Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

send our brave boys home now. tell the Aussies to *modded* off.... bullies!

it's like picking on small children.... if they did that in this country they'd be on some sort of register in 5 minutes

*modded* outrageous!

go on.... ssip off! (waves fist)

Durhamfootman wrote:send our brave boys home now. tell the Aussies to *modded* off.... bullies!

it's like picking on small children.... if they did that in this country they'd be on some sort of register in 5 minutes

*modded* outrageous!

go on.... ssip off! (waves fist)

my only contribution to the rest of the series

I can understand The Footman's decision to boycott the rest of the series...

In truth the fact that the trophy is already decided does detract a lot from my enthusiasm for the Melbourne Test : but I am not about to waste good tickets so will be there on day two ( I never go on Boxing Day - too old to recover from the gathering of the clan the night before , which usually lasts until 3 or 4. We are a dedicated bunch of drinkers )

Hobby horse of mine : I know why they've done it ; but I really hate the fact that the MCG hosts the fourth match and is therefore generally too late to be fully "live" . Used to far prefer the old days when it was Test Two and the series was poised to move one way or the other (of course before those West Australian newcomers muscled in and then they cut six matches to five Melbourne used to alternate with Sydney in having two Tests ! . Suppose it is fair to spread it around but having Melbourne as a virtual victory lap instead of a vital ...well it is a bit like letting Lord's host a dead rubber in September...

Anyway I look forward to some good cricket and hope the tourists can find the willpower to show what they can do over a prolonged period rather than two or three sessions . I have some hopes of this : even last time , amid all the carnage , the MCG Test was actually the one match that was tightly contested . After two days , England held a clear advantage ; and halfway through day three they were actually over a hundred ahead with nine wickets in hand...of course it fell apart with a rush from there but still there was more contest than ritual slaughter , unlike the other matches.

Weather looks OK at the moment so hopefully will continue...we have had a few very wet Boxing Days in the past !

It's still the Boxing Day Test, one of the premier events in world sport.

Paine may be out with family issues.

Talk of Crane playing, does he replace Ali?
Lyon is going to get his bunny out again.

Hard to imagine they will leave out a seamer, or pick a specialist bowler ahead of Mo, which would leave Woakes at seven and then ?Ball at eight.

They might bring in Ballance and go with four bowlers? So that would actually mean three seamers:

Stoneman/Cook/Vince/Root/Malan/Bairstow/Ballance/Woakes/Crane/Broad-Ball-Curran/Anderson

Wonder how long a rope Vince will get this time round..?

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Hard to imagine they will leave out a seamer, or pick a specialist bowler ahead of Mo, which would leave Woakes at seven and then ?Ball at eight.

They might bring in Ballance and go with four bowlers? So that would actually mean three seamers:

Stoneman/Cook/Vince/Root/Malan/Bairstow/Ballance/Woakes/Crane/Broad-Ball-Curran/Anderson

Stoneman/Cook/Vince/Root/Malan/Bairstow/Woakes/Curran/Crane/Broad/Anderson?

Paine and Starc are both doubtful for Boxing Day. Jackson Bird will come in for Starc, with talk of Handscomb or Bancroft getting the gloves, or possibly Alex Carey.

Curran touted to be another debutant in this series for England on Boxing Day.

I'd go with Curran. If he plays well, it's a better option than even a 90% fit Wood. If Wood was 100% fit then he'd possibly be a better option, though he's become ridiculously overhyped of late.

For the 5th Test, Sydney is more likely to be spin-friendly so I'd probably bring Crane in for Broad, unless Curran has a stinker or Broad suddenly regains form.

Bird in for Starc. So Australia lose their leading bowler in the series with a sore heel (didn't stand on a cricket ball though).

Very hot and sunny for the first two days, then some cloud and maybe rain on the last day (if there is one). SO maybe more reverse swing than swing early on, though with Starc out that doesn't favour Australia as much.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Very hot and sunny for the first two days, then some cloud and maybe rain on the last day (if there is one). SO maybe more reverse swing than swing early on, though with Starc out that doesn't favour Australia as much.

Melbourne weather forecasts aren't all that reliable , Arthur : I will go with the first two days but we will see where it goes from there... Actually Christmas Day is supposed to be rather mild but today has been considerably warmer than expected so everything may be moving quicker than they thought.

I hear they are suggesting the pitch has been prepared to be a bit livelier than it has been for the the Shield games. I never quite trust anything I hear from a groundsman so will wait and watch...

Both sides have been announced. Bird for Starc, Curran for Overton.

So Broad and Paine are fit to start.