The Ashes; Second Test, Lord's, July 16-20

[from_the_stands]

Why did he do that? Great innings though.

[Alviro Patterson]

A world in-form batsman out to another world in-form batsman, you can't make it up.

[sussexpob]

A world in-form batsman out to another world in-form batsman, you can't make it up.

Well if Ben Stokes is an allroudner, then I think you can count both Smith and Root as all rounders.....

[The Waugh Twins]

Good to see Root get excited after that dismissal. Many a bowler would have just done a meagre high five.

[The Waugh Twins]

Why did he do that? Great innings though.

Yep 40 overs to go and Gower is suggesting declaring at 550, not to mention that Clarke is walking back and forth actually thinking about it.

Very strange captaincy these days. Smart thing would be to bat 30 more overs and get another 100.

[The Waugh Twins]

Clarke biting his nails now. Obviously told the boys to go for it which I don't agree with of course.

I know there's a lot of runs on the board, but if I were an England player I would be very relieved about the situation.

Smith very unlucky mind you.

[Dilbert]

Would be fun to see the Mitches tonk it around for a quick 80-100 (nothing to do with them being in my FL team ofcourse)

[budgetmeansbudget]

Nice to see some of the Aussie quick having to expend a bit of energy wielding the willow!

[Aidan11]

More wickets fallen.

Root

[GarlicJam]

Cook is in gift business, two spinners providing runs to the Oz total. Saving his pace men for Edgbaston?

I figure it was a conspiracy to save the blushes (and crowd mock-applause) for Jimmy Anderson. He was on 0/99 when Cookie replaced him.

[sussexpob]

Cook is in gift business, two spinners providing runs to the Oz total. Saving his pace men for Edgbaston?

I figure it was a conspiracy to save the blushes (and crowd mock-applause) for Jimmy Anderson. He was on 0/99 when Cookie replaced him.

And to save the general blushes of Ben Stokes bowling in general.

[Aidan11]

We'll get our reviews back in 32 overs.

[GarlicJam]

It was only the two out and out aggressive shots from Smitty and Nevill (geez, I hate seeing that name without another E at the end) that did for them.



how unlucky was Smith? If you had shown me the hit-the-pads image without any other graphics, I would have said "not in line". Must have been just the one millimetre (just over 1/32", Pob) in it. It was a stupid shot that warranted a wicket, but I thought it was not out - to the eye.

[andy]

More wickets fallen.

Root

once again he has taken more wickets than Moeen, which is a real concern for me...Moeen has been too full, isn't allowing the ball to dip, and its easy to pat him back..

[hopeforthebest]

As I always say, never mind it's only test cricket, not T20.