The Ashes.

[Marvelos]

Australia’s top order crumbled, Mitch Marsh says hold me beer

[Donny]

4/205.

Excellent fightback from these two.

Marsh 88*, Head 34*.

[Marvelos]

Back on even keel I reckon Donny

[Marvelos]

Ollie Robinson injured, Marsh just got his ton in as many balls, beast, he gonna be hard to leave out next test.

[Donny]

What a knock. On 93, he drove a 6 and then, a quick single.

4/218.

[Marvelos]

If Marsh bats for 10 more overs this game is over

[Marvelos]

Unbelievable knock from Marsh, very smart innings from Head too, this is obviously a great batting pitch but there’s plenty in it with the new ball, we’ll need to skittle them early to have a chance at winning, odds on to be a draw with weather etc, I think the Ashes are safe now

[Marvelos]

Head gone, pathetic shot, could find himself making way for Marsh next test, needs to do something next innings, never looked comfortable

[Donny]

All out 262. Wood 5fa.

[Donny]

Poms 2/20, Cummins has both.

[Skids]

Marsh got Crawley and the Poms end the day at 3/68.

Poms $2.05
Aussies $2.20

The draw, which now seems highly unlikely, is $8.50.

[K]

Flat-Track Bully Steve Smith's defective technique was again destroyed on a pitch that was fair to bowlers. He makes runs on dead pitches (e.g. 1st innings 2nd Test, but not 2nd innings, when his hopelessness against the short ball got him out) but when there's anything for the bowlers, they destroy him.

FTB was dropped by the putrid Jonny Bairstow (inside edge behind) on 4. On 22, FTB gave another inside edge behind and catch so easy that not even Bairstow could drop it.

And FTB went and blew a review yet again. Insane!!

Can FTB Smith really not tell when he's nicked the ball? It's bad enough blowing plumb LBW reviews (like FTB did in the 1st Test). Okay, seems FTB has no idea where his stumps are. But how can ya not know when you've nicked it?

He did that in Pakistan. The commentators were gobsmacked. They thought you must be able to feel it when you nick it. Sheesh... As I've said, folks used to laugh at Watto for blowing reviews, but I never saw him blow a caught behind review.

...
Flat-Track Bully Smith has built his career off dead pitches. Just a teeny weeny bit of swing is enough to destroy his defective technique. To score runs, he has to swipe across the line of the ball to legside. Works on dead pitches, but fatal on pitches that are fair to bowlers.
...

...
It happened again!!! And this is a flat pitch.

Stokes hobbling on one knee got FTB Smith out LBW. Pinned right in front of his stumps, all squared up, desperately swishing all around the ball with his bat.
...

Video:

https://twitter.com/englandcricket/stat ... 3695547393

And worse, FTB again blew a review.

Folks used to laugh at Watto for getting out LBW and blowing reviews. But Watto was nowhere near as bad as FTB.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Aussies didnot go on with its 260 something isnt much when they were 4/200.

Should have made at least 360 first up.

England in reply a bit shaky at 3/60.

Be good to get them at say 5/100.

Like to bowl england out around 220

[Pies4shaw]

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashe ... st-1385879

Steven Smith started out as a legspinner, one of the many successors to Shane Warne, and he took a few years to find his stride as a Test batter. But once he got going, he's just kept going. Here's a visualisation that shows batters with the highest averages after each Test (upto 99). Once Smith enters the frame, he climbs to the top and stays there.

[Skids]

Geez K, that's a pretty harsh assessment!

Take the Bisons innings out of the picture and 12 wickets have fallen for 213 runs. That's an average of just under 18. Only 2 other players have scored more than Smith in the match.