Test Champs final, Oz vs SA at Lords, June 11-15

[sussexpob]

Made me laugh that Cricinfo posted an article about how this test match invalidated Bazball style..... I completely disagree, South Africa would have been far better to have a whack then bunker in going nowhere in the last couple of sessions.

Very poor effort really. Did the hard work yesterday, only to flop like a chocolate fireguard

[andy]

Chocolate fireguard

[andy]

Khawaja and green both gone quickly! Way back for SA?

[sussexpob]

Cor blimey, Australia are now snatching defeat from the jaws of victory....

Its carnage at Lords.... 70/7!!!

The only question is whether or not 137 is enough. Judging on the last 24 hours, Australia probably have enough to declare. I disagreed with Andy about the pitch being easy for batting, but it really doesn't strike me as a 400 for 27 wickets pitch.

Combination of lose batting and some top class bowling

[sussexpob]

The incredible thing as well is, its now 84/7 and I've lost count of how many edges Australia have got lucky with falling short

[Red Devil]

The incredible thing as well is, its now 84/7 and I've lost count of how many edges Australia have got lucky with falling short

They got lucky but tbh they've probably got too many for SA to chase down already

[GarlicJam]

The incredible thing as well is, its now 84/7 and I've lost count of how many edges Australia have got lucky with falling short

happening several times can be called luck, but the number of times it happened was an indictment of SA's inability to adjust their positions - and finally, when they did, Jansen spilt a dolly.

[bigfluffylemon]

Quite the test match we have going on here. You'd rather be in Australia's shoes at the end of day 2, but it's in the balance. Regardless of what logic tells you about how challenging batting has been so far, a target under 250 always feels as though it is gettable - just needs one partnership to get 'in'.

A far cry from the days when Lord's was one of the most batting friendly tracks around. I know both teams have very good pace attacks, but it also makes you wonder if there will be questions raised about the quality of the pitch. You know if 28 wickets fell in two days in the subcontinent there would be complaints...

Unusually, I am supporting Australia to win this one. I normally have a hard time getting behind the Aussie cricket team, despite all my years here (and it's specifically cricket - I'll cheer on the Australian rugby, football, Olympic teams etc. provided they're not up against England). Not sure if it's because of the history of the rivalry in cricket, the fact that the Australian cricket team has generally not had very likeable characters, sandpaper, or what. But in this instance, I think they have been the best team in the world over the last 2 years, while South Africa have largely fluked their way into the final on the back of a very easy fixture list (no games at all v Australia or England, drew 1-1 with India at home, lost 0-2 to New Zealand away, then a 6-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh away and Pakistan at home took them to the final - hardly the stuff of champions IMO).

[sussexpob]

happening several times can be called luck, but the number of times it happened was an indictment of SA's inability to adjust their positions - and finally, when they did, Jansen spilt a dolly.

I was actually listening to Alyssa Healy and Brad Haddin's podcast the other day, and Haddin was talking about how Lord's is the toughest place in the world to keep due to how the ball behaves past the bat. He was saying the ball will dip or swerve randomly, and setting up where to stand to account for that is somewhat guess work. One ball will come down the slope and behave as you think it will, the next will wobble in the air and die on you. Haddin said he hated it.

Even a keeper like Mark Boucher, generally considered the best keeper of the modern day, has said he struggled with the Lord's wobble.

[sussexpob]

Meanwhile, I see war is breaking out on social media about the Bedingham incident, and the press are playing it up as a controversial moment. I don't see what the fuss is about; the ball was trapped in his clothing, it is therefore clearly dead, and therefore under the rules the batter cannot be out for touching it nor has to seek the fielders approval to touch the ball for returning it to the field. Not out, move on.

And counter to what some of the Bairstow Justice warriors seem to be saying, there is nowt wrong with Carey appealing. If he believed the ball was not trapped but still moving and the ball was not ruled dead, then it is technically out. Nothing wrong with asking the question, the umpire answered it, everyone played on.

[andy]

Rabada gets lyon!!! Stunned that Mulder was given the ball ahead of jansen

[sussexpob]

Rabada could clear up 10 with the jack...

[andy]

If Mulder is going to bowl veryenne needs to stand up to the stumps because starc will surely throw his hands at everything now they need to box him in

[andy]

Important boundary for starc...lead goes to 230

[sussexpob]

Rabada gets lyon!!! Stunned that Mulder was given the ball ahead of jansen

Seems to have an issue with his hand/gripping the ball it seems.