It's just not cricket

[DRT]

Perhaps I should apply for the job of England Coach or head of Cricket at the BBC?

[djewesbury]

Perhaps I should apply for the job of England Coach or head of Cricket at the BBC?

Yes. I think so. You'd be good at it.

[benread]

The average first innings score in last 10 tests here is 396 I just read. So 100 under par by the Aussies.

[DRT]

The average first innings score in last 10 tests here is 396 I just read. So 100 under par by the Aussies.

I was looking for that stat but couldn't find it. Interesting.

[DRT]

The stands are very empty. If this is the pinnacle of international cricket that is a very worrying sign.

[benread]

The stands are very empty. If this is the pinnacle of international cricket that is a very worrying sign.

8 hours drinking in the sun yesterday. A night in the bars, then a 10am start. They are all still in bed!

[djewesbury]

They'll be there soon. It's early. And it's Friday. Wait till tomorrow when there's a game on and it's Saturday.
I like Carberry's space age helmet. Very Tour de France.

[DRT]

Cook scored a lot of runs x2 at the Gabba before.

I was unaware of that, but I am aware of him being completely and utterly useless with the combination of a bat and a captain's armband* on a number of occasions.

*"armband" = armband, cap, badge, tie pin, cuff links, jockstrap or any other captain-identifying object.

{not wrong icon}

[djewesbury]

*mildly annoyed frown*

[DRT]

Trott is a barnacle.

You must be pleased with that prediction?

[djewesbury]

Trott is a barnacle.

You must be pleased with that prediction?

Do you like this game or not?

[DRT]

Trott is a barnacle.

You must be pleased with that prediction?

Do you like this game or not?

Yes. It is 90% predictable. KP will be out for almost nothing. Bell will score more than all others together.

Time for bed?

[djewesbury]

Trott is a barnacle.

You must be pleased with that prediction?

Do you like this game or not?

Yes. It is 90% predictable. KP will be out for almost nothing. Bell will score more than all others together.

Time for bed?

Yes. (You are wrong.)

[djewesbury]

You're on the sofa tonight though.

[DRT]

You're on the sofa tonight though.

Not for the first time.

[DRT]

KP will be out for almost nothing. Bell will score more than all others together.

You are wrong.

Exactly how annoying will it be if your summary is wrong?

[djewesbury]

KP will be out for almost nothing. Bell will score more than all others together.

You are wrong.

Exactly how annoying will it be if your summary is wrong?

This is a game which is all about the 10% of unpredictability - even the 1%. The whole game turns on that, and that's why it's so thrilling.. even after 5 days, it can still all hang in the balance. Let's wait and see...

[DRT]

We're home and dry.

Nuff said.

[djewesbury]

We're home and dry.

Nuff said.

[DRT]

I predicted England having a 98 run lead at the end of the first innings. Nothing I have seen changes that prediction.

Goodnight.

[mpij]

I won. Daniel was out by a country mile.

I was being generous to the Aussies. Glad to see I was wrong. But I was closer in wickets. Now, how much will WE lead by after the first innings?

Looks like you asked the wrong question!

[mpij]

I admit to not knowing anything about test cricket, but you guys don't seem to be factoring in the predictable England middle order collapse and the faster than expected deterioration of the wicket as a result of the reduced use of the heavy roller overnight. Trust me, 98 is the number you should be guessing.

Middle?

[benread]

[quote="djewesbury.. even after 5 days, it can still all hang in the balance. Let's wait and see...[/quote]

We will be lucky if we see day 5 after what happened while I have been in bed!

[djewesbury]

*wakes up screaming*

[PhilW]

98 runs

145.

So at the end of the first innings, we are 'ahead' by... -159 runs, which makes DRT the 'winner'...