3rd Ashes Test, Headingley, Aug 22-26

[Durhamfootman]

Is it possible that the Aussies play an extra seamer and drop one of Head or Wade for OT? (I'm assuming that Khawaja will make way for Labuschagne when Super Smudger comes back)

I know it isn't the Aussie way to have 4 seamers as long as they have a good spinner to hold up one end, but England, for the first time, tired the 3 seamers out in that second innings and Paine ran out of options..... what if they do it again?


maybe the idea of lightning striking twice, albeit in a different place, seems unlikely enough to warrant Australia making such a radical move.... but I am sure they would like to play Starc, they just don't seem to trust him to keep things tight enough to get England to throw their wickets away aimlessly, so maybe the 4th seamer is an option

It would be a bold move though

talk of Mitch3 coming into the side at the expense of Wade in order to 'balance the number of right and left handers' cough, cough. Handy though, that he can bowl as a 4th seamer........ I'm sure that thought wasn't even considered.... just a happy accident, now that they perhaps don't trust Lyon quite so much to finish England off in the 4th innings

they should have more faith...... England are still paper thin and liable to fold at any time, especially since they now appear to have decided that the massive problems they have can be fixed with just a little bit of tinkering about around the edges

[bigfluffylemon]

So, our batting has collapsed in every match so far in at least one innings, we needed a one-a-generation miracle innings with a healthy dollop of luck to win a match and stay alive in the series when Australia were missing their best player, so apparently 'don't change a winning team' still applies?



Stokes, Burns, Broad, Archer and (just about) Woakes are the only ones actually pulling their weight at the moment. Roy and Buttler are averaging under 10, Bairstow, Denly and Root are averaging 25-30. But no need to do anything, just tweak the batting order, it'll be fine. Meanwhile Australia need one win in the remaining two games to retain the Ashes. Is there any chance this batting line-up will get through two games without losing 20 wickets in either of them?

Deckchairs and Titanic spring to mind.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yes, England still a defeat away from losing the Ashes. They needed to change the parts that aren't working.

[yuppie]

Destiny and English cricket, that is how this summer is going to pan out.

Have faith English supporters....have faith

[Arthur Crabtree]

But neither of us believes in destiny.

[yuppie]

But neither of us believes in destiny.

Im starting to......after this summer.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Roy and Denly will swap in the order.

Denly has been messed around quite a bit since he came into the side.

[backfootpunch]

Roy and buttler both look shot

They have as many runs between them as chris woakes has scored

Surely they had to be taken out of the firing line

[Arthur Crabtree]

Smith replaces Khawaja. Siddo takes over from Patto. Starc makes up the squad of 12.

David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matt Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

[yuppie]

Smith replaces Khawaja. Siddo takes over from Patto. Starc makes up the squad of 12.

David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matt Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Khawaja has been dropped but in this series he has scored 40 more runs than Warner. Warner has only scored 2 more runs than Paine. Khawaja is only averaging 20 this series, but its still 7 more than Warner. P

Manus is going to first drop.....

If Warner is un droppable then it had to be either Wade or Paine dropped for me. Personally it would have been Wade.

Think Starc will come into the final 11. Cummins has had a big workload this series, maybe he will be rested

[GarlicJam]

Cummins has had a big workload this series, maybe he will be rested

I reckon it will be Siddle.

Just like I was wrong about Siddle in the 1st test.

[Arthur Crabtree]

One change for England. Overton leapfrogs Curran and comes in for Woakes.

[Durhamfootman]

Smith replaces Khawaja. Siddo takes over from Patto. Starc makes up the squad of 12.

David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matt Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

they did realise that England are paper thin, then

might have been the realisation that England were really, actually and stupidly prepared to not even try to fix their batting woes

Christmas!