Here is a link to the Met Office’s weather forecast for Manchester: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/manchester#?tab=fiveDay
Does not look good for Australian fans.
Tag Archives: Ashes 2013
The Ashes: 3rd Test, Day 5 … Keys to Victory
It all comes down to today for Australia: win the test and they are still in with a chance of winning back the Ashes. Draw or Lose this test then England have retained the Ashes.
Here are my keys to victory for Australia from tonight’s play:
1. Rain, rain go away … come back to visit another day!
Obviously Australia needs as much time as possible to bowl out England and that means that it needs blue skies throughout the day. Looking at the forecast, it certainly does not look like that will eventuate but we can only live in hope.
2. When will Australia declare?
The obvious move for Australia is to declare overnight and take all over possible to win the game. That said, if the weather radar is clear and I was the captain I would be tempted to bat for another 7 to 10 overs. That way the English opening batsmen have not had all morning to prepare and only get the advantage of the 10 minute hand over. If that was Australia’s strategy they would only lose the overs and two over for a change over.
3. The Captain’s Tactics
Michael Clarke will need to present his best tactical performance as a captain in this innings to win the game. He must be happy to use Nathan Lyon even during periods where he is being yet and must avoid the temptation to overuse Ryan Harris.
4. Come in Spinner
If Australia’s spinners (Lyon and Smith), take 6 wickets between them then Australia wins the game. This is Nathan Lyon’s chance to kill off all of the doubters who say he is not a test calibre bowler because he has not bowled Australia to victory as yet. There is no better opportunity than the present.
5. Get the unholy trinity and the rest will follow
The big wickets for Australia today are Cooke, Pietersen and Bell. If all three of those batters are removed for less than 20 apiece then it will be game on in Manchester.
Obviously, the weather presents a massive obstacle to Australia’s chances and a draw is the most likely result. If Australia is to win all of the foregoing keys to victory MUST come together for Australia.
Go the baggy greens!
The Ashes: 3rd Test Day 4 … Bad Light, Dissent and Walking
It was another gripping day of Test Match cricket overnight at Old Trafford (has there been a day this series that has not been entrhalling?). Unfortunately the intervention of weather that had looked inevitable since day 1 finally occured late in the afternoon on Day 4 just when Australia might have been thinking about a declaration. Still Australia leads by 331 runs with a day to play on a wearing 5th day pitch so the game is there for the winning for the baggy greens: if Manchester’s rain does not get in the way.
Here are my top 5 talking points from Day 4:
1. Maybe the bad light call was wrong … suck it up it is the law: I have read much condemnation of the decision of Umpires Hill and Erasmus to declare that the light was too poor to continue play about 30 minutes before the heavy rain started. Whether you like the decision or not (and I for one did not) the fact is that since the law of the game was changed some 3 years it is solely in the umpires discretion to make a call that they light is bad and the players have to go off. The old law, which was that the bad light was offered to the batsmen and they decided to continue, would have seen a different decision made BUT that is not the law at the moment so bleating about the decision gets no one anywhere.
2. Dissent … why bother really? There are a couple of incidents of what I would term dissent over night that makes one just sit back and wonder “why are you bothering?”. First, the English players’ reaction to their failed DRS review of a David Warner hook shot was unseemly to say the least and the “why bother” moment for me arises because they had had two appeals at the shot (the original appeal and the DRS) both of which were declined and the DRS was one of the more obviously easy decision for the 3rd umpire to make. Why have a go at the umpire after going through the review process? That makes no sense to me. Secondly, I do not understand what Michael Clarke has to gain by giving the umpires a bake after they decided to adjourn play for bad light. They have made their decision: arguing with them about it on the field is not going to make them immediately reverse said decision is it?
3. Walking … is it the new black all of a sudden? Much was made in the commentary I heard and on social media about Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann walking after they knicked balls through to the ‘keeper. There are two types of walking: walking when you know you are going to be given out and walking when the decision has already been made that you are not out. Can anyone argue that both of the acts of walking here were in the former category? One only needs to look at the replay to see Umpire Hill nodding his head so vociferiously in response to the Swann appeal that his neck was close to snapping to know that he was going to be given out. Credit where it is due: they both walked but lets not be too hasty with out kudos: it wasn’t like they had both been given not out and then walked.
4. Sticks in the throat to say … but S Broad is a quality player: Say what you like about his perceived personality, his perceived petulance at times and the fact that he knicked one to first slip and did not walk, there is no mistaking the fact that Stuart Broad is a quality allround cricketer. Test cricket is no charm school and to have nearly 2000 runs at an average of 25 and over 200 wickets at an average of 30 is indicative of that quality and, more to the point, his importance to the English team. He did not look troubled in compiling 32 runs in just over an hour to thwart Australian hopes of enforcing the follow on. I will pose this talking point another way and then leave it (I feel like I need a shower): J Kallis aside … is there a better medium fast bowling all rounder in the game at the moment than this bloke? Enough said really.
5. N Lyon: this is your time Nathan Lyon again seemed as penetrative as a plastic spoon in the early exchanges overnight. Readers of this blog will know that I firmly believe he has been harshly done by pundits and selectors alike in recent times but it must be said that he has been presented with the moment that many of his critics have been gasping for: a big lead and a 4th innings pitch to bowl on. If Australia is to win, and assuming they have enough overs to do so, Nathan Lyon will need to take 4 of the 10 wickets to fall as a minimum. It is his time to shine.
So here we are again: day 5, both teams capable of winning (England could score 331 in 90 overs if Australia do not bowl well) and the Urn well and truly at stake. Will this be a day akin to the last day at Trent Bridge or will the weather gods have the last laugh? Play starts in just under 12 hours time.
The Ashes: 3rd Test, Day 4 Preview
It is day 4 at Old Trafford and my English sources tell me that rain is forecast in Manchester from about 1pm today and then all day tomorrow. With that weather around a draw is looking likely it would seem.
That said, weather permitting, these are the keys to victory for Australia on Day 4:
1. The Captain MUST bowl Nathan Lyon for a long spells today and if he cops some tap stick with him. He is a quality spin bowler for mine but needs to be given enough rope to get plans working for each batsman.
2. Ryan Harris is the ace in the pack of Australia’s bowling. Giving him some rest today will be vital. Early wickets this morning should see Australia batting again by the first hour. Australia must then bat for till just after tea to allow their main man some time to recover.
3. A target of 350 is a must for Australia. Obviously the sooner that Australia gets England out the better.
The other thing that we can expect today is that the booing of the Myth will continue. Many have an objection to sports crowds booing players and officials but I don’t have a particular problem with given the vitriol often directed at opponents by Australian crowds.
This will be another intriguing day of cricket.
The Ashes: 3rd Test Day 3 … KP, Ryno and DRS again
England were always going to fight back in this test match: it was a question of when and not if and for a little over a session on Day 3 at Old Trafford they did just that. By close of play however the Australians had rested back the ascendancy and we now move into day 4 with 33 runs standing between England and the following on.
Here are my 5 keys to day 3 at Old Trafford:
1. Love him or hate KP is one of the best in the world: I know there are many who dislike Kevin Pietersen for what they perceive to be his personality foibles or his, perceived again, lack of commitment to the game. Say what you like about him, I will defy anyone who suggests he is not in the best 5 batters in the world at present. His innings was simply breathtaking with shot making all around Old Trafford and his attack on Nathan Lyon threatened to derail Australia’s day.
2. The “Shermanator” continues his rise: There remain a significant pocket of fans in Australia who continue to not rate Ian Bell. I am not one of them. He has been the best batter in the series to date and showed that again over night with a comfortable knock in which he looked largely untroubled right up to the point where he got out.
3. Where would we be without “Ryno”?: I know Starc has taken more wickets and Siddle has similar figures but yet again in this game Ryan Harris has shown just what Australia has been missing with the limitations injury have placed on this fine fast bowlers career. Two big wickets again over night in Trott and Bell admist spells of quality superior to any bowler in this test match so far show why, when fit, he is one of the best in the world. You will go a long way to see a better ball than the won that extracted Bell, particularly given the position of the game and form of the batsman. When Ryan Harris is bowling, Australia always look like they are on top: there can be no higher compliment for a fast bowler.
4. Starc … erratic, frustrating, wicket taker: I had caused to lament midway through the second session last night that I wondered if the NSP was regretting selecting Starc over Bird given the innocuous manner with which he had bowled up to that point. Yes he had eked out Cook but there was hardly any brilliance in that. I have to concede though that for all of the erraticism that sometimes gets into his bowling he has the X factor about him that means at times he is just unplayable. His efforts to dispatch Pietersen and Bairstow were two such deliveries.
5. More DRS follies: I am getting sick of writing about DRS and, indeed, had placed a self imposed on myself after the Myth’s terrible referral. That ban has only lasted a day however after Australia again showed they simply are not good at using the technology. Pietersen, on 62, fell across his wicket and was, in the eyes of many including Watson (who I am sure has watched a ton of videos last week of himself getting out in the same way), out LBW. Tony Hill declined and the now customer mid wicket conference between bowler, captain and ‘keeper decided not to refer it. Of course the ball was going to hit the stumps and a referral would have seen Hill reversed and Pietersen out 50 runs sooner. Has there been a more poignant moment surrounding DRS this series than Boof Lehmann on the balcony at Old Trafford raising his finger to indicate to Clarke that it would have been out? Australia MUST get better at this!
So there it is: day 3 is in the book and day 4 is only 10 and half hours away. Given the state of the game I do not expect Australia to do anything other than bat again regardless of the follow on and if that happens expect the Myth to elevated in the order. England’s second innings will be one of those moments that N Lyon fans and detractors alike have been waiting for: wearing pitch, large total and opportunity to win the game. It will be fascinating to see what happens next!
The Ashes: 3rd test, 2nd day … The Myth and wasted opportunity
Another excellent day of cricket at Old Trafford overnight and another winning day for the Australians who are right on top in this game. Here are my keys to day 5:
- The Myth chokes … As expected: Well he came, he was booed and a got out. I have written variously stating my opinion that David “the Myth” Warner should not be in the test team at the moment and should be required to come back to top flight cricket, if he does, through an apprenticeship in Sheffield Shield cricket. He looked out of his depth against Swann and then had a massive brain snap in referring an obvious edge to the DRS system. MUST NOT PLAY AGAIN THIS SERIES.
- Oh Smithy … so close and yet so far: How well is Steve Smith going at the moment? Since he came back into the team in India I have been nothing short of very impressed with both the form of “the Fidgeter” and how he goes about his game. The fidgeting belies his seemingly calm demeanour and he batted for 200 plus balls which shows great application to his craft.
- Patience = Batting for 5 sessions: Probably the thing I am happiest with about Australia's performance on day two is the patience of the captain to keep the English in the field for as long as he did. Clarke has had the propensity at times to pull the trigger early on declarations rather than keeping the metaphorical boot on the throat of the opposition. Last night he changed that trend and I loved it!
- Lyon … where has he been the last 2 tests? I know Lyon did not get a wicket however he bowled with flight and turn that had England on the back foot and would have raised some sweat on the brow of the batsmen to come. Tomorrow presents as a massive day for Lyon: this could be a career changing moment for him as he has the opportunity to win a test for his country.
- Siddle: why do I question you so? I have been fairly overt about the fact that I do not believe that P Siddle should be in the test team. He again proved last night his value of the team by charging in for an inspirational spell in the shadows of stumps. The fact is that for all of his limitations he charges in all day and can sniff out a wicket particularly when the opposition batsmen have gone into their shell.
Australia are in the box seat but with the weather around Old Trafford, particularly expected on day 5, quick wickets will be needed on day 3 to press Australia's very real claims for victory. Nathan Lyon is the key: wickets from him and the follow on is definitely in play. Whatever happens it will be another enthralling day of test match cricket.
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