: 2nd Ashes Test: Edgbaston, 4-8 August: Day Three.

[greg]

I don't know what Rachael wants out of a cricket match because these first 2 tests have been fascinating to watch and thoroughly enjoyable.How many twists and turns there will be before the end of the summer god only knows.

[Cricket Girl]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Fantastic?

How many batsmen have actually played well and got out by great deliveries? The only guys got out today by anything tough were Geraint Jones and Ponting (brutes of balls that spat off the pitch)... the rest should have been cruising?

Brutes of balls that spat off the pitch? Perhaps the groundsman shouldn't be shot then? And Warne and Flintoff only bowled OK? And the leg cutter that got Ponting wasn't superb? And Harmison's slower ball wasn't brilliant?

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by greg

I don't know what Rachael wants out of a cricket match because these first 2 tests have been fascinating to watch and thoroughly enjoyable.How many twists and turns there will be before the end of the summer god only knows.

Quite right Greg. I'm very happy as an England fan and as a cricket fan on the whole. The Ashes are starting to live up to their expectations, an incredible contest.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Lemming

The Ashes are starting to live up to their expectations, an incredible contest.

The good news is that the series looks like being hard fought... I agree. I just hope that by the end of it we're seeing both sides playing at their best rather than the current farce in which Pietersen, Bell and Clarke look like the only Test class batsmen out there and Warne and Flintoff look like the only Test class bowlers.

[greg]

Originally Posted by Rachael

I just hope that by the end of it we're seeing both sides playing at their best rather than the current farce in which Pietersen, Bell and Clarke look like the only Test class batsmen out there and Warne and Flintoff look like the only Test class bowlers.

What about Langer in first innings,McGrath and Harmison at Lords and Trescothick in first innings here?
What would you do drop them all and bring in the likes of Ramprakash and Read?

[Lemming]

I don't agree Bell has looked like a real test batsman. He was unlucky today, he didn't hit it Simon Hughes said. But, to be honest, he had two soft dismissals at Lords, one a technical error and the other a complete lack of certainty. The shot he played in the first innings of this match was slightly along the wrong line too and the edge was inevitable.

He's not had an amazing series so far. And has make mistakes which - I feel - make your "he looks like a test batsman" statment laughable. Don't be fooled, I could take a bat and stand out there and look like I want to play a dedicated innings. It's all about runs and he has 41 of them in four innings.

I think Langer and Pietersen have looked like the best batsmen to me!

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by greg

What about...Trescothick in first innings here?

I think Trescothick hit too many fours for Rachael's liking, and scored too many runs. He needs to take a leaf out of Bell's book, stand there with a defensive attitude and look like he's really troubled and feeling the heat all of the time. Maybe a few more poor dismissals will help.

As Geoff Boycott would say "It's all about runs! But you can't make runs in the pavilion though Belly lad!"

[Collyisamackem]

Am I the only one who didn't think Pietersen gloved the first ball?

Anyway, come on England!

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

Am I the only one who didn't think Pietersen gloved the first ball?

He definitely touched it, with his glove. BUT, if the umpire says he didn't, then he must not have I suppose.

[greg]

That was just another of the poor umpiring decisions by Bowden and Koertzen in this game.They have both had shockers.Bowden i will let off as a one off but Koertzen is always poor and it has not surprised me he has made so many mistakes.If only we could have had Taufel and Willey in the whole series.