Toonpack

The issue does appear to be the "coming back" part of the operation.

Interesting choice of logo design they've gone with there 😳

Submersible is being somewhat generous

Guinness zero is the answer, I rarely drink these days, despite the peer pressure and piss taking, it's good stuff and (in answer to the "what's the point" merchants) it feels like you're having a pint, even to the point of getting a tipsy feeling (obviously psychological) with no hangover guaranteed. I do like a few beers sat on my deck at the, van in the sun, but I always have precautionary Alka Seltzer on hand up there 😀 As Gloom says booze is omnipresent and the pressure to drink it equally so. It's also heartening to see folks realising it's an issue for them, well done lads and good luck.

They did

as I was saying FFS !!!

Could be off and on like a whores drawers (Brum tomorrow per beeb)

One things for certain, we cannot miss any chances in the field.

I was thinking min 270 lead minimum, but we'll likely be shy of that (hope not but....) and they'll have a couple of hours under the sun tonight and I reckon he'd have wanted less than that amount of time (or a bigger run cushion). Time will tell, but at least we've got "some" decent runs on the board, it won't be a cakewalk, but the arguments will come if they get them with a couple of wickets left, or half an hour before end of play where another 30 or so would have "saved the day".

I think the runs given away by the day one declaration may be looming large now

Double Bugger !!! Well any potential declaration controversy seems to be off the agenda now.

Bugger!!

I think they're better than us "on paper" man for man, two top end world class batsmen (washing machine and the cheat) to our one (Root) and a top, top spinner to our none, we have Jimmy but they have 3 or 4 as good as, if not better, than our other bowlers.

It's great tbh, BUT in a series context there's times it should be tempered a wee bit I think (especially against these twats) don't just bazball for the sake of it. On paper they are better than us IMO, we don't need to give them unforced advantages/chances.

Absolutely don't disagree, your second sentence is bang on as well and I was simply opining that they'd had the rub of the green at certain points, not that they were "just lucky". To take Alex's point re Ducket and Crawley (which I agree with btw) Even Root was struggling in that mini-session but he was good enough to miss the ball. I really want to see Foakes in, one of the openers needs to drop (Crawley IMO - not only because I have no idea why/how he continues to get picked, but also to preserve the LH/RH situation). I'd just move whole order up one (Pope is invariably in early against the new ball anyway). Foakes is a competent bat and at #8 would provide a platform to rotate the strike if you've got one of the more expansive players still around, he's also capable of accelerating with the tail. (catches win matches etc.) Think Moeen will struggle having seen a pic of his blisters, weather tomorrow seems very patchy so a draw is most likely, unless of course we get another gangsta declaration to force a result - which worries me tbh - before the Series the question was put to Stokes, "you're 2-1 up and at end of day 4 of the final test and you are 300 ahead with 3 wickets down, what would you do? bat on, or declare", without hesitation he said "I'd declare". There's a time and place for a declaration, like if you are trying to force a result because you need one, day one of a test match is never that time and place, and neither is day 4/5 of a test you can't lose (unless you declare prematurely). I also have an aversion to enforcing follow on's, unless the weather is iffy. Hopefully we can bat through today and in between the weather tomorrow unleash Jimmy in conditions like last night. But I'd bet he'll declare with an hour at least at them tonight or with a lead of around 300, unless they skittle us and take it out of his hands.

Got to feel for the keeper mind, stunning reaction save from the first deflection and it lands up on a plate for Joe

It shows. Brook's dismissal was a freak (to the point commentators/ex players were saying "never seen the like before") the mad bowling conditions when they came back on last night, for 20 minutes, were perfect for half decent bowlers never mind great bowlers. No-one is doubting how good the Aussies are, but they have had some luck.

Therapist

Thankfully too wet

Shit! Covers coming off, just what we don't need, a nothing of any real benefit can happen, but a world of pain can, short session 🙄

Perfect bowling conditions to be fair, had some luck these Aussies tbh

Not if they win by one wicket, way Root was playing we were good for another 30/40 minimum

These are very good players, getting them out once is hard enough, two and three times is a joke !!!!

Well fuck !!!!

I can't watch it, 10 allowed at Dan's funeral, no wake, nothing, and these cunts were doing that. I'd like their fucking names and addresses