SHA Small Heath Alliance

For those who may have forgotten / lost interest / lost track of the days

Stats tonight at 23:30.

Will it be another shit tip wicket ? Will Bashir play? Can we make it 3-2 which may just save McCullum’s skin?

I think we will win. Bowlers look to have sorted the line and length finally.

5 days of ebb and flow test cricket would be nice

I'm just hoping for a normal test this time around. Hope Root and Brook get some runs to shut people up, and would like Tongue to do well again so we at least have one success story coming out the tour

We've got a real chance with Cummins, Lyon and Hazelwood out, plus several of their batters (Weatherald, Green) out of form. But I've said this every test so far and look how they've gone

I’d accept 3 and a half days at this point.

I’m sure the Sydney wicket has been pretty poor in recent years so it’ll be interesting to see what’s served up.

Watching Athers and Nasser saying there's a bit of grass on it. Be a far cry from 1998/99 when Australia went in with 3 spin options Warne, MacGill and Colin Miller although 'bluey' bowled a bit of everything. Goughie's hat-trick (he was technically on a hattrick at the start of of the test mstch) 3 days after Headley's heroics lives long in my memory

Yeah if there’s grass it may not be too dissimilar to the last test. Big toss.

they still persisting with these stupid kick off times?

6 millimetres apparently on a deck where Nathan Lyon averages 40 per wicket. Once again a far cry from 15 20 years ago. I think Aussies will pick Murphy mind

A few thunderstorms around days 1 and 2 but decent thereafter so it won't be a draw that's almost certain

Yeah I think they’ll pick Murphy. I think he’s good. They have 5/6 decent spinners around when Lyon goes, but he’s the next cab off the rank.

I assume either team will how if they win the toss

ZLAMMER

they still persisting with these stupid kick off times?

Madness isn’t it !

Won toss.

Batting.

80/4 at lunch.

Glass half full.

Won toss and will bat. Potts in. No Bashir. No Murphy for Australia

98 for 2 at lunch.

350 odd for 5 end of play

Neither side must see it as a spinning wicket or a chasing wicket then.

Interesting re: Murphy. Also bashir must feel like the least motivated and wanted England cricketer on a while. No matter what you think of his abilities he’s been treated pretty shoddily.