Ashes, Third Test, Edgbaston, July 29-Aug 2

[Making_Splinters]

Oh Bell what the hell have you done? England were starting to bury the Australians and you've gone and opened the gates with a bloody stupid shot. Career on the line, playing fantastically and then you go and do that.

[sussexpob]

Lyon is no world beater, but you need to show him some respect. England have played him very poorly so far this series

[backfootpunch]

130-3 represents a massive step forward compared to previous innings

made even better by the fact we are only 4 runs behind

good innings from bell, shame he gave it away but he was positive all innings and it is a shot he plays well normally

[Aidan11]

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEES Jonny.

[hopeforthebest]

That was soooo stupid, not for the first time.

[Making_Splinters]

Or Carbs for that matter, I thought he fronted up pretty damn well down under when all the senior players were hardly leading the way

.

Well indeed, Carberry didnt return massive scores but he tried damn hard to fight the tide, and that for me is what I am not seeing from Lyth. You have to at least satisfy some criteria, but with Lyth he neither technically looks like a test opener, nor has the mentality.

If he had survive to the close of play, edge a few good balls, been dropped three times, but was not out without scoring I would applaud him. Instead he seems to play at balls under pressure and find ways to get out, and that for a test opener is a dangerous tendency.

A vast improvement is needed in the next 3 innings or, for me, he doesnt see out the series.

Carbs' problem was he never found away to rotate the strike and get the pressure off him. England have badly handled the opening slot, Cook I believe has had 6 different opening partners since Strauss retired and how many of them can you say have had a fair shake of the stick? Players will never play well when they're in constant threat of losing their place.

Lyth, for me, should be given the winter. I agree we need to see a significant improvement from him in terms of is judgement going forward. Part of me feels that Hales should be given a go with the same sort of role that Warner has for the Australians.

[Aidan11]

Here comes the rain again.

[hopeforthebest]

Now light has stopped ply Bell will realise how big a blunder he made. A touch of the Pietersen's did him down.

[hopeforthebest]

England need to grit it out and get a 150-200 lead, forget this new Egland aggression.

[yorker_129-7]

Peak Bell toward the end there, nice fifty then mad shot off the spinner to give it away.

Positive for England is tomorrow will be a good batting day and the stroke players can build the lead.

[Aidan11]

269 runs, 13 wickets and 65.4 overs today.

[backfootpunch]

England need to grit it out and get a 150-200 lead, forget this new Egland aggression.

I think bairstow, stokes and buttler are more likely to score runs playing positively

None of them really have the defensive technique to make 150 off 300 balls

[Aidan11]

I hope Bairstow does to the Aussies what he did for Yorkshire against Durham.


Then it will be game over.

[Gingerfinch]

269 runs, 13 wickets and 65.4 overs today.

Considering 25 overs were lost, the spectators got a decent day.

[budgetmeansbudget]

England need to grit it out and get a 150-200 lead, forget this new Egland aggression.

This middle order only knows one way to play and that's aggressively. I expect them to go at 4 an over from the get go tomorrow.