The Ashes; Second Test, Lord's, July 16-20

[Arthur Crabtree]

Henry joins Geoffrey.

It's what we call, in cricket, a ball. I've been in this game a long time, and it's my view that the batsman will try to hit it, or leave it.... you can't bowl short at Headingley...

Chris Broad comes in, bowls, Roy Rogers get in behind... nothing is done...

[GarlicJam]

England have reigned the dcoring in quite well this last 40-50 minutes.

Stokes can take a fair bit of credit for that.

[Aidan11]

Australia's session.

[Aidan11]

By some distance.

[hopeforthebest]

England have reigned the dcoring in quite well this last 40-50 minutes.

Stokes can take a fair bit of credit for that.

Stokes is only bowler who this morning has found a good line and length on this pitch, especially to Smith.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yes, good effort from Stokes.

Another good knock against England for Rogers.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well done you Aussies. As Geoffrey won't say.

[hopeforthebest]

Botham's comment on the pitch this morning, saying it might be a good toss to lose is looking strange.

[GarlicJam]

Australia's session.

Could've been all that much better, if it wasn't for that stupid shot from Warner.

Still, happy with the state of play.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Botham's comment on the pitch this morning, saying it might be a good toss to lose is looking strange.

It does usually get easier to bat as the game goes on at Lord's though. Maybe it'll deteriorate more without a covering of live grass. Or else we'll get a high scoring draw.

[Durhamfootman]

27 overs in the session

steady on boys..... someone might think you were trying to give the crowd something resembling value for money, and that wouldn't do at all.

I'm trying to think how many overs the Aussie bowlers managed in the very first session in Cardiff, and I'm thinking it might have been 23. Does that sound about right?

[GarlicJam]

gotta remember that about 20 minutes of the first session was lost, DF.

[Arthur Crabtree]

23 is bang on the nose Durham.

Shakes fist at Australian perfidy.

[Durhamfootman]

gotta remember that about 20 minutes of the first session was lost, DF.

It was?

I didn't know that

apologies to the aussie bowlers.

I saw the numbers, and they neither surprised me, nor made me question them, which is still an indictment of test cricket, I suppose

[budgetmeansbudget]

I like slow over rates, gives you more time to reflect on the state of the game! And you go on for an extra half hour or so at the end of the day.

I can't remember healthy over rates in any case, they've rarely been over 15 an hour since I've been watching test cricket. Pretty sure with the West Indian run ups in the seventies they ever got much above 13 then.