its all about partnerships......

With this being said there were 2 run chases they were a chance in......

[whufc]

Congrats to Smith a well deserved 100, Haddin you dud playing on to Trott.

Since coming back in the side against India for Wade his innings have been

21
30
1
71
7
7
65*
8
13
4
30

257 runs @ 25.7

Surely we could get some young keeper into the side who is a specialist keeper and would do just as well with the bat anyway.

Time to look for the future FFS

Haddin has to go.

[Jim05]

Totally agree Hammer
But please dont bring that muppet Wade back in

[Gozu]

Congrats to Smith a well deserved 100, Haddin you dud playing on to Trott.

Since coming back in the side against India for Wade his innings have been

21
30
1
71
7
7
65*
8
13
4
30

257 runs @ 25.7

Surely we could get some young keeper into the side who is a specialist keeper and would do just as well with the bat anyway.

Time to look for the future FFS

Haddin has to go.

I was thinking the same thing when Haddin first came to the crease last night. Really needs/needed at least a 50 or possibly a ton to keep his spot in the side for the first Ashes Test back here. Looked both poor & decent in his 30 terrible way to get out playing on to a nothing part-timer in Trott.

In the second innings probably needs a ton now but either way time to move on, one guy I'd like to see us blood this summer is Paine. Really liked what I saw of him in ODI cricket but understand he's fallen away mainly due to injuries over the past few years. To me he was the ideal replacement for Haddin 1-2 years ago.

[whufc]

Totally agree Hammer
But please dont bring that muppet Wade back in

Lol i actually dont mind Wade........................................................but agree his keeping isnt good so he needs to be averagin around the 40 mark with the bat to hold his spot.

I would almost be tempted to play Wade as a specialist batsmen currrently averages 35 at test level as Haddin at 6, Faulkner at 7 isnt the answer and Wade imho is ahead of Khawaja and probably Warner atm and most of the other pressing candidates.

Then the keeper could be the best young keeper in the country and we will be no worse off than having Haddin average 25.