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Close of play England 247 for 4 with Bell on 29 and Woakes on 15

 

Of the 5 Tests in the series this has been the least interesting of them.

 

There may be no play tomorrow due to the forecast rain.

 

For anyone who looks at this thread, I will be out most of Sunday and won't be back until late afternoon so won't be able to post anything until then.

 

El Loro
Originally Posted by Cold Sweat:

I listened to the afternoon session while at work and I would suggest that "least interesting" is an understatement.

 

England on the back-foot - but possibly making harder work of the situation than they necessarily had too.

The Australian innings was OK so I was allowing for that. Yesterday was as boring as cricket can get. Though not as boring as the innings from a certain very well known commentator from Yorkshire when he was playing for England back in 1967

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ma...nt/story/583298.html

I remember seeing it on television back then and never forgot it.

 

El Loro

Play abandoned for the day without a ball being bowled.

 

Although showers are forecast tomorrow morning, the afternoon will be "largely dry with sunny spells - warmer too".

 

A draw is the most probable result unless England's remaining 6 wickets fall for 45 or fewer runs.

 

I've already posted that I won't be around tomorrow until later afternoon but I doubt I will be missing much.

 

El Loro

England were all out for 377 (Woakes for 25, Bell for 45, Broad for 9, Prior for 47, Anderson for 4, Swann for 34 and Kerrigan not out on 1). So Australia had a 115 run lead.

 

Australia tried to score quickly in their second innings to build the lead up to a level which they thought would encourage England to go for it so they lost 6 wickets before declaring on 111 in 23 overs, a lead of 226 runs. I won't give the indivual scores but they varied from a duck to 28.

 

So England have a target of 227 runs from 44 overs. If this was a one day match that would be quite achievable but the pitch is 4 days old and the one day team would be a bit different.

 

Root was out for 11. Currently Cook is on 22 and Trott on 24 with England 58 for 1 after 14 overs so the required run rate is increasing and the chances are that with 15 overs to go England and Australia will shake hands and call it a draw. But if Pietersen comes in and stays in then England may win.

 

El Loro
Originally Posted by Cold Sweat:

Unlikely that England will seriously chase it down.

 

A bold move from Michael Clarke and shows how eager he is to get a win - Garry Sobers & Graeme Smith are the only captains to have declared twice and lost a Test.

I agree and it's made this last day a lot more interesting than the England first innings.

El Loro

Bell's just been run out on 17

Australia 206 for 5 and light has ended the game. Woakes 17 not out.

 

So it's a draw and as you cam imagine the crowd are booing the umpires. There will be quite a demand for the law to be changed.

 

It's been an exciting day made possible by the Australians making a sporting declaration today.

 

The series ends 3 - 0  to England.

 

The next Ashes series in Australia later this year could be really good as Australia seem to have make progress in developing a good side.

 

El Loro

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