Oink

Day one of the 3rd test at the WACA. Cook already caught lbw.

Oakvillian

just catching up on yesterday's reports. Not a bad first day, good to see Dawid Malan securing his maiden Test century, and Johnny Bairstow is having a reasonable knock as well. Looking at the online replays of Stoneman's dismissal it seems a pretty marginal decision for Aleem Dar to have overturned - whatever happened to "umpire's call" when the video evidence is not conclusive? Still, that's a good start from England in the face of some properly aggressive pace bowling...

Hawkmoon77

I agree. The DRS was to remove "howlers" which this patently wasn't.

YJB at 6 *cough* Where he should have been from the start.

Heard that Strauss has gone back to UK, to be with his missus, who has cancer.

Puts a game of cricket into perspective and all the best to the Strauss family.

Flogger

https://vimeo.com/247056899

Hawkmoon77

Very good

Shame we handed over the Ashes so tamely.

Changes for Boxing Day?

Flogger

Moeen needs a break. carrying an injury and was probably only played due to not wanting to be without either allrounder . Hopefully they won't play Crane who isnt ready, think Leach is with the lions.
Overton, Broad maybe, cook probably not .

Vince second innings i imagine, have given him the last 2 tests.

Apparantly 20 mins after the last wicket the rain came back and didnt stop.

BristolUK

Guardian: Stuart Broad backs Alastair Cook to ram home England’s advantage at MCG



Aus all out for 327, we're 192-2, 135 runs behind.

Australia only had 135 at 2 and 160 for 3. But then 260-4 and added 54 on the next two wickets to 314 for 6 and collapsed further.

It's been a long time since I paid much attention to cricket but let's get past 300 and still have most wickets left before thinking we're in a good position.

BristolUK

307-6 it didn't look so good, but 491-9 is promising.

Oink

It was quite a special day yesterday. So glad Cookie did so well. A very classy innings. Let’s hope our bowlers rise to the challenge.

Hawkmoon77

Hurrah for Chef, well played old chap.

And Broady too, for that matter.

Now add some cheeky last wicket runs, then get amongst them.

Oink

scrubbedexpat134

How the Hell can they go on picking Moeen Ali?

Hawkmoon77

....because they don't trust Gary Ballance (speaking as a Yorkie...good. Then we can have him back)

scrubbedexpat134

Ali is supposed to be an all rounder his 2017/18 ashes stats are: batting 136 runs at an average of 19.4, bowling 3 wickets, taking a wicket every 40 overs. Compare that to Nathan Lyon who has taken 17 wickets and has a batting average of 9.25 and he is just a bowler. Ali cant spin the ball even on a pitch that is turning. Gary Balance is a batsman who has had numerous chances to stake his claim and has failed. There is more to the selection of the England team during this series than meets the eye, something is not right. On a plus note Ali has not dropped a catch.

Hawkmoon77

I completely agree that Moeen is so far out of form, it would be a blessing to drop him.

Just we don't have many options out there

And yes, the touring selections were dreadful. Hence the "weakest team ever " comments in press before they flew out