The Ashes; Melbourne

[bigfluffylemon]

they won't want to lose, imo

might be academic........game is England's hands not theirs

Not necessarily. If anyone has a decision to be made it will be Australia, although that will be well into tomorrow. Their first goal is to bat out today. Fail to do that, and and England win is all but assured (with the usual caveat that you can never assume anything about this England side's batting reliability, I doubt that even they would fail to chase a target of less than 150 on this pitch without Starc in the attack).

On the other hand, if Australia are still batting and have wickets in hand late in the morning session tomorrow, they will have a choice. Declare and offer England 200-250 to chase in around 2 sessions, and back themselves to get the wickets in 2 sessions (and we know that could happen) with the prospect of a loss, or bat on into the afternoon and kill the game off?

I think they'll declare early, make the target just about gettable enough for England to have a sniff of chasing it, and go for the win. After all, they already hold the Ashes, whether they lose or draw this game is largely irrelevant. But a win keeps that whitewash on the table...

Of course, as you say, this could easily be academic if Australia don't bat well today.

[alfie]

Could also be academic if the rain that is being predicted arrives this afternoon...

Never know with Melbourne ; but a 70% chance of rain including a "possibly severe " thunderstorm in the afternoon or evening , which is what is listed this morning , has the potential to disrupt any plans.

I'm hoping it will hold off until six. Sky looks fine here at the moment but that means nothing for the afternoon.

[yuppie]

Overcast conditions for the English bowlers to utilise now. Ideal situation for them

[bigfluffylemon]

What was the bloody point of that?

Should have declared.

Still, Cook takes the record for the highest score of any player to have carried his bat. Well done. Quite the achievement.

He could potentially be on the field for every over of a four innings game.

[yuppie]

This is sitting perfectly for England. Australias batting in these conditions. Could well be over today.

[backfootpunch]

This is sitting perfectly for England. Australias batting in these conditions. Could well be over today.

The old reverse curse

I see through your plan

This pitch is still dead and there is no movement on offer

[yuppie]

Still big problems for Australia at the top of the order. Usman and Bancroft have not had good series. Think with this pitch the bowlers need to be bowling at the stumps.

[bigfluffylemon]

Not good from the bowlers. Broad is all over the place.

[yuppie]

2 bowling changes from Root already.

[backfootpunch]

Curran and woakes bowling well

Woakes back up to the 85mph+ he was hitting before he got injured in the summer

[Arthur Crabtree]

Should be getting swing. But the only wicket is a drag on.

[Arthur Crabtree]

That's better. Anderson gets an edge. Big partnership now as Smith joins Wee Davie.

[alfie]

Tight cricket since the break . Just fifteen runs added ...rarely see Warner so circumspect . Smith - as usual - looks as if nothing can ever get him out unless he gets bored . Which he never does.

The England bowlers have all been on the money but no joy yet : how well will they keep their discipline as the day wears on ? At least it isn't hot today ; but they are going to find it hard to flog anything out of this drop in pitch ...

And here comes the rain. Might be a bit on - off from here...

[bigfluffylemon]

Looks like that's it for the day, and probably the match.

In some ways it's better for England, as now there is almost no conceivable way they can lose, but they can still win if they can take the last 8 wickets in reasonable time. Even if Australia bat through to tea, the target will still be of the order of 150 in 35 overs, which is gettable, so they won't want to declare.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The tour has just moved into another sphere of awkwardness with suggestions of ball tampering in the local Aussie press. The umpires haven't made a charge but this muck usually sticks.