*Official Third Test at Edgbaston

[FBU]

I am a Manou fan just from listening to him being interviewed.

 

[Woodster]

I was all for Watson opening up for the Aussies today, purely from an English perspective. Didn't think he'd last too long, but he has batted very well. I don't doubt he can hold a bat, but still believe he is a long way from being a Test opener. He was positive, yet solid, rode his luck a touch, but punished most things loose, and also rotated well. All this, it has to be said, a result of a poor session from England's attack. We lacked fire, and delivered far too many four-balls, hence the 22 boundaries. Short and wide, or too full, it was dire stuff really.

Katich and Watson did bat well, barring Katich's misjudgement. While it has been a very good start, if we can nip a couple out early on, we are back in the box seat, but we need to up our game by a good 30%.

 

[Burgey]

At the Hilton?

As it happens yes.

You stalking me Nath?

 

[sephiroth123]

Site I'm on suggests that we should get more than half a day tbh, but we'll see

As I said the weather models aren't agreeing on the timing really, they all suggest though that between 11am-3pm its a writeoff pretty much no matter what, after that and its going to be a wait and see job to be honest...but I wouldn't even bother worrying about the match starting before 2-3pm. After that and its even now too hard to say. I'm a watcher of these weather models and some run 4 times a day so I'll keep it updated at some point tomorrow about timings etc.

Thanfully there shouldn't be as much rain as Wednesday so hopefully won't be the same issues again.

As I said before if any team gets a big score then odds are this will be a draw. Still not impossible to get a result IF we get lucky with timings.

 

[Richard]

I am a Manou fan just from listening to him being interviewed.

The humble type, is he?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Thanfully there shouldn't be as much rain as Wednesday so hopefully won't be the same issues again.

There doesn't need to be as much rain as on Wednesday. It depends how much more it can take on top of what has fallen already. It was an amazing achievement to play today but the ground still hasn't recovered.

 

[Son Of Coco]

It's nice to wake up and see a good start from us. Glad to see Watson get a good score and start well as opener. Disappointed the selectors didn't have a last minute attack of common sense and give Clark a go.

Phil Hughes last entry on Twitter:

**** it....

 

[Richard]

Is(\was) your dad actually called Coco?

 

[social]

I was all for Watson opening up for the Aussies today, purely from an English perspective. Didn't think he'd last too long, but he has batted very well. I don't doubt he can hold a bat, but still believe he is a long way from being a Test opener. He was positive, yet solid, rode his luck a touch, but punished most things loose, and also rotated well. All this, it has to be said, a result of a poor session from England's attack. We lacked fire, and delivered far too many four-balls, hence the 22 boundaries. Short and wide, or too full, it was dire stuff really.

Katich and Watson did bat well, barring Katich's misjudgement. While it has been a very good start, if we can nip a couple out early on, we are back in the box seat, but we need to up our game by a good 30%.

Eng are what they are - an average test team

Oz have lost many great players and vary between very good and very bad with precious little middle ground

It's 50/50 whether we knock up 550 or 250 tomorrow

 

[JimmyGS]

Are you going to counter-argue the point with the person who hasn't got a leg to stand on or are you going to meekly ignore the reply and hope everyone forgets that you're completely wrong?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Is(\was) your dad actually called Coco?

He was, this is him:

 

[Richard]

Are you going to counter-argue the point with the person who hasn't got a leg to stand on or are you going to meekly ignore the reply and hope everyone forgets that you're completely wrong?

And people criticised me for saying "if you stop replying you concede to some degree"...

(That Rolleyes directed at said people rather than Master Neesham BTW.)

 

[Johnners]

Watttttoooooooooooo

Gutted I fell asleep though, stupid flu

 

[marc71178]

How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?

Richard to reply.

It depends on how many of those roads are correctly designated roads and not lanes that have been incorrectly upgraded into roads even though they've been treated as roads by everyone since the upgrade IMO.

 

[Top_Cat]

Geez, watto day (*boom boom*). Good to see fortune favouring the brave, let's hope Johnson joins the party. A big 1st innings total will help that along!

Manou.

 

[marc71178]

Why, ffs, was our only viable keeping option on the field breaking his finger at the time of the toss - the mismanagement of a professional sporting side is so bad as to beggar belief

Sounds like a injury in a standard training routine, so are you suggesting they shouldn't train through the tour?

 

[Top_Cat]

At the rsk of incurring TC's wrath, Manou must be the worst player to don the baggy green since we were the worst test team in the world in the mid-80s - absolute shocker

I'm no fan of the bloke but this is crap. Wayne Phillips (the Victorian one)? Simon Cook?Scott Muller? Dan Cullen? Cam White picked as a specialist spinner despite bowling less overs than most part-timers?

Manou has averaged 40+ for the last two seasons for SA and is debateably the best pure 'keeper in the country. Been one of SA's most consistent batsmen (though, given, that's not saying a lot......) I dunno if he'll score many with the bat but I have little doubt the 'keeping standard will be raised a couple of notches.

 

[social]

Are you going to counter-argue the point with the person who hasn't got a leg to stand on or are you going to meekly ignore the reply and hope everyone forgets that you're completely wrong?

FFS, whats to argue?

With NO backup, our first choice keeper breaks a finger acting as a backstop having practiced for a couple of ours

 

[JimmyGS]

And people criticised me for saying "if you stop replying you concede to some degree"...

It's equivalent to having an argument with someone in real life. They make a well thought out point, and you go "Hmph, whatever" and walk off.

FFS, whats to argue?

With NO backup, our first choice keeper breaks a finger acting as a backstop having practiced for a couple of ours

You're right, Haddin should've spent the time preceding the game spent in a bathtub filled with pillows and bubble wrap.

 

[howardj]

You're right, Haddin should've spent the time preceding the game spent in a bathtub filled with pillows and bubble wrap.

The same bath they're housing Watto in tonight.