The Ashes: Adelaide.

[bigfluffylemon]

305/7 - Paine out.

Time for Marsh and Cummins to take back control, again.

[bigfluffylemon]

4-fer for Woakes. Australia 122/8, but the lead approaches 340. It's still by far more than enough, one feels. It's more a case of whether England collapse in a heap again, or can restore a bit of pride with the bat and make Australia really work for it.

Moeen off now, you would think? Surely give Anderson a shot at his 5-fer, or Overton on, who hasn't bowled yet today but was good in the first innings to have a crack at the tail. No need for a spinner, especially now the left-handed Marsh is out.

[bigfluffylemon]

And 5 for Jimmy. Well played, sir . Let's hope your batsmen can back you up.

[yuppie]

England have managed to find a way back into the game. Also the ball will be getting a bit old under lights this evening. So maybe a little closer than expected.

[meninblue]

354 to get. Aussies massive favorites imo. This might as well get over today.

[bigfluffylemon]

138 all out. Well, After last night, England did more or less what they needed to in order to have a chance, albeit a tiny one. 138 all out from 54-4 is about the best they could realistically have hoped for with the ball.

354 to win - it's probably 50 more than they would have liked at the start of the day, but it's almost certainly academic anyway - I'd imagine most of us will be pleasantly surprised if they make it to 200, let alone anywhere close to the target.

[bigfluffylemon]

That takes Anderson to 47 wickets this year at an average of 15.82, SR of 42, economy of 2.25 and 4 5-fers in 9 games. Mighty impressive. And there was I worrying that he might be past it.

What the hell are we going to do when he retires?

[yuppie]

As long as there is something in the pitch for Anderson he will get wickets.

This might be working out nicely for England. Getting Australia out quickly today means that they will face an old ball under lights this evening. Much easier than facing the new ball.

Australia will need a few wickets with the new ball to feel comfortable......

[yuppie]

Why did Australia not review that.

[sussexpob]

You misread my sly attempt at a convict joke as a slight on Melbourne. Never been, I am sure its nice. I shared a house years ago from someone from St Kilda, she was boring as hell and said it was a wonderful city; it put me off. Maybe next time I shouldnt quote Irish folk songs to make the point.....

ah, I got the convict reference, but thought you were being cleverer than that.


Haven't you been everywhere?!?

You give me too much credit. We going 2-0 down so the references to your criminal heritage needed cranking up

The general rule with travel and with me is, if more than two people you know have been somewhere, I probably haven't.....if you haven't heard of a place, I've spent the week.

[sussexpob]

I know what you mean bfl. Our youngest has lived and worked in Melbourne since 2004

What did he do? Steal Trevelyan's corn too?

Specialist in corporate governance and company secretary of Australia’s largest bank!

A banker? Wasn't far wrong with generic criminal then....

[mikesiva]

Why did Australia not review that.

Indeed. Cook would have been plumb to Hazlewood.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good start serves the traditional function of offering spurious hope.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A drop by Haze.

Curious comment from Smith on the sledge-war. It's only up to the umpires whether comments are acceptable. Surely it's also the responsibility of the person doing it? And the captains? And the tour management?

Matt Prior says on BBC that Australia are banging on about some personal subject the public is not aware of.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cook goes. The TMS commentators questioning eagle-eye. Called that not out from the start.

Big wicket for Lyono.

Cook averaging 20.7 in the series. But only Stoneman and Mo average over 30 for England.