The Ashes; Melbourne

[meninblue]

Cook on 175. This is why I have been saying Cook is still an important player for England. In bad patch he scored 200 in last few months. Again he is very likely to score another 200 today. As I said before England has more chances of scoring mammoth totals only when Cook plays his big hundred or a double. James and Dawid might score 50 or 100 but at this point of experience, they are failing to convert it into big knocks like Cook. What Cook also does is by playing 320 balls , he tires the opposition bowlers and fielders and allows following batsmen to score relatively easily as he keeps tiring opponents by playing lots of overs, just like Chet or Virat.

[bigfluffylemon]

And England's lead will be 50-75, which really isn't enough considering they have to bat last, unless the bowlers pull something very special out of the bag.

[meninblue]

200 for Cook. 213* . England nearing 450 as well as taking healthy first innings lead first time in this series because of his knock.

[Gingerfinch]

A bit late, but nice to see our 'veterans' play a part, and like Adi has mentioned, Cook showing he's still our man for the big innings.

[bigfluffylemon]

And England's lead will be 50-75, which really isn't enough considering they have to bat last, unless the bowlers pull something very special out of the bag.

Happy to be wrong

Well done England. Something to smile about in a dismal series.

[meninblue]

The other impact of Cook being there is that being such a good player of spin (the best outsider ever to tour India), he has reduced the impact of Nathan Lyon who has been in good form. Yes, Lyon has picked 3 but 100+ has been scored of him this innings. Must be the first time England must have scored that many from his overs this series ?

[meninblue]

50 for Broad. 469/8. Significant lead.However, Aussies can draw this.

[yuppie]

Might have declared at that wicket. Obviously England want more runs.

Excellent innings by Cook on a slow pitch. Showed how to bat on this pitch.

Broad also chipping in with some important runs. Makes a mockery of the claim that one should not bowl bouncers to the tail.

[Gingerfinch]

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

[yuppie]

I would have thought a few overs this evening would be good for England. Looks like thats not going to happen.

Strange decision.

[bigfluffylemon]

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

Me too. I guess they wanted to bat time as well as score runs.

Cook = legend. Sorry I ever doubted him. Under the circumstances, his best ever innings? If England go on to win, I think it may be judged so.

[Athertonian]

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.

[sussexpob]

Nice to see our batsman turn up finally when the pitch is a road, the Aussie's best seamer is injured, and the series already dead .

Mind all these pitches have been roadish. No wonder smithy averages 75 at home.

[sussexpob]

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

[yuppie]

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.