PeteY

Strauss was caught on a no-ball too in the 2nd? test too. Thing that surprised me today was all of the no balls! Aussie bowlers trying to hard?

I reckon good ole warne is still the biggest threat to us by far. Makes me whince when i see one (well alot) of his balls just miss the outside edge and go to Gillie.

Bizarre

A no ball is a no ball. It is the cricketing equivalent of an offside. It's just not cricket. How many no balls is that already? :scared:
Lunch is over, let's get it back on and increase this run rate and not get caught out by the weather again.

Flutterscutter

The new boy hasnt done himself any favours so far, and generally the whole aussie team looks tired and extremely ordinary.

Bizarre

Looks like I spoke too soon.

OzTennis

Speaking of no ball and offside, you won your only World Cup (at home) with a ball which didn't cross the line! I'm only joking please don't go over whether it was a goal or not and you would have won a second but for the hand of God etc.

One amazing thing which happened in the 3rd Test was that Martyn was 'out' to a caught behind but the England players didn't appeal so it was left to TV to show he snicked it. Let's not get into whether a batsman should walk or not - some do (eg Gillie), some don't (perhaps Martyn if he was aware of it).

People forget that once Warne retires a pretty handy bowler with a better average than Warnie (I think) called Stuart MacGill will come into the team. Shane will play for a while though after his recent batting and wicket taking but the time must come when those fingers won't tweak the ball. He seems to be keeping them nimble on quite a few fair English maidens - allegedly.

OzTennis

BobbyDazzler

MacGill although very handy is surely in the twilight of his career now, having unfortunately spent the bulk of it in Warne's shadow.

I was impressed by Hogg during the one-day series and he could well be one for the future. Does seem to suffer from little man syndrome though

Cheers

BD

OzTennis

Yeah, probably not many years left in Stewie and Braddles doesn't do too badly at the shortened version anyway - lovely, cheery character though and a cult figure for the Aussie crowds. There's no two ways about it, a lot of fantastic cricketers are all going to decline at the same time while the English team is in its ascendancy so this and future series will go either way.

Rain delaying play again it looks from the 'live scores' on my 'puter. A draw will do us fine.

OzTennis

PeteY

Wonderful stuff seeing an Aussie typing somthing like that!!

OzTennis

Yeah, never expected to be saying that this series, maybe next series in 2 years time if Hayden, Langer, McGrath and Warne were still hanging on. The last 2 tests have come as a shock I can tell you. Still, every dog must have their day as they say and the fat lady is far from coming on stage yet

OzTennis

renth

Has anyone else noticed that Trent Bridge is a great ground for listening to what the players are saying?

Other than the predictable "great ball Shane!" that Gilchrist keeps coming out with I heard Warnie shouting to the team "gome on guys, 15 minutes to lunch, we all know they're a big bunch of softies!"

SuperSeagulls

So the good old English summer halted the English attack - lets hope it stays rain-free for the next four days!!

And I know what you mean about hearing the players - they sounded like a bunch of hyenas when Ponting got Vaughan out.

SS

OzTennis

The funniest thing on the Channel 4 commentary (don't know if this is the same commentary in Oz?) was when Richie Benaud was telling Mike Atherton how much the lunch and drinks breaks have changed since his day. Richie said crumpet with Vegemite was not unknown.

Atherton, quick as a flash, with a 'straight bat' voice said we all know Richie how partial the Aussies are to some crumpet - the camera immediately focussed on Warnie in the slips.

On the cricket itself I felt a bit better by the end of the day and Ponting getting Vaughan was a huge psychological blow. Pieterson dropped and could have been run out - hope he doesn't go on to make a lot more! Tait looks like he can bowl some useful ones and perhaps Warnie will be able to grip the ball properly today.

There looks to be a tremendous friendship and respect as well as intense rivalry between both sets of players (Warnie's sledging aside). I liked the looks between Lee and Vaughan when he nearly hit him. Another very interesting day in prospect!

Oh, to be fair to Gillie he sometimes says great ball Warnie!

OzTennis

renth

He sometimes calls him Holly too - "great ball Holly!" (BTW Warnie's nickname is Hollywood, FFS!)

OzTennis

Yeah, goes back to the days when he wore the diamond Nike 'swoosh' earring! Another one of the sponsors who have dropped Shane aka Warnie aka Holly.

OzTennis

Flutterscutter

Whilst I recognise his superb cricketing abilities, it is tainted by my loathing of him as a man. He seems to have every trait i despise.
Of course i could have got him all wrong and he's really a very pleasant chappie and the media have been telling porkies about him all these years.