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

It'd be great to be there though...

Aussies shutting up shop. The scoring qrs wave barely flickers.

Draw?

I suppose that's an England victory of sorts.

Match all square. Players off for rain. Whitewash avoided.

I hope England do this, huge task tho

Smith on 76. Aussies lead by 45 runs.

Draw. Yet another ton for the unstoppable Smith. And when did Marsh learn how to bat?

5-0 avoided at least, and a horrific away run of 7 consecutive defeats, but it's hard to see England taking 20 wickets. Crane in for Sydney? (because Moeen is utterly out of sorts)

The Melbourne crowds do not deserve such a pitch. Over 250,000 people came to watch this game on a slow poor pitch.

The ACB must do better.

The press get to print the Whitewash Averted headline. Well done the England lads.

Smith is averaging 151 in this series. He needs 162 runs in Sydney to match Cook's total in 2010-11. His series average is the best of anyone ever to play at least four games in an Ashes series, beating the Don in 1930 (Cook is next). Also best for three games in a series, beating Boycott in 1977.

370 runs to beat the Don's aggregate runs record for a series in the 1930 contest.

Ashton Agar has been called up by the Aussies for the SCG. Starc and Handscomb are retained.

As one of the 14000 who allegedly attended today , I would have preferred a little more drama...

Apart from the half hour after lunch when Mitch 3 didn't look at all secure there wasn't ever much suggestion that a clatter of wickets was imminent . Smith always resembled the archetypal immovable object and the pitch offered absolutely nothing to any form of bowling so the tension that often accompanies batting for the draw was largely absent. But I suppose there was always the thought that if Smith had a rush of blood like Warner and got out...but pigs might fly. Not his most attractive hundred ; but it did the job for the home team.

Never mind. Beats sitting at home listening to Slater and Warne.

England will be at least relieved the spectre of another whitewash has vanished : and jokes aside the performance in this match does underline the fact that this team , for all its flaws , has not fractured under the pressure the way its predecessor did four years ago. Still a lot of selection issues to address (in Sydney next week , for a start) but they deserve credit for that.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Ashton Agar has been called up by the Aussies for the SCG. Starc and Handscomb are retained.

I thought Maxwell might have been a chance. Australia again using the dead rubber to rest players.

2 Australian bats are playing for their place in Sydney as well. Bancroft and Usman. Big scores required.

bigfluffylemon wrote:Draw. Yet another ton for the unstoppable Smith. And when did Marsh learn how to bat?

5-0 avoided at least, and a horrific away run of 7 consecutive defeats, but it's hard to see England taking 20 wickets. Crane in for Sydney? (because Moeen is utterly out of sorts)

Must be a thought of playing Crane...Root didn't seem exactly keen to bowl Moeen today and who could blame him ? He not only got the wicket himself but probably looked more likely to get another in his own few overs...

Trouble is a 7-11 of Woakes Curran/Overton Broad Crane Anderson looks a little light : and if they wanted to include Wood instead of one of the fast mediums it gets even lighter. Guess they'll be having a good look at the pitch anyway. Australia have called up Agar in case they want two spinners ; but they rarely follow through with such a threat. Might be a bit wet again so I suppose that will be a consideration.

Avoiding the whitewash.... does life get any better than that?

This must be what winning the world cup feels like

I say that as a Newcastle supporter who has been told for 10 years that finishing 4th is like winning a trophy

well done boys. My 3-1 prediction is still on