[Eddy]

112-7 Australia.

The umpiring has to be seen to be believed. Horrible.

[landcruiser123]

Great recovery by Steve Smith. 284 means Australia will be the happier side at EoD.

My prediction: 2-2.

[hemanth.anand]

From 122-8 to 284-10 wonderful batting by Smith and equally well supported by Siddle. I was seeing the match...initially the umpiring was bad and then it looked like the Umpires were not confident themselves which made it worse.

[Sunil2307]

Steve Smith showed his class once again. Phenomenal batting I'd say.

[PPS]

I just hope our Indian Tail were watching the lower order batting of Siddle/Lyon yesterday. Occupation of the crease is so important!

This could probably be the last we have seen of Anderson. Even if he recovers, I don't think England would be too confident of him lasting 5 days.

Btw, why did Australia drop Starc ?

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Sunil2307

Steve Smith showed his class once again. Phenomenal batting I'd say.

Yeah, as much as I dislike the guy (sandpaper, and he's an Aussie after all ) can't help but admire the way he's just come back and picked up where he left off. Not an easy thing to come back at this level. These Aussies are pretty tough.

Edit: Looks like a part of the explanation:

"For almost three weeks now, Smith has been driving Australia's assistant coaches to distraction with his ravenous appetite for net sessions and throw downs. He has hit thousands of balls, most of them delivered by the batting coach Graeme Hick, indoors and outdoors, morning and evening, optional sessions and mandatory, from Southampton to Birmingham."

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_...s-stuff-dreams

Originally Posted by PPS

Btw, why did Australia drop Starc ?

Not dropped, they're apparently rotating their pacers to share the workload and have them last the series. Or something like that:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_...c-falls-behind

[Sunil2307]

Originally Posted by am1m

Yeah, as much as I dislike the guy (sandpaper, and he's an Aussie after all ) can't help but admire the way he's just come back and picked up where he left off. Not an easy thing to come back at this level. These Aussies are pretty tough.

I know, I am the same as you. Dislike him to the core, and pretty much the same reasons as you. But cant stop admiring him for the way he has come right back into it.

[NPV]

Amazing knock by Steve Smith and great rearguard support from Siddle and Lyon

Haven't watched any of the live Ashes action this time, what are the channels (prefer HD if available) airing Ashes and India's tour of West Indies ?

[am1m]

On a related note, does anyone else think that sports writing is of a better quality generally than reporting on other things?

Most Cricinfo articles are well-researched, insightful and generally good. The Cricket Monthly stuff is even better. And some of the ESPN long form stuff is legendary with writers like Wright Thompson.

Wish there was this level of reporting and analysis for the really important stuff like politics, news, foreign policy and the like. Instead we get polarized views, shouting matches and paid articles.

I guess sports writing is just more profitable so attracts better writers/journalists?

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by NPV

Haven't watched any of the live Ashes action this time, what are the channels (prefer HD if available) airing Ashes and India's tour of West Indies ?

Ashes is currently airing on Sony Six HD. India - WI will also be on the Sony Network.

So they will have to juggle channels but there are enough HD channels in their pack to telecast both matches.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by NPV

Amazing knock by Steve Smith and great rearguard support from Siddle and Lyon

Haven't watched any of the live Ashes action this time, what are the channels (prefer HD if available) airing Ashes and India's tour of West Indies ?

Ashes 2019
Sony Six HD (483 on Tata Sky)

Ind V WI
Sony Ten 1 HD (471 on Tata Sky)
Sony Ten 3 HD (475 on Tata Sky)

On a separate note, I somehow didn't like the numbering behind the Jerseys in Ashes. Plain white for tests looks so nice IMO.

[C300]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

On a separate note, I somehow didn't like the numbering behind the Jerseys in Ashes. Plain white for tests looks so nice IMO.

Yeah. The numbering with large fonts looks very odd. For tests, good old plain white is the best.

[PPS]

Andre Russell is out of India-WI T20 series which starts tomorrow because of injury but he's playing today in GLT20 in Canada!

[Eddy]

Sometimes the national teams do demand higher levels of fitness. E.g. Yo Yo test

[NPV]

England have played well on Day 2 to get to 267/4 with Burns getting his first century in test cricket and not out on 125