NatWest Challenge, The Brit Oval: England v Australia Tuesday 11th July.

[English_Al]

I agree Notts, it's now obvious that that rule will help Oz, with their batting line up, did they really need it!!

I think Oz will win, not just because of that rule, but more because we are not very good at working out and setting good scores in first innings...

[Notts Exile]

4-1 Tresco out upper-cutting for a duck.

Here we go again.

[English_Al]

Yep, really disappointing, I've seen him get out to that more than once. It's a real bummer for us, if Tresco plays well our score rattles along. Whereas now I think we'll go into our shell, 40 off the first 15 probably...

[chrisfinch]

21-1 off 8


not looking good

[Mongoose]

McGrath 4-4-0-0 (O-M-R-W). Crickey.

[John]

Yes this super sub rule looks not to be worked out fully. There is too much advantage on winning the toss. Hopefully they will be taking stock after this game.

Now I quoted Atherton after the SA tour saying if England want to win the Ashes they need to play better than they did during the SA tour. People said Atherton was being defeatist actually I think he was right.
Both Vaughan and Strauss dropped England need to take maximum advantage.
38-1

[Mongoose]

Is McGrath bowling that well, or are we missing out on runs we should be collecting? It's so freustrating not being able to follow the action as it happens. Can't wait for the tests!

[English_Al]

Oh no, Vaughan has now gone. After those 2 dropped catches the runs were flowing and I really thought we were getting going again, a great bit of fielding by Ponting, but a stupid run. This self destruct thing is something we've really got to stop doing, we do it every game in some way.

Pietersen in, wonder what he'll do...

[John]

Keep your eyes on Pietersen. Its his chance to put unbearalble pressure on the selectors. I am already convinced will they be.

[Victor Frankenstein]

any vague chance of a score rests on mr pieterson, this subs rule is daft unless you can choose after the toss has been done as you have a massive advantage if you win the toss, one that's not really needed anyway.

can't believe vaughan was run out, i'm at work so only getting the text commentary and an occasional listen online, but i don't care what the circumstances or how good a throw it may have been, getting run out, when you're the captain, in this situation, is criminal... he's going to have to do something stunning in the field to make up for it now.