Official Luthiers Forum!

If I was the England Captain I wouldn't enforce it. I wouldn't want to bat last on the pitch. So I'd bat and put the game out of the Aussies reach then try and bowl them out on the last day. But then I'm a geologist not a test captain!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Well done to the Aussies for getting the draw. Fair result in the end of what was a very exciting last session. Ponting played a captain's innings when it was needed. Neither of the spinners, Warne or Giles took a wicket in the second innings on a deteriorating pitch! Pity about the lost day through rain.

England must now be favourites for the series. Although I think the Aussies will hold on for a draw and keep the Ashes. One of the Australian commentators I was listening to today said he thought the drawn series was the likely result but that England would probably win the series in Australia in 18 months because England were improving all the time and Australia were getting older and needed to bring in younger players.

On to Trent Bridge next week.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Might it be called "the great escape"?

England played a great game, our lot made too many errors, but another hour or two in the final session and we might have had you - only 50 odd runs short in the end, a pretty good recovery.

It has been good for the game, there's been a real resurgence in people watching the games over here. The possibility of losing a series puts you on the edge of your seat - something that has been missing for too long.

Our sellectors should have been bringing some of the younger players up for the odd test match here and there, if they keep putting it off they'll end up having to bring in two or three at once - not good. Some of our older guys seemed tired and not on their game.

We'll see what the pitch is like at Trent Bridge next week!