639-9 at lunch? Clearly we should bat on and go for the draw. We can hold out for a day and a half against this bowling.

I think the only remaining question is can the Aussies force a 5th day of play?

350 up and five sessions left to play. As a contest it's long since over. (c) Captain Obvious.

Could Captain Obvious please tell me whether it's Thursday or Frday in this weather forecast?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/93?

Captain Pessimist.

Bloody Tremlett or whatever he's called.

Now I suppose we'll have to humiliate the colonials again.

They might just win this today...

Hmmm, the ball is swinging a bit so we in with a chance today. Mr. Cricket was a big wicket to get. One more right at the end and it'll be all over by lunch tomorrow.

edited to say. You might well be right.

Well back tomorrow to finish them off before drinks.

I agree. Done in the first hour.

The Barmy Army will be partying all over Sydney by midday!

Weird, with this having developed in to such a one sided match, that half way through Englands innings, it looked like this game was going to be a contest.
With England at 226-5, the Aussies must have had hopes, they might have had a chance of a slender first innings lead.

I had the misfortune of having to listen to the Aussie commentary of Ian Healy, Michael Slater and a bloke called Chapel last night. And, their excruciatingly painful accents aside, they live in absolute cuckoo-land. Six down, Haddin just been caught behind by great Hobbisan ball, with 180 odd runs to get, with less than a day and a half, Healy says, without a hint of sarcasm, to the other one, "well mate, if Johnson and Smith can put together a nice run I think we can win this one."

I think they've invented a new category beyond blind-optimism; 'Aussieism'.

Ive been listening to these imbeciles too, Warne is a prat, Healy HATES the English, even dear old Richie Benaud is going senile.

Still, I do think that even Healy might have been a bit tongue in cheek with that comment. Its quite nice to listen to them bristling with indignation, they still think the team they used to play for is out there and that Warne could come in turn it on a sixpence and get 5 for very little to win the game.

And Bumble in the post match wrap suggested that today thousands of Aussies would turn up disguised as plastic chairs.

VIP Linky for the last bit


VIP TV Link

Nice...

YES!!!!!!