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ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

• ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

• ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  StrumSolo > 08/08/2013, 19:03

  Tomorrow's fourth test will be a bit of a history maker, as Chester le-Street becomes only the ninth venue in England and Wales to ever hold an Ashes test. Durham were only awarded first-class status in 1991 so that represents quite a rise.
  
  Bit of a trek though...
  
  It's only been a few days since the last test ended in glorious Mancunian rain, but is it just me or has all the talk of silicone tape and DRS controversy rather overshadowed the fact we actually retained the urn?
  
  Maybe a win here to take the series will see the celebrations begin in earnest but one thing's for certain, we'll need to play a lot better than we did at Old Trafford for that to happen. The Aussies will fancy their chances after that poor England display.
  
  It's pretty much as you were in terms of the teams. Jackson Bird has replaced Ashton Agar in Australia's 12-man squad, while Ryan Harris could be rested. Bit injury prone, that one... For England, Graham Onions has been called up to a 13-man squad which also includes Chris Tremlett and the 11 that played last time out.
  
  Right then, predictions please chaps.

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 09/08/2013, 08:50

  Obviously there is not a lot of history to go on at Chester-Le-Street, the previous 4 tests have all been against poor opposition, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the West Indies twice, all of which England won easily.
  
  Apparently the ground was water logged earlier in the week and even though it has had time to dry up now, that still may prove an issue.
  
  So the history suggests this is a 'result' pitch, and even the county games played there suggest this with lowish scores being the par.
  
  Again the weather could play its part, it is supposed to be OK for the first couple of days with a chance of showers and interruption the last 3 days? if you can believe our forecasters...
  
  Graham Onions could well play in this test as he will have experience here, and could be Englands silver bullet.
  But then our batters have to step up and do their job..
  An interesting toss to win for sure...

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 09/08/2013, 10:50

  England win the toss and decide to bat first, let's hope they cam make use of it...
  England captain Alastair Cook: "It was quite a tough decision to bat first but it looks a dry wicket so we'll try to get a score on the board. We are unchanged, although Graham Onions came close to selection and is pushing his name closer and closer. It's about focusing on this game now. We have two matches and there's always pressure playing for England."
  
  England: Alastair Cook (capt), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson.
  
  Australia: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Usman Khawaja, Michael Clarke (capt), Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.
  
  
  So no place fro Graham Onions? as they stick with Broad, I think that is a mistake personally, Broad hasn't been a force so far, so give Onions his turn especially at this ground...
  
  Warner opens for the Aussies again as Watson is down to #6, that seems more sensible for them.
  
  We'll see very shortly...

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 09/08/2013, 12:11

  A very sedate start sees England at 31-0 at the drinks break, and it took to the 12th over for the first boundary. Both Cook and Root are being uber careful as to not throw their wicket away. Harris is bowling well again as is Jackson Bird..
  No rush guys, take that shine off the ball, then have a bash, let's hope that 2.15 RR picks up a bit...
  
  
  EDIT:
  
  A review by the Aussies in the 18th over as they think Root edges one off watson but the umpire isn't convinced... but this time the review is successful as hotspot shows a mark and Root goes for 16
  ENG 34-1

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 09/08/2013, 13:12

  LUNCH: ENG 57-1 Cook 21 & Trott 13 from 27 overs.
  
  Still a slow pace from the English batters at around 2.11 RR still. It certainly seems a good pitch for the bowlers, and the Aussies seems to have a plan for Trott as they gave him a leg slip and a short mid wicket to greet his arrival.
  
  The Aussies will be happy with this, pick of the bowlers being Watson who took the only wicket but good figures of 7 overs, 4 maidens, 8 runs for that 1 wicket.
  
  If England want to stop this Aussie attack then they have to start slashing the bat, otherwise Clarke will keep the pressure up, and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a quick wicket after lunch...

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  StrumSolo > 09/08/2013, 16:31

  Awful little spell there with England losing Cook, Pietersen and Bell in the space of 6 runs.
  
  Not looking particularly promising now with score 172-5

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 09/08/2013, 16:43

  Yeah, it was looking so and so until Cook got out and at 155-4 at Tea, the Aussies had certainly won another session...
  Then Bell gets out just after the break?? you can't be sure if it's the pitch or just crappy England batting again, with Pietersen it was crappy batting, even though he was whacking it about...
  
  So the stats suggested a low scoring game and it looks like they were right... the question now is whether England can bat a full day? and what score will they be happy with? I think they will take somewhere between 270 and 300, but that still seems a fair way off at the moment...

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  StrumSolo > 09/08/2013, 18:00

  And another quick collapse sees us 197-8.
  
  Awful.

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 10/08/2013, 08:16

  You're right there Scotty, another dismal day for the England batters as they end on 238 for 9, although I suppose that could have been worse as Anderson and Bresnan are making a bit of a last wicket stand with Jimmy on 16 from 10 balls and Bresnan on 12.
  I doubt they'll last very long this morning, so we'll have to see how the Aussies bat to make a final judgement as to whether the wicket is helping the bowlers, or just plain crap again from our lot.
  
  Whichever way, I bet against the draw again, as certainly wasn't confident enough to call an England win...

• RE: ASHES 2013: FOURTH TEST - Chester le-Street

  RussyRover > 10/08/2013, 10:56

  So Jonathan Trott admitted his side were dissatisfied with their performance after ending the first day of the fourth Ashes Test on 238-9 - how brave of you to say so Trotty, but again an understatement!!!
  
  "We're disappointed that we got ourselves into a good position then got ourselves into a bad one," he said.
  "In cricket, you get yourself out or it's good pressure from the opposition that makes you play a shot you shouldn't have. Generally the fault's in you as a batsman, and we could all say that today.
  "I think 250 is the average (County Championship first innings) score here at Durham, but that would be the easy route to go, to say we're at par. Clearly we're not. We probably didn't have the best of days.
  "Test match cricket is five days. You can't go out there and give your wicket away. You hang in there and wait for your time and you have to earn the right to score runs in Test cricket.
  "It's a little bit uncharacteristic of us as a side, because we put a lot of emphasis on our wickets. When that doesn't happen, you're disappointed."
  
  I'm not sure about that last statement, as during the series, it has been characteristic of them giving their wickets away!!!
  
  
  What about the weather though, according to the beeb;
  "It's looking pretty good today - a coolish start with temperatures up to 20 degrees, which is a fraction cooler than yesterday. There will be a light to moderate north-west to westerly breeze.
  "There's enough cloud to keep us wondering about the possibility of rain - but I think there's a only chance of about 10% of rain hitting. There will be rain tonight, there is no escaping that, and I suspect it might freshen things up for Sunday. I can't see us losing a session of the match for the next couple of days at least."
  
  
  So a full days play ahead it looks like, the question is now, what can the England bowlers do? Get the Aussies all out for 150, that would be a good start...
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