The Ashes; Melbourne

[meninblue]

I think England think tank will look to score as many as they can in this innings itself considering they have to bat last. Also Cook is nearing 250. England bowlers will need to dismiss Aussies in 4 sessions to win this. This time England bowlers have the huge vision of 164 runs lead which will create enough score board pressure.

[Making_Splinters]

It’s a dead rubber, on a slow track and against a weakened attack, but fair play to Cook, that was a classic high quality innings. His second double of the year and up to 6th on the all time list of Test run scorers. I highly doubt he’ll catch Tensulkar, but going past Ponting seems realistic. Can he be considered one of the greatest batsmen with a sub 50 average? One of England’s greatest but I don’t know about all time unless he pushes that average up.

England have had good positions all series, let’s see if they can finally make one count.

[alfie]

Yep I would have declared and given a fired up Broad a couple of overs.

Why declare at all? The more scored in this innngs, the fewer needed on day 5. If Root had declared and no wkts had fallen before the close it would have been a wasted exercise. And ask what the Aussies wanted most - to get off the field.

I think the 2 happiest men with this decision is Bancroft and Warner. The one thing the Aussie openers would not wanted to have done is face 5 overs in the evening. Nothing to gain, everything to loose.

It probably was considered . But on the other hand dragging the weary fielders out again tomorrow morning even if it is only briefly ; and so leaving the opening bats only ten minutes to get off and get ready also has its appeal.
I think you could argue either way. And quite possibly the West Indies Test when Root declared late on day four , failed to take a wicket - and eventually lost on the last day - has rather put him off calling them in early.

I'm sure the England bowlers quite appreciate having the chance to get a second night's rest after their exertions in the first innings.

[alfie]

Still without cooks effort, one has to wonder why none one else in the main batting line up apart from root has made it past 20 on this deck

Oddly enough almost everyone on both sides has got a start except for Curran and the three Australian bowlers...but while Warner and Cook have enjoyed themselves at length there have been a lot more twenties than solid scores among the rest.

Still think it will be hard work getting Australia out a second time on this. Though for once there will be a bit of scoreboard pressure on them so an early wicket or two might present a challenge . At least for the mortal batsmen (the ones not called Smith)

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think England think tank will look to score as many as they can in this innings itself considering they have to bat last. Also Cook is nearing 250. England bowlers will need to dismiss Aussies in 4 sessions to win this. This time England bowlers have the huge vision of 164 runs lead which will create enough score board pressure.

Yes.
+1
This.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yep I would have declared and given a fired up Broad a couple of overs.

Why declare at all? The more scored in this innngs, the fewer needed on day 5. If Root had declared and no wkts had fallen before the close it would have been a wasted exercise. And ask what the Aussies wanted most - to get off the field.

I think the 2 happiest men with this decision is Bancroft and Warner. The one thing the Aussie openers would not wanted to have done is face 5 overs in the evening. Nothing to gain, everything to loose.

I think you could argue either way. And quite possibly the West Indies Test when Root declared late on day four , failed to take a wicket - and eventually lost on the last day - has rather put him off calling them in early.

Different circumstances of course, but good point. That declaration will always hang over him, deserved or not.

[meninblue]

I think England think tank will look to score as many as they can in this innings itself considering they have to bat last. Also Cook is nearing 250. England bowlers will need to dismiss Aussies in 4 sessions to win this. This time England bowlers have the huge vision of 164 runs lead which will create enough score board pressure.

Cushion not vision. This auto correct on mobile is causing more problems than being of help.

[backfootpunch]

It’s a dead rubber, on a slow track and against a weakened attack, but fair play to Cook, that was a classic high quality innings. His second double of the year and up to 6th on the all time list of Test run scorers. I highly doubt he’ll catch Tensulkar, but going past Ponting seems realistic. Can he be considered one of the greatest batsmen with a sub 50 average? One of England’s greatest but I don’t know about all time unless he pushes that average up.

England have had good positions all series, let’s see if they can finally make one count.

He's the only opener on that top run scorer list they showed

Which has to count for something

Especially since half his games were played in England where the new ball does more than most countries

[meninblue]

It’s a dead rubber, on a slow track and against a weakened attack, but fair play to Cook, that was a classic high quality innings. His second double of the year and up to 6th on the all time list of Test run scorers. I highly doubt he’ll catch Tensulkar, but going past Ponting seems realistic. Can he be considered one of the greatest batsmen with a sub 50 average? One of England’s greatest but I don’t know about all time unless he pushes that average up.

England have had good positions all series, let’s see if they can finally make one count.

He's the only opener on that top run scorer list they showed

Which has to count for something

Especially since half his games were played in England where the new ball does more than most countries

He is ATG for England I suppose.

[Making_Splinters]

It’s a dead rubber, on a slow track and against a weakened attack, but fair play to Cook, that was a classic high quality innings. His second double of the year and up to 6th on the all time list of Test run scorers. I highly doubt he’ll catch Tensulkar, but going past Ponting seems realistic. Can he be considered one of the greatest batsmen with a sub 50 average? One of England’s greatest but I don’t know about all time unless he pushes that average up.

England have had good positions all series, let’s see if they can finally make one count.

He's the only opener on that top run scorer list they showed

Which has to count for something

Especially since half his games were played in England where the new ball does more than most countries

He is ATG for England I suppose.

I think Sunil is the only other opener to score 10,000 plus runs? I don’t think Smith made it.

I just don’t know if you can truly be considered one of the all time greats with an average of less than fifty, especially when you’ve played in an era where for most of your career there haven’t exactly been a plethora of great pace bowlers. He’s close to the mighty DA as my all time top opener and certainly one of the best if not the best batsman to play for England in the last 50 years, even though KP was in my view was better.

He’s probably got 3 more years providing his form doesn’t fall away again, so I’d say he’ll end up second on the list.

[Durhamfootman]

lose 2 early wickets, watch the last 6 wickets fall for their usual 35 runs... all out for 250. It's bound to happen

Stop trying to jinx the expected.

happy to be wrong, but as Alistair Cook himself said about his innings, it's a shame it didn't happen 3 weeks ago.

congrats to him though, and also SB for sticking two fingers up at the Aussies and turning in good performances with ball and bat.

Don't batsmen always know when they've hit the ball in an lbw decision? seems utterly bizarre for Malan not to have reviewed it. It was a big enough mark on hotspot to suggest that there was a fair bit of contact and not just a feather

[Arthur Crabtree]

Interesting conundrum- how much will Australia chase the game in order to keep the whitewash on the table? Will they, to use the old annoying Warneism, lose to win. As they did in Leeds in 2001. Will they let England chase 150, accepting the defeat because it retains the merest glimpse of the 5-0 for longer?

[Durhamfootman]

they won't want to lose, imo

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

[meninblue]

It’s a dead rubber, on a slow track and against a weakened attack, but fair play to Cook, that was a classic high quality innings. His second double of the year and up to 6th on the all time list of Test run scorers. I highly doubt he’ll catch Tensulkar, but going past Ponting seems realistic. Can he be considered one of the greatest batsmen with a sub 50 average? One of England’s greatest but I don’t know about all time unless he pushes that average up.

England have had good positions all series, let’s see if they can finally make one count.

He's the only opener on that top run scorer list they showed

Which has to count for something

Especially since half his games were played in England where the new ball does more than most countries

He is ATG for England I suppose.

I think Sunil is the only other opener to score 10,000 plus runs? I don’t think Smith made it.

I just don’t know if you can truly be considered one of the all time greats with an average of less than fifty, especially when you’ve played in an era where for most of your career there haven’t exactly been a plethora of great pace bowlers. He’s close to the mighty DA as my all time top opener and certainly one of the best if not the best batsman to play for England in the last 50 years, even though KP was in my view was better.

He’s probably got 3 more years providing his form doesn’t fall away again, so I’d say he’ll end up second on the list.

I meant ATG for England, not wroldwide. Averaging at 45, in English conditions as opener is an achievement in itself, isn't it?

There was a chance that Cook and Clarke would surpass Sachin in test format. Clarke is no more in the race, Cook still has some chance of doing it.

[GarlicJam]

Don't batsmen always know when they've hit the ball in an lbw decision? seems utterly bizarre for Malan not to have reviewed it. It was a big enough mark on hotspot to suggest that there was a fair bit of contact and not just a feather

(on replay) there was an obvious deflection, so you'd really think that he should have felt it. As I said earlier, Vince's snick was very fine, so I can understand his miss, but Malan's ...