4th. Ashes Test. Manchester.

[K]

Dharmasena & Erasmus to umpire last two Tests.

The ICC must be panicking about all the errors in the first three, especially since one of them may have decided the whole Ashes. But those two umpires had a very bad WC final, so they'll need to improve on that. I think the English crowds may be getting to the umpires, so any difficult or line-ball decisions go England's way.

[K]

Khawaja dumped as Harris retains place for fourth Ashes Test

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/khawaja-dumped-as-harris-retains-place-for-fourth-ashes-test-20190903-p52nbb.html

"... James Pattinson has also been left out of the 12-man squad, presumably rested, with ... Peter Siddle and ... Mitchell Starc vying for the third and final pace position."

[Donny]

I'd be playing both Starc and Sids.

Rest Cummins.

[K]

Pre-game odds:

England 40%
Oz 34%
Draw 26%.


(Is any rain forecast? How can the draw odds be so high with such incompetent batting all-round?)

[K]

I didn't see any Headingley lunch menus, unlike Lord's.

If that absence continues, we may have to settle for watching this:

https://twitter.com/andy_park/status/1161952833777700864

(The comments are worth reading too.)

[K]

England have dropped Woakes, replacing him with Craig Overton.

So far, Overton's biggest cricketing achievement is to have been found guilty a few years ago of a Level One offence for "using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting and/or making an obscene gesture", when he told Sussex's Ashar Zaidi to "go back to your own f***ing country". (It was his third breach of the season. I don't know what the first two were for.)


Isn't this England team becoming more wholesome each Test?

[K]

J. Liew, The Independent, a couple of years ago:

"What does it mean to support a team? How should we feel about the eleven players lining up to represent us? Should it matter what kind of people they are, or were? How conditional should our support be, and when should we withdraw it?
...

Overton is still enjoying his first chance. Arguably, he has paid no real penalty, suffered no real consequences for his deplorable words, did not even deem it necessary to offer a personal apology to Zaidi. The ECB denied that Overton’s international status ... was a factor in the ruling. ...

Overton himself has no recollection of making the comment. You can decide for yourself how likely it is that two separate witnesses - one opponent and one umpire - both invented or misheard exactly the same phrase. The ECB, for their part, have released none of the evidence, offered no explanation, nor made any of the committee’s deliberations public. And at the heart of all this, really, is a question of priorities. Are we actually going to start taking this stuff seriously? Are we genuinely committed to tackling racism on the field, or only when it doesn’t interfere with our Ashes chances? In short: are we actually going to stand for something here?
...

Should Overton be playing for England? Should you feel comfortable watching him bowl for England? It’s really not for me to say. ... It’s nice to imagine that in some indistinct sense, those eleven men out on the field represent the best of us. But deep down, I think we all know it’s baloney. All we can really do, ultimately, is know the facts, consider the contradictions, ask the right questions, and hope that our feelings take care of themselves."

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/ashes/craig-overton-question-england-australia-ashes-cricket-a8059441.html

[K]

M. Taylor:

With series in balance, it's time to unleash Starc

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/with-series-in-balance-it-s-time-to-unleash-starc-20190903-p52nh2.html

"It’s not quite a case of play him now or not at all ..., but it’s as good a time as any...

Starc’s absence to date can be explained by the bowling strategy devised by Justin Langer and the Australian hierarchy ahead of the series. In short, it’s all been about trying to keep it tight ... I think the strategy has worked so far..

But Australia’s pre-series bowling blueprint was drawn up, by and large, with the shortcomings of the 2015 Ashes tour in mind and after three matches in this campaign, I’m not sure the same rules necessarily apply this time around. ...

... Starc could go for a few runs in the middle overs, but maybe not as many as you think, and I certainly don’t see England’s top order tearing him and Australia apart.

He could be particularly useful against left-handers like Stokes attacking the stumps and obviously he’s adept at cleaning up the tail – which would have been handy in Leeds!"

[Donny]

Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

2/49. Warner 0, Harris 13, Broad 2/16.

Labu 20*, Smith 8*.

[Donny]

2/72. Labu 30*, Smith 21*.

[Donny]

2/94.

Labu 45*, Smith 28*.

66 run partnership.

[Pies4shaw]

Lunch. 2/98. Smith has England down for the count, now.

[Donny]

Lunch.

2/98. 70 run stand, excellent.

Labu 49*, Smith 28*.

[K]

Rain. Play has not resumed after lunch. It's possible there'll be no more play today.

Only 26 overs were bowled in session 1. The cricinfo chatter is about penalties.
Leach has already bowled 6 overs. (Why so slow when you've had 6 spin overs, cricinfo asks?)

Another flat pitch. It's hard to see how four flat pitches in a row can be an accident. England are scared their batting will be exposed on a bowlers' pitch and think they can win on flat pitches.

For Oz, Starc is in, Siddle out.

FOW: 1/1 (0.4), 2/28 (7).

After his latest duck, should Warner be dropped? It'd be easier if there were some openers or first drops to replace him with.

Harris reviewed his LBW. Umpire's call. At least the review isn't blown. Given the umpiring in this country in the last couple of months, Oz may need all their reviews. Holding famously (or maybe only "famously" to me) said in the ODI WC that the umpires were being "intimidated" and that means they are "weak". If he thinks they can be intimidated by Zampa's appeal being long (but not aggressive), how much does he think they'll be intimidated by a band of thugs (Roy, Overton, ...) and the booing crowd?


Taylor on the Harris LBW: "A little unlucky."


Marnus has a mediocre first-class record, which should put the other batsmen to shame.

Lisa S. says Leach has bowled well to Smith. She mentions Smith's (alleged) weakness against left-arm orthodox. I say, as long as he doesn't get out to Leach, it doesn't matter if he doesn't score much or looks awkward against him.

[K]

Archer & Broad open, as play resumes after the rain break.

Bairstow really has a horrible voice. They should give Jos the gloves so we don't have to hear Jonny through the stumps mic.

Lloyd: "He's got a good technique, this lad, Labuschagne."

Marnus reaches 50. Again.

Lloyd: "Only two Australians before have scored half-centuries in their first four Ashes games."

Hussey & Collins.

Ponting: "He's only been dismissed once defending..."
We're told Marnus has played 150 defensive strokes this series.