The Ashes Thread.

[baldrick]

2 wickets for zero runs was an impressive first over by Cummins

can't see the poms managing to bat out tomorrow

[buriramboy]

2 wickets for zero runs was an impressive first over by Cummins

can't see the poms managing to bat out tomorrow

No doubt you'll be flicking the bean at the prospect.

[Dasher]

Pommy poofs can't cheat their way out of this

[buriramboy]

Pommy poofs can't cheat their way out of this

Double century from Stokes tomorrow, the Gods have foretold it.

[David48atTD]

Double century from Stokes tomorrow, the Gods have foretold it.

I'll defer that prophecy to the Commons for commentary ...

...

[buriramboy]

Oh yeah Butler is a twat had England to get over 304.5 runs and thought was looking pretty when at 301 with him on strike but not to worry made my money back and considerably more on that white bird beating Serena William's at 5/2.

[David48atTD]

From the BBC ...

How's stat?!

• Steve Smith has scored 671 runs in five innings. It is the fifth time an Australian has made 600 runs in England after Donald Bradman (twice), Mark Taylor and Arthur Morris.

• This is the third time Smith has passed 600 runs in a series. Only Bradman, with six, managed it more often.

• Smith has made nine consecutive Test fifties against England, equalling Inzamam-ul-Haq's record against one team (also against England).

• David Warner is the first Australia opener to make a pair since Mark Taylor against Pakistan at Karachi in 1994, and the first in an Ashes Test since Ross Edwards at Headingley in 1972.

• Warner is the only the third Australia opener to make three successive ducks in Ashes Tests, after Victor Trumper and Graeme Wood.

• Stuart Broad has bowled 93 balls at Warner in the series, dismissing him six times and conceding only 32 runs.

• Jonny Bairstow has been bowled 15 times in his past 37 innings.

• Joe Root is the first England captain to be dismissed for a duck three times in a Test series.

[David48atTD]

The Ashes: Australia huge favourites to win fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester



Some lethal bowling from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc and a supremely entertaining Steve Smith innings has put Australia in with a massive chance of clinching a first Ashes series win in England since 2001.

At stumps on day four of the fourth Test, England was reeling at 2-18 after Australia declared at 6-186 thanks to Smith's quickfire 82 in another peach of an innings this series, setting England a target of 383 to win.

Cummins put Australia into outright favouritism when he removed both Rory Burns and Joe Root for ducks in consecutive deliveries in the first over of England's second innings.

Chance of victory and an unassailable 2-1 series lead was set up when Starc (3-80) found his mojo again to help dismiss England in their first innings for 301 at the start of the day, 196 runs short of Australia's first innings total.

Only Jos Buttler (41) offered real resistance for England's batsmen at the start of day four as Australia began a second innings after just a session at Old Trafford, only for familiar foibles to reappear.

Again, Stuart Broad proved David Warner's nemesis as he dismissed the Australian opener LBW for a six-ball duck, continuing Warner's putrid form this Ashes series.

Marcus Harris did not trouble the scorers too much either, also getting trapped LBW by Broad for 6, before Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed leg-before by Jofra Archer for 11.

But Matthew Wade (34) joined Smith (82) in the middle to forge a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket, with Smith in particular playing ridiculous shots at will, no matter where the ball was bowled or where Joe Root set his field.

Here

[buriramboy]

Should be good weather tomorrow according to my shit weather app so a full days play. England are incapable or trying to defend for 3 sessions so pointless trying to play for a draw, defending and losing your wicket for 10 or 20 runs may aswell have a slog and shit or bust at least will get some respect for having a go rather than trying to defend and getting all out for 150.

[Dasher]

Graeme Wood was a run out specialist. A real head case. Warner joins him as an Ashes donkey.

[Loy Toy]

Warner joins him as an Ashes donkey.

He should forget about ever playing for the national side again.

[Headworx]

^Maybe in short versions, he'll still get a start. But yeah, bye-bye Test cricket.

[David48atTD]

Day 5 is on ...



Heck, there are even shadows on the ground, must mean the sun is shining

[harrybarracuda]

The convicts are a bit like the pakis with all this incessant appealing.

[Dasher]

Cummins bowls Roy game on. Lyon doing nothing. Just need Stokes out and the poofs will crumble.

[Dasher]

Only a matter of time before England call on Smith to return to play for his motherland

He was born in Aus

[Dasher]

Stokes gone! Walks. Good sportsmanship but he's half kiwi not a pommy grub like Broad.

[harrybarracuda]

I get the impression that dasher is knocking one out watching this.

Fortunately we should be OK, the F1 is starting soon.

[cyrille]

Aussies playing with a fine leg.

wtf's that about?

[Dasher]

Aussies playing with a fine leg.

wtf's that about?

Never watched cricket before?

[Saint Willy]

Stokes and Denly gone. Surely they were the danger men. Just need 5 more wickets.

[Dasher]

Bluey lbw
Finally the umpire plays fair

[Saint Willy]

Tail end now

[hallelujah]

Apropos of nothing: I wonder what's happened to Haseeb Hameed?

http://www.wisden.com/stories/county...-haseeb-hameed

Gonna be released by Lancy next month. What a fall from grace that's been.

[David48atTD]

Can Leach save England again?