The grand finale - Eng v Aus 5th test @ The Oval

[Rob H]

Well i would've prefered 317-5 but it am ok with 317-7.

 

[Sheikh_Ji]

i would have preferred 317 all out

 

[Officer Barbrady]

Good to see Strauss in the runs. Collingwood is a negative move though. Flintoff of course continues to rock.

 

[nufc]

collingwood was a very negative move and it will come to haunt them inshAllah!

 

[Hash]

yeh hopefully the collingwood move will backfire

England 342 all out I reckon

we will make about 410

 

[Amir]

England going for the draws and the plan already backfired, they better prayCollingwood has some mad swing with the ball.

 

[MIG]

And 8th wicket goes down....

Lee to Jones, OUT: just short of a good length once more and on the
off, just a hint of away swing, Jones plays down the wrong line
and loses his off stump! Good strike from Lee

England 325/8, Partnership of 28
GO Jones b Lee 25 (41b 5x4 0x6)
AF Giles 7* (30b) B Lee 17.3-3-73-1 (3nb)

 

[Hussain]

now the character of English tail will be tested as England desperately needs 30-40 more runs
and Aussies want to wrap this one up as soon as possible

 

[MIG]

350 not too far away - Aussie must stop England from reaching that milestone - once they go past this - the game moves in favour of England.

 

[Hussain]

Last 15 balls have only conceded 2 runs

wht is the English tail up to .... they shud be looking to get as many as they can

 

[Hussain]

perhaps Giles has listened to me

94.4 McGrath to Giles, FOUR, short ball banged in, hook played and missed, off the top edge down to fine leg for a boundary

 

[MIG]

Aussie bowlers wasting balls - cant believe this is the same team that was destroying batting lineups round the world - what a disaster !

 

[Hussain]

discriminatory bowling by the Australians

lots of short stuff

i wonder where the old English umpires like Palmer are now adays

 

[Amjid Javed]

mcgrath bowls clear loud nick from giles... umpire koetzon says not out...

fk knows why this guy is allowed to continue to umpire...

 

[MIG]

discriminatory bowling by the Australians

lots of short stuff

i wonder where the old English umpires like Palmer are now adays

You mean the guy who stopped Aquib against Devon Malcom ?

And on that note - Aussie Bhai getting a bit of their own medicine - bad umpiring decisions !

But Hoggard gone now !

 

[Amjid Javed]

mcgrath gets hoggard with slower ball caught mid-off

eng 345/9

 

[Hussain]

fk knows why this guy is allowed to continue to umpire...

coz u might not have a better South African umpire than him

and u need to have SA 's representation in ICC elite panel

 

[Hussain]

Hoggard gone

345-9

 

[Amjid Javed]

harmison clubs mcgrath for 4... 350 up

eng 351/9

 

[Hussain]

another 15-20 runs for England

and Aussies will be at the tough end of yard stick

 

[Toony™®]

possible rain after tea and maybe 2mrw too.

 

[Toony™®]

354-9

 

[Toony™®]

355-9

 

[Toony™®]

singles at this stage valuable.

 

[Toony™®]

357-9

 

[Hussain]

English tail fighting Mcgrath and Warne hard

cant believe tht these are same bowlers who cud wrap up the battling line ups in few overs

 

[Amjid Javed]

England tail begging to cause irretation here...

eng 359/9

 

[Toony™®]

359-9

 

[Toony™®]

360-9

 

[Toony™®]

Brett Lee back on...

 

[Toony™®]

45mins left to lunch...valuable time being taken up

361/9

 

[Toony™®]

365/9

Harmison smashes one

 

[Hussain]

England inching towards 400

 

[Toony™®]

top edge for another 4.

369/9

1 more for straussy's target.

 

[Toony™®]

373/9

they made it!

another dodgey top edge hook for 4.

 

[Hussain]

Lee getting a full booded thrashing frm Harmison 3 fours in one over

 

[Toony™®]

39mins left to lunch

 

[Toony™®]

2 on offer..

Giles didnt take it.

next ball lbw appeal given

373 all out.

30 mins before lunch.

 

[Hussain]

edited

 

[Amjid Javed]

Aus 2/0

 

[MIG]

Australia start - tentative - rain forecast in the afternoon ( 2/0 )

 

[Amjid Javed]

Aus 19/0 @ lunch day 2

 

[Asim2Good]

Aus 37/0
hope openers keep up the good work

 

[whyhkk]

112/0
at tea
good partnership built up

 

[UsmanhailsAfridi]

england is choking...hahaa....

n i think flintoff is missing his partner in crime......simon jones...thats why no reverse swing yet

 

[Big Mac]

What the hell? They've gone off for bad light, that's a very curious decision

 

[Toony™®]

What the hell? They've gone off for bad light, that's a very curious decision

hmmm.. very weird...australians must be really confident... they'll get 30mins extra...

but after 5:30pm..it will very likely it will be raining in London.

 

[Big Mac]

Restart at 4:05

 

[Toony™®]

restart delayed again..


a bit of drizzle.

 

[Toony™®]

should be a very short delay according to M Nicholas.

 

[Somali Pirate]

So the aussies asked for the light.....Are they playing for the draw?

 

[Toony™®]

So the aussies asked for the light.....Are they playing for the draw?

stupid mistake..bythe ozzies.

 

[Rob H]

Good stuff here. Aussies turn down the light. Rain tomorrow. This suits me

 

[Toony™®]

one more umpire check at 5:55pm..then play will be called off for the day.

 

[Rob H]

play ended for the day

 

[MIG]

Aussies wanting to bat only once - they know that the difference between 2 sides is Warne - they dont want to allow England a back door into this match

 

[Toony™®]

with SCATTERED rain set for morning/ afternoon...possibly in total - another session lost to rain.

not sure they will overhaul the deficit 2mrw...without losing wickets on the way.

 

[Hussain]

Aussies looking for a 550 minimum

 

[MIG]

more rain is forecast - Warne is set to play a key role in this game of chess !

 

[KaSaNoVa_G]

its been raining all night until about 7am in london..
and lookz like its about to start again.. dont think the
match will start on time...

 

[Rob H]

Rain Rain don't go away
stay again for another day

 

[Big Mac]

Going to start at 11 apparently

 

[Rob H]

players on the field.

 

[MIG]

As the Daily Mirror says today "Let it Rain...." - I think Australia have one shot at this:

1. Score 500+ at double speed!
2. Get England out for 150 or less
3. Win by innings or have a small target.

Thats it - any other permutation and its the Ashes party at Trafalgar Square !

 

[Rob H]

Well the Aussiees have ben flashing this morning. Hoggard is giving them a good contest

 

[Rob H]

players off for rain. What a shame eh

 

[ZM]

Australia 145/0 (44.0 ov)
play continued

 

[z10]

lunch at 157/0

 

[Rana Banana]

langer gets his 22nd test century and his 4th against england
well played

 

[Rana Banana]

congratulations langer has 7000 test runs he has gone past the great don bradman

 

[Rana Banana]

Langer gone bowled by Harmison was a superb innings

 

[Toony™®]

pitch around strip gathering a bit of water

even if it stops now will take at least 1 hr to dry off.

180 odd behind..

will be interesting if we get any play today...

 

[MIG]

Would be interesting to see if Aussies will consider declaring behind England if they feel time is running out - I wonder how far behind ? 150, 100 or 50...

 

[z10]

the covers are coming off now....

 

[Hash]

MIG- was thinking the same. We should declare once we reach 300 I reckon. If we can get England for 180 or so....the Ashes will remain with us! Time is running out. No point in ambling around at 3.5 an over. We need to get a move on. It is DO OR DIE!

 

[Toony™®]

so far a session of play has been lost. today

2 hrs i've counted.

 

[Amir]

MIG- was thinking the same. We should declare once we reach 300 I reckon. If we can get England for 180 or so....the Ashes will remain with us! Time is running out. No point in ambling around at 3.5 an over. We need to get a move on. It is DO OR DIE!

IF, that is a pretty big iff with Freddie is in firing form and Trescothink and Strauss look all real good. In my opinion, try to get to 500 or 100 run lead and then go for the kill. Atleast if they get them out for 300 they have to chase 200, which may not be that bad seeing everything is at stake.

I personally think once Aussies hit 300-350, they should start trying to up the rate. This is where the test will come and when they need to apply their one day skills similar to Pakistan in Bangalore.

 

[Rob H]

MIG- was thinking the same. We should declare once we reach 300 I reckon. If we can get England for 180 or so....the Ashes will remain with us! Time is running out. No point in ambling around at 3.5 an over. We need to get a move on. It is DO OR DIE!

didn't know you were antipodean hash

 

[Somali Pirate]

play resumed.England are worried

 

[z10]

play has restarted

but one legbye in two overs

australia really need a move on if they want to make this a contest...