3Rd Test, The Ashes: Old Trafford

[ChillDoubt]

Australia won the toss and chose to bat, going along swimmingly at 29 without loss after half an hour.
Not used to this(Aussie openers getting a good start) and generally expect a wicket every 30-40 minutes.
Hopefully a breakthrough is not far away....

[jim360]

Australia declared at 527/7, very well played by them all.

England's reply underway, a slow but steady start, but Root caught behind after a beauty, leaving them at 47/1 in reply.

[ChillDoubt]

Under the cosh now, got to see this through to COP without further loss.

[doctordb]

Bresnan walks After not hitting it! How unsporting. :)

[jim360]

Yes... odd, that. England at 49/2, Bresnan a bit unlucky and even a review might not have saved him given how Khawaja ended up out.

[doctordb]

Bresnan shouldn't have been there anyway jim, IMO. Trotts in now and should have come in with still 30 mins to go.

[jim360]

Very probably not, but you would hope that Cook knows more about Cricket than I do!

[ChillDoubt]

What's the forecast for the weekend for Manchester?
Better start the rain dance now I reckon!

[jim360]

Trott and Cook doing their level best to throw away a third wicket, by the sounds of things... but still 52/2.

[jno]

"walking" used to mean not waiting for the umpire; now it just means not referring it. I sometimes wonder if batsmen with helmets on can really hear if they've feathered something. Bres must have thought he'd done so. Warner must have thought he hadn't.

[humbersloop]

this could all go horribly wrong....

[doctordb]

I've never been a fan of night watchmen. Always seems like an admission of fear to me.

[jno]

in some way this shows their value. Suppose it had been Trott rather than Bresnan who was (not) out?

[Sqad]

All Australia.......tomorrow will show the character of English batsman.
My view? England will be following on.

[doctordb]

Ifs jno, thats cricket. What if world class no3 trott had gone in at no.3 and not lost his wicket. S.waugh refused to use night watchmen. Each to their own I suppose. :)

[humbersloop]

I'd agree at the moment, sqad, the Australians are playing to win

[jim360]

It would be a good thing for the rest of the series if Australia did win this one, but here's hoping for a solid reply by England. Time for Cook to put in a Captain's innings.

[Sqad]

The "day of reckoning".

We know that the England batting "set up" is good.........but is it VERY good, as it will need to be?

I am still worried about the middle order and although i am in the minority I do not consider Joe Root to be a Test Match opener.

Interesting eh?

[seadogg]

I agree Sqad. He wouldn't be the first to be damned by early expectations. Technique is only half the battle in Ashes Tests.

[jno]

What if world class no3 trott had gone in at no.3 and not lost his wicket.

That's the trouble: Bresnan was wrongly given out, so Trott might have been too, world class or not. I'd sooner umpiring errors affected tailenders rather than the top order.

[humbersloop]

and if they can turn out runs at a decent rate

a draw would be a rotten result